School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) students know the value of gaining hands-on experience while in college, whether they are conducting research at a natural history museum, trekking through a wetland, or coordinating tree-planting events in neighborhoods around Columbus. This past summer and fall, many SENR students took part in internships and other professional experiences that helped them develop new skills, pinpoint their passions, and deepen their understanding of environmental careers.
Here is a look at how a few SENR Buckeyes spent their time.
Chloe Kenyon is majoring in Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife. This summer, Chloe interned at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Chloe found the position after an SENR Career Advisor introduced her to one of the official websites where Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are listed and suggested she consider the Biology REU at the American Museum of Natural History.
During her internship, Chloe worked in the Mammalogy Department, conducting mentored research exploring the biodiversity of squirrels, groundhogs, and other members of the Sciuridae family in the eastern United States. She constructed species richness maps using R (a statistical analysis program) and GIS (a spatial analysis and mapping program). The internship helped show Chloe what a career in research could entail and helped her develop valuable skills, such as coding.
Ethan Falkinburg’s curiosity about the natural beauty of wildlife developed from his childhood spent exploring, hunting, fishing, and creating art. He hand-carves and paints waterfowl decoys as part of a family tradition that supports his waterfowl hunting. These interests led Ethan to major in Natural Resources Management and, in turn, find a seasonal position as a Summer Research Technician at Winous Point Marsh Conservancy in Port Clinton, Ohio. He found the position from a flyer on the third floor of Kottman Hall, the home of and advises his peers to always be on the lookout for a great opportunity!
During his internship, Ethan contributed to an array of biological inventory and monitoring efforts, including inventorying and banding many species of birds, monitoring invasive plants, collecting wetland plants, and sampling for avian flu. A new skill he learned through this position was how to handle passerines and waterfowl for banding, swabbing, and blood draws. Ethan is keenly interested in waterfowl and wetland management as a possible career path, and through this internship he was able to gain valuable experience in that field.
This fall, Nik worked as a Sustainability Intern with Green Columbus, a volunteer-driven nonprofit that contributes to expanding Columbus’s urban tree canopy, among other community environmental efforts. As a major in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS), Nik was drawn to the position because of the in-depth exposure it gave him to working for an environmental nonprofit.
In particular, the internship allowed Nik to gain experience in community engagement and grassroots action to contribute to equitable urban forestry. He helped coordinate the fall tree giveaways to residents and community groups, distributing 3,000 trees. Nik also worked on grant proposals, attended board meetings, and assisted the Executive Director. In the future, he hopes to build a career related to environmental justice, sustainability consulting, environmental law, or climate resilient urban planning.