Greetings all! It is a pleasure to meet you and join you in
the AEE530 community of learners. While
we all share a passion for learning and teaching, we all come at this challenge
with a variety of perspectives and experience.
I am as excited to share with you, as I am to learn from you.
I am currently a MS student in Wildlife and Fisheries
Science. I also completed my
undergraduate degree under the same degree title here at Penn State. I initially entered the program with hopes of
becoming a full time environmental educator; however, I have fallen in love
with research and will likely find myself on a path to a university faculty
position. Some of my current research involves using macroinvertebrates (stream
insects) to determine water quality, comparing the stomach contents of fish to
determine their ability to adapt to invasive species, and invasive species
ecology in northwest Pennsylvania. My MS
thesis revolves around the macroinvertebrate communities in the D.C. area in
response to invasive algae and human development.
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Baba Dioum, a Senegalese environmentalist is attributed to
the quote:
"In the end we will conserve only
what we love.
We love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught."
We love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught."
This is the framework that I believe can be used to foster a
better understanding of the natural world around us, which will ultimately lead
to the sustainable lifestyles any “green” or “eco” movement dreams to achieve.
Although it is easy to see how applicable this is to young, malleable minds, it
is not too late to change older and more experienced minds as well.
To students of all ages, I encourage everyone to never stop
discovering!
