Beth Fisher, Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Geology

Hometown

• Wild Rose, WI

Schools Attended

• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Northwestern College Orange City, IA

Things we can talk about

I’m happy to talk about lots of stuff. I’m interested in learning others’ stories. I’m always game for conversations about majors, careers, activities, the “hidden curriculum” of higher education. I’m a big fan of balancing life and work so I can have truly free time. I recognize that we all have unpleasant things to deal with in our personal lives and I’m not afraid to talk about mental health and connect you to resources that can help you be successful in college and in life.

I am available for

• Phone calls
• Email conversations
• Zoom calls
• Personal meetings in office or for coffee

Please feel free to contact me and we will figure out a way to have a conversation.

Why do I want to be a Maverick Firsts Advocate

I was a first-generation college student. My dad never finished high school. My mom counts herself as a beauty school dropout. I have many older siblings, many who finished college, so I was always expected to attend, but didn’t have a lot of mentoring around how to prepare for or navigate university.

My family mostly encouraged me to do “girly” things (really) and be an artist, but I went outside to play and explore during any spare moment, regardless of the season. My high school didn’t help me prepare for math or science fields. I had a bit of a “finding myself” during my senior year in high school when I realized that I really liked science. I had only applied to one college and it didn’t have the science degree that I wanted to pursue. Oops. I had a music scholarship and my (music department) advisor had no idea how to help me prepare for a geology degree.

Then I got married while I was still in college, and prioritized my spouse’s career and graduate degree ahead of my own. I returned to college for graduate school in my 30’s, and as a mom. I took some of my classes while working full time in a coffee shop. I know what it’s like to have a few things working against your success, and I know how great it feels to push through and meet your goals. I would like to be a Mavericks First Advocate because I hope to help students find their way, maybe with a slightly more direct path than I managed!

Things I’m connected with that might be of interest to you

I’m very interested in increasing diversity in my field. I live in a diverse neighborhood and very much enjoy how people with a variety of experiences and perspectives bring richness and creativity to life and work. I am working on initiatives to establish earth-science focused environmental justice field trips and classes. I also am working to establish earth-science camp programs for city kids to experience the fun of being in the outdoors doing geology and soils during summer camp.

I also think a lot about the environment and climate change in my work and in my personal life. Some of my research is focused on how to make soil more healthy in our local agriculture, and I hope to maintain a group of undergraduate researchers for this work. I think our fast fashion industry is a problem for people and the environment, and one of my responses to this is to think sustainably in all the things. I use this as an excuse to explore the hobby of sewing and mending or repairing what I have. I have even learned to sew things like outerwear and jeans.

I like to do lots of things outdoors, including skiing: Nordic, back-country downhill, and downhill on groomers with lift service. I also enjoy rock climbing in the gym and on the crags. I enjoy canoeing and hiking and exploring. I also like bicycling, and I’ve been learning to play hockey in recent years.