Cara Askren
A science communicator, scientist, and artist, for a more curious, nature-conscious community.
A science communicator, scientist, and artist, for a more curious, nature-conscious community.
Engaging curiosity as "Ranger Cara"...
Take a peek at one of my ranger programs: the quintessential Evening Program! While presenting in in Olympic National Park's Heart O' the Hills campground amphitheater, I used my hour-long time slot to teach visitors about birds of prey. See my "On Being a Ranger" page for more details.
Predator-Prey Interactions Pop-Up Program
Textures of Tuolumne Pop-Up Program
Coffee With a Ranger Pop-Up Program
See my "On Being a Ranger" page for more details about my experience in each park and programs I've created.
Sharing impossible places as "Cara Askren"...
Aboard the Nathaniel B. Palmer Research Vessel Ice Breaker, I studied a recurring phytoplankton bloom fueled by hydrothermal vents on the seafloor, off the coast of Antarctica in the Ross Sea.
High in the mountaintops of the Swiss and French Alps, I participated in field research studying the effects of climate change on alpine ecosystems, while attending Franklin University Switzerland.
The beautiful Monterey Bay was my home through many seasons, both at sea and on land. I collected phytoplankton above Monterey Canyon and studied a tunicate species at Hopkins Marine Station.
See my "Alpine to Ocean" page for more details and pieces I have written, inspired by each place I've traveled.
Showcasing beauty as "CA"...
(My initials, labeled on every art piece I create.)
My art is always rooted in and inspired by the natural world, often using natural materials to convey meaning and showcase the beauty of the world around us in new ways. I particularly enjoy watercolor, pastel, woodworking, hand-building ceramic pieces, pottery, and jewelry making. I also have experience in welding from a sculpture class I took while studying at Stanford University, after transferring from Franklin University Switzerland.
See my "Artist's Eye" page for more details and additional art pieces I've created over the years.