A Good Start to the Fall Semester

Posted on August 20, 2012 by rwgonzal

After filling up on BBQ and the fixings, first-year Forestry and Environmental Resources undergraduate students, friends and family joined current students, staff and faculty in conversation and cake!

Faculty and staff in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources were anxious to start the Fall 2012 Semester with a little learning and light-hearted fun.

First-year undergraduate students, together with their friends and family joined FER and CNR faculty, staff and current students for the FER Welcome Picnic at Schenck Forest on Saturday, August 11.

Just in case the cake wasn’t enough, children at the picnic were ready and willing to create mud pies. The rain shower helped create the right conditions!

Incoming freshmen and transfer students had the opportunity to introduce themselves and learn a little about each other, student clubs, and all of the extra-curricular activities awaiting their participation. A brief rain shower did not interfere with the delicious meal or dampen the spirits of the more than one hundred gathered there. “This is the first time since 1999 that it has rained during the Welcome Picnic,” observed Sydna Willis, FER student services specialist and organizer of the picnic, “Lucky 13, I guess!” But if anything, showers only added to the fun had by the youngest of the group.

Professor and head of the department, Barry Goldfarb, joked with the group, welcomed the new students, and led the introductions, which included Dean Robert Brown and many faculty and current students.

Faculty, professionals, and students judged posters. Student-judges were to use the 3×3 rule: can the poster be understood in 3 minutes from 3 feet away.

On Monday, August 16, the Graduate Associations of both Forestry and Environmental Resources and Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences jointly held the 2012 Graduate Student Symposium. This event provided new and returning graduate students of both departments the opportunity to present their own research, while learning from oral and poster presentations about the interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research being conducted by NC State University masters and doctoral students. The symposium fosters inter- and intra-departmental interaction and awareness of research across disciplines.

Betsy Bennett, Director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, was the keynote speaker, providing a truly engaging talk about the importance of science education and public outreach. Dr. Bennett invited the full house audience to become involved with the Museum through its many programs, workshops, science talks, and volunteer opportunities. “Many of our past and currents students have become involved with the Museum,” stated FER graduate program coordinator Sarah Slover, “and I think many more will, after learning the different ways that they can contribute their time and knowledge.”

There were many opportunities for faculty and students to catch up with each other after summer and meet new friends and colleagues.

In addition to learning about the great people and opportunities that are all part of the department, college, university, and local communities, events such as the Undergraduate Welcome Picnic and Graduate Research Symposium, create the chance to meet and network with fellow students, staff and faculty. They offer the base from which community engagement and lifelong friendships will be built.

MEAS/FER Graduate Research Symposium organizers created fun awards for the top winners in the categories of oral and poster presentations. Here, Sarah Fritts, doctoral student in FER holds the impressive “Pinecone Award” for Best PhD Oral Presentation.

Top presenters from the 2012 MEAS and FER Graduate Research Symposium:

Best PhD poster:

Winner: Praju Kiliyanpilakkil (MEAS)
2nd: Nathon Lyons (MEAS)
3rd: Tim Wright (MEAS)

Best PhD talk:

Winner: Sarah Fritts (Fish & Wildlife)
2nd place: Steve Grodsky (Fish & Wildlife)
3rd place: Yizhen Li (MEAS)

Best MS poster:

Winner: Lindsay Garner (Fish & Wildlife)
2nd place: Sander Denham (Forestry)
3rd place: Margret Frey (MEAS)

Best MS talk:

Winner: Keith Sherburn (MEAS)
2nd place: Hilary Cole (Natural Resources)
3rd place: Matt Wilbanks (MEAS)

When One Shot Means Everything

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

NC State’s PGA Golf Managmement team are the 2012 Carolina’s Cup champions!

Carolina's Cup Trophy Sunday, March 11 marked the first time in history that a PGA/GM school has held the Jones and Carolina’s Cup trophies within the same calendar year. On Thursday, ten elite North Carolina State University PGA/GM students trekked 175 miles to Myrtle Beach, S.C., with hopes of ousting the Carolina’s Cup competition on the newly renovated Hackler Course. After his practice round on Friday, senior Alex Kowalski warned that the new greens were firm, tricky, and unresponsive. “It’s gonna make for an interesting couple of days,” he said.

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Natural Resources Dean Paddles for Hope

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

Dr. Bob Brown, Dean of the College of Natural Resources at NC State University, will be one of nine kayakers participating in the Hope Floats 9-day, 225 mile kayak trip this April.

The group will paddle from Raleigh to Beaufort down the Neuse River. Hope Floats is part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life campaign, which raises funds through walks, runs, bike trips and kayak trips. The group is limited to 9 paddlers for the entire trip, but others are invited to join this group for one-day trips. The group has set a fund-raising goal of $ 5,000, but hopes to raise much more. Each paddler has an individual fund-raising goal.

Along the way, a “Reserve Team” will follow along by car, helping to establish camps each night and prepare meals. Each paddler pays $ 150 to cover the expenses – in addition to the fund raising.

Brown has done kayaking and canoe trips before. When he came to NCSU in 2006, his photo was taken with a kayak – and he in suit and tie. Brown got started in canoeing as a Scoutmaster and Boy Scout Venturing Crew Leader, twice taking groups to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota.

He later got into marathon canoe and kayak racing, participating in both a solo kayak and a tandem canoe in several 40 – 60 mile races – the “Colorado 100” mile race in Texas three times, and the grueling 260-mile “Texas Water Safari” five times. The later race has to be completed in 100 hours, which involves paddling at night, portaging around or over fallen trees and broken dams at night, and little sleep. “I had to drop out of that race twice, once for utter exhaustion and once for dehydration, “Brown said.

“No one in my family has had cancer, fortunately, and by raising funds for cancer research I hope to keep it that way,” Brown said. Anyone interested in learning more about the trip or contributing to the fund can do so at hopefloatscn.org .

Life Lessons Learned in Paradise

Posted on January 25, 2012 by rwgonzal

NCSU SAF Student Chapter goes to Hawaii for the 2012 SAF National Convention and a Wilderness Leadership Experience – Life Lessons Learned in Paradise

By Lauren Lesak, Stephen Kinane, Jay Dysart with cameo roles by Mike Cheston, Aaron Boyd, Ed Hull, Sam Honeycutt, AnneMargaret Braham and Joe Roise

Going to Hawaii was definitely an experience of a lifetime. To start with, this was the first time several of us had ever flown. From the start we were very excited, and did not know what we were getting into. Something as simple as carrying our luggage was a challenge due to the fact that we had convention and wilderness gear, 5 days’ worth of food and it weighed a lot! Thankfully, Dr. Roise knew what we were getting into and had us more or less prepared for what was about to happen. Our flight plan was Raleigh to Dallas to Honolulu to Lihue on Kauai. Once we got seated in Raleigh the plane quickly took off. Lauren was very nervous about flying and seeing this everyone began teasing her and holding barf bags while laughing. She wanted to laugh, but was too busy bracing herself for takeoff. We went through some turbulence which freaked Lauren out a little, but it was all good. We landed in Dallas with a little more life experience than we started with.

We were starving once we got off the plane for a stop-over in Dallas, so we ate at an Irish restaurant and had a very filling breakfast including black and white pudding (blood and fat, yuck). The flight to Honolulu was much more relaxing due to the bigger size, free blanket, and free entertainment. Lauren was now experienced and taking off was no big deal this time. However, after 4 hours on an 8 hour flight, we were beginning to get cabin fever and extremely restless and all we could see was water.

Finally we were flying over the Hawaiian Islands. We were so excited. The view was awesome. When we landed, we changed into wilderness clothing and looked for food (some of us were always looking for food). We finished eating and headed to the seating area for the plane to Kauai. We were getting sleepy. It was around 7PM in Honolulu but 1AM in Raleigh. The flight to Kauai lasted about 20 minutes from takeoff to landing. Walking into the airport at Lihue Kauai was like entering another world. The Airport was mostly open and some Hawaiians were singing and doing the hula. They really made us feel welcomed. It was like we belonged. Taxi drivers then picked us up for the drive to the Na Pali Wilderness trailhead, and finally got to our camp site around 11PM. We set up camp in the dark, next to the ocean and quickly fell to sleep.

The next morning, we woke up to roosters crowing at the crack of dawn. Chickens were running lose all around us. Getting out of our tents we saw the Pacific Ocean in front of us, palm trees all around us and a 1000+ foot cliff behind us. We ate a delicious breakfast of poptarts and headed towards the trail. Back in Raleigh, Roise had told us that the Kalalau Trail in the Na Pali Wilderness was ranked as one of the most difficult and dangerous trails in the US. None of us really believed that and we did not realize how difficult it was going to be until we got to the trail itself. Most of us were thinking this was going to be a piece of cake, but boy were we wrong.

It rained, on and off, throughout the hike, and every so often, we would stop to rest and revive ourselves with a snack. The guys ate everything they had in the first mile. We hiked for several miles and decided to stop for lunch at a mosquito infested jungle underneath coffee and mango trees. Unfortunately, the mangoes were not ripe this time of year. Everyone devoured their pita sandwich like they had never eaten in their life before. We discovered that when hungry ham, cheese and peanut butter makes a delicious meal. We continued to hike through muscle cramps and dehydration until mile 6 where we made camp.

We set up camp on an ancient terrace Hawaiians built for taro farming. Then we went to a stream and swam under a waterfall yelling “I’m a Hawaiian polar bear”. Supper that night consisted of Dr. Roise’s jambalaya, which was amazing! We were sound asleep by around 7PM.

Spam and crackers was our morning breakfast. Might sound yucky, but this was definitely a good idea because the salt content in the Spam kept us going (Spam is a favorite in Hawaii). The next part of the trail was dangerous at times and was kind of sketchy, but the view was unbelievable. On one of the sections of the trail, we saw a guy in a kayak and we all yelled aloha, not knowing that we would meet up with him later. Mike and Ed repeated over and over how they would have a boat pick us up at the end of the trail and take us back to civilization. They were so hopeful; we started to believe it might happen.

We finally made it to the camp site at Kalalau Beach. We set up our tents and headed to the beach. We had made it to tropical paradise. Later we went to look for oranges. After walking a mile or so we ended up at a camp occupied by an old guy with a long white bread, missing most his teeth, wearing raggedy clothes, and he talked pretty chill. He was the guy in the kayak we yelled aloha to from up on the cliff. His name was Grizzly. We got an invitation to the native Halloween party and for volleyball the next day.

Fortunately, we wisely declined the party but did play volley ball on the beach the next morning. Grizzly told us how to get to “Tom’s Garden”, a fruit orchard in the forest. He said to hike 2 miles up the valley and look for the rock with the crack in it and turn right. So we headed up the valley, found a crack in a rock, turned right and found the oranges. Sam climbed and shook the trees, and we would catch them and put in a bucket. We had to eat the busted ones, so the juice would not be wasted. Those oranges were the best any of us had ever had. They alone were absolutely amazing; well worth the extra 2 miles and well worth the trip to Hawaii. After filling the bucket, we cooled off in a pool formed by a stream coming down the mountain. Then we decided to search for bananas. We were becoming one with the land. We found some trees and tried to collect some but then figured that they were not even close to ripe. I think we destroyed the last crop by breaking off the flower bud, so we got out of there pretty fast. Supper was a fantastic combination of chicken tetrazzini, oranges and smores. We stayed up late and didn’t get to sleep until 8PM.

The next morning, many of us played beach volley ball with Grizzly and some of the other natives. We played like our lives depended on it, but we knew that soon we had to leave paradise and get to the SAF Convention. We said our good byes to Grizzly and friends and started back down the beach to start packing. On the way, Stephen and Aaron decided to take a picture inside the translucent curl of a big blue wave. They swam out, took the picture but the ocean did not want to let them go. Wave after wave crashed over them. They were exhausted by the time they got to shore. We got them back to camp where they were able to recover while we made tuna and black-eyed pea tacos. Fresh lemons picked at our camp site added to the tasty flavor. The hike out started at a creek where we washed the sand off our feet and filled our water bottles. The next stop was at the base of “Hell Hill”. It took about 20 minutes to climb 50 horizontal feet and by the top a rest break was needed.

We spotted many wild goats on our way back over Red Hill. Once you cross the “pig fence” the bare red soil becomes a tropical forest again. Feral goats and pigs are a huge problem for wilderness management. We continued hiking while AnnMargaret stopped every couple of feet to examine new plant or animal species and take pictures, lots of pictures. In the forest, she was really in paradise. We hiked for about 6 miles and tried to camp at the same spot we used the on the way in, but some honeymooners that were camping there had a different plan. So we had to choose another less desirable spot. Ann Margaret and Lauren were camped facing downhill, on top of a bed of rocks, Mike just slept on a picnic table, Jay and Stephen hung hammocks up and the rest were equally uncomfortable but we made the best of it. Supper that night was Old Bay mac and cheese with dehydrated green beans and summer sausage. At least we went to bed with full bellies. The next morning, most of us hiked to a waterfall, while others stayed back to make oatmeal.

When everybody got back from the water fall, we packed up and continued the hike. Once we reached Hanakapi’ai (about 3 miles left to go), we walked on the beach and explored a cave. It started pouring rain, and the trail turned to mud and water, but the end was near and we were ecstatic. The last 3 mile walk to our final camp site went fast. It was at Haena beach and it had outdoor showers, the first showers in four days. We set up camp and then it began to pour again this time with very strong wind. The storm continued throughout the night. Lauren and AnneMargaret slept in a puddle of water the whole night and everyone else had their tents whipping them in the face. Not to mention that Mike and Aaron helped wake everyone up every hour or so because they said that if they were miserable, everyone else should be too. We could not wait for taxi ride in the morning.

When the taxis did arrive, they gave us news of two hikers dying on the trail. They dropped us off at the airport and we went to a local restaurant for breakfast. It was so good – we have never enjoyed coffee that much!

Our plane ride to Honolulu was quick and we took the bus to the hotel. We got to the hotel rooms by around 5:30, took real showers and got ready for the quiz bowl which started at 7PM. Our team consisted of Sam Honeycutt, Jay Dysart, Aaron Boyd, and Mike Cheston. We were dressed like professionals and our guys got really close to winning, but unfortunately we lost to Cal-Poly in the semifinals. What a disappointment.

Now the real SAF convention starts. We got up early next morning, anticipating all the stuff we were about to learn. The keynote speaker was great! It was Nainoa Thompson of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. It was an inspirational speech about learning, history, and perseverance associate with sailing primitive canoes around the world. Their objective is to install values of life and personify connection between natural and human resources. The voyage is an analogy for the earth. We could relate. We were on a voyage from Raleigh into the wilderness where we had to carry all our resources on our backs. We didn’t even have a boat. Our awareness of water, food, shelter and our companions on this trip was parallel to what the Polynesians were experiencing. For example, we brought with us 5 bottles of iodine tablets for water purification. That is enough for 63 litters of water, by the 3 day we realized that we were over consuming our water supply and that we needed to conserve. We rationed out the rest of the water, recognizing that some of us needed more than others to function.

We all selected different presentation to go to. Most were excellent. The one that all the students chose to attend was by Dr. Cubbage. We wanted to show our interest in what he had to say, but in actuality he was very interesting and we were glad we went. For lunch on Thursday, Joanne and Joe Cox took all of us out to lunch even though they knew how hungry we were! That was a real treat. Looking back on the trip it was good to get to know our professors as human beings. We often forget that.

On Thursday night, we went to a hibachi restaurant, and later, some of went into China Town. That evening, we witnessed a murder. Someone across the street from us was shot twice in the chest. We hightailed out of there. The news report the next day said that a government agent associated with the APEC conference was accosted by a “gang banger” and the agent retaliated. So, where is the wilderness now?

Friday we spent the day at the convention. Saturday was our last day in Hawaii. Several of us went to the Arizona Memorial. That was another life changing experience. Our lives are so easy because of the struggles and sacrifices of the past. We owe them so much. Ann Margaret and Lauren walked in the park and talked. The rest of us moped around. Now we had to go. It was such a sad ride back to the airport; we did not want to leave, but we said our goodbyes and headed back to Raleigh.

We enjoyed Hawaii so much and know we will never have an opportunity like this again, being with friends on a voyage into the unknown. The hike was challenging, the convention was inspirational, and we are all proud to say “I did it”. We got to meet great people and have an amazing experience. All of us will forever remember this trip. We are foresters.

Student’s Semester Abroad in Equatorial Guinea Changes Her Life

Posted on November 9, 2011 by rwgonzal

Over 6,000 miles east of North Carolina lies Bioko Island, an island rich in both culture and biodiversity and part of the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa. Unknown by many, this island is part of Equatorial Guinea in West Africa, located approximately 20 miles off the coast of Cameroon. Dotted with deep crater lakes, cascading waterfalls, towering volcanic peaks, lush tropical forests, and expansive black sand beaches, Bioko Island harbors seven rare species of monkeys and four species of endangered sea turtles, along with unique insect and bird species, some still yet to be discovered. This biologically significant island provided the backdrop for Gretchen Stokes’ semester abroad during the spring of 2011.

Gretchen is a junior in the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology major at NC State University, and she says that she knew from the start of her college career that she would participate in Study Abroad, though she recalls, “I never dreamed it would take me halfway around the world to Africa!” Gretchen stumbled upon the program while gathering information for the Conservation Biology Concentration Task Force in her major. Organized through Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Biodiversity on Bioko Island study abroad program is a collaboration of Drexel University, the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, and the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program. It is a hybrid program that combines four to six weeks of field courses with six weeks at a small university and incorporates five courses totaling 15 credit hours, all transferable to NC State University.

Here is Gretchen’s fascinating account of her experience abroad:

My Semester in Equatorial Guinea
by Gretchen Stokes

My studies on Bioko Island began with a two-week expedition to the undisturbed Gran Caldera Scientific Reserve, a hollowed volcanic crater encompassing nearly one-third of the island, covered with dense rainforest and abundant wildlife. A team of scientists, students, volunteers, porters, and local guides trekked deep into the rainforest, hiking two days to reach base camp. Here, I conducted surveys on monkey populations and studied methods in field ecology using the most advanced scientific technology. I worked with the team to photograph and record vocalizations of the troops of monkeys we encountered in hopes to better convey the importance of their conservation.

The island’s monkey populations have been declining since the increase in hunting activities in the 1980s as well as increased accessibility to the forest from newly developed roads and increased demand for monkey meat in the market. The team of scientists is now examining exactly how these human interactions are affecting populations of monkeys over time. Currently, three of the seven species of monkey are listed as endangered and one, the Pennant’s red colobus monkey, is listed as critically endangered. By performing an annual census and recording population data, the goal is to work with the local government towards conservation regulations and hunting bans in the vulnerable forests.

While on the southern end of the island, I worked with Equatoguinean students on a sea turtle research team, surveying the beaches through the night and into the early morning. I witnessed nesting sea turtles as well as poaching camps and evidence of hunted sea turtles. The data I collected on the nests and tracks will play an important role in the ongoing study of the island’s turtles and the conservation of all four sea turtle species.

Following the conclusion of that expedition, I traveled to the small village of Moka, in the island’s highland forests, where I studied island biogeography in the context of species diversity and evolutionary development. Each student designed and conducted an independent research project and was advised by Dr. Tom Butynski, one of the most recognized primatologists in Africa. I chose to conduct independent research on the habitat preference and distribution of four species of galagos, which are small primates also known as bushbabies. My work was entirely during the evening hours in order to conform to the galago’s nocturnal nature. During my field time, I worked with local guides and Equatoguinean students, which allowed for an excellent opportunity to improve my conversational skills in Spanish as well as learn about the villagers’ views of these animals.

I recorded data on habitat preference in relation to elevation as well as opportunistic observations of unique galago behavior. I also experimented with behavioral changes to audio playback. Most notably I observed unique galago behavior and discovered a species of bird potentially new to the island. It is exciting because this research proved valuable not only to the island’s data collection but also to the greater world of science.

I returned to the capital city of Malabo, where I attended classes at the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial. These classes included Natural Resource Economics, Society and the Environment, and Advanced Spanish Language. My time in the city was an immersion in the Spanish language and the unique African culture. I feel that my abilities in the Spanish language are much improved, as I became conversational in the language and was able to communicate fluidly with the local people. Not only did I speak Spanish, but I also began to learn the languages of the indigenous Bubi and Fang ethnic groups. I studied the social and cultural implications of the two groups and how these impact the government and politics in Equatorial Guinea. I took salsa dancing lessons, attended cultural performances, went on field trips to nearby natural areas, and met with oil companies, including workers at Exxon Mobil and Marathon.

One of the most important aspects of my studies was learning about the oil industry on the island. Four oil companies prosper from offshore drilling and I had the opportunity to visit the oil company compounds, meet with oil workers, and explore the relationship between the government, oil companies, and local people. Because of the recent economic boom from oil production, the demand for bushmeat has also increased. Bushmeat includes any wild animals hunted from the forest, most commonly snakes, antelopes, monkeys, and other small mammals. Visiting the local bushmeat market was a sobering experience for me after seeing wildlife flourishing in the rainforest just weeks before.

I made it a priority to be involved in service activities while in Equatorial Guinea. Most notable was providing environmental education for elementary-aged children at a local school. My lessons, spoken completely in Spanish, strived to inform students about topics such as pollution, habitat destruction, and human impact on the environment. None of these kids have ever left the city, let alone the island. They do not know more than what they see in a few city blocks. They are not aware of the connection between humans and the environment nor do they know of the biodiversity found in their country.

Not only did I gain a wealth of knowledge and appreciation of the culture, but I also have a newfound appreciation for the profound impact that education can have. Education is vital, the foundation of how to create a positive change in the world. It can empower people and change the way they live. Through my service work, I have discovered my passion for education. I know now this is what I am called to do.

My study abroad experience was enriching, fulfilling and empowering, and it truly captured the essence of my field of study. From the tiniest butterfly to the beautifully majestic sea turtles, I witnessed nature’s incredible diversity, interconnectedness, and resilience. I witnessed our natural environment undisturbed, in its most raw form.

Following my studies in Equatorial Guinea, I decided I was not ready to leave Africa! I flew to East Africa to travel around Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. I ventured into northern Kenya’s vast hills dotted with giraffes, elephants, zebras and rhinos, and I toured one of Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee rescue centers, meeting with scientists from the Mpala Research Reserve. I continued west to hike Kenya’s tallest waterfall, Thompson’s Falls, and camped in a nearby village.

I then proceeded to Jinja, Uganda, where I whitewater rafted down the Nile River and bungee jumped 145 feet above it. I traveled with a local woman across Lake Victoria to a rural village, helping her with agriculture education, handing out seeds and instructing the villagers on how to raise their crops more sustainably with a greater yield. We also supplied Jinja’s children’s hospital with much needed medical supplies and food. I was overwhelmed as I walked through the crowded rooms of undernourished children. I remember when we gave a child a mosquito net, his mother told us her husband had just died from malaria and her son was sick with malaria because they could not afford a net. I will never forget the small smile the boy mustered as we hung the net above him.

After leaving Uganda, I made my way to Tanzania for a six-day safari to parks including Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. I watched lions wrestling in the golden grasses, thousands of wildebeest galloping across the savannah, a leopard sinking his teeth into his latest catch, and elephants trumpeting calls to one another. When you think of Africa, this is what you imagine. Each day brought something more breathtaking than the last, from the wildlife to the sunsets. I even participated in a ceremony with the indigenous Maasai people and indulged in a village’s traditional foods.

The last destination in the journey was to the Zanzibar archipelago. I spent a few nights in historic Stone Town and then at the secluded beaches on the Indian Ocean. This gave me time to reflect on my experiences in Africa and how to best apply these lessons learned upon returning to the United States. Traveling around Africa gave me a better perspective on how much there is to see in the world and it taught me how to make the most out of every day. From day to day choices, such as the food I eat and the music I listen to, to the long-term decisions I make, such as my plans after graduation, my life has been changed.

About Gretchen Stokes:

Gretchen Stokes, of Apex, NC, is a junior in the Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology major with a minor in Spanish. Gretchen is a College of Natural Resource Student Ambassador and is a Class of 2013 Park Scholar. Park Scholarships are very prestigious, full, four-year, merit-based awards for exceptional NC State University undergraduate students. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a graduate degree through the Peace Corps’ Master’s International Program and later work toward a PhD degree. Gretchen hopes to ultimately work for an organization like the United Nations Environmental Programme, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, or the Natural Resources Conservation Service.