Julie Taylor Rivenbark
@jrivenbarkbio.bsky.social
Biologist, educator, climate change activist
#WomeninSTEM #HERper
Interested in the conservation and evolutionary ecology of species, especially herps, and education as a tool for conservation 🌎🦎🐍
#WomeninSTEM #HERper
Interested in the conservation and evolutionary ecology of species, especially herps, and education as a tool for conservation 🌎🦎🐍
No better place to do field work than in the rainforest canopy 💚🌳🦎🐸🪲
July 19, 2025 at 2:10 AM
No better place to do field work than in the rainforest canopy 💚🌳🦎🐸🪲
Exploring invertebrate diversity today ft. Platyhelminthes, Cnidaria, Nematoda, Rotifera, and Crustacea #myjobiscoolerthanyours #biologyeducatorsrule
March 20, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Exploring invertebrate diversity today ft. Platyhelminthes, Cnidaria, Nematoda, Rotifera, and Crustacea #myjobiscoolerthanyours #biologyeducatorsrule
Todays lesson:
Analyzing scientific papers
Analyzing scientific papers
March 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Todays lesson:
Analyzing scientific papers
Analyzing scientific papers
Best part about being the weird science lady in the building: students bring me offerings of bones, shells, and dead bugs. Last week a secret admirer left this cool box turtle shell and this morning I was gifted another turtle shell and some mystery bones 🦴🐢
February 18, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Best part about being the weird science lady in the building: students bring me offerings of bones, shells, and dead bugs. Last week a secret admirer left this cool box turtle shell and this morning I was gifted another turtle shell and some mystery bones 🦴🐢
I spent way too much time making 130 biology pun valentines for my students. I think I’m hilarious.
February 13, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I spent way too much time making 130 biology pun valentines for my students. I think I’m hilarious.
Nothing like getting students out into the field to experience nature. We went out looking for mushrooms today after a big rain yesterday, and had a blast!!! We slowed down our hike thru the woods to appreciate the tiny beauty of life. I love my job!!!!
#educatorinthewild #mushroomhunting
#educatorinthewild #mushroomhunting
February 7, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Nothing like getting students out into the field to experience nature. We went out looking for mushrooms today after a big rain yesterday, and had a blast!!! We slowed down our hike thru the woods to appreciate the tiny beauty of life. I love my job!!!!
#educatorinthewild #mushroomhunting
#educatorinthewild #mushroomhunting
So grateful to have been selected as the John Alcock Research Fellow for @morphoinstitute.org !
I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say this organization has changed my life since I stumbled upon it a year ago, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon doing research this summer. 🦋🌎🖤
I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say this organization has changed my life since I stumbled upon it a year ago, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon doing research this summer. 🦋🌎🖤
February 4, 2025 at 11:08 PM
So grateful to have been selected as the John Alcock Research Fellow for @morphoinstitute.org !
I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say this organization has changed my life since I stumbled upon it a year ago, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon doing research this summer. 🦋🌎🖤
I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say this organization has changed my life since I stumbled upon it a year ago, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon doing research this summer. 🦋🌎🖤
It’s caecilian week in my Master Herpetologist program 💃
January 27, 2025 at 1:44 AM
It’s caecilian week in my Master Herpetologist program 💃
In the ornate tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus, we investigated the use of microhabitats, morphology, and physical performance as fitness surfaces for local specialization. Our results found major differences in morphology and performance across microhabitats.
January 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
In the ornate tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus, we investigated the use of microhabitats, morphology, and physical performance as fitness surfaces for local specialization. Our results found major differences in morphology and performance across microhabitats.
Having a blast so far in the Master Herpetologist program through the Amphibian Foundation. I’m looking forward to filling in some gaps in my herp knowledge this semester!
January 23, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Having a blast so far in the Master Herpetologist program through the Amphibian Foundation. I’m looking forward to filling in some gaps in my herp knowledge this semester!
Simulating cell membrane properties w the bubble lab!
Inquiry-based learning is such a critical piece of education today. Traditional lecturing has its place in the classroom, but allowing students to explore phenomena by asking questions and having fun is the key to deep learning in my experience
Inquiry-based learning is such a critical piece of education today. Traditional lecturing has its place in the classroom, but allowing students to explore phenomena by asking questions and having fun is the key to deep learning in my experience
January 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Simulating cell membrane properties w the bubble lab!
Inquiry-based learning is such a critical piece of education today. Traditional lecturing has its place in the classroom, but allowing students to explore phenomena by asking questions and having fun is the key to deep learning in my experience
Inquiry-based learning is such a critical piece of education today. Traditional lecturing has its place in the classroom, but allowing students to explore phenomena by asking questions and having fun is the key to deep learning in my experience
Homeostasis is a weird concept to teach; let’s make it weirder.
Homer-o-stasis with my 10th graders yesterday is always a blast 💥
They were responsible for maintaining Homer’s body temp, fluid level, and electrolyte conc. for 5 mins. It’s 5 mins of pure chaos and I love it!!!
Homer-o-stasis with my 10th graders yesterday is always a blast 💥
They were responsible for maintaining Homer’s body temp, fluid level, and electrolyte conc. for 5 mins. It’s 5 mins of pure chaos and I love it!!!
January 11, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Homeostasis is a weird concept to teach; let’s make it weirder.
Homer-o-stasis with my 10th graders yesterday is always a blast 💥
They were responsible for maintaining Homer’s body temp, fluid level, and electrolyte conc. for 5 mins. It’s 5 mins of pure chaos and I love it!!!
Homer-o-stasis with my 10th graders yesterday is always a blast 💥
They were responsible for maintaining Homer’s body temp, fluid level, and electrolyte conc. for 5 mins. It’s 5 mins of pure chaos and I love it!!!
Happy holidays to those who celebrate, from Rascal and Possum
December 25, 2024 at 11:22 PM
Happy holidays to those who celebrate, from Rascal and Possum
Surgery recovery essentials: Hogwarts fireplace ambiance, a good book, and a puppy nurse
December 22, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Surgery recovery essentials: Hogwarts fireplace ambiance, a good book, and a puppy nurse
Got a little overzealous with creating BIO 102’s invertebrate diversity lab and ended up with a 3-4 day lab and a 10 page lab handout 😅
In my defense: inverts are rad
In my defense: inverts are rad
December 16, 2024 at 4:17 PM
Got a little overzealous with creating BIO 102’s invertebrate diversity lab and ended up with a 3-4 day lab and a 10 page lab handout 😅
In my defense: inverts are rad
In my defense: inverts are rad
This week in 10th grade Biology was the run of the mill cell model project. It’s one of those “right of passage” activities as a 10th grader that I have to do, but it can be really boring. This year I tried to force some creativity and the results were much better than usual!
December 16, 2024 at 12:07 AM
This week in 10th grade Biology was the run of the mill cell model project. It’s one of those “right of passage” activities as a 10th grader that I have to do, but it can be really boring. This year I tried to force some creativity and the results were much better than usual!
So honored and humbled to have received a Conservation Education Fellowship from @morphoinstitute.org this week. This organization is so close to my heart, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon rainforest of Peru in July, this time as a research fellow 🌳🦎🦜🐒🦥
December 15, 2024 at 1:42 PM
So honored and humbled to have received a Conservation Education Fellowship from @morphoinstitute.org this week. This organization is so close to my heart, and I can’t wait to be back in the Amazon rainforest of Peru in July, this time as a research fellow 🌳🦎🦜🐒🦥
My Dual Enrollment Biology students attempted a bacterial transformation lab this week and WE FREAKIN DID IT. We successfully inserted plasmids containing the genes for antibiotic resistance into E. coli. I’m so proud of this gaggle of nerds, led by the biggest nerd in the land 🥲🧬
December 12, 2024 at 12:48 PM
My Dual Enrollment Biology students attempted a bacterial transformation lab this week and WE FREAKIN DID IT. We successfully inserted plasmids containing the genes for antibiotic resistance into E. coli. I’m so proud of this gaggle of nerds, led by the biggest nerd in the land 🥲🧬
Browsing bookstores in London this morning and this ray of hope beamed at me. Thank you, Foyles bookstore.
November 30, 2024 at 11:14 AM
Browsing bookstores in London this morning and this ray of hope beamed at me. Thank you, Foyles bookstore.
My nephew is a year and a half old and I just bought him the toddler version of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. Indoctrinating the youth is fun, and I am happy to serve my family as the crazy kick ass aunt. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it 🫡
November 29, 2024 at 11:10 PM
My nephew is a year and a half old and I just bought him the toddler version of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. Indoctrinating the youth is fun, and I am happy to serve my family as the crazy kick ass aunt. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it 🫡
Conservation 🤝 Education
I had a great time at #NSTA2024 a couple weeks ago! It was an honor to present on the many wonderful sustainability and conservation lessons we can learn from Indigenous peoples and how to incorporate that knowledge into a more culturally aware classroom.
I had a great time at #NSTA2024 a couple weeks ago! It was an honor to present on the many wonderful sustainability and conservation lessons we can learn from Indigenous peoples and how to incorporate that knowledge into a more culturally aware classroom.
November 22, 2024 at 11:56 AM
Conservation 🤝 Education
I had a great time at #NSTA2024 a couple weeks ago! It was an honor to present on the many wonderful sustainability and conservation lessons we can learn from Indigenous peoples and how to incorporate that knowledge into a more culturally aware classroom.
I had a great time at #NSTA2024 a couple weeks ago! It was an honor to present on the many wonderful sustainability and conservation lessons we can learn from Indigenous peoples and how to incorporate that knowledge into a more culturally aware classroom.
Most Phrynosomatids display striking sexual dimorphism, like these ornate tree lizards: Urosaurus ornatus. Male U. ornatus display beautiful bright blue patches on their belly, with either blue, yellow, and/or orange dewlaps.
November 22, 2024 at 12:45 AM
Most Phrynosomatids display striking sexual dimorphism, like these ornate tree lizards: Urosaurus ornatus. Male U. ornatus display beautiful bright blue patches on their belly, with either blue, yellow, and/or orange dewlaps.
🦎 Sceloporus undulatus 🦎
This female Eastern Fence Lizard was a great model soaking up some early morning sun rays to raise that body temperature. Sceloporus is a diverse genus of spiny lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae, and S. undulatus is the only species of the genus here in VA.
This female Eastern Fence Lizard was a great model soaking up some early morning sun rays to raise that body temperature. Sceloporus is a diverse genus of spiny lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae, and S. undulatus is the only species of the genus here in VA.
November 22, 2024 at 12:45 AM
🦎 Sceloporus undulatus 🦎
This female Eastern Fence Lizard was a great model soaking up some early morning sun rays to raise that body temperature. Sceloporus is a diverse genus of spiny lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae, and S. undulatus is the only species of the genus here in VA.
This female Eastern Fence Lizard was a great model soaking up some early morning sun rays to raise that body temperature. Sceloporus is a diverse genus of spiny lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae, and S. undulatus is the only species of the genus here in VA.