Meet Janna Privette, Geoscientist and STEM Content Managing Editor at Science Buddies

By Amy Cowen on July 30, 2024 8:00 AM

Janna Privette, Geoscientist and Web Editor

Janna is the former STEM Content Managing Editor at Science Buddies. Janna has an M.S. in Geology from Boise State University and seven years experience teaching middle and high school, where she saw, firsthand, the benefits of having students do independent science projects.

Janna brought her experience in the classroom to Science Buddies as well as her love of earth science. In a series of posts on the value of doing independent projects, Janna offers teachers insight and actionable tips and strategies for incorporating science project into the curriculum:

Learn more about Janna in the interview below.

What is your field of expertise?

As a scientist, my background is in Geology, with an emphasis in geomorphology, which is the study of landforms and how they change over time. As an educator, my expertise is in secondary STEM education, with a focus on hands-on and project-based learning.

What sparked your interest in geology?

I had an early interest in geology from trips my family used to take to the desert in southern Utah; the sandstone formations, fossils, and landscapes there were fascinating to me. I was also part of a club in high school that studied water quality in a local stream. When I started college, I thought I would study environmental science, but after taking an intro geology class and realizing that it could help me understand and tell the stories of Earth's past, I was hooked!

Did you participate in science fairs? What projects do you remember doing?

I participated in science fairs in 4th-6th grade and then again as a high school senior. My very first project was testing different materials (paper, cardboard, newspaper, etc.) to create recycled paper. After that, I built and tested a seismometer for detecting earthquakes and tested how the presence of life (lizards!) impacted plant growth. My high school project focused on measuring the dissolved oxygen of a local ice-covered lake through the winter to see how that impacted fish species.

What do you enjoy most about geoscience?

My favorite thing about being a geologist is being able to look across a landscape and be able to visualize what it might have looked like thousands, millions, or even billions of years ago. Rocks are like puzzles, and they have clues that help us figure out the past—being a geologist is kind of like being a detective!

Tell us about a project you worked on (before joining Science Buddies) that you really liked.

When I was an undergraduate student, I worked on an archaeology project in Jordan. We were mapping basalt tower tomb structures that were over 5,000 years old, and I was able to collect some chert artifacts that ended up being the focus of my senior thesis, which was a cool combination of geology and archaeology. The coolest part was getting to live in the desert (3 weeks without a shower!) and learning about the local Bedouin culture.

What are some common misconceptions about working in geoscience?

I think most people think that geologists only study rocks and are basically glorified rock collectors. Some geologists (called petrologists) do study rocks, but there is actually so much more to the field of geology. For example, geomorphologists (AKA dirt people, like me) mostly study recent landforms (sand dunes, landslides, sinkholes, etc.). Seismologists study earthquakes. Paleontologists study fossils. Hydrogeologists study groundwater.

People also tend to think as a geologist that I can identify any rock on sight, which, sadly, isn't true. Sometimes, if I know where it was found and have a little context, I can make a good guess, but rocks can be complex!

What kinds of projects are you creating at Science Buddies?

As our content editor, I don't create a lot of content, but I recently wrote a project that uses remote sensing to study urban heat islands that I'm really excited about!

If you could have lunch with any scientist, who would it be and why?

I would have lunch with Charles Darwin to hear first-hand about his adventures around the world and the discoveries he made.

What's your favorite book?

Picking one favorite book is hard, but one that stands out that I read recently is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (who also wrote The Martian). It's a science fiction book about a high school science teacher in the future who gets recruited to become an astronaut and help solve a cosmic mystery.

What hobbies do you have outside of science?

I love spending time outside, especially camping and fly fishing.

What's your favorite science-related quote?

"For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love." — Carl Sagan

What advice would you give to a student who is interested in geology?

One of the great things about geology is that you can study it anywhere and everywhere! Whether it's looking at cobbles in a local river, checking out roadcuts as you drive down the highway, or digging a hole in your backyard, there are lots of ways you can make observations about Earth and use those observations to interpret the past. I had a professor who used to say, "the best geologists are the ones who have seen the most rocks," so the more you can observe and learn about the geology of different areas you visit (museums, books, and the internet are great places to start), the better!

View projects by Janna