About

Sharon Dorsey

Scientist. Educator. Activist.

As a native of Baltimore, MD, I've been intrigued by animals and nature since childhood. I now love highlighting nature's beauty and function, especially in my hometown. The Greater Baltimore area's natural landscape encompasses lush forests, flowing streams, and lots of parks. However, even in its urban areas you can get some pretty good bird watching in!

I am a former Masters student in the Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech and a proud member of the Virginia Tech Shorebird Program. My graduate research involved researching nesting behavior of the endangered piping plover. You can read more about this project and my other research with the link below.

Research

That being said, I pride myself on being a lifelong learner and being open to lessons from everyone and everything. Also by educating myself and sharing new information with others I hope to leave a positive mark on every space I'm in. My teaching philosophy is to meet every student where they're at and to be adaptable in my communication styles to suit my audience's needs.
One common thread in my work is to always centers the voices of people of color who have historically been excluded from the natural resources and outdoor recreation fields. In the beginning of my career journey, I had challenges fostering my passion in an environment that lacked visible Black leaders in the natural resources fields. Since college, however, I have found mentors, peers, and a support network of people from diverse backgrounds that helped me claim my space in the natural resources field. My work now seeks to empower people of color to pursue careers and hobbies related to the environment - and if possible share their stories to inspire someone else!