Name: Tatiana (Tania) Taranovski
SFS Program: Australia, Spring '92
Education: Tufts University, B.S. 1993
Current Position: Head of Regional Field Centers at Earthwatch Institute

"Keep an open mind and grab at all those new opportunities, even if they come at you at 4 in the morning while surrounded by leeches. It could turn out to be one of the best moments of your life."
 

Why did you choose SFS as a study abroad program?

As an aspiring biologist, I wanted an opportunity to study in the field, which wasn't possible through the course selections at Tufts. I was particularly interested in tropical and marine biology. Australia allowed me to study tropical ecology and gave me the chance to visit and dive the Great Barrier Reef.

Reflecting back on your time in the program, what did you gain from your SFS experience?

I gained useful skills, from improved observation skills (essential to any scientist) to dive certification. I became more independent, and I learned a lot about who I was and what was important to me. I became a stronger person from learning to work in a small community; traveling alone; and finding things that scared and intimidated me, but doing them or facing them anyway.

What is your most profound or lasting memory from your SFS program?

I think one of my most profound moments came during a guest lecturer's visit, although it actually started off badly. The guest lecturer was a bird call expert, and we had to wake up at 4am for the expedition. I was really unhappy about having to go tripping and traipsing through the forest at that hour in the pitch dark, since I'm not a morning person generally, and also I had been studying possums at night. We settled into one spot to just listen; I thought I would fall asleep on the cool, wet ground, leeches or no. Then our guest scientist started quietly naming birds as they started their morning songs. Before I could even tell the sun was coming up, the birds had no doubt exactly what time it was. They each started singing at their own specific time. Our guest scientist was identifying not just species, but individuals. He could tell us about their pecking order, and he could predict who would be singing before that bird even started. I was absolutely fascinated, listening to the sound and feel of the waking forest. I was no longer sleepy and even forgot about the nasty leeches. Later that day, our guest showed us a written symbolic “language” we could use to record bird songs. In a few dark, damp hours, I gained an appreciation for a whole new type of animal that I'd never paid any attention to before. Since then, I've become an enthusiastic birder. I have a telescope, a whole shelf of bird books, and a life list. I'm the crazy one on the back of the truck in Kenya who is looking up at the sky instead of out at the elephant. I still have trouble with those early dawn risings, though. And despite the inspiration, I'm just lousy at identifying bird calls.

What advice would you give to a prospective SFS student?

Keep an open mind and grab at all those new opportunities, even if they come at you at 4 in the morning while surrounded by leeches. It could turn out to be one of the best moments of your life. Also, back up any of your work and send it home! I lost my research project paper thanks to a rain storm while backpacking around after the program.

Did your SFS experience contribute to where you ended up?

Absolutely. I went looking for a field-based research experience, so I must have intuited that I would like that type of work. My semester with SFS proved it. It also opened new doors. For example, I got SCUBA certified while I was there, simply because I couldn't pass up the opportunity to dive the Great Barrier Reef. Diving has been a skill that has been useful, essential to certain jobs I've held, and opened up a whole new world to me. Being able to glimpse life underwater has given me different perspectives on biology, ecology, and conservation.

What do you do for work?

I work at Earthwatch Institute, which is an international non-profit whose mission is to support field research through participation of volunteers. I've worked at Earthwatch for almost 7 years, during most of which I managed conservation research projects in Africa. “Managing” projects entailed tracking results and progress in the research, budget negotiation and reporting, risk management and field health and safety, and generally representing the projects' and researchers' needs at Earthwatch. Since January 2007, I've worked as “Head of Regional Field Centers.” Now I direct and manage operations of our Regional Initiatives in Samburu, Kenya; southern coastal Belize; and Los Santos, Costa Rica.

What does that actually entail on a daily basis?

It is pretty varied in terms of daily tasks, which I love. I manage 7-8 staff in 3 different countries, from Office Assistants to Ph.D.-level Field Directors. I oversee budgets and expenditures for the field centers. I manage grants from corporate, foundation, and individual donors. These grants might be small (e.g. supporting one Master's student in a developing country) to large (e.g. funding an initiative researching sustainable coffee farming and supporting related educational and capacity building efforts). I'm responsible for overseeing the risk management and health and safety issues at the centers. I am working on developing business plans that will support the strategic plans developed for each Initiative. Best of all, I get to work on a daily basis with researchers and the people in the communities in which this research takes place. I learn about their needs and find ways to help solve problems. I hear about their successes and results and help pass on that information. Mostly, I spend a lot of time on the computer and the phone. A few times a year I travel to fascinating places, meet amazing people from many walks of life, and work on different field projects.  It's pretty great!

Is it “who you know” or “what you know” in your field?

Oh, it's both, but I value “what you know” in terms of competency. I value “who you know” not by how far that person can get you; instead I value them for the way you can support each other. Conservation ultimately requires behavioral changes, and there is more power and movement in collective efforts than in individual struggles to create these changes.

What are the two most essential skills that got you to your position?

Hard work and a real passion for what I do. There are many frustrations in working for non-profits and in conservation, but if you believe in what you do, it will carry you through. You will also find yourself surrounded by inspiring and inspired, like-minded people. Tapping into the energy of your colleagues and giving back to them creates a sense of community that keeps reminding all of you of what you are collectively working towards.

What advice do you have for other SFS alumni looking to get into your field?  What do you wish someone told you?

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and take chances. It's tempting upon graduation to feel like you MUST HAVE A JOB that will start paying the bills right away, or that you must start the right graduate school immediately to get ahead. No time in the next 20 years will it be easier to just explore and take chances. And live simply, like you did during your SFS experience. It will remind you of what is really important.