Meet Defenders: Women in Science Edition

Meet Defenders is our monthly series that brings you closer to the experts! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Defender, We’ve got a special edition of Meet Defenders for you this month – instead of introducing just one defender, we spoke to six! This past week we celebrated International Women and Girls in Science Day, an annual recognition of women who are working to make a difference in their fields. Six of our wildlife champions shared their perspectives on their work with Defenders and how they use science to help recover and preserve our wild world. [Mountain Goat - Mark Sagliocco] Peggy Darr, New Mexico Representative: “… During my college internship, I was tasked with locating and using fences to protect the nests of threatened piping plovers on Cape Cod beaches in Massachusetts. The first time I saw an adorable, plump piping plover scurrying across the sand next to ocean waves I knew I wanted to conserve wildlife for the rest of my life...” Becca Settele, GIS Analyst: “…I really enjoy creating maps related to polar bear conservation with our Alaska team. I’ve enjoyed incorporating the results of extensive research on polar bear denning and habitat in northern Alaska into maps conveying the importance of protecting these habitats.” Elizabeth Fleming, Senior Florida Representative: “In college, I spent six weeks in the Panama Canal Zone observing tamarins. Living in the jungle was rough, but the hardest part was seeing the trees and understory plants get hacked down for agriculture…” Isabel Grant, Alaska Field Representative: “…It’s especially rewarding when kids take interest in learning about bears and our work. I am helping foster the same passion for wildlife and science in the next generation that I had when I was their age and still have now.” Mary Pfaffko, Director of the Private Lands Program: “As a kid, I often visited the University of Florida’s bat house. It was amazing to witness the 66,000 Mexican free-tailed bats flying out of the house all at once every night. I’ve been hooked on wildlife and environmental science ever since…” Shari Wilcox, Senior Texas Representative: “I grew up spending hours wandering the halls of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and visiting national parks and wildlife refuges. I’ve been interested in wildlife since those early days!” [Read more from our Defenders!]( From testifying before Congress on the need to strengthen vital environmental laws to facilitating transfers of bison to Native lands they once called home, there are many ways women at Defenders are leading the way with science. We’ll be back next month with more in-depth profiles of the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to save our wild world! Sincerely, Defenders of Wildlife [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( Defenders of Wildlife 1130 17th Street NW • Washington, DC 20036 defenders.org --------------------------------------------------------------- Photo credits: Mountain Goat © Mark Sagliocco This email was sent to {EMAIL} Please do not respond to this email. [Unsubscribe here]( or update your preferences [here!]( [supporter]