#Findthatlizard: Ecology, Science Outreach, and Social Justice in STEM

Natural History Institute

Dr. Earyn McGee discusses her PhD research on lizards in the Chiricahuas, as well as her work supporting underrepresented groups in STEM

Please join the Natural History Institute in welcoming Dr. Earyn McGee, whose vast knowledge of herpetology is complemented by her passion for science outreach! Earyn’s PhD research focused on how climate change impacts lizards in the southwest United States, where many streams are drying due to drought driven by climate change and human water use. These droughts mean we are losing aquatic invertebrate species, which may be an important food source for lizards. In her work, Earyn sought to understand and analyze what lizards were eating in the Chiricahua Mountains. 

An equal focus of Earyn’s career has been science outreach, specifically an examination of barriers preventing Black women from entering and remaining in natural resources careers. One barrier is the lack of resources directed to Black women in childhood. In partnership with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Earyn created a program to introduce middle school aged Black girls to careers in natural resources. She will discuss this initiative, as well as her social media outreach (#FindThatLizard!), and her time as an AAAS Mass Media Fellow and an IF/THEN Ambassador. 


BIO: Dr. Earyn McGee is passionate about field research, herpetology, and social justice. Find her on socials at @Afro_Herper where she runs a popular social media game called #FindThatLizard. Every week she sends out a photo of a lizard camouflaged in its natural environment to her 47k followers on Twitter and 21k followers on Instagram. She was also a co-organizer for the 2020 social media phenomena #BlackBirdersWeek. She has been recognized as an AAAS IF/THEN STEM Ambassador in 2019 and a Forbes 30 under 30 lister in 2020. One day Dr. McGee hopes to host a natural history TV show.Doors open at 6:30pm.*The event is free but space is limited to 30 vaccinated participants and registration is required to attend. Masks and physical distancing required. The talk will be <a href="https://youtu.be/iEs1f-cvJXU" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">live-streamed to our YouTube channel </a>for those not able to attend in person.

#Findthatlizard: Ecology, Science Outreach, and Social Justice in STEM

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#Findthatlizard: Ecology, Science Outreach, and Social Justice in STEM

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