Where did you grow up, and what
childhood experiences foreshadowed
your interest in biological sciences?
Sharon Jean-Philippe: I was born and raised in Atlanta,
Georgia to David and Juanita Sparks, serving as the
eighth of thirteen children. As I reflect on my childhood,
I think of the wonderful times I spent visiting my only
living grandmother, Artwillie Keller, on her small farm in
Temple, Georgia. As a child, I loved to go outside, play
on her farm, and discover nature at its fullest—and her
farm provided me with a window to explore the won-
drous aspects of science. I discovered a love for trees,
rivers, creeks, insects, animals, and nearby forests.
Those farm visits sparked a love for biological sci-
ences, and they served as a catalyst for my academic
and professional success. The creative, inquisitive, and
exploratory nature of my personality refused to take
"no" for an answer—and I worked hard to achieve
success during my undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral
programs. There were numerous times when I found
myself at a crossroad, trying to understand where my
love for biological sciences would take me—but I always
knew that if I worked hard, I would experience success!
What's the origin story of your
getting into urban forestry?
SJP: In 2010, as I neared the end of my doctoral program
at UT in Natural Resources (within the Department of
Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries), Dean of the Herbert
College of Agriculture Dr. Caula Beyl called me into a
meeting to discuss my professional ambitions. As our
meeting progressed, Dean Beyl expressed her desire to
use an "opportunity hire position" to develop an urban
forestry concentration option for forestry majors.
For clarification, my dissertation at UT investigated the
effects on pollutants on forest ecosystems and their
mycorrhizal fungi for four years in the City of Oak Ridge,
Tennessee. As such, I was unaware of urban forestry
and politely asked her for clarification on the subject.
She kindly responded, "Go figure it out!" … and as the
saying goes, the rest is history! Within the span of a few
months, the College hired me as their new Assistant
Professor within the Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries
(FWF) Department and charged me with the responsi-
bility of planning, developing, and maintaining a new
urban forestry concentration and research agenda. >>
Dr. Sharon Jean-Philippe founded and directs the University of
Tennessee (UT) Urban Forestry Concentration, which launched in
2012 as an option for Forestry majors. How did it all come together?
Sharon chatting with students through the Girl Talk program at the local middle school.
urban-forestry.com 15
