Major: Environmental science with an emphasis in biology.
Future Plans: I would like to focus on preservation and conservation. I enjoy working in the field and making a difference where I work. I plan to attend graduate school after a semester or two of time to figure out the perfect program for me. To narrow my interests, I hope to begin work in my field after traveling abroad this summer.
Current Internship: Working on various projects around Wild Basin Nature Preserve. This semester I have focused on water quality testing, invasive species removal, trail maintenance, game camera photo processing, and implementation of fire wise procedures to protect the main building on the preserve. Working in the field accounts for a good portion of my internship - I enjoy field work much more than office work.
Other Internship Experience: Outside of Wild Basin, I have interned for clean water action at their main building near UT campus. This internship was all based in their office and was brief. The internship at Wild Basin was my first long term internship and I enjoyed learning all I could about the preserve.
Capstone Project: Last semester (Fall 2016), I researched a topic for my capstone project that has relevance at Wild Basin. I chose to focus on prescribed fires and the effectiveness of use in Central Texas. With the large threat of wildfires that is found in Central Texas, it is imperative to have proper techniques for forest management. Prior to large, modern metropolises, wildfires burned in a cyclical nature. Fire has historically been an integral part of the ecology of Central Texas. With the exponential influx of population to the area, the accepted use of prescribed fires has dwindled. To the public, these fires are seen as unnecessary and a concern to safety, while in reality, these fires are making an area safer for residents living nearby. Though fire is not the only forestry management technique, fire can be useful and safe if used properly. By burning fuel in a controlled, carefully planned manner, large, unplanned wildfires can be prevented. It was evident through my research that not only are prescribed fires being used effectively today, but should be used going forward.