Science
Education
I strive to bring my research to the general public through outreach at schools, libraries, zoos, and more! For a list of my outreach and communication efforts please check out my current CV.
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If you know of any audience that would like to learn about birds, field ecology, or science in general please email me at sarahkw2@illinois.edu!
Science Communication:
Bringing science to the community
I try to bring my science to a variety of public audiences. Some of my recent outreach has included:
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Public seminars:
-"Cowbirds: villainous mobsters or falsely maligned native species? A biologist’s perspective" (watch recording here!)
-Hypothesis testing with the Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society (watch recording here!)
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Featured interviews:
-Birds and Blooms magazine feature on nesting birds
-American Birding Podcast feature on cowbirds, listen here!
-Audubon Magazine article about the Ohio Young Birders Club
-Audubon Magazine article about human interference and cowbird parasitism
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Multimedia Collaborations:
-consulted on the True Facts: Parasitic Birds YouTube video
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For a full list of my science communication/outreach activities please see my updated CV!
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Science Education: K-12 Activities
Sunset Zoo Science Communication Fellow:
Prairie Babies Game
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I developed this activity as part of my training as a Science Communication Fellow at Manhattan's Sunset Zoo. Over 3-5 minutes, participants learn about the observed variation in bird nestling growth and development strategies, build baby birds that exhibit some variation, and spin the wheel of "environmental variables" to see how their bird's survival is linked to environmental conditions.
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Teaching the Scientific Process: Linking hypotheses to data using migratory birds
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Dr. Alice Boyle and I developed an activity for middle-school girls at the Enhancing Your Future workshop. Over 45 minutes, participants hypothesize about the cause of avian migration and gather data about bird bill morphology, diet, and migratory tendencies. At the end of the workshop, participants use their data to revisit their hypotheses.
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Skype a Scientist
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I am a participant in the Skype a Scientist program. I connect with teachers across the country and Skype with their classrooms, giving students an opportunity to ask questions about my research, grasslands, field biology, and becoming a scientist.
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Check out this blog post intended to present my research focus to school-age children.
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Or this one about evolutionary ecology intended for high school students!
Or this one about my experimental design!
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Or this one about bird anatomy!
For more information about my science communication and outreach work please check out my CV!