Hi, I’m Elisabeth S. Rhodes.
I fell in love with science after taking Ecology and Evolution at DePauw University. I just couldn’t believe there was a job that would allow me to follow my curiosity, ask questions and design creative experiments to solve problems. I was hooked! Science wasn’t something that you just inherently knew, it was a process built on curiosity, creativity, willingness to learn, and continuous improvement. In fact, the key to a beautiful research project is having the courage to try! After all, data on the shelf helps no one, that’s not what it was built for!
To date I have studied plants, pollinators, policy, child welfare programs, and education practices. But, my true passion is helping others find the joy in science and creating more scientists!
I love working with programs and people to help solve their organization’s greatest challenge, all while increasing access to the organizations own information! Ready to get creative?
My Career Journey
It all started at DePauw University. I spent four years studying research methodology in biology and sociology. I found my love for research and as a bonus, my husband and love of my life! Between the two majors, I conducted research on common gardens, invasive species, and the intersection between legislation and agricultural research funding. I wrote my senior thesis on the basis of boundary theory, which examines how science became the leader in knowledge creation and the current power structure of scientific research. It was so natural to me to combine the learnings of both the natural and social sciences to create a truly collaborative and well rounded project! Cheers to you ole DePauw!
Photo by Matt Mikus MPR, 2018
After leaving DePauw I headed to Fargo North Dakota to work with the United States Department of Agriculture Ecophysiology Research Unit and purse graduate training. I was really interested in understanding how current agricultural nesting practices impacted the alfalfa leafcutting bee. I designed a 3D printed nesting box to test the temperature and nesting preference of the bees. My 3D printed boxes accurately measured the nesting temperatures of over 400 nests, every 15 minutes, for 100 consecutive days under live field conditions! We found that these bees prefer a cooler nesting box facing the NE or NW and nests facing this direction had a 15% increase in reproduction!
While I loved field work, I was missing the intersection between people and the research we were doing. I joined a program with the American Association for the Advancement of Science to study science policy. It was through this program I knew I wanted to work on research outside academia! Plus, being 1400 miles from home was a wake up call to the importance of family. I knew that my next adventure would be where my support system was, back in Indianapolis.
Picture by Emily Cantron of Studio 1534, 2024
Once I realized how much I loved building these research and evaluation teams, I wanted to take it nationwide. I joined a private foundation and for three years worked on building research and evaluation capacity across the country. I built teams and added positions to nonprofit agencies and state governments. I assisted organizations and current team members in data policies and technology, and I co-designed evaluations with practitioners. I then took my skills on the road and facilitated six-month data-driven change programs with incredible nonprofit organizations. I worked in child welfare, conservation, and education. Adding, facilitation, national geographic scope, and an array of content knowledge fueled my passion to increase research capacity and help inspire more scientists. But this stage in my career was marked by the addition of Ella, our sweet puppy. While Belle loves a good day in the office, Ella loves her time off. Her favorite place? Pins rooftop bar in downtown Indianapolis!
After graduating with my MS in Biology, I started my career with the Indiana Department of Child Services as the first Research Manager within the state agency. Seems like a hard pivot right? Content wise, absolutely! Yet, the field of child welfare changed drastically in 2018 to require natural science research methodologies to evaluate programs to receive federal funding. That is a whole can of worms. However, this role was my opportunity to conduct research that would directly impact my home state and hundreds of children and families. I built the research team, and in just two years we published research, changed policies, and added technology within state government. In fact, the evaluation we built is now a promising practice on the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse!
This role showed me what it was like to conduct research outside of a University. You need everything. You have to find technology and software to analyze data, you have to build pathways to communications departments, legal departments and universities. You have to have access to Institutional Review Boards to protect human subject’s data. While I thought the role would be like working in the lab analyzing data and making visualizations, it was truly about building capacity in an agency to use it’s own data to make improvements, and I loved it! But perhaps the most important milestone was adopting Belle! Our COVID kitty loved work from home and I could not have built the team without her constant supervision! Our family of three was thriving.
Photo by Brekiesha Weszely, 2023
Current State
Today our family four lives in Fountain Square. After traveling and working across the nation, I decided to bring my skills back to our own backyard. I am currently working with nonprofits in Indianapolis and cannot wait to learn more about the incredible work happening right here in Indiana!