What Am I Doing Here?
I’m Margaret Janz and this is my website.
This site has a couple of functions. Right now, it’s primarily my writing portfolio. It’s also a place for me to post some information about my professional experiences and goals. I’ll be posting blog posts about education, communication, information, and the cross sections of these fields, usually connecting them to science or the environment in some way. I’ll also be posting some of my better assignments and papers from my environmental education program. Most posts will have typos.
Why I go on about information, education, and communication
I worked in libraries in some form or another for a lot of years, and for about a decade I was in library roles supporting scientific research. I’m a proponent of Open Access and (ethical) data sharing as ways to further the impact of information. A few years ago I burned out pretty hard on libraries (something that happens to most people who love sharing information and from which I’ve somewhat rebounded) and wanted to have a more direct impact on getting people engaged in science. I’ve always had a love and enthusiasm for nature so I decided to go back to school for environmental education (EE) so I can help people to engage excitedly with their environment.
I shouldn’t have been surprised I loved learning about education because I have a lot of opinions about it, but my EE program made me so happy. I love learning about and thinking about how people learn, especially in informal settings.
During my time in libraries, I started learning about science communication (SciComm) and became enamored with it. Environmental education has a lot in common with SciComm as well and I’ve started to get more involved with SciComm in recent years. I’m fortunate that my last role in libraries also allowed me to combine these interests and that my EE program helped me think of new ways to get researchers engaged with information and to help them use information differently to engage broader audiences. My luck continued after my graduation from Hamline University; I left my library job and started an 11-month AmeriCorps position in the Education department of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. There my passion for EE really took off and I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience teaching kids (and holy schmoly I LOVE teaching kids!).
Today I’m a nature interpreter for the Great Parks of Hamilton County where I get to continue to get people engaged with the natural world through everyday conversations, programming I get to design, and visiting local schools to talk about nature with students.
Latest Blog Posts
- Motion to Expand STEAM to STEAMPUNKWhat started as a joke is now an earnest proposal to expand STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) to STEAMPUNK (+play, uncertainty, nature, kindness). Video created for my Policy, Advocacy, and Leadership in Education course in August 2021. Transcript:Continue reading “Motion to Expand STEAM to STEAMPUNK”
- 5 Ideas for March Mammal Madness Environmental Education ActivitiesOne of my favorite events of the year is almost upon us: March Mammal Madness, lovingly MMM hereafter. MMM is an annual virtual competition that pits different animals against each other in scientifically plausible but hypothetical battles. The competitionContinue reading “5 Ideas for March Mammal Madness Environmental Education Activities”
- On Environmental EducationThis paper was written as my final paper for my Understanding Learning course in Fall 2020. The assignment was called “Theoretical Framework” and serves as an in depth description of my educational philosophy. The purpose of education is somethingContinue reading “On Environmental Education”
- Community Science and Who Tells the Story about NatureThis was written as the final paper for my Environment & Society course Spring 2020 Environmental Ethic I hold an ecocentric environmental ethic. I believe that nature has inherent value, and that all species are a part of nature.Continue reading “Community Science and Who Tells the Story about Nature”
- Scholarly Communication, Research Communication, and Digital ScholarshipI started my career in librarianship because I saw great value in sharing information. It was no surprise then when I got involved with scholarly communication, digital scholarship, and research communication. The three fields are distinct, but have considerableContinue reading “Scholarly Communication, Research Communication, and Digital Scholarship”
Margaret Janz - Hermit Warbler 