Fancy MeetingYou Here!
I am a wildlife biologist of 20 years turned digital content creator because I wanted to help people connect with nature so that we can restore our planet Earth while rediscovering who we really are!
I teach people about wildlife, conservation, and science, empower and prepare aspiring and entry-level wildlife professionals, and provide lifestyle solutions so that we can collectively make a difference to helping wildlife and restoring the planet.
Start exploring:
Why the Fancy Scientist?
Hi, I’m Stephanie Manka, Ph.D.! (formerly Schuttler)
When you think of science, wildlife, or conservation, probably the last thing you think about is being fancy.Â
I have always loved wildlife and nature. But I also have always loved dressing up, putting on makeup, and fashion.Â
When I was a young girl, I would get muddy looking for crayfish in creeks, and catch (and release) frogs and snakes, but I also played dress-up with my friends, trying on my mom’s clothes and makeup, and getting my Barbies glamorous for their dates.Â
I loved drawing and would draw scenes of grizzly bears catching salmon and on the next page a series of fashion designs.Â
When I found out about careers in wildlife biology, I was elated because I could finally turn my love of wildlife into a profession, but I quickly found out that I didn’t quite fit in.Â
Most people wore Tevas and brands like Columbia and Patagonia to work, which I love, but I reserved for the field. Instead, I wore dressy blouses, shoes with heels, and sparkly jewelry.
Hardly any of my colleagues wore any makeup at all, meanwhile I loved to experiment with different shades of eyeshadow every day.
In graduate school, although I loved dressing up and wearing makeup, I didn’t feel comfortable doing it because I was worried people were judging me or thinking I spent too much time on those things over science (which is not true).
Although I was fancier than most, I held back a lot, and quite honestly, didn’t feel that good. Not being able to wear colorful makeup and sparkles dampened my spirit and my confidence.
When I started my postdoc at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the work culture was different because I was now not only surrounded by scientists. I no longer felt uncomfortable embracing who I really was.
I started to dress up again and became happier and more confident. My postdoc included working with K-12 teachers and like most people, they did not expect a scientist, especially a wildlife biologist, to be wearing dangly earrings and mascara.
The teachers loved this and kept telling me how fancy and called me the fancy scientist.
I loved this name and embraced it full on. Because of my work in classrooms, I wanted to show kids, especially girls, that they don’t have to look a certain way to be in science.
I want them to see that they too can be a fancy scientist and feel comfortable expressing their own sparkle and shine.
About Me​
20
years of experience in wildlife biology working with the US government, zoos, in academia, and alongside nonprofits
Years of education in the sciences: Bachelor’s and Ph.D. in biological sciences
10
10+
animal behavior, mammal communities,
predator-prey relationships, non-invasive genetics, satellite telemetry, social science, and citizen/community science – full CV here
Continents conducted research on including the countries of Kenya, Gabon, India, Mexico, and Suriname
4
Number of network television shows featured on, including the Discovery, Science, and History Channels
4
As seen in...
Need Help in your Wildlife Career?
Must-Listen Podcasts
Connect with me Social Media
Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Facebook, X ( formerly Twitter) and my Youtube Channel to get access to the best content, tools, strategies & teachings for connecting with nature and wildlife careers.
