Manatee Personal Statement Sample

Personal Statement: I strapped on my waders and began walking towards a manatee carcass. A marine mammal biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proceeded to instruct me on how to perform my first field necropsy. Through this research experience I was able to understand the internal anatomy of a manatee, outside of the textbooks. This experience showed me that research provides an opportunity to tangibly investigate my curiosity. The manatee has always sparked my curiosity because humans are their only major predator, leading to human-wildlife conflict. My undergraduate research and internship experience were focused on the conservation of manatees, demonstrating my desire to become an expert on this topic.

As an intern, I assisted in increasing public education by designing outreach materials targeted towards the public. Specifically, I made informative handouts on manatee harassment, on-site wastewater treatment systems, sustainable yard care, and the importance of springs in Florida. These materials connected sustainable living to healthy aquatic ecosystems, where manatees reside. To the same extent, I created PowerPoint presentations, which summarized studies on manatees to grades K-12 and illustrated ways individuals can help this endangered species. SMC’s Manatee Zone Newsletter is also a great tool to inform the public about manatee conservation. In the September Manatee Zone Newsletter, I wrote an article about recent manatee sightings and discussed the mating behavior of manatees. Additionally, I answered questions submitted by children about manatees, which were posted on SMC’s website. The broader impact of these internship tasks was that I was able to make scientific information widely accessible and

After receiving my PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy from GMU, I will apply for post-doctoral fellowships at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Mote Marine Laboratory. There I can continue to perform research in the field of conservation biology for both nationally and internationally respected research programs while also learning from mentorships. During this time, and due to my graduate and post-graduate research, I will volunteer as an expert for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission. After completing my postdoctoral work, I will seek a position as an academic research scientist at a tier-one research university. As a professor, I want to engage students in research by becoming a mentor in an undergraduate research program if there is one. If an undergraduate research program has not yet been implemented at the university, I will work to establish a competitive program. I also want to design and introduce a concentrated curriculum on endangered species management and research at the