Note: Today we have a great post by a guest blogger. Ellen Fordham is a Middle School Student at Quarry Lane in Dublin, CA. Ellen did a Headwaters program in October and wrote the blog post below. Check out Ellen’s research project: A Bug’s Life. Look for more posts from us and student’s about the Quarry Lane trip.
When I first arrived at Headwaters Science Institute, all the annoying insects flying around me bothered me. I wondered if it was the food I had in my bag or the colors I was wearing that attracted them. When it came time to plan a topic for my own field research, I was interested in finding out what insects are most attracted to. We had studied the meadow and the forest in our first day and a half. So my group hiked to the meadow for our bug project, since we knew that there were more insects and hornets there than in the forest. We laid out T-shirts of different colors and put sticky traps on them. We also put different foods and smells on sticky traps. On an hourly basis, we recorded the number of insects on each sticky trap. While doing this experiment, we also did some background research. I learned that insects don’t have a nose and that they rely on their olfactory sensilla to s
mell. I learned that they are mainly color blind and can only see a few colors, but they can see some colors that we can’t see, like ultra violet. I also learned that they see things in pixels. It was a great experience designing and conducting an experiment on a question I was truly interested in. Now I know that if you don’t want insects surrounding you, you shouldn’t wear bright colors, like yellow and orange, and shouldn’t pack meat as a lunch! I would love to go back to Headwaters again and do some more research. I now want to find out why there are more insects in the meadow than in the forest.
-Ellen Fordham
Tara Webster (she/they)
Outreach and Fundraising Coordinator
Tara is an experienced higher education science and engineering educator who strives for inclusive excellence through empathy, compassion, mutual aid, and community advocacy. Passionate about the educational advancement of traditionally underserved students, Tara uses outdoor science outreach to increase the representation and retention of first-generation BIPOC students in STEM. As a first-generation college graduate, she received her B.S. and M.S. in biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in STEM Education with an emphasis on justice-centered learning of social and political issues in post-secondary STEM classrooms.
Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, she is a self-taught carpenter and enjoys spending time in her pollinator garden with her dogs, cat, and chickens.
Rian Fried graduated from Brandeis University with a double major with B.A.s in Environmental Studies and International and Global Studies and a minor in Economics. He has worked at summer camps and most recently Supervised the program ambassadors for Sierra Nevada Alliance. He joined Headwaters because of his passion for science! He moved to Tahoe a few months after graduating for the winter season and fell in love with the area. In Rian’s free time, he loves skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, and basically anything else outside.
Katie is the Program Manager of the Bay Area, managing after school and summer camps. Katie is originally from North Carolina and just recently made the move to California. She has her degree in special education and is working on her master of arts in biology through Project Dragonfly out of Miami University in Ohio. When not working, Katie loves to hang out with her rescue dog Charley and explore new areas in her new hometown.
Morgan manages school programs and summer camps in the Tahoe, Reno and Sacramento areas. She has a Master’s degree in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from the University of Nevada, Reno where she studied black bear denning and hibernation. Morgan is excited to share her excitement for research and ecology with Headwaters students. Originally from Minnesota, she loves any activity that involves snow.
Savannah graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies and Public Policy from UC Berkeley. Her thesis was on social and policy dimensions of public lands protection. Savannah grew up in Truckee and is passionate about protecting our environment and engaging others in her love of nature. She loves food systems and being outside, and has most recently worked as a farmer in Nevada County. In her free time, she is happiest swimming in the river, mountain biking, and trying new recipes.
Courtney is the Data Analyst and Research Experience Manager. A recent graduate from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, she is excited to share her passion for science and data knowledge with Headwaters. Originally from Wyoming, she is excited to make an impact in science education at Headwaters. In her freetime, she can be found trail running, painting, doing yoga, or reading.
Megan holds a PhD in zoology from Washington State University and is passionate about science and the environment. Her focus is on teaching more people the process of science and she hopes to bring it to as many students as possible across the US. In her free time, Meg enjoys Nordic skiing, running, and playing with her family in the Sierra.
Mary Ellen holds a BA in Biology/Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz. She has worked as an environmental education guide for more than 10 years, balancing that with substitute teaching K-12 in the local school district. For fun she coaches a high school Nordic ski team and tries to get in as much play time outside, skiing, running and biking. She hopes to inspire students to be curious about natural processes in order to foster a deeper appreciation of our environment.
Anne Espeset
Grants and Programs
Anne holds a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno where she researched the impacts of human-induced changes on sexually selected signals of a butterfly. She has also been a part of several scientific outreach programs, including a community science project (Pieris Project) and the University of Nevada’s Museum of Natural History. Anne is excited to continue sharing the scientific process and research with a diversity of students through the Headwaters Science Institute!