For the second week in a row, our Education and Prep Night meeting featured a guest speaker sharing her experiences in the field of conservation. On March 21, Emily Klein, a Ph.D. student in the Natural Resources & Environmental Studies department at the University of New Hampshire, led the corps members through a discussion on conservation field research, providing examples from her own life and encouraging our students to consider similar opportunities.
Emily spent four years living and working outside, assisting with studies that helped local agencies protect bird and mammal species. The research topics included assessing lynx populations in Yellowstone National Park, determining river otter populations in Kentucky, analyzing avian diseases in Hawaii, and more. Not only did this work assist conservation efforts; she also had the chance to live in some of the most breathtaking natural areas in the country.
Emily’s presentation certainly piqued the interest of many of our corps members. In the coming months, we look forward to bringing in more guest speakers who can introduce this group to the abundant opportunities for living, working – and even studying – in the great outdoors.