Pam

Does she really teach future teachers to keep creepy crawlies in their classroom?

Pam has loved nature, the outdoors, and critters since early childhood. She always wanted to be a teacher, so that is exactly what she became. After completing her bachelor's degree at Brigham Young University (BYU), she taught school in Texas, Utah, and Washington state. She always kept a menagerie in her classrooms through the years including snakes, tarantulas, mealworms, praying mantises, and while in Texas, she even had a seahorse and jellyfish in salt water acquariums. Pam did her first master's work in biology at the University of Texas, El Paso, then went on to complete a master's degree in science education at Southern Utah University. When the last of her six children left for college, she went to Wyoming to complete her doctoral studies. That's where she met Jim--in her first statistics class (now, what's the probability of that!). They were soon married, and once Pam completed her Ph.D., she accepted a science education position at the University of Nevada, so she and Jim moved to Reno. In 2006 Pam accepted an Associate Professor appointment in science education at BYU and they are thrilled to be living in Utah close to family and the beautiful countryside that she loves so much.

Pam is an avid science educator. Her children and her students have competed in science fairs, winning top awards and scholarships. While none of her children pursued science as a career, the rich and rewarding science experiences of their childhood are now spilling over into the next generation.

Pam is in the process of writing a couple of books--one on family science to help parents provide science experience for their children and a children's nonfiction book on elementary genetics...featuring ball pythons, of course!

Jim

Is he really a snake therapist? (Doesn't he look the part?)

Jim earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology from Chapman University. He spent 11 years working in mental health and substance abuse and taught psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology, mental health, social work, substance abuse, communications, and business at the college and university level for 17 years. While in Reno, Jim worked for the State of Nevada. In Utah, he is a college instructor at Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College. Jim’s son-in-law and 5 grandchildren live in Southern California.

Jim’s interest in nature and animals really started after he met Pam. She showed him geological formations in the western US, wildflowers in Wyoming, and after they moved to Reno, they raised earthworms for a while until the worms mysteriously disappeared. They also raised crickets, preying mantises, tarantulas, and other invertebrates for Pam’s science classes. They had a fantastic time raising all of the creatures, but the most interesting event was when they discovered a cricket graveyard behind egg crate that was used for exercise for the crickets in the cricket cage.

Jim was a bit concerned when Pam suggested that they raise and breed Ball Pythons, because he had only touched one or two snakes in his life. So they started doing research on Ball Pythons. In September 2005 they attended their first reptile shows and purchased a number of texts and DVDs on Ball Pythons. Jim wanted to begin slowly, but before long they had 15 snakes. Their collection now numbers over one hundred and he handles the snakes like he's been doing it all his life.

This is Pam in May 2010 on her ATV on the Paiute Trail in Central Utah near Fillmore. We are at about 9000 feet and there is still snow this late in the year. I think we will wait a few weeks before trying this again!