Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers: Recent Episodes
The Morton Arboretum: STEM Education
Welcome to ‘Planted: Finding your roots in STEM careers,’ we are here to introduce you to some professionals that have interesting and diverse careers and the journey they took to get there. These plant professionals do everything from teaching people about the natural world, unlocking the secrets of DNA, and traveling the world to save unique species. Explore the journey, by listening to the episode that matches your interest, or mirrors your journey towards a STEM career.
As a plant breeder, Kim Shearer bridges the worlds of nurseries, nonprofits, and academia as she works to bring Chicago-hardy, beautiful woody plants to market.
From draft to print, Bennett Young discusses the scientific and intricate world of publication.
Kathleen Kennedy describes the difference between policy and law, the importance of math, and how she pursued her Law and Policy degrees. She also highlights the value that local government provides in protecting the environment.
Ronda Hamm, If/Then Women in STEM ambassador, discusses the real-world science that she has used throughout her career, and how she makes decisions about her profession.
Jeremy Poirier does a deep dive into the importance of sustainable forestry for wildlife and livelihoods.
Susan Jacobson talks about all things landscape architecture including the installation of The Arboretum’s newest project the Centennial Grand Garden.
Tanisha Williams discusses the ins and outs of a career in academia, the importance of representation, and how plants can connect us to people and places. In addition to her research, Tanisha is one of the recognized founders of Black Botanist Week, and a contributing author to a “Plant Love Story” about her grandmother and the African Violet.
Colette Copic discusses the benefits of trees and how communities can promote urban greening. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [Grant #: ARPML-250622-OMLS-22]. www.imls.gov
Jazmin Albarran highlights the diverse and unique industries with career opportunities in horticulture and plant science.
Matt Lobdell, curator of living collections at The Morton Arboretum, highlights his interesting career path from anthropology to curating one of the largest collections of trees in North America. His sense of adventure serves him well as he travels to remote locations around the world to find rare or endangered trees for this outdoor living tree museum.
Bonus Content: * Matt Lobdell’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: bigleaf magnolia * Classroom Activity: S2 E9- Lesson Plan * Explore Lobdell’s Photo Profile
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Julie Travaglini, education program director at the Allegheny Land Trust, talks about how she found a career that balances her passion for education and the outdoors. From inspiring kids to certifying her backyard as a wildlife habitat, Travaglini connects nature and plants with people on a daily basis. Travaglini highlights how technologies such as iNaturalist can help connect students to the natural world.
Bonus Content: * Julie Travaglini’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Jewelweed * Classroom Activity: S2 E8 * Explore Travaglini’s ’s Photo Profile * Learn more about the Audubon’s Certified Backyard Habitat Program and other wildlife certification programs * Northern Illinois Tree Selector * Venomous by Christie Wilcox * Encyclopedia of Life * Information about abandoned mine drainage at an Allegheny Land Trust site * Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators webinars * Webinar featuring Travagliniand her hydroponic project * iNaturalist
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Anna Ball, president and CEO of Ball Horticultural Company, discusses how leadership, business, and STEM can combine to make an exciting and vibrant career. Ball leads diverse teams to ensure that Ball Horticultural Company makes the world a more beautiful place by developing and selling disease and fungal-resistant plants.
Bonus Content: * Anna Ball’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Peonies * Classroom Activity: S2 E7 * Explore Ball’s Photo Profile * Find out your ‘plant power’ through Bloom! * Read about the scientific benefits of trees * Check out a horticulturist in a Canopy Career Chronicle * Bringing back impatiens in GrowerTalks * Learn about selective breeding and genetic modification
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Kevin McIntyre, climber arborist at The Morton Arboretum, dives into the importance of risk-assessment in a STEM career. From evaluating the safety of the trees he is about to climb to thoughtfully selecting the next step in his career, McIntyre assesses situations every day.
Bonus Content:
- Kevin McIntyre’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Eastern redbud
- Classroom Activity: S2 E6- Lesson Plan to be added.docx
- Becoming a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture
- How to plant a tree
- The Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum
- Explore McIntyre’s Photo Profile
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Matt Candeias, PhD candidate at the University of Illinois and creator of In Defense of Plants, describes his career and the importance of communication. Through his own research and studies and the creation of the extremely successful podcast In Defense of Plants, Candeias uses communication to address complex topics in an accessible way.
Bonus Content:
- Matt Candeias’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Orchidaceae family
- Classroom Activity: S2 E5-
- Explore Candeias’s Photo Profile
- Read the In Defense of Plants blog
- Check out the In Defense of Plants podcast
- Listen to an episode of In Defense of Plants in which Jessica Turner-Skoff was a guest
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Marvin Lo, Research Assistant at The Morton Arboretum, discusses how the early stages of his career have required versatility. As a research assistant, Lo demonstrates versatility as he works with lots of different people and spends time in the field, in the lab, and in the office.
Bonus Content:
- Marvin Lo’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Buce plants
- Explore Marvin’s Photo Profile
- Learn more about how Marvin propagates plants and tissue culture
- Check out these career chronicles that feature jobs similar to Lo's: Research Assistant and Arboriculture Scientist
- Check out The Morton Arboretum’s collaboration with NASA:
-
- Article from NASA’s website
- Video
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Dr. Nicole Cavender, Vice President of Science and Conservation and Sue Wagner, Former Vice President of Education and Information at The Morton Arboretum (Current President and CEO of Huntsville Botanical Garden) describe how their careers in STEM require long-term planning and vision. Learn how each of these leaders assess opportunities and situations and how they use vision to grow and develop this tree-focused museum.
Bonus Content: * Nicole Cavender’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: tulip tree * Sue Wagner’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: lavender * Information about Troll Hunt * Explore Nicole’s Photo Profile * Explore Sue’s Photo Profile
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
Dr. Chris Martine, David Burpee Professor of Plant Genetics and Research at Bucknell University, discusses how he incorporates innovation into his career. From discovering and naming plants, to communicating about plants in creative ways, Martine finds ways to push the boundaries of what we know and how we think about plants.
Bonus Content: * Chris Martine’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profiles: Australian blood bone tomato and the Dungowan bush tomato * Explore Chris’s Photo Profile * Plants are Cool, too! youtube series * Press Release about Chris’ work
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
In this episode of Planted, Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Tree Conservation Ecologist at The Morton Arboretum, discusses how she collaborates with individuals and institutions all over the world to work towards saving the Quercus brandegeei from extinction.
Bonus Content:
- Silvia Alvarez-Clare’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: The Kapok tree
- Explore Silvia’s Photo Profile
- Classroom Activity: S2 E1 - Lesson Plan
- Check out these career chronicles that feature jobs similar to Silvia’s: Conservation Leader and Conservation Advocate
- Check out the group 500 Women Scientists
- Learn more about the importance of biodiversity through this radio segment
SHARE: Please tell us what you think. After you have listened to one (or several) episodes, we welcome your feedback.
What opportunity is next on the horizon? Listen on this episode of Planted as Audrey Denvir describes her decision-making process to take the next step in her career. Although her career has taken many forms, from wanting to be pop-star to working in Mexico and Latin America with an emphasis on sustainable forestry, Denvir shares her unique perspective on what lies next. Bonus Content: * Audrey Denvir’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Chicalaba * Classroom Activity: S1 E8- Classroom Activity- Avocados and Deforestation.docx * Learn more about Audrey’s career in this photo profile and in this article from Curbed Chicago * Can a toddler really play Chopin? In this episode Audrey discusses how she is learning piano as a hobby, but was proud of her ability to play this Chopin piece * Audrey discusses both the forestry programs she attended (Yale School of Forestry) and will attend in fall 2018 at The University of Texas (Austin) * Article about the demand for avocados and impact on the forest of Mexico * University of Minnesota's article on the illegal deforestation in Mexico as the demand for avocados grows
So you’ve done all the work and gained all the necessary skills, but how do you know you’ve arrived in your dream job in STEM and plant science? In this episode of Planted, Tricia Bethke and Dr. Jennifer Chandler share tips and advice for reaching the sweet spot in their careers and taking risks to end up exactly with the career they wanted.
Bonus Content:
- Tricia Bethke’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Shagbark Hickory
- Dr. Jennifer Chandler’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: American Ginseng
- Classroom Activity: S1 E7 - Classroom Activity- Developing an Action Plan Spotted Lanternfly.docx
- Learn more about Dr. Jennifer Chandler in this Photo Profile
- Dig Deeper into the invasive forest pests, specifically highlighting the Spotted Lantern Fly
- Video from the University of Maryland Extension about the Spotted Lantern Fly
- PSA about the Spotted Lantern Fly from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- For more information on invasive pests- meet VIN VASIVE
Mentors, colleagues and advisers do more than give insight on the journey, they can help shape the path. Follow us on this episode of Planted, as Dr. Chelsea Romulo winds us through her current research into the far corners of the Amazon and discusses mentors and advisers that helped her carve her journey to these remote pockets of the world. Bonus Content: * Dr. Chelsie Romulo’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Jerusalem Artichoke * Get to know Chelsie in this interview article * Classroom Activity: S1 E6- Classroom Activity - AgujePalm.docx * During Chelsie’e episode she discusses the Snowy Clover Bird- Check out this unique bird and why it is threatened * Dig Deeper into the harvesting of Aguje Palm with: Chelsie’s Photo Profile * Chelsie’ Blog which highlight’s Chelsie’s research on the aguaje palms * Video featuring Chelsie’s research
Sometimes, does it really come down to trusting your gut? Setting a course within your STEM/plant career can be difficult when you are presented with multiple opportunities, internships or programs to choose between. In this episode of Planted, Dr. Murphy Westwood and Trinity Pierce share their insight on how they chose the opportunities in their path into STEM, and the skills they built along the way. Bonus Content: * Dr. Murphy Westwood’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Wollemi Pine * Trinity Pierce’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Witch hazel * Learn more about Dr. Murphy Westwood’s current projects and publications and take a look at her Photo Profile * Check out Trinity’s work with The Morton Arboretum’s Natural Areas Restoration Program in this Photo Profile * Classroom Activity: S1 E5 - Classroom Activity -ActionPlanEasternHemlockWoollyAdelgids.docx * Dig Deeper into Endangered Trees by checking out some of the specimens highlighted in The Morton Arboretum’s Vanishing Acts Exhibit * Vanishing Acts Profile: Wollemi Pine * Vanishing Act Frasier Fir * Both Trinity and Murphy discussed the internships and opportunities that they navigated to choose between within their careers. Check out more information on the Disney Horticulture Internship that Trinity completed or Kew Gardens Science, where Murphy worked during her master's program at the Imperial College in London.
Internships can take you all over the world and provide valuable insight into the career of your dreams. In this episode, Ashley Tuffin, a research assistant at The Morton Arboretum, describes how the internships guided by your interest can shape decisions and directions within your STEM/plant career trajectory.
Bonus Content:
- Ashley Tuffin’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Oaks (family)
- Classroom Activity: Environmental Survival with Pokeman
- Follow Ashley’s Journey by exploring their blog
- Explore Ashley's internships (both at The Morton Arboretum and in Sweden) through this photo profile
- Learn about classification and phylogeny using Pokemon
-
- Check out this NSTA article about using Pokemon to teach scientific classification
- Check out an evolutionary outline of pokemon characters/creatures
Interests guide your path, but what if you have more than one passion? In this episode of Planted, Dr. Aurélie Jacquet, an ethnopharmacologist who studies the uses of medicinal plant extracts to treat Parkinson's disease, talks about how she incorporates her passion for photography within her research. She will share how she uses microscopy to capture images of healthy or sick nerve cells.
Bonus Content * Aurélie Jacquet’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Red Clover * Classroom Activity: Classroom Activity- Ethnopharmacology-CellHealth.docx * Check out some of Aurélie’s photography (in addition to her microscopy images) in this Photo Profile * In addition to the images Aurelie captures, she enjoys looking at nature photos. This exercise is proven to provide health benefits to individuals who view trees from their window, or spend time in nature. For more information on the benefits of trees.
Join us on this episode of Planted to learn how early experiences in the natural world can ignite passion for working with plants later in life. Inspired by his experiences with collecting and raising butterflies as a youth, Frank Balestri shares how some of his early experiences, inspired him to consider a path into horticulture.
Bonus Content:
- Frank Balestri’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Sweet Bay Magnolia
- Classroom Activity: How can humans positively impact butterfly populations?
- Deep Dive into Butterflies:
-
- Butterfly Safari Video - Jessica, Meghan, and Frank go hunting to identify caterpillar eggs
- Butterfly Egg and Larvae Photos (also young frank is featured in these photos)
- Butterfly and Moth terminology decoded in this article from the Chicago Botanical Garden
- Watch a time-lapse video of monarch metamorphosis
In this episode of Planted, we talk about how sometimes our first career aspirations are wildly different from the paths we ultimately choose to pursue. Andrew Hipp’s surprising and twisting path into the scientific field of plant systematics is just that, interesting at every turn. Listen to Andrew discuss his early aspirations; from astronaut to creative writer, ultimately leading to his current work as a scientist. Andrew describes how he harnesses his skills as a writer to paint a picture that weaves the genetic data of oak species from around the world to create a Tree of Life for Oak trees that spans 1000s of years.
Bonus Content:
- Andrew Hipp’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile:The Bladderwort
- Classroom Activity: What is an Herbarium? Citizen Science Activity to support Herbarium specimens.
- Deep Dive on Andrew’s Research:
-
- Explore Andrew’s Photo Profile
- Check out this article that describes the genetic evolution of the mighty oak(s).
- Learn more about Andrew’s work and the Mystery of the White Oaks.
Before you start the winding path into plant related careers, get to know the hosts, in this bonus episode. Unravel their early interest and passion for STEM, and learn how a plant profession could be a perfect job for you!
Visit our landing page for more information about Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers
Bonus Content:
- Jessica Turner-Skoff’s Profile and Favorite Plant Profile: Tulip Tree
- Meghan Wiesbrock’s Favorite Plant Profile: Redbud
- Jessica’s Photo Profile- Learn more about Jessica’s internships, her connections to several of the guests featured this season, as well as her background and current role.
- Information on plant Blindness (during the episode Jessica and Meghan discuss this concept of plant blindness). For a deeper dive on the topic of plant blindness.
- As a child, Jessica was first introduced to the concept of ethnobotany when she discovered that plants (specifically white pine) could be used to ward off Scurvy. Learn about other ways humans can use plants, including to filter water