Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers

Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers

Welcome to 'Planted: Finding your roots in STEM careers,' we are here to introduce you to some professionals that have interesting and diverse careers and the journey they took to get there. These plant professionals do everything from teaching people about the natural world, unlocking the secrets of DNA, and traveling the world to save unique species. Explore the journey, by listening to the episode that matches your interest, or mirrors your journey towards a STEM career.

Episodes

November 8, 2022 32 mins

As a plant breeder, Kim Shearer bridges the worlds of nurseries, nonprofits, and academia as she works to bring Chicago-hardy, beautiful woody plants to market.

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From draft to print, Bennett Young discusses the scientific and intricate world of publication.

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Kathleen Kennedy describes the difference between policy and law, the importance of math, and how she pursued her Law and Policy degrees. She also highlights the value that local government provides in protecting the environment.

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Ronda Hamm, If/Then Women in STEM ambassador, discusses the real-world science that she has used throughout her career, and how she makes decisions about her profession.

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Jeremy Poirier does a deep dive into the importance of sustainable forestry for wildlife and livelihoods. 

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Susan Jacobson talks about all things landscape architecture including the installation of The Arboretum's newest project the Centennial Grand Garden. 

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Tanisha Williams discusses the ins and outs of a career in academia, the importance of representation, and how plants can connect us to people and places. In addition to her research, Tanisha is one of the recognized founders of Black Botanist Week, and a contributing author to a "Plant Love Story" about her grandmother and the African Violet.

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Colette Copic discusses the benefits of trees and how communities can promote urban greening. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [Grant #: ARPML-250622-OMLS-22]. www.imls.gov

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Jazmin Albarran highlights the diverse and unique industries with career opportunities in horticulture and plant science.
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Matt Lobdell, curator of living collections at The Morton Arboretum, highlights his interesting career path from anthropology to curating one of the largest collections of trees in North America. His sense of adventure serves him well as he travels to remote locations around the world to find rare or endangered trees for this outdoor living tree museum.

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Julie Travaglini, education program director at the Allegheny Land Trust, talks about how she found a career that balances her passion for education and the outdoors. From inspiring kids to certifying her backyard as a wildlife habitat, Travaglini connects nature and plants with people on a daily basis. Travaglini highlights how technologies such as  iNaturalist can help connect students to the natur...

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Anna Ball, president and CEO of Ball Horticultural Company, discusses how leadership, business, and STEM can combine to make an exciting and vibrant career. Ball leads diverse teams to ensure that Ball Horticultural Company makes the world a more beautiful place by developing and selling disease and fungal-resistant plants.

Bonus Content:

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Matt Candeias, PhD candidate at the University of Illinois and creator of In Defense of Plants, describes his career and the importance of communication. Through his own research and studies and the creation of the extremely successful podcast In Defense of Plants,

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Kevin McIntyre, climber arborist at The Morton Arboretum, dives into the importance of risk-assessment in a STEM career. From evaluating the safety of the trees he is about to climb to thoughtfully selecting the next step in his career, McIntyre assesses situations every day.

 

Bonus Content:

  • Kevin McIntyre's

Dr. Nicole Cavender, Vice President of Science and Conservation and Sue Wagner, Former Vice President of Education and Information at The Morton Arboretum (Current President and CEO of Huntsville Botanical Garden) describe how their careers in STEM require long-term planning and vision. Learn how each of these leaders assess opportunities and situations and how they use vision to grow and develop thi...

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Marvin Lo, Research Assistant at The Morton Arboretum, discusses how the early stages of his career have required versatility. As a research assistant, Lo demonstrates versatility as he works with lots of different people and spends time in the field, in the lab, and in the office.

 

Bonus Content:

  • Marvin Lo's

In this episode of Planted, Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Tree Conservation Ecologist at The Morton Arboretum, discusses how she collaborates with individuals and institutions all over the world to work towards saving the Quercus brandegeei from extinction.

 

Bonus Content:

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Dr. Chris Martine, David Burpee Professor of Plant Genetics and Research at Bucknell University, discusses how he incorporates innovation into his career. From discovering and naming plants, to communicating about plants in creative ways, Martine finds ways to push the boundaries of what we know and how we think about plants.

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So you've done all the work and gained all the necessary skills, but how do you know you've arrived in your dream job in STEM and plant science? In this episode of Planted, Tricia Bethke and Dr. Jennifer Chandler share tips and advice for reaching the sweet spot in their careers and taking risks to end up exactly with the career they wanted. 

 

Bonus Content:

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What opportunity is next on the horizon? Listen on this episode of Planted as Audrey Denvir describes her decision-making process to take the next step in her career. Although her career has taken many forms, from wanting to be pop-star to working in Mexico and Latin America with an emphasis on sustainable forestry, Denvir shares her unique perspective on what lies next. 
 
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