NWT welcomes our summer REU student LeAnna Warren

Niwot Ridge LTER is welcoming some exciting new additions to our NWT team this summer! We will be posting introductions/welcomes to each new researcher in the upcoming weeks. This week we would like to welcome our remote summer REU student, LeAnna Warren:

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"Hello! First off, I want to say thank you for all the amazing work you all do at Niwot Ridge LTER. Each of you is helping provide the basis for true change to occur when it comes to gaining support for enacting much needed environmental protection policies. Your research is crucial in this process and I'm honored to be a part of your team for the summer and learn all I can in my time at NWT.

 A little bit about myself, I am a first-gen, non-traditional student from Houston Texas and moved to Colorado last summer. I'll be attending CSU in the fall as a transfer student. I have always had a love for nature and grew up to find my passion lies in protecting it, and sharing all I've learned about its importance and elegant complexity with others. I have worked in youth based conservation education through a few different organizations and also participated in an internship last summer doing hands on ecological restoration with the Trail Foundation in Austin TX. In my former life I was a vet tech for a few years and worked in customer service in various ways, bartender, waitress etc. I love meeting new people, and enjoy creating a sense of inclusion for everyone around me in everything I do. I'm majoring in ecosystem science and sustainability with a minor in eco-policy and am considering a masters degree or pursuing a PhD in environmental policy and management. 

I am hoping to use all I learn during my time with NWT to strengthen my abilities and know-how in my pursuit of a career in environmental policy. Over the last few years I've learned how vital the role of research is in supporting the efforts of environmental policy making. My interest in research comes from not only my own curiosity, but also from a desire to be able to speak with confidence and experience on the principles in place, and methods used. This knowledge seems extremely crucial in developing a convincing argument regarding the need for action at a federal level concerning climate change, and other human activities that are causing this planet so much stress. I also see this opportunity as an extremely valuable resource for developing an even deeper understanding of the problems at hand. I am so very thankful to have been chosen to participate in REU, and am excited for all I have already learned and will continue to learn the rest of the summer. I'm wishing you all good health throughout this wild time and hope to one day get to visit NWT and meet some of you face-to-face when restrictions are lifted!"

Welcome to NWT LeAnna!

Anna Wright