Embedded Files
Background and Career Highlights
Background and Career Highlights
I grew up in Medina, Ohio and was constantly exposed to nature as a child. My mother was a zookeeper and my grandfather was a wildlife rehabilitator so my earliest memories involve raising orphaned squirrels in my bedroom and chasing escaped emus through town.
When I was in high school I worked as a veterinary assistant at a local animal clinic as well as an education intern at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Both these experiences allowed me hands-on experience working with animals and exposed me to the biological sciences field.
I participated in the post-secondary program at my high school and started full time college courses a year early. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Akron. As part of the honors program I completed a research thesis entitled "The Use of Operant Conditioning and Positive Reinforcement in Training an American Alligator" which was awarded second place at the University Research Symposium. I also worked as a research assistant on a project that involved anesthetizing black widow and golden silk spiders to harvest their silk for biochemical analysis for the Department of Defense.
While in college I took advantage of opportunities to travel to the Mote Marine Laboratory and the Great Smoky Mountains through field research courses (and would highly recommend such experiences to an interested student!) I also traveled with colleagues to Reserva las Gralarias in the cloud forests of Ecuador to perform surveys of frog, bird, and bat populations.
We encountered this epic giant earthworm during a National Geographic photoshoot in Ecuador.
Photo credit: Joel Sartore
Photo credit: Joel Sartore
After college, I took an internship at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC with their free range Golden Lion Tamarin project. I spent 12 hours a day staring at monkeys high in the trees (or trying to keep them from climbing into visitors' strollers!), but it was quite an adventure.
Working at the National Zoo led to many other great opportunities like working at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and for the Friends of the National Zoo Nature Camp. I met my husband there and through him I met Mr. Burton at MVGS and that is ultimately how I learned about this amazing school and did everything I could to join the staff here.
Working with the Smithsonian also gave me the opportunity to survey salamanders in Shenandoah National Park and travel to Panama to set up an emergency survival colony of amphibians threatened by the chytrid fungus.
Following the goal of applied conservation research and a my fascination with amphibians, I attended the Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies (now the Yale School of the Environment) to earn my Master of Environmental Science degree. I spent two years studying the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals of the reproductive health of green frogs. The TL;DR of this is that humans are putting chemicals into the environment that are causing male frogs to develop eggs in their testes, affecting their sperm quality, and doing who knows what to the rest of us.
Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) served as models for more threatened species.
We successfully produced the first terrestrial salamander larvae through in vitro fertilization - look how cute!
I then used my experience with amphibian reproduction to help set up a salamander research and conservation lab at Mississippi State University in partnership with Memphis Zoo. We developed protocols for using exogenous hormones to induce salamanders to produce gametes for use in maintaining populations for captive assurance and release.
I worked with the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation to develop and teach week-long CONS 110 courses on special topics in conservation. Rising juniors and seniors in high school earned college credit through the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Courses included Stream Ecology, Watershed Health, and Herpetology.
Every job I have had as a scientist involved an education component - gone are the days when scientists can hide in labs and only communicate their research through dense publications. Grant funding requires that scientists have components of public outreach - and as I reflected on all those research jobs that I worked over the years, my favorite part was almost always sharing the wonders of the natural world with the public. I. Love. Teaching. Science. So it was a natural transition for me to move from research to teaching when I started a family and needed more stability than grant funding cycles would allow.
I studied through the University of Virginia - Wise Center for Teaching Excellence to earn my teaching certificate. And because learning is a life long process, I am currently taking Gifted and Talented Courses through Shenandoah University to learn how to better support our students at MVGS!
Even after transitioning to teaching I have kept my research feet wet - figuratively and literally, by heading up a citizen science effort through the Virginia Master Naturalists to monitor vernal pools on public lands. Vernal pools are unique habitats that support species like the spotted salamander. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in important science right here in your own backyard - I encourage you to check them out!
I also volunteer for a local nonprofit called Sustainability Matters. I became involved in this local environmental organization when I inquired about opportunities to get the MVGS students involved in their groundbreaking Making Trash Bloom project which is helping local landfills replace ecologically worthless invasive grasses with native plant communities. This partnership gives students the opportunity to collect scientific data in their own communities that will help landfill managers make meaningful change. Students are also involved in education and outreach projects teaching youth about the importance of environmental stewardship.
When I am not working I delight in spending time with my family at our home in Front Royal. My children Leif (11) and Griffin (6) share my and my partner's love of nature, science, and LEGO!
We share our home with our cat Bandersnatch, as well as a seven chickens and a host of wildlife.
We also run a toy store in Front Royal called Play Favorites. Come by and visit sometime!
I am always happy to hear from students, parents, and community members. Please feel free to contact me at hbement@mvgshome.org.
Page updated
Report abuse