The broader public, despite general interest in science, often have limited contact with science and scientists after grade school. Scientists themselves are sometimes viewed as a group apart, cloistered in ivory towers to read indecipherable research. However, interacting with the public - children and adults alike - show what scientists are like, what they do, and understand a bit more about the natural world. In particular, given that spiders are not the most charismatic animals to the wider public, being able to hear about neat adaptations and look at them up close (or even handle them) can be an enlightening experience. 

I have participated in various outreach activities, including:

• Smithsonian NMNH social media takeover, explaining my science to a large, online lay audience:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CKePM86DHtX/
• Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, introduction to spiders for preschoolers
• Eight Legged Encounters at the US Science and Engineering Festival (below, left)
• Grade school science fair judge at Key Elementary, Washington, DC
• Science in the Hood, Alexandria, VA; exploring science with elementary age grade schoolers
• Little Things that Run the World, elementary school level spider and insect outreach (below, right) ​​
• Blogging  on a research excursion in the southeastern USA: theorchardspiderspiral.blogspot.com