Faculty and Staff

Olivia has a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, and a master’s degree in biology, both from Utah State University. She received her PhD in plant biology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She has studied pollination ecology for over 20 years, authoring several field guides for native solitary bees. Olivia has taught science at elementary, high school and college levels. She enjoys photography, cooking, and reading.

Olivia says she loves teaching science in middle school because, “I am not done being a kid. I get to share the best parts of being a kid with my students – exploring, hiking, frog catching, experimenting with bubbles, and seeing what happens with different amounts of baking soda in your cupcake batter.”