Wally Smith is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. He has a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Alabama, with a specialization in the conservation and management of amphibian biodiversity. He currently serves as the director of the Southwest Virginia Citizen Science Initiative (CSI), a student-led project at UVa-Wise aimed at involving residents of rural communities across the central Appalachian Mountains in conservation science. You can follow Wally and Southwest Virginia CSI’s work on Twitter (@SWVirginiaCSI).