This internship, however, opened my eyes to the ways in which field work can be incorporated into research to both an academically and spiritually nourishing effect. During my time in this research position, I got to participate in extremely rewarding work with native wallabies, even getting to hold a few of them while my supervisor and her graduate student conducted health checks! I walked through eucalyptus forests in the rain (while collecting data from camera traps), I got to analyze incredible images of native fauna (like the echidna) whilst carrying out my remote scoring work, and I was able to observe a wallaby and her joey up close while at a wildlife sanctuary. My desire to dedicate my future career to ecological restoration and the development of a sustainable coexistence between humankind and nature has not been altered. Now, however, I am open to a future career in ecological research, something I was not even considering before my time abroad.
This internship opened my eyes to the ways fieldwork can be incorporated into ecological research. During my time in this position, I participated in rewarding work with native wallabies, walked through eucalyptus forests collecting data, and analyzed incredible images of native fauna like the echidna. My desire to dedicate my future career to ecological restoration and the development of a sustainable coexistence between humans and nature has not altered; however, I am now open to a career in ecological research, which was something I hadn't considered before my time abroad.