Why did you choose SFS as a study abroad program?

I am an experienced-based learner and SFS seemed the best ecology program focusing on field work and hands-on learning.  Having lived some of my childhood in rainforests, I was also interested in rainforest ecology from an adult, educational perspective.  Additionally, my brother was studying at the University of Melbourne, so after our respective programs we planned to travel for several months before returning to the States.

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

My experience really helped focus my interests.  Before the program I was interested in animal behaviors and management.  After some field work in Australia, I realized my preference leaned more towards human-environment perceptions and relationships.  The program also enhanced my previous beliefs in experiential and field learning.  The combination of these two passions realized and reinforced in the Australia program helped lead me to pursue a career in environmentally-related education.

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

I do not really have a single memory that would qualify as better than most others.  Rather, I tend to think of the semester in its entirety as a profound experience.  The day-to-day immersion in the rainforest with its constant array of colors and sounds was incredibly uplifting.  However, a few specific memories do stand out: early morning platypus watching (with azure kingfishers and a water dragon racing upright across the pond); visits from a 1.3 meter monitor as I read in my bed (at the time, we slept in a 3-sided sheet metal shed, nicknamed “the palace,” another memorable experience!); and feeding / rehabilitating a baby fruit bat (just about the loveliest creature ever).

What advice would you give to a prospective SFS student?

Embrace all aspects of the experience by really exploring the area and developing relationships with both the people and the land.  Study abroad programs are such excellent opportunities to expand our own horizons; remaining open to the many diverse aspects of both ecological and sociological existence promotes life-changing experiences.

Tell us a bit about your current work as an SFS faculty member in Australia.

Returning to work at the place of my original SFS experience was a bit of a dream come true. After my undergraduate SFS experience, I knew that one day I would like to be a professor at a place like SFS-Australia.  It only took about 20 years to get here.

For those SFS alumni wondering what their professors did when not teaching, I can honestly say we are constantly busy.  While each day is different, they are all filled with a multitude of requirements to maintain current and engaging curriculum and efficient and effective facilities.  Besides setting up lectures and field experiences, I liaison with the local community, communicate with other researchers and professionals, establish various community and research projects, interact with students and staff, and help maintain the day-to-day, on-site operations.

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.  In the States, students continually described their feelings of accomplishment and empowerment after completing community-based environmental or social improvement projects.  They felt like they could actually instigate, on their own, positive changes in their communities as they put their education and initiative into concrete action.  Here in Australia, students remark how important it is for them to participate in community activities (usually tree plantings, restorations, and nursery work).  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.

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

A passion for learning about everything and a spirit of adventure and exploration seem most essential to me.  In whatever career you pursue, these "skills" make the unknown exciting and manageable.

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

We are often told by others what to do or how to do it.  Yet, I believe that one's belief in what is possible and the perseverance to attain goals are essential for a successful life.  Obstacles, whether internal or external, real or imagined, can significantly alter our purpose or temper our enthusiasm.  Maintaining a dream and finding the courage to pursue that dream in the face of these obstacles were critical to actualizing my goals.

Photos from top to bottom: David Manahan nowadays, David in 1988 with SFS classmate (and current SFS Trustee) Michael Mars, volleyball at "Warrawee" (SFS-Australia) in 1988