Mentorship and Community Involvement
Mentorship and Community Involvement
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When it comes to wildlife conservation and management, it is resoundingly a human issue. Our ability to make lasting contributions to protecting and managing natural resources is contingent on our ability to empower and equip local stakeholders to participate in the process. This holds particularly true for underserved communities and minorities in our field. I have benefitted greatly from the mentorship and support of women and other minorities in this field to progress in my career and I endeavor to create space and opportunities for others working in this field.
Outreach
Outreach
I have assisted in leading and developing community outreach activities for all age groups. The outreach I conduct focuses on coexistence and stewardship of natural resources. Through my work in Brazil and Belize, I have emphasized addressing misconceptions about wildlife and the environment and created educational tools and activities to engage participants and create opportunities to become involved in conservation action.
Youth Groups
Youth Groups
Working with young scientists is a priority for me. In Brazil and Belize, I assisted in developing and implementing youth engagement programs Young Eco Leaders (Iracambi, Brazil) and Next Gen Croc (CRC, Belize). These programs involved educational and practical experiences where participants learned about conservation and environmental stewardship and had opportunities to build experience supporting ongoing outreach and research projects. In the USA, I am involved with The Wildlife Society and support my local student chapters as a graduate advisor.
Professional Mentorship
Professional Mentorship
I have been privileged to have opportunities to receive professional mentorship. Throughout my time in Belize, I mentored Belizean and foreign students to develop as professionals. I assisted visiting scholars in performing undergraduate and graduate research projects. The Crocodile Research Coalition offers internships to foreign and Belizean students, and I played a big role in training and mentoring these students. I am still a resource for many and welcome opportunities to mentor and connect young scientists with resources and opportunities to develop professionally.
Capacity Building
Capacity Building
Capacity building is essential for the long-term success of conservation and management projects. Under the direction of Dr. Tellez from the Crocodile Research Coalition, I supported and led capacity building sessions in Belize and Nicaragua to increase the capacity of collaborating management organizations to implement long-term wildlife monitoring projects. Training included standards for data collection, methods for data collection, methods for safe capture and handling of crocodiles, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Teaching
Teaching
In addition to public education and outreach, I have experience as a university-level teaching assistant. During my M.S. at West Virginia University, I taught as an instructor for undergraduate-level biology laboratory courses. My duties included teaching 80-100 students per semester, delivering lecture material, instructing laboratory exercises, grading assignments and tests, and submitting final grades.
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