NEW FEATURED ALUMNI PROFILES

Florence Reed - Australia Fall '87

Florence is the founder and president of Sustainable Harvest International, an organization that helps farming families in Central America increase production through sustainable agricultural methods.

"I left SFS with a desire to protect what was left of the world’s tropical forests and a much deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of life…of all the flora and fauna. There is great diversity of life in these forests, and this has shaped my philosophy for what I want to be teaching families that work with us in Central America."

 

Kimberly Nicole Newhard - Australia Summer '03

Meet Kim, SFS student from the Australia 2003 summer program and current Student Affairs Manager at our field station in Costa Rica.

"Each day is filled with adventure. I wake up about 5 or 6am and get ready for the day. Breakfast at 7am. Staff meeting at 7:45am. RAP (Reflections, Announcements and Physicality) at 8am. Then from there I could be orienting the new session's students to a new location here in Costa Rica on a field trip, traveling to Nicaragua, taking the students to dance class, soccer with the community, or baking banana nut chocolate bread."

Sarah Jovan - Canada Spring '98

Sarah, alumna from the Canada program, is a researcher who studies how lichen communities respond to air pollution and climate change.

"My advice is: learn good field skills early. Make time to go outside often for the rest of your employed life. It's a critical part of your continuing education. You can't be a desk-bound ecologist."

David Manahan - Australia Fall '88; SFS Faculty Australia '08-Present

Meet David, alumnus from Fall '88, who has returned to Australia twenty years later to teach a new generation of SFS students.

"As an educator, I have often used service-learning to enhance students' educational and life experiences; according to the students, the rewards have been magnificent...By grounding their learning into actual events, students express feelings of personal connection to the local community, see the fruition of knowledge and action, and appreciate the opportunity to give back to the communities that share so much with them." 


 
Sonia Di Fiore - Kenya Fall '98

Sonia, an alumna from the Kenya Fall '98 program, is Conservation Grants Administrator at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

"From SFS, I gained life-long friends, working relationships with colleagues, and an appreciation for the challenges facing people and wildlife in East Africa and the multi-dimensional challenges of carrying out conservation and research initiatives."

Kristen B. Gorman - Australia Fall '94

Meet Kristen, an alumna from the Australia Fall '94 program who is currently conducting research on pygoscelis penguins and climate warming at the Palmer Station in Antarctica.

"To become a research scientist you must have an incredible work ethic, perseverance, and very importantly, find a graduate mentor who is a leader in the field who will develop and challenge your thinking and writing."




Miwa Tamanaha - Mexico Fall '99

Meet Miwa, Executive Director of KAHEA, a grassroots non-profit conservation organization in Hawai'i.

"Like the ecosystems we seek to protect, the human interactions around ecosystems (between managers, users, politicians, and individual citizens) are incredibly complex. Success in conservation and resource management requires a deep respect and understanding of both the natural and human environment in which we work."

Allison Crosby - Kenya Spring '03; Kenya 25th Anniversary Trip January '06

Meet Allison, Clinical Research Coordinator at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and graduate student in Biology with a concentration in Conservation and the Environment.

"Courses in Kenya taught me that science doesn't go by the book. You can read about theories in texts, but nothing in conservation or wildlife management ever comes in a neatly wrapped package. One's problem solving skills really need to be applied when dealing with environmental concerns, especially in developing countries."

Tania Taranovski - Australia Spring '92

Meet Tania, an SFS alumna working for Earthwatch Institute, a non-profit organization that supports field research through the participation of voluteers.

"My job 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. I'm responsible for overseeing the risk management and health and safety issues at the centers.  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."


Ethan Zohn - TCI Spring '95

Before winning one million dollars on Survivor: Africa, Ethan Zohn was a student at the Center for Marine Resource Studies – diving, identifying marine animals, and playing soccer with the community. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Ethan about his time at SFS, his experience on Survivor, and his current work as co-founder of the non profit HIV/AIDS awareness organization Grassroot Soccer.

"Taking on such an ambitious project and transforming it from an idea to reality is a long and difficult process. We were just three guys with no experience, but we knew we had a good concept. So, we wrote the curriculum and ran a seven-month pilot program. Afterwards, we re-evaluated the plan. It was a learning experience – getting a board of directors, bylaws, everything."

 Jane Carter Ingram - Kenya Summer '95; SFS Intern Costa Rica '98-'99
 
Meet Carter, an SFS alumna who works on natural resource management issues in developing countries.

"I gained so much from my SFS experience- wonderful friendships and colleagues with whom I continue to stay in contact; an understanding about the many dimensions of international development; a deep appreciation for the joys of living minimally and communally with a diverse range of people; and a change in career paths which I have never regretted!"

Kate Banks Hone - Kenya Summer II '95

Meet Kate Banks Hone, Senior Aquarist at the New England Aquarium, who on an average day feeds hundreds of animals, cleans dozens of exhibits and SCUBA dives in the 200,000 gallon reef tank.

"The Kenya program really changed my life; I'll never look at ecology or wildlife the same again. I think about my time there at least once a week if not more often and I continually encourage interns from the New England Aquarium to go on one of the programs."

John Vavrinec - TCI Summer I 1991

Meet John, a senior research scientist in marine ecology who has worked on projects such as eelgrass quantification/replanting/monitoring, effects of dredging on benthic invertebrates, hyporheic gas saturation in the Columbia River, and prioritization of coastal zones for restoration. 

"Keep your eyes open for opportunities and seek out people whose work follows your interests.  You never know when an internship, volunteer weekend, or well directed phone call will turn into an opportunity that will change your life."

You can see more alumni profiles here.

We are looking for additional alumni to profile. If you would like to share your experience or would like to recommend another alumnus/a for a profile, please contact the Alumni Relations Coordinator at alumni@fieldstudies.org.