Profile Featured on Smithsonian's IMPACT - Fall 2025

I'm interning at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) - yes, that Smithsonian Institution!

If you've watched Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, you know the institution as the world's largest museum system. But beyond its enormous museum system on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian operates major research institutes partnering with Harvard, Yale, NASA, and international organizations on cutting-edge science.

At NZCBI, I'm working on wildlife research projects currently focused on North America. I identify camera trap data from the Snapshot USA project, extract historical biodiversity records from Lewis & Clark expedition journals, and conduct fieldwork on turtle conservation and wildlife movement patterns.

My goal is to build expertise in landscape connectivity and wildlife conservation - skills I'll eventually apply to protecting mountain ecosystems in Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam's Trường Sơn range (aka Annamite Mountain). This internship is teaching me the analytical methods essential for that work

The road ahead is long and challenging, but I know I'm in the right place to grow. If you work in environmental conservation, landscape connectivity, or sustainable development, I'd welcome the opportunity to connect and learn from your experience.

Learn more about Smithsonian's research impact: https://www.si.edu/support/impact/vol-11-no-3

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