I was in graduate school when I went to study the aye-aye in Madagascar. At the time, science teachers in Madagascar asked me why I didn't study the aye-aye in the U.S. They had no idea that this animal was unique to their country.

After I finished graduate school, I decided to go back to Madagascar to share what I'd learned with people there. The science in many of the textbooks was out-of-date and was not relevant to the biodiversity or culture of Madagascar. I worked as a volunteer on a project, putting together teaching materials about Madagascar wildlife and plants for teachers.