Nirav Venkatesan is an aspiring conservation biologist concerned with endangered species, degraded ecosystems, and the future impacts of climate change on wildlife and habitat availability. Currently finishing up a B.S. degree in Biology with an Ecology emphasis, his experience includes upper division courses in zoology, genetics, animal behavior, and conservation ecology. Additional experience comes from interning in the UC Santa Cruz SIP program where he studied the relationship between mountain lions and urban development, and from volunteering as a wildlife educator at the Oakland Zoo where he gained valuable public education and outreach experience. Nirav hopes to gain an interdisciplinary experience in conservation policy, management, and decision making, in order to further develop his expertise and areas of interest for a future career.