Kean Roberts

Kean Roberts is the Water Program Associate at IEC where he focuses on education and outreach. He holds a B.S. in Earth Sciences from Iowa State University, an M.A in Teaching, and a PhD in Science Education from Drake University. Prior to IEC, Kean worked as a public school teacher where he taught 8th grade Physical Science, 9th grade Earth and Space Science, and 11th-12th grade Physical Science. His background in science education is complimented with a focus on environmental education where he embedded local environmental issues, outdoor hands-on experiences, and community involvement into each course’s curriculum. Outside of work, Kean enjoys going on adventures with his wife, daughter, and dog. Additionally, he enjoys painting miniatures (e.g., Warhammer 40k, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars) and playing video games. 

Blog posts by this Author:

• Cherry Glen Learning Farm: Growing More Than Food

  Cherry Glen Learning Farm is a living classroom where the next generation can see that agriculture does not have to be a choice between producing food and caring for the land. Instead of talking abstractly about soil health, biodiversity, conservation, sustainable food systems, etc., people can put their hands in the soil, observe how plants grow, work with the land, and see ecological principles operating in a farm setting.

• Iowa's Fish Kill Database and the Story Behind the Numbers

  The Iowa DNR has a fish kill database that extends back to 1981. This unique resource provides useful insight into not only fish kill events, but also Iowa's ongoing water quality challenges. Overall, human-caused fish kills account for nearly 91% of all fish deaths recorded in this database.

• A Linn County Farmer Built a Wetland Next to a Busy Road. That was the Point.

  "One word drives me as a person: accountability." A Linn County farmer on cover crops, cost-shares, and why he wanted his edge-of-field practices somewhere the neighbors would have to drive past them.

• Wetlands 101: What Iowans Need to Know

  One acre of Iowa wetland removes roughly 1,340 pounds of nitrate-nitrogen a year, and it can do that while occupying less than one percent of the land draining into it. Here's how - and why Iowa needs to revitalize this once-lost ecosystem.

• Where the Wild Things Were: Play, Childhood, and Iowa's Vanishing Landscapes

  Play is a necessary component for a child's development with increased benefits coming from unstructured, natural environments. This article demonstrates those differences between natural and domesticated play environments.

• Finding Outdoor Opportunities for Kids and Keeping Them Safe

  Outdoor opportunities for play exist across Iowa but safety can be a concern. A little preparation can help reduce the most common risks and allow more time for exploration

• Small Fish, Big Problem: Bioaccumulation in Iowa's Waterways

  For many Iowans, fishing is not just a hobby; it's dinner. When humans consume forever chemicals, they increase their risk for increased cholesterol levels, lower birthweights, decreased antibody responses to vaccines in children, various cancers (e.g., kidney, testicular, prostate, ovarian, non-Hodgkin lymphoma), pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia, changes in liver enzymes, as well as other health effects.

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