Because of my academic interests and background in ecology and conservation, I am interested in this fellowship program in exurban forest ecosystem management. Specifically, I am intrigued by the research areas of ecosystem resiliency, synanthropic wildlife, and ecosystem toxicology. While I may not have a background in forest ecosystem management, I still believe that I am a good candidate for this program, having a strong background in the biological sciences and unique perspective based on my academic background. In my undergraduate research and completion of a Commonwealth Honors College Project, I demonstrated that I can stay organized and work independently to see a project through to completion. As a lab technician, I’ve worked as both a member of a team when collaborating with other research labs and as a leader or mentor to undergraduates in our own lab. I thus believe that I will be an asset to your research group. With my interests leading me towards a career in conservation, this position would give me an opportunity to perform research and publish in an ecology and ecosystem science setting, further developing the skills and knowledge that would allow me succeed academically, and professionally in the conservation field.