When I was in grade school I used to send emails to biologists and zoologists asking them questions to get answers to include in school projects I was working on, and would cry when they did not respond because I thought I was stupid for thinking that some random kid would ever be deserving of a response from someone who does something as smart and cool and important as *checks notes* studies frog fungus.
Now, at 29, I’m lowkey having a panic attack because my academic email is filled with middle schoolers wanting me to answer their questions about pygmy raccoons and I keep putting off answering them because I’m so overwhelmed with all the other raccoon stuff I have to do.
Anyway, greatest apologies to any scientist I ever emailed as a child and also an adult.
Im sorry but how has this not become a career position? Like an educational corespondance scientist - job details could include but not be limited to: video/email responses to students with inquiries, school symposiums/career days to encourage students to consider your field of study, etc.
But with the technology we have now we should have an opportunity for someone to be coresponding to those inquiries because that 3rd grader may want to know how many stripes a zebra has today, but if that question goes unanswered do we lose a possible zoologist? Or a veterinarian? Or an ecologist?
