Sharing Science with Big Brothers Big Sisters

This fall, I volunteered with the University of Nevada, Reno Natural History Museum during an outreach event that welcomed students from Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program connects students from diverse backgrounds with mentors and new experiences, and partnering with the museum gave me the chance to share science as one of those experiences. At my station, I introduced students to the use of spectrograms—visual tools researchers use to study bird songs. By turning sound into images, spectrograms reveal patterns in communication and behavior that would otherwise go unnoticed. Sharing this kind of research not only highlights the exciting science happening at UNR, but also shows how tools and data can uncover the hidden lives of animals in our ecosystems. Events like these matter because they bridge the gap between university research and the broader community, sparking curiosity, broadening perspectives, and encouraging young people to see themselves as future scientists, conservationists, or active stewards of the natural world.