STEM Needs Muddy Boots | Kirsten Cook | TEDxWenatcheeED

STEM Careers aren't just lab coats and tech geeks. They are hands in the dirt and muddy boots too! Kirsten Cook has a B.A. in Human Ecology from Connecticut College. With over 25 years of conservation education and program management experience, her career has spanned a range of organizations, including 2 arboretums, a zoo, habitat restoration nonprofits, and now the Okanogan Conservation District. She has published articles in Clearing Magazine and the journal Democracy in Education. Her volunteer service includes Crater Lake National Park, Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle Audubon Society, Cascade Harvest Coalition, and the Okanogan Land Trust.
As the Community Outreach Director for the Okanogan Conservation District, she is responsible for education programs for youth and adults, as well as local Fire Adapted Communities efforts. She and Kathleen Ferguson, Life Sciences teacher at Okanogan HS, created the Ecology of the Okanogan class, a year-long science elective that gets students outdoors & sciencing alongside local natural resource professionals. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx