About Valerie
Hi, I’m Valerie – the artist/scientist behind Wild Earth Lab. My curiosity about the natural world started at a young age, exploring the prairies and woods of Wisconsin where I grew up. This curiosity blossomed into a love of backpacking and hiking as a teenager, which inspired me to embark on what I saw as the ultimate outdoor adventure – a thru-hike of the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail – and to later pursue a bachelor’s degree in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology.
As a young, aspiring scientist, I worked in both the field and the laboratory. In my early career, I dipped my toe into an array of environmental science projects. I measured the flow of headwater streams, counted new seedlings in beetle-kill forests, evaluated the health of insect communities in a national park, and studied soils following forest fires and chemical spills. Later, I returned to school to earn a master’s degree in Geosciences.
In 2021, I created Wild Earth Lab to help you, your family, and your students learn about the Earth and our relationship with it. It began as an artistic outlet for me in grad school. I wanted a place to write about environmental science in an engaging, accessible way and share my hand-drawn science diagrams. Though Wild Earth Lab has grown into much more since then, its purpose remains the same: to provide beautiful and thought-provoking tools for teaching earth and environmental science.
Today, Wild Earth Lab is my main gig. It may surprise some to learn that Wild Earth Lab is a one-woman show. Every email, blog post, and product comes straight from me to you! When I’m not busy with the day-to-day of Wild Earth Lab, you’ll find me enjoying nature. I’m an avid backpacker, trail runner, and hiker. You can read more about my outdoor adventuring on my new, separate hiking blog.
About Wild Earth Lab
At Wild Earth Lab, I specialize in designing materials to bring earth and environmental science to life in your classroom! I do this by crafting science diagrams, hands-on science activities, and other earth and environmental science resources that draw upon my background working in both the field and laboratory. In addition to my science background, I’m also a self-taught illustrator – which is why every resource I create contains accurate and engaging illustrations and diagrams!
Each product I make is thoughtfully crafted to spark children’s curiosity and help them explore nature through the eyes of a scientist. A deep love for nature and a commitment to scientific accuracy guide everything I create. Whether you’re teaching in the classroom or at home, my goal is to provide you with engaging, beautifully illustrated resources that make learning about the natural world both fun and meaningful. From animals and ecosystems to geology and outer space, Wild Earth Lab is here to support your educational journey.
Have I piqued your interest? You can join the Wild Earth Lab community by subscribing to my newsletter, where I share activity ideas, project guides, new freebies and units, and other fun science learning inspiration. You can also follow Wild Earth Lab on social media using the links below.