Semester of Graduation

Fall 2025

Degree Name

Masters in Professional Writing

Department

English

Committee Chair/First Advisor

Amanda Pratt

Second Advisor

Todd Harper

Abstract

The Everyday Scientist: Down in the Weeds in the Heart of the South is a creative nonfiction capstone project that was released as a book. The narrative documents my two-year journey as a community scientist and explores how ordinary people contribute meaningfully to scientific research in the natural world. Rooted in my desire to connect my passion for the outdoors with the goals of the Master of Arts in Professional Writing program, this project illustrates that environmental science is not only for trained professionals. Instead, it thrives on the curiosity, dedication, and participation of volunteers who follow established protocols, collect data, and share observations that support conservation and research efforts.

Throughout the book, I draw on my experiences across dozens of community science projects: counting fireflies, documenting salamanders, measuring tree growth, cataloging marine debris, and contributing thousands of images to research databases. These stories highlight not only the diversity of environmental monitoring efforts but also the global network of organizations, from SciStarter to NASA, Audubon, Xerces, and local conservation groups.

By weaving narrative with reflection, The Everyday Scientist demonstrates how citizen-generated data advances environmental knowledge at a time of accelerating ecological change. Ultimately, the project shows that anyone who is willing to try can become an essential part of real scientific fieldwork.

The prologue and first chapter are available on the institutional repository. The full book, published by Lewis House Publishing, can be purchased on Amazon.

Comments

I was awarded a Kennesaw State University English department grant to attend the Orion Environmental Writers Conference in 2024.

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