About Me

Thomas NolandScience has always been a passion for me. I was lucky enough to have a high school teacher whoallowed me to get extra credit points by turning in science collections, otherwise I may not have beenable to pass science because reading and math were a struggle for me. With my teacher's help, I startedcollecting insects and pressing plants, improved my grades, and eventually became the president of ourhigh school science club. After high school I went to the University of Washington in Seattle to study zoology and entomology,focusing on beetles returning to the pumice plains of Mt. St. Helens after the May 18, 1980, eruption. Ialso revisited my high school to volunteer as teacher's assistant for that same science teacher. Aftergraduating with a B.S. in zoology from the University of Washington in 1989, I worked for theDepartment of Agriculture on the Asian gypsy moth program. These invasive moths became a concernafter the opening of the Soviet Union, allowing ports to begin shipping to the West Coast. As a fieldsupervisor I was in charge of training field crews and setting up pheromone traps for the moths. In 2003, I went back to school to complete a professional certification program in wetland science andmanagement. This allowed me to work for a nonprofit doing wetland and salmon stream restorationand teaching classes about stream and riparian ecology to students and adults. During this time I alsohelped students with their senior projects and provided letters of support to their potential colleges anduniversities. Being interested in helping feral and stray cats, I later worked for a nonprofit no-kill cat shelter, where Ihelped care for more than 200 cats. This led me to get back to school again, and I earned an AAS inveterinary technology in 2017 and obtained my licensed veterinary technician (LVT) credentials. Iworked in a private clinic as an LVT until 2019. When Covid-19 hit, I started working from home andhave been writing and photographing for an online magazine called Salish, covering topics such aslichens, red alder trees, ice age animals, seaweeds, and spiders. Over the years I've had the pleasure of giving many presentations about topics such as shrub-steppedesert life, wetlands, the Hawaiian islands, amphibians, aquatic insects, and beneficial garden insects toaudiences of all ages. I've developed my own PowerPoint presentations and often use props andinteractive activities to engage audiences. In addition, I've led many outdoor field trips focusing onnative plant identification and wildlife. I'm fortunate to keep in touch with professionals in arachnology,entomology, lichenology, and botany, and I have a library of dozens of books on plants, animals, andecology. These resources and my ability to do solid, fact-based research online help me keep up to dateon my science information. I would be honored to help you or your family members learn about and enjoy the natural world aroundyou, as well as supporting students in your educational journeys.

Education & Certifications

Tutoring Subjects