Time and time again, I speak with scientists of all career stages who are looking for ways to apply the knowledge they have attained to advance scientific knowledge and improve conservation prospects for species on the ground. The most common group I encounter are those just getting into the field as interns and those who for one reason or another took a non-traditional road. The latter group typically gets back in to some sort of science position by volunteering, serving as an adjunct instructor at a local university, or some other part-time position that is often unrelated to their specific field.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit, we aim to serve as an affiliation for those who are looking from anywhere from a volunteer opportunity to full-time employment. This happens with both our current projects, which are all collaborations between our organization and others, and with projects conceptualized as our collaborative community grows. Whether that means joining us in the marshes of Connecticut to determine the effectiveness of restoration projects (see below), coral propagation in Colombia, or tropical frog biogeography, we aim to have long-term core projects that will facilitate others' work. Plenty of side projects with related goals can be achieved with minimal or no disruption of core activities, and can often enhance the conclusions of current work. We welcome proposals to that end, and are actively looking for ways to include more people of greater breadth of backgrounds in our work, not just those who currently have funding.
Volunteers can apply to come along on any of those projects, as space allows. We also serve as a professional affiliation for those who need a place for their grants and funding to be managed: that can be short-term or long-term. This allow us to serve as a hub for innovation and to facilitate the ongoing work of so many different researchers. If this is a service you or a colleague may need in order to keep projects going, please reach out to us at info@remoteecologist.org for further information. We are building the scope of this community out as time, talent, and treasure allows, so we look forward to serving you to the best of our capacity!
Best wishes,
Dave
Image: Special thanks to Grace Bucci and Dr. Al Nyack for letting me take this photo.
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