Rebecca Barry studied Russian in the first part of her academic career, then switched from humanities to social sciences to get a doctorate in parks, recreation, and tourism at the University of Utah. She is interested in scenic beauty, landscape perception, pro-social behavior and messaging in park settings, environmental interpretation, and survey design. She has recently become a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpretation. She is currently a senior lecturer, teaching courses, such as History of Wilderness and Parks in America, Leisure and Quality of Life, Environmental Communication/Interpretation, and Research and Evaluation. Every year, her evaluation students and interpretation students complete projects in the local community. Her interpretation class sponsors a yearly camping trip to Grand Canyon National Park for students and faculty in the School of Community Resources and Development.