Introduction

• Speaker introduces themselves and their background in Zoology.
• Overview of plans for the channel.

Early Interests

• Grew up in LA, initially interested in music (guitar in a rock band) and criminology (FBI aspirations).
• Interest in lions developed during junior year of high school through YouTube videos.

First Experience with Zoology

• Volunteered at a big cat sanctuary in South Africa as part of high school internship.
• Parents initially reluctant but supported the trip after speaker took initiative to fund it.
• Trip was transformative, sparking a passion for zoology.

Educational Journey

• Attended American University for criminology but transferred to Oregon State University (OSU) for zoology.
• Faced unexpected challenges with demanding courses (molecular biology, organic chemistry, calculus, genetics).
• Initially focused on big cats but gradually expanded knowledge to broader ecosystems through internships.

Key Internship Experience

• Interned at Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia.
• Became lead carnivore intern due to prior experience, learned about ecosystem importance.
• Encountered various animals and gained appreciation for ecology.

Shift in Focus

• Developed a strong interest in evolution and invertebrate biology.
• Notable learnings about unique animal behaviors (e.g., sea slugs, tardigrades).

Question on Education

• Discussed the value of studying zoology: focus on general mechanisms and research methodology rather than specific species.
• Importance of learning how to properly digest peer-reviewed research.

Post-Graduation Challenges

• Graduated in 2020 but faced job market challenges due to COVID-19.
• Began creating educational content on TikTok, discovered a community of content creators.
• Gained an internship at Wildcat Sanctuary but suffered a back injury leading to early departure.

Teaching Experience

• Took a teaching job as a 9th grade biology teacher, enjoyed experimenting with different teaching methods.

Transition to Full-Time Content Creation

• Quitted teaching job in July to focus on content creation.
• Transitioning from short TikTok videos to longer YouTube content (10-minute videos).

Content Expectations

• Plans to create videos on:
  • Weird organisms
  • Prehistoric content
  • Evolution topics (redoing previous series from TikTok)
  • Wildlife trafficking and conservation efforts.
• Desire to highlight conservation initiatives, particularly those related to cheetah conservation.

Future Aspirations

• Interested in pursuing a master's degree related to big cat conservation.
• Aspiration to open a big cat sanctuary in California.
• Excitement about connecting with the audience through videos and sharing knowledge.

Conclusion

• Encourages viewers to subscribe for upcoming content and stay curious about the world.