I am honored to be a finalist for the College Scholarships Blogging Scholarship Competition. I am one of 20 finalists for my blog Urban Science Adventures! ©.
To qualify for this scholarship I shared with review board Why I Started Blogging. Here is my short essay.
A few years ago, a friend casually joked that I should host my own television program. I was always recounting my laboratory and field adventures of studying prairie voles. He thought I would make a great host of a science program that was specifically marketed to urban youth. For a long time I chuckled at his suggestion, but then I started thinking how there aren’t any science programs for that market. So I started blogging as an outlet – a way to share environmental science and urban ecology to general audiences.
In a workshop for nature interpreters, I was challenged to develop an acronym from my name – DNLee: Demystifying Nature, Letting Everyone Experience – that is my purpose. I am an online guide that introduces urban ecology to my readers. Every living thing from microbes to lichens to squirrels, birds and trees are members of our urban communities. They live in our yards, neighborhood parks, empty lots, and public fishing ponds. Every day these microbes, insects, fungi, plants, and animals struggle to survive in our human-crafted world claiming space, searching for food, avoiding predators, confronting disease, dodging injury from lawn mowers, cars and other types of human activity, mating, securing a home, and raising young.
I imagine I am training a whole host of young urban naturalists and future scientists. My objectives are to cultivate keen observation and critical thinking skills of my readers and help them appreciate the nature that has been sharing space with them all along. I believe urban nature appreciation is a gateway to environmental activism and responsible living, as well as an inspiration to pursue studies in ecology, conservation and science.
I am a Biologist and a Blogger; and I share Science.
The final round of the competition comes down to a public vote. Will you support me?
My profile is listed here along with other finalists. I am the last one listed.
To vote click on this link.
Click on my name. Danielle Lee. The results are published in real time.
Voting ends at 11:59pm PST on Thursday, November 20th, 2008. The winners will be announced the following day.
Thank you,
DNLee
8 comments:
I voted for you. A TV show is a great idea, you'd be fantastic! I grew up in Detroit, but my family is from the country. I always wished there was someone to show that there are natural things in the city to enjoy too. I really hope you win this scholarship.
thanks Ratty, for the vote and the vote of confidence for the show idea.
You definitely got my vote! I find your goal inspiring...I think back to when I was a kid, and how amazing it would have been to have someone like you providing this kind of guidance. Brilliant.
Good luck with the contest, you got my vote.
thanks everyone. I'm nearly in tears.
Get in touch with me through marioarmstrong.com
Id love to get you on my XM radio show and see what I can do to help you. Part of my company focuses on Sci Tech programs for youth so anybody involved in helping our kids pursue these types of goals I'm all over it. In fact we should also talk about you possibly participating with a program we are launching in January.
I just came over from Lisa's Chaos and I voted for you. I guess I should read something you wrote now;-). Kidding, I have read some. Keep up the good work. My posts this week are on kids chores so it may not be very interesting to you, but we live on an acreage and I have written about chickens and donkeys and nature too.
You have my vote. Prairie voles? Ever do any research in the tallgrass prairie of Kansas?
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