Sharon Smolinski is an experienced scientist with over 12 years of involvement in biofuels research. That career has provided an understanding of scientific, institutional, and financial concerns involved in science and technology issues, particularly in the federal government sector. She completed a Master of Science in Environmental Science at the University of Colorado Denver, with a thesis on novel research into environmental impacts of water diversions. She also received a Bachelor of Science in Biology, magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, summa cum laude, also from the University of Colorado Denver. She is interested in environmental issues, is an avid hiker, and has volunteered in 2011 and 2012 gathering field data for the Front Range Pika Project.