Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka

When Your "Dream Job" Isn't What You Thought: Finding Career Alignment in Wildlife Conservation: Interview with Dylan Karl

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 p

What are Wildlife Research-Adjacent Jobs and Should You Take One?

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 exac

Do Zoos Help Conservation? Research, Ethics, and Careers

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

My WILDEST Wildlife Biologist Moments

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, a

Don't Shoot the Messenger: Navigating AI in Wildlife Conservation Work

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 becau

Not Accepting No! Succeeding at Wildlife Careers with a Disability: Interview with Grace O’Dea

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

Age is Just a Number! Breaking into the National Park Service in Your 50s: Interview with Lynda Moore

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

From Passive to Proactive: Making Your Wildlife Career Happen When You Feel Stuck: Interview with Makeela Mogomolla

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,

No Experience, No problem! Building a Wildlife Career from Scratch: Interview with Christina Weber

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

From Flour Beetles to Forest Elephants: My 20 Year Wildlife Career

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 workin

Building a Wildlife Career on Your Own Terms: Interview with ME! Dr. Stephanie Manka

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….your

Observing Nature Through TOUCH | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 se

SMELL of the Wild: Observing Nature with Your Nose

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 bei

LISTEN Like a Scientist: Tips & Tools | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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

Learn Animal Behavior with Squirrels | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 squi

OBSERVE Like a Scientist: Tips & Tools | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 th

Plentiful Work in a Competitive Field: Wetland Conservation and Restoration with Patrick Raney

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 applicant

Leave the Leaves: Fall Leaf Science & How Leaves Help Animals | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 valuabl

Get to Know Your Trees | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 t

Increase Your Bird Life List | Wildlife Biology for Kids Club

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 everyw