Maiya May
Science Communicator | TV Host | Content Creator | Speaker
I’m a passionate storyteller, science communicator, and host. My ultimate goal is to build a legacy rooted in my love for nature by creating thought- provoking content that strengthens knowledge, appreciation, and connection to our natural world.
My passion for nature developed in my adolescent years. My childhood home was located on the outskirts of Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve in Lithonia, GA. Neighborhood friends and I would make a habit of exploring the area, especially during the summer months. We’d wander through abandoned structures on Vaughter’s Farm and ride our bikes along the trails that traverse the area. One of our favorite trails led to a newly built school that I would eventually attend: Arabia Mountain High School Academy of Engineering, Medicine, and Environmental Studies. During my time at AMHS, I learned more about our natural world and how to protect it. Those formative years would set the foundation for a career that I would eventually forge in weather, climate, and environmental science.
I spent my undergraduate years at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying geography and atmospheric science. During this time, my goal was to pursue a career in broadcast meteorology. I gained a ton of experience— completing internships at KOMU, WAGA, WSB-TV, and The Weather Channel. After the latter, however, I ultimately decided that a career as an on-camera meteorologist just wasn’t the right fit for me. Instead, I chose a more unconventional path that would combine my love for content creation, storytelling, and our natural world.
I kept exploring natural areas during my time in college and beyond. During visits to state and national parks, I was always struck by the lack of diversity. I seldom saw other people of color while exploring, and I wanted to change that. I decided to do so by creating nature-related content that would inspire others to deepen their understanding and appreciation of our natural world.
Over the years, my desire to inspire more people to connect with nature would translate to four small-scale documentary projects and, most recently, Weathered, a PBS web series about climate science and natural disasters.
Today, I’m focused on initiatives that enhance literacy around nature, climate, and history. I strongly believe knowledge is the key to solving many of the challenges facing our world. As the saying goes, “when you know better, you do better.” When our public has a deeper understanding of these issues, we’re more likely to demand meaningful action from our leaders to address problems like climate change and beyond. I aim to be an integral part of that effort through the work that I do.
Stills From Weathered: Earth’s Extremes Season 5 Episode 1, Are We At The Tipping Point? (October, 2024)