The SMSG team welcomes Ashlynn Stout for a summer internship focussing on the Green Status of Species! Ashlynn is based at the Global Center for Species Survival at Indianapolis Zoo. Hear from Ashlynn below:
GSS intern Ashlynn Stout
“I am taking part in a three-month summer internship with the Global Center for Species Survival at the Indianapolis Zoo. This opportunity was made available to me through Butler University, where I will be going into my third year, and its Office of Sustainability. Butler has a fantastic interdisciplinary program for liberal arts, and I major in environmental studies with a minor in ethics. Alongside school, I also volunteer with the Indiana White River Alliance’s River Assessment Field Team, where we test local river streams for water quality. I am passionate about the environment, sustainability, and now conservation because of this internship!
I am working as an intern under Justin Birkhoff, one of the conservation experts at the Global Center for Species Survival. My project is to conduct Green Status of Species assessments for two small mammals, the Salt-marsh Harvest Mouse and the Western European Hedgehog. At the start of my internship, I took the Red List and Green Status trainings through the IUCN to establish my understanding of the Green status process. I have been conducting literature reviews and research to fill out the online workbooks that take me through the Green Status assessments step by step.
One of the coolest parts of this experience is having meetings with conservation experts from all over the world, like the United Kingdom. Additionally, communicating with the species experts directly and asking them questions about their research has been a highlight. My career goals are broad, as I am hoping to do anything in the environmental field that relates to sustainability, conservation, and nature. I am making invaluable connections during this experience, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity!”
Western European Hedgehog
