Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka

There’s a huge diversity in the number of animal species that pollinate plants - it’s way more than bees! And most people think of honey bees when it comes to pollination, but they are actually poor pollinators and not native to North America. In this podcast episode, you’ll learn about native pollinators all over the world. You’re going to be surprised to learn how many there are - from small ins...

Sometimes, when you think the worst happens, it can actually be the best thing. For wildlife biologist Jamie Bowles of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, losing her job in the medical field launched her wildlife career… I met Jamie through LinkedIn. She has been so supportive of my posts, and I quickly recognized that, like me, she prioritized and loved mentoring. With her ample and sage...

You’ve heard about the importance of pollinators, but what exactly is it? When you learn what pollination consists of, you’ll quickly realize it truly is a miracle of nature! This week on the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club, we’re diving into the fascinating world of pollination—how it happens, who some pollinators are, and why it's essential for our survival. You'll discover how pollen tra...

When we think about saving the environment, kids aren’t typically the first thing that comes to mind for most people – especially when it comes to fiction books written for children. But maybe that’s an important missing link… I’ve been seeing more and more scientists coming out with children’s books, and to be completely honest, it’s something I’ve thought about myself! In fact, I remember readin...

Chances are, you've seen the headlines that the dire wolf is no longer extinct. The company Colossal Biosciences claims to have brought it back from extinction in the form of three living, breathing dire wolf pups. But my headlines have actually been flooded with scientists saying “not so fast…” so what is really going on here?  Having studied African forest elephants using genetics during my...

Are you somebody who really cares about wildlife and conservation and you're trying to get people to change their behavior? Reduce their carbon footprint? Get them to not litter? Or keep their cats indoors to save birds?  Whether it’s getting people to switch to clean energy sources or eating less meat to help save the planet, all of these things all require human behavior change, and the foun...

I’m not going to lie…things seem pretty dire here right now in the United States for the environment, conservation, and wildlife. Because of what the current administration is doing, people are worried and understandably so. Things are quite honestly in chaos right now and there have already been severe consequences for those who work in wildlife. Over the past couple of weeks, my social media fee...

We recently had an election here in the United States, and now have just started this new administration. For so many of us out there, especially in the conservation and environmental space, this one was and is going to be TOUGH.  I normally don't talk about politics on the Fancy Scientist podcast because I want to be as inclusive as possible and that STILL stands for today's episode - you...

I’ve been seeing a ton of great PAID wildlife internships being posted so I thought it would be a great time to go over how to get an internship for wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, and conservation careers. So for this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I am talking about everything to do with internships in wildlife careers. This includes ecology, conservation biology, zoology, and envir...

As someone who has spent two decades in the wildlife field, published nearly 30 peer-reviewed papers, and worked across multiple continents in various wildlife roles, I know firsthand the challenges and opportunities in this field. And I'm here to help you navigate them! What started as a single webinar has evolved into something much more powerful - a robust 3-part training series packed with...

In the fiercely competitive world of wildlife biology and conservation, insider knowledge isn't just an advantage—it's a game-changer. That's why this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, featuring Matt Howard, is an absolute must-listen for anyone dreaming of a career in this field. Interestingly, my connection with Matt began in an unexpected place: the comments section of one of...

This Fancy Scientist podcast episode is quite literally years in the making. I first got the idea when one of my students in the Successful Wildlife Professional, which is my signature wildlife career group mentoring program, asked me about dealing with the feelings of depression involved in her work.  Alanna Street was conducting research on the Great Barrier Reef, which has lost some estimates, ...

Working in the conservation field innately involves loss from which is often accompanied by feelings of sadness, grief, anger, and even depression. The whole point of our field is to save species and ecosystems that are facing, often massive, declines and even extinction!  As conservationists, we are compelled to help out because we love nature, often stemming from personal experiences and connect...

I first came across Ana Yi Soto's work through a LinkedIn post she created on language justice that went viral and due to its importance, she later decided to repost in the Society for Conservation Biology forum. In her post, she shared a meme from the television show Modern Family, in which Gloria, a native Spanish-speaking character from Colombia (the actress playing Gloria, Sofia Vergara is...

As early as the second episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I’ve been talking about the negative impacts of "animal selfies.” This refers to when people post photos of themselves with an exotic animal. Although selfies are new in the digital age of photography, photos like these are not. For decades, private zoos and individuals have made money by keeping exotic animals often in horrific co...

As someone who's been in this field for 20 years, I know what it’s like to be in your shoes - from struggling graduate students to successful wildlife professionals - I understand the rollercoaster of emotions and challenges you're facing in this competitive field.  In this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I’m tackling two of the biggest elephants in the room when it comes to gettin...

What does it take to be successful in wildlife careers? You might be thinking:  Lots of experience in far away places Having a strong network of top scientists and other wildlife professionals Knowing GIS like a pro Courses in wildlife handling, trapping, and tracking Having a Master’s or Ph. D. Some of those things *do* help (others don’t even help much!), but they still are not getting at the co...

If you’re like most people pursuing a wildlife career, at some point, you’ve felt like you’re giving it your all, but going nowhere. Like a field vehicle stuck in the mud, you’re pressing the gas pedal as hard as you can, but the wheels are just spinning, flinging mud (maybe even in your face - I’ve been there!) and you’re in the exact same spot.  Or maybe you’ve felt like you’re furiously treadin...

On the surface, it seems like careers in wildlife are pretty financially solid. If you search online for how much wildlife biologists make, you’ll discover it’s about $70K here in the US. In fact, when I discovered wildlife biology as a career option, I was incredibly relieved to see a solid salary posted! I was previously pursuing a career in acting, which is notorious for having low salaries, lo...

Networking is super important. As someone who has been in the wildlife field for over 20 years and has attended countless scientific conferences since 2006, I know firsthand how networking can influence your career success. Experience is most important, but at times, who you know can even trump this. Networking can lead to jobs you didn’t know about, or maybe didn’t even exist in addition to other...

Have you heard of scientific conferences, but are not sure what they are? Do you think you should be attending, but aren’t sure exactly why? Or are you attending scientific conferences, but not getting as much out of them as you think you should? Whether you are a scientific conference newbie or a seasoned attendee, as we head into the summer conference season, I wanted to get you the inside scoop...

When I was working as a postdoctoral researcher studying wildlife using camera traps, I had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. Liz Kalies who was integral in modeling the results of our large-scale projects. Back then, we were both passionate young(er) scientists trying to figure out our role in conservation biology. While my path eventually led me here to science communication and career mento...

As someone who deeply values the importance of connecting people with nature, I was thrilled to have John Muir Laws as a guest on the latest episode of The Fancy Scientist podcast.  Ever since completing my PhD and working with kids, I've recognized that fostering an emotional attachment to nature, especially during childhood, is a central solution to all conservation problems. Because when pe...

This week, I’m continuing to turn the tables on conservation podcasters by interviewing them. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with one of the Earth to Humans podcast hosts, Hannah Mulvany.  Earth to Humans explores humankind's relationship with planet Earth, covering topics within the environmental and conservation space through the diverse perspectives of its three hosts—including th...

I was instantly captivated when I first discovered Crystal DiMicelli's podcast, Forces for Nature. You know that feeling when you find someone who shares your passion and vibe on a level that just feels right? Well, that's exactly what I felt when I tuned in! You see, Crystal and I share a deep love for conservation and wildlife issues, and like me, Crystal understands that the “doom and g...