Who We Are
The Natural Start Graduate Student Network (NatStartGrads) is an informal community of graduate students from across the U.S. and around the globe who share a passion for nature-based learning and early childhood research. The network provides opportunities for collaboration, peer support, and professional development while fostering connections between emerging scholars in the field. Members engage in discussions, share resources, and participate in events designed to inspire and strengthen their work in nature-based education research, practice, and policy. Through collective efforts, NatStart Grads aims to advance the field and promote inclusive, equitable, and innovative approaches to nature-based early childhood education.
Who Should Join This Network
Graduate students and emerging scholars with a passion for nature-based early childhood education, research, and practice are encouraged to join NatStart Grads. Whether you're seeking collaboration, professional development, or a supportive community, our network welcomes you.
Meeting Schedule
The NatStart Grads network hosts monthly gatherings, primarily via Zoom, including casual peer support meetings and formal events with guest speakers and professional development opportunities. The network has also facilitated in-person meet-ups at major conferences like AERA, SRCD, NAAEE, and Natural Start's annual Nature-Based Early Learning Conference. Members often collaborate in smaller groups and connect through asynchronous networking via online platforms, shared resources, and ongoing discussions to foster year-round engagement and support.
How to Get Involved
Email the leadership team at [email protected] to learn how to get connected with the network, join our mailing list, and stay updated on events, gatherings, and opportunities. We look forward to welcoming you!
Leaders
Simin Kazemi, Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Assistant, University of
Nebraska–Lincoln
Simin Kazemi is an international doctoral student in Child Development and Early Childhood Education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her research focuses on children’s interactions with nature and the development of their self-concept and environmental identity. She is also a Graduate Research Assistant with the UNL LEAF initiative, which provides design assistance and professional learning to early childhood centers across Nebraska to support the creation and use of nature-rich environments for young children. Simin entered the field of children and nature through her work as co-founder and former executive director of Kavikonj, Iran’s first nature school. Through her work, Simin seeks to better understand the fundamental role of children’s engagement with the natural world in shaping who they become and to contribute to efforts that ensure equitable everyday access to nature for all children. She is excited to connect with and support fellow graduate students who are exploring, researching, and working to advance children’s relationships with nature.
Amy Wrather, Doctoral Student & Research Assistant, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Amy Wrather is a Doctoral Student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the department of Human Development and Family Studies. She conducts research on outdoor environments and nature-based learning and is also a research assistant and contributing author for The National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. Amy began her career as an early childhood special education teacher in the public school system and earned an M.Ed. in Early Intervention and Family Support at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She now seeks to increase equity and access to high quality early childhood education through research and policy change, with a special interest in non-traditional pedagogy and children with disabilities.
Previous NatStart Grad Network Leaders:
- Claire Underwood, 2025–2026
- Stacey Alfonso, 2023–2025
- Peng Nelson, 2024
- Lydia Minahan, 2023–2025
- Annette Pic, 2022–2023
- Elizabeth Y. S. Boileau, Founder, 2020–2022