Profile picture for user vspringer

Pronouns

she/her/hers

Undergraduate Institution

University of Arizona

Organization

New Mexico Environment Department

Position

Environmental Scientist

Current Location

Albuquerque, NM

Hometown

San Rafael, CA

Personal Interests

  • creative writing
  • Reading
  • Drawing
  • being outside with my dog

Professional Interests

  • Conservation
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Social/Environmental Justice and Equity
  • Wildlife, Ornithology, Endangered or Threatened Species

Strengths

  • Developer
  • Empathy
  • Individualization
  • Intellection
  • Strategic

My name is Vanessa, I am an alumni from the DDCSP collaborative based out of UF (from the very first cohort). I did my undergrad at the University of Arizona and I recently completed my Master's program in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. My research was on the spatial ecology of carnivores in the cloud forest of Ecuador, specifically the distribution and co-occurrence dynamics of Andean bears, tayras, and domestic/feral dogs (aka, do these carnivores avoid each other and do they avoid areas impacted by dogs and people?). My other professional/personal interest is diversity and inclusion as it relates to the field of conservation and to outdoor recreation/open spaces. I have also served as a graduate student mentor for the DDCSP students at Cornell, which I really loved! Other things I love: dogs (especially mine), cooking Mexican food with my mom/grandma, writing, drawing, warm weather, and being outside.