Kristen Irions is an Auburn graduate who came to work at the Alabama Nature Center— a part of the Alabama Wildlife Federation located at Lanark in Millbrook, Alabama. This organization is the conservation education side where there is lots of hands-on, up-close views of nature and animals. She found her calling and impacts the wide-eyes and minds of kids every day who are stopping and paying attention to what is going on around them outside. As a kid, Kristen was in the city, but she still interacted with the nature around her. She fell in love with snakes at the age of 5 and developed that passion to know and see snakes. Listening to Kristen, you’ll feel the enthusiasm as she describes the activities of a scientist and how people can do some of the same activities at home that they conduct at the nature center. Kristen is head over heels in love with beekeeping and is learning the complexity of their social structure and the artificial setting that we’ve created to understand these insects—which is part of the fascination of the study. You can even buy honey that they harvest there! Kristen has some insights to share on work passion and on young women creating what they want out of life. Song used by permission "Stomp" written by Donica Knight and Jim Huff
