Anyone who has met me knows two things about me: I love frogs and the color green. They are two things that bring me joy and peace, and never fail to inspire me! My art always contains one or the other, whether I’m drawing, painting, water coloring or creating textiles.
Here in Costa Rica, I have the opportunity to see frogs in the wild. People usually do not get to touch frogs. Since frogs have very sensitive skin, your hands have to be completely clean to handle them, and most tourists wear bug spray and other chemicals. However, through the biology program here at the University of Costa Rica, I have been entrusted to handle some frogs. It is a dream come true!
Growing up, I always knew that I loved nature. I ran cross-country in high school. My family's summer trips to Colorado to hike and run were always the highlights of my year. Part of that love for being in nature comes from being born in Northern Wisconsin, in the middle of the woods. I still daydream about my family's white farmhouse, with a trail in the backyard leading to a gorgeous little lake. Even though I’ve had this inspiration from nature my whole life, only recently did I realize that I could make a career out of my passion!
I started studying ecology, evolution, and organismal biology at the University of Kansas last year. I study the history of all living creatures and how they interact on this planet. At first, I doubted my abilities to study science in college, but I realized that a lot of other girls are doing it too. It is especially important for women to realize that we have the ability to think logically and scientifically, as well as balance our creativity and self-expression. We can do anything and be anything we want!
