Hello all and welcome to science at MRHS! The 22-23 school year will be my third year at Mountain Ridge High School and I am so excited to be here! I am practically a Phoenix native, as I have been here since I was two years old. I went to school throughout the PVUSD district and attended Arizona State University for all of my undergraduate and graduate work. I received my undergraduate degree from ASU in Anthropology, with a minor in Global Health. During this time, I focused on research pertaining to evolutionary biology and human origins, including assisting in research into the evolution of primate teeth and diets, early human ancestors, and the ancient city of Teotihuacan near present-day Mexico City! My master's degree from ASU is in Secondary Education, with a concentration in Biology and a graduate certificate in Environmental Education.

I am so excited to continue to be a part of MRHS this year and engage with you all in learning about the wonders of the natural world and our place in it. One of my favorite things is learning wild and fun facts about weird adaptations and behaviors we can see in nature, so I most definitely look forward to sharing and hearing those from you as well!

Ms. Koistinen (koi-stih-nen)

P.S. Did you know that humans aren't the only species that participate in agriculture (planting and cultivating food)? Species of ants have been farming fungi for 60 million years!