Shelby Royal

Shelby Royal

Forestry and Natural Resources

Husbandry Lab Coordinator
Phone:
765.494.3583
Office:
ARL 115
Address:
5675 W 600 N
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Email:
royals@purdue.edu

Why Extension?

Tell us about your background?
I was born and raised in Lafayette, IN. I grew up with my older brother and my younger sister. I was a nursing student before I changed majors and came to Purdue for Wildlife Biology. I received my bachelor's degree in Wildlife from Purdue University in May 2019. Shortly there after I received news of a job opening within the FNR department and now here I am!
How did you come to work with Hellbenders?

I never actually thought I would be working with amphibians. I got, in my mind, a rare opportunity to work with hellbenders while working on my other position as the Nature of Teaching Program Coordinator. Taking care of hellbenders is a new and exciting adventure for me and it allows me to spread conservation methods through different avenues.

How did you get involved with FNR Extension and outreach?
I got involved with FNR Extension and Outreach through two of my former professors. One of the professors has reached out to me about a job opening within the department and I went and interviewed with the other professor and I couldn't have been more excited about the position!
What do you enjoy most about your work?
What I enjoy the most is the work is never the same. There is always something to do and provides me extra opportunities to do what I enjoy and help others at the same time.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your job?
The biggest challenge is that work is never the same. There are a lot of standards that are constantly changing, and I need to be aware of those changes. I will be building curricula to help with conservation efforts and that can be tricky when dealing with different age classes of students.
Do you have an outside hobby?
I really enjoy painting and just staying home with all of my animals watching anime shows!