Get to know Michella
Please describe the INR-funded or affiliated project(s) you are currently working on?
I am working with INR to support work done to update the rare plant species database in Biotics. This bolsters the work of ORBIC, the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, helping maintain and track information regarding the distribution, status, and conservation of rare species across our state. On top of this I will be assisting in some field work pertinent to gathering such information about rare and endangered species through ORSS, Oregon Rare Species Spotters, and through invasive species monitoring and control.
What have you learned or hope to learn from this experience? Have you gained any new skills?
While I have a background in field work, plant identification, and manual labor of any type, this internship ties together an important aspect-the ability to compile data into a useful form. Navigating a code-based website to upload all the information other botanists and volunteers have gathered is helping me gain valuable skills in computer sciences and data analysis.
What are your academic and/or career aspirations after graduation?
I am interested in working in conservation and eventually plan to pursue a master's degree. I feel in our current environment, any research that pushes to understand plants and their adaptations to a warming world is crucial information for all species and their well-being.
What's your favorite way to use or interact with the natural world?
I love hiking, kayaking, and cycling but definitely lean heavily into hiking as that's the mode that allows me to stop and observe all the amazing diversity around me!