Julie Byle, PhD

Julie was born and raised on the Gulf of Mexico just a short paddle from the Everglades where she grew up guiding kayak tours before being the first woman in her linage to venture across the nation to attend a University. A calling to spend Summer in the Rockies, Winter in the tropics, Spring in the desert, and Fall in the Appalachian and Pacific Forests taught her the love and interconnectedness of the Earth and the medicine of each biome.  Her research interests are interdisciplinary in the fields of ecological literacy, environmental education, and ethnographic research. Through studying the intersections of ecological systems, environmental education, and socio-historical equity, she creates culturally inclusive pedagogy and equitable evaluation practices. She has extensive background experience in designing, managing, and evaluating formal and informal K-12 science education programs, as well as conducting community ethnographic research through oral histories, photo journey mapping, and leading community action projects. She is passionate about the power of place-based learning and how honoring cultural funds of knowledge can challenge deficit views of marginalized communities. Julie has worked in Government, Non-Profit, and Academic settings.  Julie holds a Bachelors in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a concentration in Ichthyology, a Masters in Education and Learning Science, and a Ph.D. in Integrative and Systems Biology.  She is a Doctoral Research Fellow with the National Science Foundation and is a certified teacher with National Geographic.