Travel opportunities were abundant and unique throughout my fellowship. In March 2024, I met the other climate fellows in person for the first time at the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association meeting. We shared laughs, good food, and knowledge through the various technical sessions offered at the gathering. Most memorably, we revelled in the beauty of the butterflies at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, where the final award ceremony was held. A month later, I joined my Region 5 colleagues at the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual conference, after which I had the opportunity to visit my first military installation, Camp Edwards. During Summer 2024, I pushed myself outside my comfort zone by joining fieldwork at Assabet River and Monomoy (where I was shocked by hundreds of shrieking terns) National Wildlife Refuges as well as Fort Devens. I reconnected with the other fellows in July at the National Conservation Training Center, where we took notes for the Climate and Conservation summit. Engaging with DoD and FWS leadership, in addition to helping synthesize the summit’s outcomes, was an eye-opening opportunity to witness the agencies’ partnership. In November, I attended the award ceremony for Camp Edwards, the FWS’ 2024 Northeast Region Military Conservation Partner. Last but not least, I recently met with the other fellows and our supervisor in DC to meet with leadership in the DOI building and Pentagon and celebrate our achievements.

When I wasn’t traveling, I developed skills that will be vital to my continuing career in climate change research and resilience planning. Through authoring over 40 climate profiles and six blogs, I honed my technical writing and science communication abilities. I also learned how to use the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) tool — as well as several other climate tools —  to assess species’ vulnerability to climate change. In addition, I furthered my GIS knowledge through completing several Esri trainings, including a six-week GIS for Climate Action course, and assisting with a story map highlighting the FWS/DoD partnership. I also contributed to the FWS’ internal pollinator conservation social network analysis project and became more fluent in R as I conducted attribute data and R script cleaning.

Most importantly, I made connections with incredible people across the Service that I hope to maintain. I’ve enjoyed building friendships with the four other fellows I work closely with on climate profiles. I’m also glad to have worked with and learned from my supervisor, the Region 5 Science Applications program members, and leaders of other FWS programs. As I move onto my new role, I’m grateful to everyone who supported and mentored me over the course of this fellowship.