Ms. Steiner grew up loving the outdoors, spending time exploring the backyard woods with her faithful Bassett hound Falstaff, enjoying family camping trips in the Rocky Mountains, and learning to canoe in the Ozarks of Missouri. A high school Biology teacher inspired her to learn more about the natural world, and early observations of endangered whooping cranes fed the curiosity that led her to major in Biology at the University of Central Missouri. A quest for adventure after graduation led her to the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina, where she spent a number of years canoeing, backpacking, and exploring rivers and trails around the country. She eventually returned to her biological training to work as a research technician at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in Western North Carolina. Besides helping scientists gather a variety of data about soils, forest health, and streams, she volunteered to become involved with a science program for students called the Schoolyard LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) program. She enjoyed teaching authentic science to the kids so much that she decided to return to school for her Master’s degree, this time in Science Education with an emphasis in Biology. After teaching a number of years at Macon Early College in Franklin, NC, she now teaches at Murphy High School in Cherokee County, North Carolina; guiding students to learn about and enjoy the natural world through courses in Earth/Environmental Science and Biology.
Franklin, NC
United States