Kristen Lear, PhD
Bat Conservationist & Science Communicator
National Geographic Explorer
AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador
Women in STEM
Supporting girls and women is very important to me. I grew up as a Girl Scout starting in kindergarten, and experienced firsthand the impact that positive female role models can have on a girl's personal and professional development. My conservation "career" started in 6th grade when I built and installed bat houses in my hometown park for my Silver Award project and then later led a prairie restoration project for my Gold Award, so I know how those early experiences can shape a girl's life. That's why I've committed myself to active involvement with Girl Scouts and other organizations and activities that support girls and women, especially those that encourage and support girls in exploring STEM/STEAM careers.
2019 - 2021
The IF/THEN initiative seeks to further advance women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. As an American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassador, I work to pique girls' interest in STEM careers through educational opportunities and engagement and sharing my own STEM journey. Check out the IF/THEN Collection, a digital asset library of women STEM innovators for educational and other noncommercial use! My page can be found at https://ifthenexhibit.org/ambassador/D-07/ and https://www.ifthencollection.org/kristen
Discovery Education STEM Careers Coalition profile
Courtesy of IF/THEN Collection (2019)
Children's Museum of Indianapolis cave exhibit
IF/THEN Statue Exhibit
I Am A Scientist Spark Kits
2021
I Am A Scientist Spark Kits are inclusive and diverse STEM lesson plans that highlight the stories, journeys, practices, and challenges of science professionals. Bat Conservation International partnered with I Am A Scientist to launch a bat conservation Spark Kit series. My kit highlights my career path and provides an NGSS-aligned challenge with activities designed to give students an interactive glimpse into the conservation challenges I face in my job.
She Can STEM Stories
2021
She Can STEM Stories provide a sneak peek into how diverse women in STEM got their starts in their STEM careers. Check out my story here.
Reinvented Magazine's Princesses with Powertools Calendar
2021
The Princesses with Powertools calendar features twelve real women in STEM and the trades, wielding the real power tools they use to do their real jobs…dressed as their favorite fictional princesses. Too often, young girls are presented with the idea that they can be either a princess or an engineer: these calendars seek to change that narrative and prove that they can be both!
Girl Scouts of the USA and Girl Guides Australia
1994 - Present
I grew up in the Girl Scout family from kindergarten through high school. I earned my Silver Award in 6th grade by building and installing bat houses in a local park in Cincinnati, Ohio, and my Gold Award in 10th grade by leading a prairie restoration project. In college, I co-founded the Ohio Wesleyan University Campus Girl Scouts (2007 - 2011). Our group founded and led a local elementary school troop in Delaware, Ohio and hosted several council-wide events, including an event about healthy food choices and proper exercise and an event about the science of food and cooking. During my year living in South Australia on my Fulbright fellowship, I became a co-leader of the Naracoorte Girl Guides Discovery unit (2011 - 2012). Once back in the U.S., I served as a co-advisor for the Cadette-Senior-Ambassador Association in Cincinnati, Ohio (2012 - 2014). I am now a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts and serve as a mentor and project advisor for girls and troops earning their Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards, particularly those focused on bats and bat conservation!
Ohio Wesleyan Campus Girl Scouts (2011)
Naracoorte Girl Guides (2012)
Building bat houses for my Silver Award in 6th grade
FabFems and 1 Million Women in STEM Role Model profiles
Gender, the Body, and Fieldwork Across Disciplines Symposium
April 2019, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
This transdisciplinary symposium brought together students and faculty from across the UGA campus to share and discuss how gender and/or sexuality influence the experience and conduct of research. It sought to open dialogue around these important issues and help create a more open, inclusive, and supportive environment within academia. As part of the symposium, I was the lead organizer of a faculty-student mentoring session that focused on helping students navigate issues such as gender bias, work-life balance, working in other cultures, and mental, physical, and emotional health within their own field work. For more information about the symposium, visit: https://genderandfieldwork.wordpress.com/.
It's never too early to get involved in science!
Women in Science Day
April 2019, Sandy Creek Nature Center, Athens, Georgia
Sandy Creek Nature Center's first "Women in Science" open house brought women from a diversity of fields involving science to showcase what they do in their careers. I got to show people some of the cool things bat biologists get to do! I led a hands-on mock demonstration of mist netting and collecting data on bats in which kids took toy bats out of a net and practiced weighing and measuring them. This is a great activity for kids to get a taste of what it's like being a bat biologist! They also got to see some local Georgia bats and some of the great bat children's books. I'm glad I got to be a part of this day to showcase the work that women scientists do!