Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka

If you're considering a career in wildlife, conservation, or environmental sciences, you've probably heard that these fields don't pay well and even that you have to be wealthy to make it. But surely, there must be regular folks making it in wildlife careers? Can you really make a living? Pay your bills and raise a family? Or are you doomed to be broke forever if you pursue a career yo...

One day I was mindlessly scrolling on Instagram and a video stopped me in my tracks. This reel was from a 26-year old with a permanent job, offering some excellent career advice, well beyond his years. I was intrigued, but when I read his bio, saying “Steve Irwin X Tupac,” I was instantly hooked!  Landing a permanent job is tough when you are first starting out, so this is an accomplishment in its...

Have you been applying and applying to wildlife jobs or experiences only to hear nothing back? That’s exactly what happened to Dylan Karl despite having a degree from a prestigious university specializing in wildlife, a Master’s degree, years of experience, and a wildlife biologist certification from The Wildlife Society. Dylan had seemingly everything, yet, he was applying to 30-50 jobs every sea...

What if I told you that most jobs in wildlife, conservation, and environmental science aren't directly in research? Would you be shocked? Well, it's true! And that's exactly what I talk about in this episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast.  When most people think of wildlife work, they think of jobs in wildlife research. Those are jobs where you pose questions or objectives, and then c...

Do zoos actually help conservation? Contribute to wildlife research? Or are they mostly to entertain people?  A couple of years ago, I did a podcast interview all about zoos, and I thought this would be a great topic for my own podcast due to the complexity. It’s not a straightforward answer… In fact, during the pandemic, when we were all watching The Tiger King, I did a whole blog post series on...

As a wildlife biologist, you have incredible moments with animals that are nearly impossible for other people to experience. But you also do some pretty crazy, strange, and downright WEIRD things. In my 17 years working in the field across four continents and for a variety of organizations, I've had experiences that range from terrifying to awe-inspiring to disgusting. So in this episode of th...

AI seems like it’s EVERYWHERE nowadays, and I know if you’re a conservationist like me, you’re concerned about its environmental impacts, and maybe even avoiding it because of them… But I recently read an article that scared the bejesus out of me. It basically stated: AI is here, and those who don’t know how to use it well, WILL be left behind.  And then I realized, AI is already here, not just in...

Do you want a wildlife, conservation, or environmental sciences career, but feel that it is not physically possible for you? Do you have health challenges or a condition that limits you and are worried that it prevents you from working in a field that is notoriously demanding? Or do you feel discriminated against because of these circumstances?  You are not alone! I have heard from aspiring wildli...

Do you have a lingering desire to start a wildlife career, but feel like it might be too late for you? Or maybe you’re working on a wildlife career, but it isn’t working for you, and time just keeps passing by? You got the degree, but then life got in the way, and you even had to get a non-wildlife job to pay the bills… Well, I’m here to tell you that whether you’re 25, 45, or older, a wildlife ca...

How do you actually make your wildlife career happen when you feel like you’ve missed your window? You got the degree, maybe even got some temporary jobs here and there, but you felt like you weren’t getting traction. Or couldn’t see how it could all come together. And time just keeps ticking away… That’s exactly how my former Successful Wildlife Professional student, Makeela Magomolla, was feelin...

Christina Weber did what most aspiring wildlife professionals think is impossible: she got every single offer she applied to with absolutely NO EXPERIENCE! How did she do it? That’s what this week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast is all about.  After listening to this episode, I know you’ll walk away inspired, ready to take action, and make things happen in your career so that you can work...

I’ve recently gained a lot of new followers, so for this week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast, I wanted to share with you my vast experience that I’ve had working as a wildlife biologist for nearly twenty years, so that you can fully understand what this field is like. My career has taken me all over the world, and I’ve been on all different kinds of adventures: from hiking the deserts of...

Normally when I do an interview for the Fancy Scientist podcast, it’s me interviewing a guest. But for this week’s episode, I’m flipping the script and the guest is….yours truly: Me!! You see, last year I was interviewed by my friend and fellow podcaster Andrew Lewin, who hosts the How to Protect the Ocean Podcast. Because I had such a great time chatting with him and my audience has grown so much...

Making observations in nature isn’t just about what we see. Scientists use (almost) all of their senses to make observations, and in this video, we are focusing on the sense of touch. After exploring nature through sight, sound, and smell, it’s now time to focus on the textures of nature and discover how different plants, surfaces, and organisms actually feel. Make sure to watch the ENTIRE video a...

Scientists use most of their senses to conduct observations, a critical step in conducting research, and one of those senses is SMELL. We might not think of nature as being smelly, but we get so many of our everyday smells from nature. From the scents in our perfumes, deodorants, or candles to bringing nature into our homes to change the smell (think flowers or pine branches during the holidays) t...

Today, we’re tuning into the world of animal sounds and learning to observe nature like true scientists. We’ll sharpen our sense of SOUND, and I’ll introduce an activity to close your eyes and listen to the natural world around you.  Once you start REALLY listening, you’ll be amazed at how noisy our world really is. You’ll likely hear birds, mammals, and, depending on the time of year, insects and...

Animal behavior is one of my FAVORITE topics, and we’re studying it through an animal you’ve probably seen a thousand times but never truly observed: squirrels! Why squirrels? They’re abundant, easy and fun to watch (one of my friends called them “our” monkeys), and perfect for learning how scientists study behavior in the real world. In this video, I talk about: What animal behavior is 💡 The kin...

Conducting accurate and meaningful observations are a CRITICAL part of being a scientist. In this video, learn how to conduct DETAILED observations in nature. Discover the benefits of nature journaling and using a camera to capture intricate things you wouldn't notice. Are you a parent wanting to get your kids outside and learning about wildlife? Join the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club! You&#3...

It’s well known that careers in wildlife, conservation, and the environment are incredibly competitive. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a job to have hundreds of applicants. So you might be surprised to hear that there are jobs that are difficult for employers to fill. Yes, difficult! (insert mind blown emoji here). To be honest, I was surprised too.  Today’s episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast...

t’s fall, which means the leaves are falling off the trees and soon they’ll be on the ground. But don’t throw those leaves out! Here you’ll learn how leaves are a valuable resource for wildlife. In this video, we’re going to get curious about and explore the beautiful transformation of leaves from their normal green into shades of red, orange, and yellow. Have you ever wondered why this happens? A...

Did you know that by modern definitions, trees ARE wildlife? Often overlooked, trees are actually living, breathing beings. In this video, we’ll explore how magnificent they are, and I’ll give you some tips to get you started with identifications so that you can get to know the trees around you! We’ll dive into the crucial role that trees play in our survival and the survival of the animals we lov...

Learn my 5 BEST and super easy tips to maximize your bird life list. That is, the number of bird species you see over your life! Birds are amazing because they are everywhere and a fantastic way to get hooked on nature. In this podcast, you'll discover things like how different habitats, times of day, expert-led walks, and the power of the Merlin Bird ID app can get you finding new species. In...

Learn how to conduct a real bird survey just like wildlife biologists and provide invaluable data for REAL SCIENCE. In today's episode of the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club, I take you through the steps of using eBird, showing you how to contribute important bird data - no matter where you are located in the world.  I will guide you through the process of setting up and conducting your own sur...

When studying birds, you can use two different observational skill sets: sight and SOUND. In today’s episode of the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club, I teach you how to find and identify bird songs with one of my favorite nature apps, Merlin Bird ID developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I'll show you how easy it is to use and challenge you to find five new bird species using the app's...

Birds are around us every day, but during migration you have the opportunity to see species that are here for only short windows of time! Once you start looking for birds, you'll realize how many species there are, and you'll want to keep finding more. In this week's episode of the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club, I teach you basic tips on how to find a variety of bird species and the k...