REACCH Connection:
As Education Coordinator, it is Leigh's job to integrate the research of the scientists and share it as curriculum that will enable Idaho, Oregon and Washington teachers to bring climate change and agriculture into their classrooms. The foundation for the units of study are the Common Core and National Association of Science Teachers’ standards. She supports graduate students' creative education and extension projects and is coordinating the REACCH Climate Change and Agriculture research seminar this semester. Leigh is currently the University of California Water Security and Sustainability Research Initiative program coordinator at UC Merced. She employs the project management and communication skills she honed with REACCH to the climate change and institutional issues affecting California's water resources.
Biography:
Leigh was raised in rural California, but swapped mountains for oceans...of wheat when she moved to Moscow, Idaho. She brought her training in social science and natural resource conservation (PhD, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University) to REACCH in 2012, developing three studies on climate change perceptions and practices with the social and economics team and integrating with many others. Her experience in teaching and passion for climate change communication helped to expand her position as a coordinator with the REACCH Education team in 2014 and continues to develop online resources for the wide audience of REACCH.