Lee Anne Martinez

Lee Anne Martinez grew up in Lake Arrowhead, California, where she developed a great interest in outdoor life. “I had time to walk in the woods and observe nature, which made me happy.” By the time she hit seventh grade, Lee Anne was the top student in science class. After high school she attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and she did some interesting jobs including being a lifeguard, a back country ranger, and a firefighter! Today Lee Anne teaches and researches aquatic ecology—the insects that live in streams. She says you can learn more about water insects in your own region. “If you go to any stream and look under rocks, you will find many insects that live there, and you can observe how they avoid predators and find food.”