Advertise on podcast: Project Dragonfly

To Michael Haughwout, field science isn't just research—it's "real-life Dungeons & Dragons." Whether he is swimming with whale sharks in Baja or tracking diamondback terrapins in New Jersey, he approaches science with the spirit of an adventurer.A 2023 Global Field Program graduate, Michael is the first in his family to earn a Master’s degree. He brings that same sense of possibility to his AP Environmental Science classroom, where 20-sided dice are standard equipment and "I wonder..." is the most important phrase in the syllabus.In this episode, we discuss how to maintain passion as an educator even when the hard days come. Michael shares why he ditched traditional rubrics to help students find pride in their work, how he uses AI to support neurodivergent learners, and why he treats the pine barrens of NJ like the landscape of Legend of Zelda.Tune in to hear:- Why he brings D20 dice into the biology lab.- The science of the "baseball catcher stance" (and other student-led inquiries).- How to turn a lack of funding into innovation (building hovercrafts!).- Stories behind the elaborate tattoos mapping his travels from Namibia to the Galápagos.

Imagine standing in chest-deep water, pulling a seine net full of marine life, while the traffic of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway roars just behind you. For Dave Johnston, nature isn't something you have to leave the city to find. As the Director of Professional Development for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) at the Bronx Zoo, Dave is rewriting the narrative on where conservation happens. Whether he is leading students through the gritty, biodiversity-rich wetlands of Jamaica Bay in New York City or driving across the vast Mongolian steppe with no GPS, Dave’s focus remains the same: people. In this episode, we explore why "social science" is the missing link in saving species and why an educator might be the most powerful conservationist in the room. Tune in to hear: The Urban Lab: Why New York City is actually a "city of islands" and a biodiversity hotspot. The Multiplier Effect: The math behind why Dave prioritizes training teachers over teaching children directly. Nomadic Hospitality: The cultural beauty of rolling up to a Mongolian ger (yurt) unannounced and being welcomed inside.

Sitting in a cubicle at a high-tech semiconductor firm in Silicon Valley, Jill Korach realized something terrifying: there were 17,000 jobs at her company, and she didn't want a single one of them. That realization launched a global journey—from the strict discipline of Army ROTC to riding horses across the Mongolian steppes. Today, Dr. Jill Korach is a cornerstone of Project Dragonfly, where she uses her unique blend of logistics and empathy to lead Earth Expeditions. In this conversation, Jill dismantles the idea that a leader must be the expert in the room. Instead, she argues for the power of "shared vulnerability"—whether that’s struggling to meditate in a Thai hut or holding hands with a student who is terrified to swim. We also dive into her research on the "Triadic Framework," a new way to look at conservation that goes beyond biology to include our spiritual and emotional connections to the land. Tune in to hear: Why her training in Army ROTC was the perfect preparation for conservation leadership. How to balance "birthing a villager" (having a baby) while completing a PhD and traveling the world. The "Triadic Framework": Why saving a species requires understanding the deities and communities around it.

Molly Maloy is the Graduate and Adult Programs Manager at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. She has overseen the AIP since it began at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance in 2012. Molly has worked at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance for 20 years in the fields of Conservation Education and Community Engagement. She also works with the Field Conservation department on Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s Botswana program and AZA’s African Vulture SAFE program. Molly recently was invited to be a member of the IUCN Vulture Specialist Group to assist in global conservation efforts for vultures. She has a great affinity for Africa and has lived in Zambia and worked with communities impacted by tourism and human wildlife conflict. Her favorite part of being a part of the AIP is being able to help adults harness their passion and help them create a path for conservation action.

Dr. Archana Godbole is the Founder Director of the Pune-based NGO- Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF). https://www.aerfindia.org/ She is also the in-country partner for Project Dragonfly's India Earth Expeditions course. https://miamioh.edu/cas/graduate-studies/project-dragonfly/earth-expeditions/courses-landing-pages/india.html A plant taxonomist and ethnobiologist by training, Archana has developed various programmes of AERF through the work on the ground for the last 28 years. She has been responsible for developing various programmes and initiatives of AERF, from protecting sacred groves and forests to conservation of hornbills and giant trees in the Western Ghats of India and beyond.

Imagine feeling safer floating in pitch-black water than standing on dry land.For Meghann McDonald, the ocean isn't just a field site; it is a portal. While she technically holds the title of Executive Director at the Vermilion Sea Institute in Baja, she prefers to view herself as a bridge. Whether she is navigating the dusty roads of a fishing village or the complex emotions of a student panic-stricken by a snorkeling mask, Meghann's work is about dissolving the lines between "local" and "tourist," and between "fear" and "awe."In this conversation, Meghann takes us beyond the typical field study experience. She opens up about the "invisible barriers" that keep local children from the water in their own backyards and how she’s working to dismantle them. We also discuss the messy reality of caregiving, the power of "Blue Mind," and why true growth only happens when we are willing to get a little wet and a little uncomfortable.Tune in to hear:The "Scared vs. Awesome" Scale: A brilliant mental tool Meghann uses to help kids (and adults) navigate fear in real-time. The Legend of Puma: How a street dog became the most important emotional support staff member on Baja expeditions.The Mermaid Theory: Why some of us feel more human underwater, and the neuroscience that backs it up.A Special Note: Since the recording of this interview, Meghann's father, Lane McDonald, who we talk about in the episode, has passed away. Lane was a huge inspiration for the work done at VSI. Here is a link to the Institute’s tribute to his legacy (scroll down on page):https://vermilionseainstitute.org/mission-history/https://vermilionseainstitute.org/https://miamioh.edu/cas/graduate-studies/project-dragonfly/earth-expeditions/courses-landing-pages/baja.html

Born and raised in The Bahamas, T'Noya cultivated a profound affinity for the ocean, which inspired her career trajectory from an early age. She has had the opportunity to volunteer and work with many diverse organizations and communities throughout her 25-year career. Currently, T'Noya is a Ph.D. candidate studying organizational leadership at Southeastern University. Additionally, she owns Wild Spark Consulting, a consulting business dedicated to igniting and cultivating leadership in conservation organizations. Furthermore, she is a Coexistence Fellow with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and a Vermilion Sea Institute and Ecology Project International board member. She serves on the advisory council for A Rocha USA and Ecochallenge.org. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and a Master of Arts in Biology from the Global Field Program at Miami University. A few of her favorite things are growing in her faith, spending time with her beautiful family, traveling the world, dancing to good music, and making new friends!

Barbra Sobhani is the Director of the NASA Colorado Space Grant Program through University of Colorado Boulder and a Masters graduate from Project Dragonfly’s Adanced Inquiry Program through the Denver Zoo. She is an accomplished individual with dozens of publications and presentations on topics such as lunar network sensing and aerospace workforce development.

Dr. Doug Tallamy is an entomologist, conservationist, and professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He has written and co-authored over 140 papers and several books, notably Bringing Nature Home, and he is a founder of Homegrown National Park®, a grassroots call-to-action organization working to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants. Check out Aimee's website, created for her Biology in the Age of Technology course, (⁠https://sites.google.com/miamioh.edu/pollinatorark/home⁠) and YouTube channel (⁠https://www.youtube.com/@pollinatorARK) (@pollinatorARK⁠).

This week, Aimee Kemp (AIP WCS) joins as a Guest Host interviewing Dr. Kevin Matteson. We discuss what people can do to promote wildlife in cities and their backyards, especially pollinators.  Check out Aimee's website, created for her Biology in the Age of Technology course, (https://sites.google.com/miamioh.edu/pollinatorark/home) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@pollinatorARK) (@pollinatorARK).Bee Quest (created by Dr. Kevin Matteson, Project Dragonfly/Miami University)-https://miamioh.edu/cas/graduate-studies/project-dragonfly/professional-development-courses/bee-quest/index.html Have an idea or want to contribute to the podcast? Email Kevin Matteson at [email protected].

Susan Dorsey is a Consultant and Liaison with the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service. In this role, she supports communications and collaborations across organizations to bolster program impact. As an artist and educator, Susan is inspired by the constant iteration, evolution, expansion, overlapping, and layering of systems in the natural world. She is passionate about developing collaborative partnerships, iterative processes, and opportunities for co-creation while maintaining a reflective practice informed by equity research and critical theory. Susan was selected as a 2023 National Geographic grantee, a 2020 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic, received the 2019 Eastern Region Museum Educator Art Educator Award, and the 2017 Maryland Museum Art Educator of the Year Award. Publication: View of Sciencing Out, an informal STEM education program in Madagascar: A case-study (j-stem.net) https://www.j-stem.net/index.php/jstem/article/view/147 Art Website: Susan J Dorsey Artworks https://www.susanjdorseyartworks.com/ Susan Jennifer Dorsey | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-jennifer-dorsey

Angie Trumbo is a Project Dragonfly/Miami GFP graduate student. She is a Conservation and Education Specialist at the International Bird Rescue (IBR). For her work, she responds to oil spills and other wildlife emergencies and contributes to national literacy campaigns, including work in collaboration with Dawn Dish Soap. Angie has traveled extensively in Central and South America and has worked in China. Angie and her husband live in Salt Lake City where they enjoy birding and welcoming foster and guest dogs to their home they call the Hound Hotel.

Adam Kerins is a 2022 graduate of Dragonfly’s Global Field Program who works as the Executive Director of the Turtleback Zoo in New Jersey, one of the fastest-growing zoos in the country. We discuss how he ended up in his role, his favorite Earth Expeditions, leadership, fundraising, and more. In addition to his Master of Arts from Project Dragonfly at Miami University, Adam holds an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Adam has received an Emerging Leadership award from the Center for Nonprofits, Lead N.J.

Debbie Clemens is a 2013 graduate of Dragonfly’s Advanced Inquiry Program. She completed her masters’ work through Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo, which she identifies as her happy place. Debbie’s Master Plan focuses on orangutan conservation and she strives to educate others about the red apes and raise awareness about the plight of wild orangutans. Following graduation, Debbie took on the role of Sr. Coordinator of the Advanced Inquiry Program at Brookfield Zoo for 4 years. She then dove even further into the world of orangutan conservation and moved on to become the Outreach Coordinator for the U.S. based charity, Orangutan Outreach (www.redapes.org). Her role with the organization includes managing social media, fostering new and existing partnerships, and managing special campaigns and initiatives. Debbie would love to connect with any and all orangutan lovers. She can be reached at [email protected]

Trevor Mia is a GFP alum who has worked at the Alligator Farm in Florida creating innovative programs to reach the greater St. Johns County and North Florida communities. An avid ocean enthusiast, Trevor enjoys any activity near the water, including but not limited to kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and diving. Trevor is a lifelong learner whose passion for wildlife conservation spills into his everyday life. In his “spare time” he volunteers with AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) programs as a member of the Conservation Education Committee, Education Advisor to the Eastern Indigo Snake SAFE program, and AZA Course Instructor for the Foundations of Education Course.Show Note Links:● Trevor on First Coast News - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN53D_w5vqs● https://alligatorfarm.com/● Kathayoon Khalils book on “Practical Evaluation for Conservation Education and Outreach: Assessing Impacts & Enhancing Effectiveness”● AZA Professional Development Courses - https://www.aza.org/courses