Danna Staaf (CCS Biology '04) Visits CCS

#TBT CCS alumna Danna Staaf (CCS Biology ‘04) sat down with students and faculty for a conversation over pizza on Friday, February 28, 2020

#TBT CCS alumna Danna Staaf (CCS Biology ‘04), known as “the cephalopodiatrist,'' sat down with students and faculty for a conversation over pizza on Friday, February 28, 2020. “Meeting Danna was fun! She brought great energy and made the discussion so welcoming, being able to connect with both Biology students and Writing & Literature students,” said Michelle Chiu, CCS Biology ‘21, who attended the lunch. “From the moment she walked into the room, it was clear that she still has a lot of love for CCS. And it's inspiring to hear how much she enjoys her work as a science writer, illustrator and communicator.” To Chiu, it was refreshing to see someone do something different, and Staaf has that covered. In 2018, she spoke at the CCS commencement wearing a squid hat. In 2017, she published Squid Empire: The Rise and Fall of Cephalopods. She is also an artist and uses that talent for adding illustrations to board games, including The Game of Science. She brought copies of Squid Empire for students, signed them, and took photos with students while they squiggled their arms like squid tentacles.