Pogona Peak Education

Yesterday, our beloved Simon crossed the rainbow bridge. It's hard to convey how much personality this little lizard had and how much joy he brought our family. He loved head bobbing at the squirrels, waving at the rabbits, relaxing in ridiculous poses, and swimming. He could make you inferior with his side eye and could melt your heart with his smile. Our house feels empty without him. I never imagined it was possible to love a reptile so much but he was truly a member of our family and will be forever missed.

After months of science fairs and kid-focused STEM projects, it’s fun to share a little of the research side of my life too. A recent paper I contributed to was just published, focusing on microbiomes and metabolism. This work is a reminder that even the tiniest organisms can have huge impacts on health and ecosystems!

I think it’s important for kids to see that science is not just facts we already know but rather an ongoing process of asking questions, analyzing data, and discovering new things about the world around us.

You can read the paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/16/5/286 If there's a paywall, let me know and I'll send it to you.

Science Fair season may be over, but the lab projects never stop!! Next Wednesday, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science will be sharing some very cool human and beetle microbiome findings using sequencing data I helped generate. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area! Get your tickets here: https://www.dmns.org/purchase/tickets/?category=events

Last week was the Science Fair! It's one of my favorite weeks of the year and these students did not disappoint! I am always so impressed with what even the youngest kids can come up with!

I can't think of a better way to celebrate National Earth Month than with the newly released photos from Artemis II. Seeing Earth from this perspective is a powerful reminder of just how incredible this planet is and how much it deserves our care.

Happy World Water Day! As Colorado enters a drought, I have water on my mind... here are some ways to conserve water. Every drop counts!

All the caffeine in the world can't help me now! So much going on in the lab, and with the school garden, and with Science Fair, and releasing the book that was supposed to be published in February... plus, so many activities for my own kids...🥴