Hello! My name is Amanda Kyle, and I am a Research Naturalist at Upham Woods.  As a Research Naturalist, I have a totally different job than the Teaching Naturalists here at Upham. I maintain our DOTS and VOAT kits, coordinate the lending process and also take care of other technology needs that may arise. I also help with technology rich outreach activities, and technology trainings for educators.

I got started in Environmental Education at a young age through 4-H camps, right here at Upham Woods. It was great to grow up on a small farm in the Whitewater, WI area where I could explore outdoors and question how and why things worked.  Summer job opportunities as a Camp Counselor only piqued my interest to pursue this as a career. In May 2016, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor emphasis in Environmental Education and Interpretation. Many people ask, why go into research? Well, it all started with a project I did in college looking at expanding composting options in the dining halls. This lead to needing to know more information and being able to create “reportable” charts to people in charge who would actually be making the decisions. I enjoy asking questions, gathering and making sense of information and then presenting it in a way that others can understand it. When I grow up I want to be a Sustainability Director at a University or a professor of Environmental Education.