GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Jordan Bracy is one of our Youth Conservation Interns working as a Range Technician Assistant in cooperation with the BLM at the Aqua Fria National Monument out of the Hassayampa Field Office.
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Jordan was born in Safford, Arizona and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated at Northern Arizona University in the fall of 2020 earning his Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Anthropology. He has an interest in both indoor and outdoor activities. For his preferred indoor activities, he enjoys watching shows, putting together puzzles, and bonding with family. His favorite outdoor activities include going on walks either in the city or on trails, going fishing, and recently he has decided to take up gardening. Jordan think STEM education is important because teaching people of all ages the importance of different sciences allows for an inter-disciplined population that both respects and desires to participate in STEM-based activities. Welcome to the team Jordan!

How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I had been doing some job searching for some time on different websites. I wanted something that fit me. I wanted something research and team based as that is what I enjoy doing the most. When I had seen the internship posting online by GEM Environmental, I knew this was the place for me!
 
Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus.
I don’t have a lot of experience in one particular area as of yet as my undergraduate degree was focused mainly on the broad spectrum of environmental science ranging anywhere from environmental policy, to ecology. However, this has allowed me to see the many different areas that I could focus on in the future as I continue to learn more about the field by participating in opportunities such as the one provided by GEM Environmental. One particular route that has interested me, is the path toward becoming an Environmental Manager.
 
What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM?
During my time with GEM Environmental, I expect to gain a greater understanding of conservation efforts in a professional setting. I want to gain as much knowledge and experience as I can by working alongside both professionals and other interns who also have knowledge that I may not. I also want to help this organization grow and participate in tangible projects to better aid conservation efforts.

What are your career goals?
I know that I want to pursue a career that will hold high importance to environmental work. A career in which I can feel accomplished and satisfied to finally reach. Although I’m not completely sure what that career might entail, I have been considering an early position as an Environmental Specialist and a later position after I finish my Master’s Degree as an Environmental Manager.
 
Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn?
After gaining some experience in the real world, I will go back to school to complete my Master’s Degree in Environmental Management to become and Environmental Manager. I want to take on one of the highest roles to be given to someone in the environmental field so I can feel like the work that I’m doing is for the betterment of the environment. For me, when I think of the best place to make the greatest impact for environmentalism, I think of large corporations that withhold some of the most power and wealth in the world. Being able to change the course of their actions to meet environmental regulations will allow for more sustainable options to be used. Starting with one corporation and continuing to the next, I will be able to make a real difference in the world. I don’t want to lose the beautiful environment that we live in, so I will strive for excellence in my life to do my part.
 
Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far?
I have done two separate internships as an undergraduate student before partaking in this one. My first internship experience was a partnership between NAU and nonprofit organization Flagstaff Foodlink to create a map of the fruit trees in Flagstaff to decrease food waste and increase equity. This was done under Graduate Assistant Kira Farmer and 6 undergraduate students including myself. We created a website that people could easily access from Flagstaff Foodlink’s homepage that includes all of the work that we had down throughout the internship experience. This included the research we had done, a graphic to help people with apple identification, and the map itself. The second internship that I was apart of included 4 undergraduate students including myself working under the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. This internship was dedicated to understanding citizen science projects happening in other places of the world as well as citizen science projects currently happening in Flagstaff. The point of doing this was to create a proposal for organizations currently doing citizen science projects in Flagstaff to aid them in other directions they may take to initiate successful projects and to get more people involved in their projects as well. Doing so much environmental research alongside others has allowed for me become comfortable working alongside different organizations as well as cultivating deep connections with those around me to create palpable results that benefit people and the environment.

Anything else you'd like to share about your work, yourself, or the STEM fields?
I’m a driven individual who just wants to do good for the environment while also building relationships along the way!

Check out Jordan's first internship group's website:  
https://flagstafflinkgleaninginitiative.food.blog/

​GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Mariah McGhee is one of our Youth Conservation Interns working as a Maintenance Intern in cooperation with the BLM at the Phoenix District Office.
 
Mariah is from Kansas City, Missouri. She recently graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a BS in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis on Forestry and a minor in Soils. She is the oldest of 4 and grew up in the city! Mariah enjoys a variety of activities that require her to be outside. These activities are hiking, exploring new places, shopping for succulents, and believe it or not mowing the lawn (a Midwest task)! She also competes in Crossfit competitions and it is a big part of her life.

Mariah values STEM education for many reasons, but mostly because STEM is the future. STEM education allows us to make connections between the classroom and the world around us to implement stability in the economy and continue to allow for sustained growth. Welcome to the team Mariah!

How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I heard about GEM’s service opportunity by searching Arizona Environmental opportunities. Upon finding the opportunity with GEM, I was super pleased with the mission and vision of this organization and applied immediately.
 
Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus.
My area of focus currently is on the trees and soils of the Midwest. I have been fortunate to have been exposed to a various of different stands in Missouri that consisted of tree identification, invasive removal, soil testing, stand area data, forest management plans and tons of Excel data sheets!
 
What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM?
My expectations involve being able to learn continuously. I would like to grow as a knowledgeable young scholar and professional while contributing meaningful work to an important organization. I know this internship will mold me into a successful Land Manager, while helping me better understand the industry, management practices, and the forest community. I believe working with GEM will allow me to positively impact the great outdoors while encouraging others from every background to learn better ways to care for our environment.
 
What are your career goals?
Being I have just graduated, my career goals temporarily include gaining experience and exposure to what I hope to one day permanently do which is to work in the field as a Forest Resource Manger and also be a face to help diversify Environmental Sciences all together. I hope to network with multiple different people and organizations that will help me continue to acquire knowledge and allow for hands-on experiences.

Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn?
I do plan to further my education and go on to earn my masters degree. I plan to stay in Arizona and have considered making sure I am on the right track to be eligible to obtain my degree from Northern Arizona University.
 
Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far?
In 2018, I worked as an intern with Forest ReLeaf of Missouri in St. Louis, Missouri. With this organization our work was heavily focused on the Urban Forestry side of Forestry. This opportunity helped me understand what a consistent workday is like, and also exposed me to many new environmental methods, tactics and people who have been the industry for years that were able to provide valuable information over a variety of things.
 
 Anything else you'd like to share about your work, yourself, or the STEM fields?
I am pleased to have been chosen to be apart of this opportunity and very excited to meet others that share similar interests. I am also excited to work hard this summer on the tasks that are for us to complete, all while being in a different climate, topography and region!

GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Michael Branham is one of our Youth Conservation Interns working as a Range Technician in cooperation with the BLM at the Lower Sonoran Field Office.

Michael is a 31 year old Arizona native. He likes to spend his free time outside. His favorite outdoor activities are fishing, exploring, gold panning/mineral hunting, and camping. He values STEM education because it gives him the educational background he needs to make sense of what he finds and sees in the wilderness. It has also instilled in him, the value and importance of it’s preservation and management. Welcome to the team Michael!

How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I was connected to GEM Environmental through my college geology professor Pamela Nelson at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona.

Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus.
As I continue through my educational career, I find myself with interests towards cattle/rangeland management and long-term ecosystem sustainability. My intended focus will be the use and preservation of public lands and sustainable land use programs.

What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM?
I plan to gain as much practical work and field experience as I possibly can while participating with GEM. I also intend to represent the scientific community and the GEM organization to the highest standards possible while learning from active members of the scientific community.

What are your career goals?
My long term career goals are to be a Rangeland Manager for the BLM and/or participate in programs that focus on natural resource management and preservation.

Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn?
I plan to finish my undergraduate program at Arizona State University and want to graduate with a bachelors in Environmental Sciences. I hope to one day complete a graduate program from ASU and wish to contribute to the scientific community with the highest level of education possible.

Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far?
I have not had prior experience with an internship before but I have previous professional experience with the BLM. That experience has led me to want to take any opportunity available to work with that organization again. My previous experience was a pleasant one that has made me want to gain full time employment with that organization in the scientific capacity.

Anything else you'd like to share about your work, yourself, or the STEM fields?
I am very excited and thrilled to become a member of the GEM Team. So far through my educational studies I have found that my pursuit of scientific knowledge and answers tends to lead to more questions and pursuits. Being a part of an organization such as GEM provides me the necessary tools and direction needed to continue my educational goals. For that I will be forever grateful. Thank you GEM I look forward to the positive experiences and relationships ahead.

GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Zac White is one of our Youth Conservation Interns working as a Range Technician in cooperation with the BLM at the Hassayampa Field Office.
 
Zac was born and raised in Arizona and spent most of his childhood outside. He was a Boy Scout and felt lucky to have the opportunity to go and explore the state by camping, hiking, fishing, and swimming in beautiful parks and trails. This time outside gave him an appreciation for the natural world and piqued his interest in having a career studying and protecting it. Zac began his college education at Arizona State University as a 1st generation college student. At ASU he floated between majors in Biochemistry, Biology and Sustainability until he found his calling in Ecology. Taking classes in each of these STEM majors broadened his horizons on understanding nature, how we interact with it and how we can help protect it. He hopes to turn his love of nature into a career protecting it. Welcome to the team Zac!

How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I contacted the Bureau of Land Management to see if there were any volunteer opportunities in their organization to increase my experience and professional contacts. I got into contact with Lawrence who recommended me to apply for the internship here at GEM.

Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus.
I graduated ASU in 2019 with a degree in Applied Biology: Natural Resource Ecology. This degree focuses on the management and sustainable uses of resources of land such as timber, land usage and fisheries. During my undergrad I worked in the Lewis lab working under PhD student Jeff Haight studying the effects of urbanization on the wildlife in the greater Phoenix area. I also Interned with the Arizona Game and Fish Department working under the Wildlife division to monitor Flat Tailed Horned Lizards in the Yuma desert.

My area of interest is studying the effects of urbanization on wildlife communities and their changes over time. I want to further innovate and push new GIS and remote sensing technology to more effectively collect data, and model for future trends.

What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM?
The primary reason I chose to apply for the GEM Youth Internship was the opportunity to gain professional work experience in the field that aligns with my career goals. I believe that academic knowledge is incomplete without being able to apply it in a professional role. I want to learn from experienced leaders that can show me how to excel in a federal agency and private sector environment. When I complete my internship I want to feel that I am competitive in the environmental science field. ASU's Ecology program was comparatively small compared to their Life Science programs cohort and there were few connections to be made with other students. By working with other students or recent graduates I hope to gain new connections with my co-interns.

What are your career goals?
My career goals are to find a position in a private or government entity that advocates for the preservation and sustainable use of our lands its resources. I would ultimately like to see myself leading a team to work on environmental projects and being able to work out in the field.

Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn?
As of this moment, I am not looking to continue my education as I want to gain experience in the field. However, once if there are opportunities in the future to further my education, I would take the opportunity to earn a master’s degree. To further a career skill, I would get my master’s degree in Geographic Information Systems. To challenge myself I would pursue a MS in Biology and conduct my own research study in a topic dealing with urbanization.

Have you had any other internship or service opportunities before this? If so, how do you believe internships have benefited you so far?
I interned with the Arizona Game and Fish Department in the summer of 2019. This internship was a great opportunity to show me how a professional environmentalist position would be on a government level. I feel this position started me into the transitionary period from college student to young professional because of the work involved. Being a state employee wearing a state department uniform driving a state vehicle showed me how to act, speak, and present myself to a higher standard than I have been used to. I hope to take this experience from this previous internship and apply it when working with GEM and the BLM.

To learn more about Zac White check out his profile on LinkedIn.

We are proud to announce our newest recipient of the GEM Environmental Undergraduate Scholarship Award, Abigail Pezelj.

Abigail is a Junior at Arizona State University studying Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. As a Tempe local, she is very invested in the community and loves being involved in as many ways as possible; whether it be through STEM outreach, volunteering, or engineering simple solutions to public concerns. She values STEM education because it is the way to both freedom and the future. Having an understanding of the natural world, as well as how to see complex issues and create viable solutions to them, is an invaluable skill that impacts all lives.
Her main focus is on water quality engineering, specifically the intersection between chemical engineering and microbiology. She has used her passion for the field and has channeled it into an ASU EPICS project, Selleh Lake Restoration, LLC, which creates cyanobacteria-focused gravity filtration systems using our unique blend of particles. Being the founder of this company has challenged Abigail due to the science and business skills it demands; she has had to deal with customer demands, public policy, and the process of taking a product from R&D to market.
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Abigail will be using the money she receives from G.E.M. Environmental to aid in the development of her company. She is allocating the funds towards filing a patent on their design and purchasing raw material for their final-stage prototype. This will allow her company to completely scale-up the design for widespread use, without fears of their intellectual property being stolen nor a lack of building supplies. On a small scale, with the successful implementation of this project, thousands of Tempe residents will no longer be forced to live near freshwater bodies that are infiltrated with toxin-forming cyanobacteria. Local schoolchildren will have the ability to return to some of the city's iconic lakes to learn about the ecosystem, engineering, and the scientific method. In a broader sense, once the product is taken to market with help from the Biodesign Institute and SRP, millions of people around the world will have a safe, affordable method of removing cyanobacteria and Ecoli from local water sources without the use of chemicals, biocides, and invasive technology.

​G.E.M. Environmental is excited to share another new addition to our monthly blog series – Science Stories. Each month, we interview a STEM scholar, student, or community member and ask them things like why they believe the STEM fields are important, how they got started in their field, to what they would do if they hit the jackpot. We hope that our new blog series will inspire, introduce a variety of fields, and create new conversations.

In honor of National Parks Week 2020, we are happy to introduce you all to Barbara Nuzzi. Barbara worked at the Ashokan Environment Education Center in Olive Bridge, NY, as the Program Director. She also worked for state and national parks, as a guide and environmental educator. Her studies were mostly in environmental stewardship. She is currently retired but she loves to be an active volunteer throughout the community, including volunteer projects with GEM!

​Why do you believe that the STEM fields are important?
Our natural resources are more vulnerable than ever before, mostly due to climate change. I feel there is also a great deal of ignorance when it comes to consumption and sustainable solutions. Education in managing soil, water, air, forests are essential at this time.

How and why did you get involved in the STEM fields?
My father was my mentor, and I spent a great deal of time with him and my brother's in nature. I have always had a curious mind, and enjoyed spending time in observation of animal behavior and structures in the natural world.

Can you describe another aspect of your life or career that is influenced or enriched by the STEM fields that people would find surprising?
I don't know if this would be surprising but "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson changed my life and the global environmental movement. Her book received great criticism when she wrote it in the 1960's, but I always felt that the science behind her findings was correct.

What inspires you in your current position/role?
Since I am now retired, I am inspired by all the younger generation that are taking up the scientific studies! We need you now more than ever!

Have you ever participated in an internship?
Yes, I participated twice with AmeriCorps and Student Conservation Association. I've always felt that it was the steppingstone to all my other endeavors. The value of the experience cannot be overstated.

What work experiences have been the most educational for you, and why?
I loved working with the archaeology teams in many different places. A subject I still find myself intrigued by.

What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am a vocalist, and love most types of music, and study guitar.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
Not recently, but back in the Americorps days, our group needed to paddle out to a small island for a service project only to find this entire small island was filled with poison ivy!

You won $10 million in the lotto. What would you do?
Environmental activism and especially encourage young women to study the sciences.
 
For more information on our National Parks please visit www.nps.gov.

​G.E.M. Environmental is excited to share another new addition to our monthly blog series - Science Stories. Each month, we interview a STEM scholar, student, or community member and ask them things like why they believe the STEM fields are important, how they got started in their field, to what they would do if they hit the jackpot. We hope that our new blog series will inspire, introduce a variety of fields, and create new conversations.

​March is Women’s History Month, and to celebrate we are introducing you to Erin Hickson. Erin grew up in south Phoenix, AZ. She went to Northern Arizona University, then transferred to The University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in Microbiology and a minor in Chemistry. 

Erin is a Forensic Scientist and Certified Forensic Artist for the Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory, as well as an adjunct professor in Comparative Forensics at Arizona State University West. She started her career with the Phoenix PD as a 9-1-1 Communications Operator and Radio Dispatcher, but soon after she transferred to the Crime Lab as a Laboratory Technician in the Toxicology Section. Erin was then promoted to Forensic Scientist in that section. She transferred to the Firearms Section of the laboratory in 2009 and has worked as a Forensic Scientist in there since. She has been teaching since Fall of last year and she absolutely loves it! Her career as a Forensic Artist started 7 years ago and she has done drawings for Scottsdale PD, Tempe PD, Glendale PD, Phoenix PD, MCSO and she is set to be the next reconstruction artist for the Maricopa County Medical Examiner when their current artist retires.

Why do you believe that the STEM fields are important?
STEM covers so many subjects, that there is something for everyone. There are also endless job opportunities for anyone that pursues STEM fields.

How and why did you get involved in the STEM fields?
I loved science from the first time I was exposed to it. I was truly interested in the Biology side and then realized that I also loved math. I don't think it was one person or one thing that got me interested in it. It just caught my interest and I pursued it. I did not know about the field of Forensic Science or Forensic Art, but, once I learned about them, I knew they were the fields for me! I could use everything I love about science and apply them to both.

Can you describe another aspect of your life or career that is influenced or enriched by the STEM fields that people would find surprising?
I think people see Forensic Art as purely art. They don't think of it being connected to science. In fact, there is a lot of science that goes in to creating a face whether it is a composite or a reconstruction. Forensic Art utilizes knowledge in the fields of Anthropology, Osteology and Anatomy.

Photo- "Aging From Meth" Erin Hickson

What inspires you in your current position/role?
My inspiration is helping people. That is my passion. It is even more rewarding to be able to help others while using my knowledge in my favorite subject, science. I help people in all of my positions as a Forensic Scientist, Forensic Artist and professor.

What work experiences (past or present) have been the most educational for you, and why?
I would honestly say that I learn something on almost every case that I work. I learn about new parts of firearms that have a specific function. I learn about new ammunition on the market. I learn that I excel in new areas. I learn new or improved interview techniques and drawing techniques with every forensic drawing.

What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
I enjoy singing karaoke and once won cash in a karaoke contest. I am also the one that brings my four year old daughter's dolls to life by giving them voices. Elmo is her favorite.

I also started the AZ Forensic Artists Association. When I got started in Forensic Art, I realized that there was no working group for the various forensic artists around the state. Now we have over a dozen artists around the state that work together in helping agencies in Arizona.

You won $10 million in the lotto. What would you do?
I would pay off all my & my husband's debt, set up an account for my daughter, pay off my parent's debt and set up a community for homeless vets. The community would entail tiny houses, a cafeteria, a mental health facility, counselors and a job placement facility. It would help them get the help they need to be either self-sustaining or get them into a facility for mental health.

​Erin Hickson is a great example of the impact women make in STEM fields. Thank you Erin for paving the way for young women around the world. 

To learn more about Erin and what she does check out the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/azforart/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-hickson-5b25a623/

We are proud to announce our newest recipient of the GEM Environmental College Success Scholarship Award, Amy Effenberger.

Amy is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She enjoys swimming, bowling, and reading as often as she can. She currently runs an advocacy blog for inflammatory bowel disease. She has been doing this since the beginning of February 2020, and feels it is important to shed a light on invisible illnesses and teach others about them. It is found at bowelbee.weebly.com.

"I value a STEM education because it’s the future and we need to be able to advance the future."- Amy Effenberger

Amy is a first generation student who plans to use her scholarship towards paying off her student loans. Congratulations Amy! 

G.E.M. Environmental is excited to share another new addition to our monthly blog series - Science Stories. Each month, we interview a STEM scholar, student, or community member and ask them things like why they believe the STEM fields are important, how they got started in their field, to what they would do if they hit the jackpot. We hope that our new blog series will inspire, introduce a variety of fields, and create new conversations.

In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we have a special guest Joelle Acton. Joelle grew up in Gilbert, AZ and attended ASU as a pre-vet major. She graduated from ASU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Restoration. She changed her focus after finding out about the Wildlife Program. Some of her best memories, and friends, were made in the program; being out in the wilderness camping, collecting data, and enjoying the outdoors. She took both Wildlife and Range classes having support and encouragement from her professors to do both and to get her foot in the federal door. During school she was working part time with the Forest Service as a Range Technician, working all over Arizona and assisting many resource aspects along the way. 

Joelle moved to Kingman, AZ to take a job with the University of Arizona as a Range Technician for the BLM, where she was eager to learn and take on any job required. This landed her a permanent job as a Rangeland Management Specialist (RMS) with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). During her time as an RMS, she met her wonderful husband Jake and ended up with the most amazing son. She worked as an RMS for 3 years until taking over the Wildlife Biologist position, which has always been her goal career. Wildlife Biology has been her most rewarding and frustrating career, but she feels it is meaningful, and she is doing her part in the world.

Why do you believe that the STEM fields are important? 
STEM fields are very important, because I think they are fields that are overlooked and downgraded due to the discovery and changes of new information. STEM is forward thinking, and that scares a lot of people. Knowledge is power, and people tend to fear what they don't know or understand. STEM fields encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and ask questions that need to be asked. The physical world is surrounded by STEM and constant changes. It's important to be aware of these changes and move with them, instead of against them.

How and why did you get involved in the STEM fields?
Ironically, I was more interested in being a veterinarian during my schooling. I was concerned about the environment, but I didn't really have an understanding for it. Growing up I had always been an animal lover, so I knew no matter what, I'd do something with animals. Working at an emergency clinic for animals eventually turned me away from being a vet. I enrolled in the wildlife program hoping to get a better understanding of what I wanted to do the rest of my life. It wasn't until we started taking field trips to go collect data on wildlife that I found my calling. Bat mist netting, tagging waterfowl, collaring large game species, species counts, hiking, kayaking, and camping out in the wilderness. Wait! I can get paid to do all this stuff! Done and over with. I was going to be a wildlife biologist.

Can you describe another aspect of your life or career that is influenced or enriched by the STEM fields that people would find surprising?
I think when a lot of people hear "wildlife biologist", they think I am out there tied to a tree or holding a sign and telling people what they can and can't do. Although I am a huge advocate of protecting every species I can, I am also conscious of the real world and real-life problems. As a federal employee, I work for the public and public lands. I encourage the use of public lands, as there are so many opportunities for the public to enjoy. There are aspects to public uses that I may not like, but I find necessary. I also understand that there are people out there that abuse the lands too, which is why we have specialists to help regulate use. My resource value is to be the voice for the wildlife and environment, not to discourage people from being a part of that world.

What inspires you in your current position/role?
What inspires me most is knowing that what I do, does affect the physical world. I may not be making large strides, but those small steps add up. I feel good after working on a project knowing I put my best effort towards protecting the environment and making compromises that work for both proponents. I'm also inspired by the youth that I give wildlife talks to locally. We do our best to encourage getting outside and learning about our world. Yearly hikes with some of the schools and watching the kids get excited about the animals and plants. It opens their eyes to this world they have never seen. Knowing that I have made that impact (as minimal as it may be) on their lives, really inspires me.

Have you ever participated in an internship?
My first internship in my field was working for Game and Fish with the Sonoran Pronghorn down in Ajo, AZ. It involved mostly scoping for the animals daily, but it was the foundation to most of my skills today. The job encouraged me to stay in shape (as a lot of hiking is required), how to prepare for the field (the desert is hot and dangerous), how to drive a 4-wheel drive vehicle off road. These skills are very important to have as much of our field work consists of hiking and off-road travel. I also learned to be quite self-sufficient and I was away from home for 3 months in a different town.

What work experiences have been the most educational for you, and why?
My current role as a wildlife biologist is constantly educational as there is so much to learn in a single ecosystem and everything is always changing. New situations are always a challenge, but better me as a biologist. Working with different resources gives me an aspect in each field, which in turn helps me get an understanding on how to do my job the best I can, for all proponents involved.

What project(s) are you currently working on?
The fun and difficult part of being a wildlife biologist, is that I not only have my projects to work on, but everyone else's. I'm currently assisting our range program, lands, recreation, fire and minerals. One of my projects I am preparing for is inventory of some of our riparian systems as they are some of our most sensitive resources. Last year entailed a two-night backpacking trip to take photos and inventory vegetation and wildlife species to access the condition of the river. This is a yearly trip down different river systems, but by far one of my favorites.

What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
My husband and I are complete opposites. He does concrete and that usually entails clearing and removing and I am the biologist which entails leaving things in its pristine condition. When we were first dating, he came to my house to help with yard work. He showed up with a small dozer, you know, to clear everything. I made him avoid every native plant that I could. He was so frustrated with me that day. In fact, I was sure he was regretting his decision to be dating me. 5 years later, we are still in love and he can even name those very plants that I made him avoid. Our opposites have very much opened our eyes and have made us both better people.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
Probably when my son put his butt on me and made farting noises. He's 3, and a boy, and it was hilarious.

You won $10 million in the lotto. What would you do?
We would first pay off some debts and secure a fund for our son to go to college. Probably invest and set money aside to do things like travel. Make sure our parents were taken care of. Donate, but we prefer to donate locally and within the community. Occasionally we donate to outside sources, after doing the research. I would not quit my job though as I have mentioned before, my career gives me great fulfillment. I would, however, consider other wildlife jobs that required me to travel to unique places, since income wouldn’t be an issue.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER HELPFUL LINKS FOR INFORMATION ON WOMEN IN SCIENCE:
https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/college-majors-minors/7-organizations-working-to-promote-women-in-stem/
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https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2018/02/celebrating-women-science