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Glen “Alex” Alexander - Education Coordinator for the Padilla Bay NERR, Washington
Name: Glen "Alex" Alexander
What is your expertise or focus area?
I run the education program At Padilla Bay Reserve. I teach people about estuaries and the Salish Sea, especially eelgrass and mud flats. My largest audience is school children. We look at our subject from the viewpoints of science, poetry, music, history, culture, and economics.
What education, training, and experiences led you to your current job with the NERRS?
I grew up on Lake Michigan and played a lot outdoors. My mother was a naturalist and we had trees instead of a lawn. I taught in “outdoor schools” in the early 70s then moved to Washington State in 1972 for a job in a private school. Later I got my Bachelor degree in general science with certification to teach K-12. I started at Padilla Bay in 1990.
What are some interesting aspects of your job?
I like taking students to the mud flats of Padilla Bay. I also get a kick out of performing my Estuary Repertoire with my guitar.
What is the most unusual or most unexpected thing that has happened to you while working with or in estuaries?
I remember a time when I first moved to the coast from Lake Michigan. I took my brother out for a canoe ride in Skagit Bay without any understanding of tides. Suddenly the water all rushed away with a most unusual hissing sound leaving us about a mile from shore and a mile from water, sitting in a huge mud flat.
What is your proudest achievement in your job?
I’m proud of how my enthusiasm is contagious. Even after many years that is the most common comment I get from participants in my programs.
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Last Updated on: 07-16-2008
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