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trying to open doors for other Black and brown kids who are interest- ed in the outdoors, and seeing that be recognized by Forbes it was kind of a big deal for McGee told The Arizo- na Republic. just trying to create resources that I wish I would have had access to when I was herpetologist can be a young Black For its 30 Under 30 list this year, Forbes Magazine chose 600 neurs, activists, athletes, scientists and entertainers who made our 10th annual list of the brightest young inno- On the morning of Dec. 1, when the list was published, McGee woke up to congratulatory text messages. She wondered: are you guys talking about? Congrats for what? What is going on McGee had out the application packet earlier this year to be considered for the Under list but did not know when the results would be re- leased or whether she was a serious contender. was just an amazing experience to be recognized by such a major publi- cation for the work that I'm doing to show people nature (and) educate peo- ple about nature, but also educate them about what a scientist looks like and that a herpetologist can be a young Black McGee said.

don't really see a whole lot of people who look like me doing what I'm When she watched shows on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel as a child, McGee, who grew up in Atlanta, New Jersey and Los Angeles, two and two and realize she too could host a similar program someday. This experience motivates McGee to be visible on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and her own website. She prominently displays on her Twitter account that she is a natural history show feel like it's important to talk about my experiences as a Black woman in a predominantly white and as a herpetologist and an she said. How Earyn McGee became a herpetologist McGee has known for a long time that she wanted to work with animals and assumed she would become a veterinar- ian. But when she attended Howard University, where she obtained her degree in biology, she realized that might not be the best path for her.

When she earned a position as an en- vironmental biology scholar during her freshman year at Howard, she conduct- ed research for the time and studied lizard populations. That was when she learned about health research and ecology and realized research could be a viable career path. It was not until she was in graduate school that she realized the breadth of possibilities for her career. Her favorite lizard now is the one she worked with: Sceloporus jarrovii, also known as Yarrow's spiny lizard. the one that really put me on my path and helped me to out what I should be doing with my McGee said.

love it so much that I even have a life-sized one tattooed on my McGee, a National Science Founda- tion graduate research fellow, is in the data analyzation stage of her disserta- tion and hopes to graduate this year. She has been studying diets as cli- mate change environ- ment, drying up streams. streams are drying and lizards are eating these emerging aquatic insects, they could be losing an important food source. But we don't know that because we don't really know where their food sources are coming she said. Why a statue of Earyn McGee at Central Park Zoo McGee believes her social media presence was one of the reasons she was chosen for the American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science THEN Ambassadors Program that con- sists of STEM innovators (who) are changemakers and leaders in their is to closing the gender gap in STEM careers and inspir- ing the next generation of women inno- vators and pioneers (and) aims to acti- vate a culture shift among young girls by providing them with women STEM role As an ambassador, McGee runs a program in which women of color who work in natural resources or wildlife-re- lated speak with middle school- aged girls over Zoom.

She also mentors in the Doris Duke Conservation Schol- ars program at UA, provides un- dergraduate students with two years' worth of research she said. ambassador program has really helped (me) get a little bit of a jumpstart on she said. you walk through a department full of professors, and most of them are white and male. And just being able to role models, even for myself to look up to, that has been a really awesome experi- McGee also has a statue at Central Park Zoo in New York City that is on dis- play through Dec. 31.

She is one of six contemporary women in STEM featured in a preview of The Exhibit, which was supposed to open this past spring. Her statue, made possible by THEN, will be included among 122 stat- ues in the exhibit, which is scheduled to open in 2021 at NorthPark Center in Dal- las. When she learned a 3D printed ver- sion of herself would be put up in Cen- tral Park Zoo, McGee cried. was just like, is not real life. You guys really mean she said.

feel like it's kind of appropriate for my statue to be in a zoo. kind of took my breath away be- cause here I am, a young Black woman studying lizards and, you know, who does Reach the reporter at kimi.robinson@gannett.com or at 602- 444-4968. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram Earyn McGee, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona who was named to 30 Under 30 scientists list in December 2020, searches for lizards during work as a Howard University undergraduate student. COURTESY OF EARYN MCGEE Earyn McGee is a herpetologist who studies diets.

She hopes to defend her dissertation in 2021 at the University of Arizona. COURTESY OF JAZMYN WINZER McGee Continued from Page 1C AZCENTRAL.COM THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 3C WE DESIGN, WE MEASURE, WE INSTALL, YOU CALL TO SCHEDULE FREE in-home design consultation with no obligation! CUSTOM BLINDS, SHADES, SHUTTERS DRAPERY We Bring The Showroom To You! valid on residential base installation of 3 Day Blinds brand products only, excluding shutters and special orders. Minimum purchase of $750 required, excluding sales tax, shipping and handling. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Offer Code CEPC.

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