Polly's Learning Journey

Purpose: In May of 2021, I embarked on a project to go back to school and get a Master's Degree in biology, focusing on conservation through Project Dragonfly and the Global Field Program at Miami University.  This has been a dream of mine for quite a while, but I finally felt like my family and professional life were ready for me to start a new chapter.  I have used this platform to keep track of what I have been working on throughout this process. My goal is to support people to make connections to place through their own stewardship, curiosity and wonder. I love adventuring around the world and meeting so many new people.

Coursework: In this program, we take 4 foundational courses, Conservation Science and Community (CSC BIO631), Biology in the Age of Technology (BAT BIO632), Issues in Evolution (IEV BIO634) and the Science Leadership and Media Workshop (SLMW BIO 636),  as well as complete three Earth Expeditions (I got to go on four!) plus a fall course associated with those adventures.  All coursework can be found HERE and on this site in the navigation bar. At the end of the program we complete a Capstone Course (BIO637) to summarize and reflect on the total time we have spent in the program.

Earth Expeditions: In the summer, students in the Global Field Program have the opportunity to travel to remote field stations to learn about field work, community based conservation, participatory education and local issues. These adventures are magical and spending time with the committed and connected global partners has enabled me to broaden my perspective on the world. Links to my Earth Expeditions courses below.

Capstone: My final capstone allowed me to reflect on my master plan, summarized as, "Supporting my community to develop a sense of place and belonging through connection to the environment and conservation through stewardship."  My capstone link can be found on my coursework page, or, linked HERE!