Connecting Science to Experience
If I were to go back to before the pandemic and look at what my internship is now, I would be surprised, to say the least. That does not mean that it’s awful and my summer is ruined, but it …
A Tale of Two Worlds
In the southwestern corner of South Dakota lies Wind Cave National Park, the first cave to be selected as a national park anywhere in the world. At 150 miles in length, Wind Cave is one of the longest and most …
The Invisible Menace
This season I’ll be in charge of radon monitoring in the caves. Monitoring occurs year-round on a weekly basis, mainly on tour routes. The purpose of radon monitoring is less for the protection of visitors and more for tour guides …
Hello World!
Sea turtle themed paper holders, artwork, table bowls, and even stuffed toys and pillows find homes in Dr. Donna Shaver and Cynthia Rubio’s offices. Lately, I’ve been right along the menagerie! There are several offices scattered around the government buildings …
Above all Others
After weeks of sampling streams in the park, I couldn’t help but notice that diversity was significantly lacking. Many of our sample sites yielded only brook trout. Of course I’m not complaining about this, given how beautiful and unique these …
A Summer Exploring Wind Cave
This summer, my focus will lie on creating a geology training manual for the Interpretation and Education division of Wind Cave National park. This geologic resource manual will help future park interpreters and staff effectively communicate the geologic history of …
Trapping Voles and Documenting Loons
There are several parks in the Central Alaska Network, and I have spent the last week visiting one of them- Denali National Park. Last week, from Monday to Sunday, I was camping in Denali working on a small mammals project …
Self-isolation on San Juan Island: Two Fun Weeks
Two weeks ago, in the middle of a pandemic and global crisis, I packed up my most important belongings and flew from one airport near the Mississippi River to another by the Pacific Ocean.
Being a prairie kid from Missouri, …