Round River Patagonia ’15

Nina is crew lead and coordinator at Mount St. Helens Institute where she is involved in a long-term study to assess how populations of birds, small mammals, amphibians, and fish have recovered since the 1980 eruption. According to Nina, the unique structure of RRCS’ student programs “breaks down traditional pedagogy” to allow students to view their peers and instructors as both friends and role models. Beyond theory, Nina enjoyed learning skills, such as orienteering and ecological sampling, that are often excluded from the traditional university setting and which she continues to use today. Most importantly, RRCS taught Nina “the necessity of collaboration in science and how to balance the needs of a diverse group of stakeholders including students, researchers, national park organizations, and private landowners.” Bleak as the future of conservation sometimes seems, Nina believes we can improve it by making science more accessible and inclusive given systemic hurdles that prevent BIPOC, women, and long-income people from entering the field.