Internships

Christopher Dugan ’23

Major

Chemical and Biological Engineering

Project Title

Reserve and Forest Stewardship at The Watershed Institute

Presentation Link

View Christopher's Presentation

Certificate(s): Materials Science and Engineering

I worked to improve biodiversity and ecological sustainability at The Watershed Institute while also furthering community involvement and education. I helped remove invasive plants and planted native plants that are resistant to invasive insects. I also worked with volunteers from a variety of local companies, and taught school-aged children about our work and its importance at The Watershed Nature Camp. I learned about a wide variety of native and introduced plants: how to identify them, their roles in and effects on the ecosystem, and how they can be properly managed to support native animals. I also had the chance to experience and observe the intricacies of working in forest management, for example how new developments and approaches are communicated, and how disagreements in the field are discussed and resolved. I now plan to take a course in forest ecology this spring and to apply to jobs in the field of forest management. I enjoyed working on the reserve even with the heat of the summer and would be happy doing more work like this in the future.