Education
- Aberdeen University: 2013-2014 I began my higher education at the University of Aberdeen, a public research institution located in northeastern Scotland and founded in 1495. There, I took almost exclusively biology courses including Ecology & the Environment, The Cell, Organismal Biology, Conservation Biology, Intro. to the Medical Sciences, and Biology for Undergraduates (skills course), all of which were lab-intensive. Other courses include Chemistry for the Life Sciences 1 and Sustainable International Development.
- Lewis & Clark College: 2015-Present I am continuing my university education at Lewis & Clark College, a small liberal arts college located in Portland, Oregon. Here, I am majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Japanese. My classes so far relating to biology include Ecology, Problems in Spatial Science, Environmental Analysis, Fundamentals of Hydrology, Calc. & Stats. for the Life Sciences, Intro. Oceanography, and Environmental Economics.
Work/Volunteerism
What fueled my interests in environmental sciences and biology? What kind of differences do I hope to make for conservation in the future? Am I just another student of biology amidst the masses? My experiences as an intern and a professional working for the outdoors may help answer these questions.
- Summer 2013: Trails and Recreation Management Intern, Fremont-Winema NF, OR
Right out of high school, I began interning with the Student Conservation Association and the US Forest Service on a recreation crew. Through this 3-month long position, I gained countless hard skills in trailwork and recreation-related duties of a Forest Service employee. This single summer served as the official beginning of my professional interest in the biological sciences. There’s nothing quite like running the misery whip for the 7th hour of the day under a cloud of mosquitos tens of miles into the backcountry.
- Summer 2014: Interpretation Ranger Intern, Grand Teton NP, WY
Following my summer working in southern Oregon, I began my second internship at Grand Teton National Park as an interpretation ranger intern under a special joint-program held by the Student Conservation Association and the National Park Service. Dubbed the NPS Academy, this program’s aims is to diversify the workforce of the NPS through providing distinguished minority youth with the opportunity to intern at one of the many NPS units across the states. Through this frontcountry position, I dealt directly with park visitors answering questions at visitor centers in addition to researching, preparing, and presenting guided walks (3 hours in length, up to 65 visitors at one time), evening campfire programs, and children’s programs/activities.
- Summer 2015: Apprentice Crew Leader, Chugach NF, AK
After my two summers as an intern, I began working as a professional in one of the most pristine areas in the world: Alaska. As an ACL, I assisted in leadership duties of a crew of 8 high school students assigned to a shoreline restoration work project. Duties were split into three areas: pre-program preparations (inventorying gear, food rationing, managing crew member itineraries), program (supervise crew members at work, lead environmental education, mentor crew members in trail tool use, oversee camp functions, report medical incidents, monitor crew health and wellness), and post-program wrap up (clean & care of tools, evaluations of crew members, debrief and report work completed). I thoroughly enjoyed this season’s work, for I got to help each crew member grow tremendously within the time our crew was together.
- Summer 2016: Biological Science Technician, Malheur NF, OR
I began my official career in the Forest Service as a BioScience Tech. I had three main projects: Northern Goshawk and Pileated Woodpeck nest site monitoring and locating, cattle ponds and trough effects on surrounding eco-systems, and surveying a range of characteristics for perrenial and seasonal streams.
- Summer 2017: Park Ranger, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
As an interpretive park ranger, I had a diverse array of duties ranging from staffing the visitor center to responding to medical and search/rescue operations. I developed several unique ranger programs to give to visitors and patrolled trails. - Beyond
I plan to continue my federal service during my summer breaks until I graduate Lewis & Clark College in May 2018. From there, I hope to find more permanent employment within the federal, state, or local lands-management agencies and organizations. I also hope to live and work in Japan where my family lives.
Life
Outside my academic and professional life, I spend my life training in Aikido, cooking, and going on outdoor adventures including hiking, mountain biking, and backpacking. In the city, I am all about local (gin) distilleries, films, shows, food, and shenay-nays.