As my students work on their wonder journals, I’m working on mine as well.

One is about freshwater mussels. The other is about ladybugs.

The big idea: begin with a species people find fearful or disgusting, and try to elicit wonder.

Here are my first drafts, which I’ll share with my students this week.

I started my career as a philosophy and classics professor who specialized in ancient philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of science, and American pragmatism.

One constant feature of studying and practicing religion is wonder. And one feature of studying and practicing pragmatism is curiosity and growth.

And so my career continues to grow, fueled by wonder.

A detailed drawing and notes about ladybugs, highlighting their role in controlling pest populations and identifying features like their pronotum.Hand-drawn zine about freshwater mussels includes information on their economic benefits, the threat to their existence, and conservation efforts.