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In this edition of Making Ends Meet, financial experts say you can rent out those unused items in your home to make extra cash.
Gas prices once again increased overnight in the Denver metro area, putting prices well above $4/gallon.
Aurora City Council is meeting Monday night to discuss their position when it comes to police officer shootings.
The North Metro Fire Department began using new technology this week to help monitor patients treated during emergency calls, which gives real-time feedback.
Name: Andrea (Andie) Carrillo
Title: Zoology Preparator
Education:
High School Diploma; Bachelor of Science in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, Emphasis in Wildlife Health from University of California Davis
Company Description:
Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Non-profit natural history museum in Denver.
Tell us more about your job.
I work in the Zoology Preparation Lab at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. My job is dissecting animals to preserve parts and data for researchers that are interested in learning more about wild mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Most of my day is spent dissecting, writing down specimen data, or getting parts of specimens through the process of preservation. I also take care of the flesh-eating beetle colony at the Museum and make sure they are happy and healthy while they help us clean skeletons.
Why is STEM important within your industry?
All of the letters in STEM are huge components of natural history museums. When guests come to the museum they see exhibits, research talks, and programs but they rarely see the work that goes into making these experiences a reality. Everyone at DMNS from IT, to exhibits, programs, to researchers, use STEM to make the Museum run smoothly.
My role at DMNS focuses on the Science part of STEM. Researchers need data to make scientific discoveries. The lab provides some of the necessary data and samples for generations of scientists.
Was there a specific moment when you decided you wanted to pursue STEM as a career?
I don't think there was a specific moment. I was first interested in science at around 6. I remember playing with insects in the big field at school instead of playing with my peers. I've always loved all animals and that fascination followed me into adulthood.
What do you like best about your job?
I like working hands-on with the animals. Working directly with animals gives me a greater appreciation for them.
What are the most important skills needed in your job?
I think patience is very important for my job. The tasks in the lab can get repetitive so having the patience to not rush a procedure is very important. Another useful skill is being able to adjust when things don't go according to plan. Not all the animals we work on will follow predictable procedures. Sometimes we need to get creative during the preservation process if the animal has broken bones or is more rotten than we initially thought.
Have there been times in your career when you've faced difficult challenges? How were you able to overcome them?
There have been plenty of challenges throughout my career. Overall, I've learned that being able to sit in how I'm feeling when faced with a challenge has been a great benefit. Taking stock about how I'm feeling and why has greatly improved by ability to face obstacles. After quietly reflecting and letting the emotions pass, I'm usually able to focus on solving the issues better than if I jump in right away. Having a good support system of people I can talk to has also been incredible. Without my friend's and family's emotional support, I would not be able to face many of the challenges that I've faced in my career
Are there any hobbies, sports, or other interests of yours that have helped you excel in your career? I've always enjoyed crafting. I especially enjoy really meticulous tasks like embroidery, crochet, and jewelry making. Having that attention to detail before ever dissecting an animal was a great asset. Additionally, I also like staying active by spending time outside and lifting weights. Staying strong helps on days when we're moving heavy animals around the lab.
What advice would you give to girls of all ages who are interested in STEM?
I'd say that you should follow your interests wherever that goes. You might not end up in STEM, but knowing what you enjoy and what you don't is a great place to start. You don't have to know exactly you want to do right away and sampling a bit of all kinds of STEM can point you towards a career or hobby you'll love.
Any additional thoughts on why it's important to get more girls involved in STEM?
I think we need girls and femmes in STEM so we can have better femme representation in STEM data. All aspects of STEM have seen girls excluded from datasets, decision making, and algorithms. Without girls in positions to bring up biases, girls and femmes will continue to be excluded from datasets. Lack of representation can have negative impacts on girl's health, safety, and lead to inaccurate science.
High temperatures will climb into the low 70s across the Denver metro area on Monday with a chance of afternoon showers and a few thunderstorms. The real changes will arrive tonight.
The Aurora City Council is meeting Monday night to discuss their position when it comes to respecting shootings with police officers.
The North Metro Fire Department began using new technology this week to help monitor patients treated during emergency calls, which gives real-time feedback.
As the Colorado ski season comes to a close, a pair of high country resorts are still squeezing in some final turns.
On Sunday, the Colorado Avalanche are facing another one of the top teams in the NHL.
Watch Alex Lehnert's forecast
After a threat forced an early closure over the weekend, the Denver Zoo said it plans to reopen Monday.
In this edition of Making Ends Meet, financial experts say you can rent out those unused items in your home to make extra cash.
Gas prices once again increased overnight in the Denver metro area, putting prices well above $4/gallon.
Aurora City Council is meeting Monday night to discuss their position when it comes to police officer shootings.
On Sunday, the Colorado Avalanche are facing another one of the top teams in the NHL.
Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
Held every spring in Louisville, Kentucky, the event is also known for its over-the-top hats and vibrant suits and dresses.
The deal merged Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour, two of the nascent sport's most active entities, under one company, Pickleball Inc.
The Kentucky Derby saw a field of 18 horses Saturday in the first leg of the 2026 competition for horse racing's Triple Crown.
Some Spirit Airlines customers with flight tickets could be out of luck after the discount carrier ceased operations.
A federal appeals court blocked a FDA rule that allowed the abortion pill mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail.
The lawsuit ramps up a feud between World Liberty Financial and Sun, who last month sued the Trump-backed company for fraud.
EBay said on Monday that it will "carefully review" GameStop's unsolicited $ 125-per-share takeover offer.
Nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are suing the federal government in a bid to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills.
A federal appeals court blocked a FDA rule that allowed the abortion pill mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail.
Nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are suing the federal government in a bid to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills.
The 81-year-old former New York City mayor has been hospitalized for pneumonia, his spokesperson said.
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said on Sunday that the U.S should be considering a broader question of strategy in the war with Iran.
Colorado insurers say health care premiums could increase by hundreds of dollars next year.
A federal appeals court blocked a FDA rule that allowed the abortion pill mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail.
A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship in the Atlantic off Africa killed three people and sickened at least three others, health officials say.
Many people fear that a family history of dementia dooms them to inevitably suffer the condition themselves. But a new tool, the Brain Care Score, shows how lifestyle changes can be beneficial, cutting the risk of dementia.
The Trump administration is proposing wastewater testing to try to ferret out data on illegal drug use in real time, according to a draft of a new drug control strategy obtained by CBS News. It also proposes using AI to track threats.
Hershey says it's benefiting from the growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs even as people cut down on snacks. Here's why.
Some Spirit Airlines customers with flight tickets could be out of luck after the discount carrier ceased operations.
The lawsuit ramps up a feud between World Liberty Financial and Sun, who last month sued the Trump-backed company for fraud.
EBay said on Monday that it will "carefully review" GameStop's unsolicited $ 125-per-share takeover offer.
Nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are suing the federal government in a bid to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills.
The deal merged Major League Pickleball and the Carvana PPA Tour, two of the nascent sport's most active entities, under one company, Pickleball Inc.
While touring the Marvin Foote Youth Services Center, Colorado state officials described the efforts behind massive changes being made to operations across juvenile detention facilities statewide.
Another Colorado family has come forward after they say they were charged thousands of dollars for having a lock changed.
State regulators are warning bad actors who are bringing hemp‑derived, often chemically-altered products into the state's legal marijuana system that there will be consequences.
A new, nearly 700-page report describes the Evergreen High School shooter's every move the day of the shooting last September, the law enforcement response, and interviews with friends, family, teachers, and witnesses.
A Denver City Council member is pushing to reopen long-term fire service contracts she says are now draining city resources instead of generating revenue.