Meet Our Students

Where are you from?

I am originally from Tehran, Iran.

What are some causes/ issues you care about?

 I am extremely interested in ecology and ecological issues currently happening around the world.

What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies?

I have not done any intern work, but I am definitely looking forward to it in the near future.

What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here?

I chose GMU mainly because of the friendly environment it has, and the diversity of campus and students.

What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason? 

I am hoping to accomplish many great experiences about my major from my peers and professors while at Mason.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include spending time outdoors with my dog and exploring new places.

What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area? 

Living in the DC area is definitely an advantage since there can be many job opportunities and internships around the area.

What is your favorite thing about being a student?

My favorite thing about being a student is that I get to learn new things every day.

Where are you from? 

I am from Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

What are some causes/ issues you care about? 

I care about the fate of our earth and the animals who call it their home – both marine and terrestrial! I am also extremely passionate about equal rights for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. I also believe that every child should have an equal opportunity to receive a strong education, especially about important topics such as climate change and evolution (which are not always taught in poor, heavily religious areas like where I live).

What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here? 

I chose GMU because of its strong environmental science program, and its proximity to Washington D.C. I am in the Honors College as well, so I have access to some of the best classes offered on campus! I hope to intern at the National Zoo someday, as it is not far from campus, and I am excited to attend SMSC my junior year, which will give me an incomparable experience studying wildlife and conservation. Mason has a great GEO program, and I have been fortunate to go on a trip to Africa, and I hope to explore more of the world with GMU in the future.

What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason?  

I hope to gain a better understanding of conservation while at Mason, and participate in as much research and hands-on experiences as I can. I hope to be a part of change on campus through social justice organizations on campus.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include singing, writing, reading, and swimming!              

What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area? 

I love living in the D.C. area because not only do I have access to incredible internships such as the National Zoo, I can easily travel to D.C. for important protests and marches. I also enjoy shopping there (quite a lot!) and my favorite Jewish Deli - Call Your Mother - has the best bagels!

What is your favorite thing about being a student? 

My favorite thing about being a student is honestly the classes. I know that sounds so lame, but that's why I'm here anyway! Not only do I get to take amazing classes like Herpetology for my major, but I also get to take really important classes through the Honors College like Reimagining Justice and Community that taught me so much about racial bias and prison reform. I also love that my lab coursework is so hands on! I get to do research right in the classroom. I also love having such a supportive group of people alongside me in my major classes, I have made forever friends in lab!

Where are you from?

Dallas, TX

What was your undergraduate major, and from which university did you graduate? What was your graduate degree, and from which university did you graduate? 

BS in Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation, Canisius College (Buffalo, NY)

MS in Biology, Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY)

What are some causes/ issues you care about?

Conservation, Captive Animal Welfare

What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies? 

I have conducted research on large mammals (mostly elephants) and non-human primates in natural environments and in zoos for about ten years, and I am the Publications Manager for the Elephant Managers Association. Through these experiences, my research ideas and interests have been shaped by conversations with leaders and other professionals in the field.

What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here? 

Supportive faculty, interdisciplinary curriculum and research, and relationships with other institutions.

What are your hobbies? 

Skiing, diving, and cooking (eating).

What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area? 

Access to a variety of world-class academic and cultural institutions.

What is your favorite thing about being a student? 

The ability to engage with leaders in the field while developing and pursuing my own research questions.

Where have you conducted fieldwork? 

I have worked with elephants and a few other species in Sri Lanka, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, and zoos across North America.

Where are you from? 

Fairfax, Virginia

What are some causes/ issues you care about? 

I am interested in biodiversity monitoring, sustainable development, climate change impacts on indigenous cultures, wildlife ecology, and conservation! 

What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies?  

In 2017, I volunteered for six months with the Nevada Conservation Corps where I worked on projects related to sage grouse conservation, sustainable recreation, water monitoring, and riparian restoration. The experience confirmed and fueled my passion for environmental stewardship and gave me a foundation of conservation knowledge to begin my junior year with.  I highly recommend spending a season on a conservation corps crew as it is a great way to begin building field experience! In 2019, I volunteered at the Wildlife Center of Virginia (WCV) where I gained hands-on wildlife rehabilitation experience that opened my eyes to the extensive indirect and direct impacts humans have on wildlife. I learned more about bird anatomy, physiology, identification, and behavior. WCV gifted me with a deeper understanding of anthropogenic impacts on wildlife and further strengthened my desire to work in conservation and in minimizing human-wildlife conflicts. 

What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason?  

I hope to learn as much as I can, collaborate with professors on research studies, and meet new people that have similar interests!

What are your hobbies?

I love to kayak, paddleboard, hike, and run, so I basically love finding any way to be outside! I also love to try new foods and restaurants (aka EAT), write, watch documentaries of all sorts, and bake/cook!

What is your favorite thing about being a student? 

I love the opportunity of meeting new people, both professors and students, hearing their life stories, and working with them.

Where are you from? 

Lincoln, Nebraska

What was your undergraduate major and university?

Double major in Animal Physiology and Health & Disease with a minor in Immunology, University of Toronto.

What was your graduate degree and university?

M.Sc. Animal Science specializing in Stress Physiology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

What are some causes/issues you care about? 

Sustainable Conservation, Biodiversity Monitoring, Animal Welfare, Science Optimism

What work/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies?

I spent three years as a volunteer nursing assistant at Mt. Sinai Hospital (Toronto, Ontario), which has allowed me to bring a preventative care mindset to my current research monitoring welfare in wildlife and managed populations in zoos. 

What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason? 

Foster enthusiasm for learning and scientific pursuits in the next generation. Work to become a well-rounded researcher, capable of communicating the results of scientific efforts to the public. Understand the public policy that affects how the results of my work are viewed by the public and support its continuation. 

What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area?

Have you seen the museums!? Also, Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge mountain range. 

Where are you from? 

I’m originally from Saratoga Springs, New York but I have lived in the DC metro area for 10 years. It feels like home now!

What was your undergraduate major, and from which university did you graduate? What was your graduate degree, and from which university did you graduate?

Dual B.A. in Journalism and History from American University

M.Sc. in Environmental Conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

What are some causes/ issues you care about? 

For my own research, I am really passionate about wildlife conservation, as well as habitat restoration that can help endangered species on the IUCN Red List recover and also help countries to reach international climate goals.

In addition to what I’m actually researching, I am also really involved in the #WomeninSTEM movement and hope to be a role model for other women who hope to advance in STEM both academically and professionally.

What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies? 

Before beginning at Mason in Fall 2019, I spent six years working in environmental communications at the International Crane Foundation, World Resources Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and the Society for Conservation Biology. I mainly worked in behavior change communication and awareness building, both of which will ideally help me in the social science aspects of my field work in the future.

What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here? 

For me, it really came down to the location and the university’s connection with the Smithsonian Institution. I have been in the DC area since 2010 and have found that not only do I love the area, but the opportunities for working in conservation here are unmatched. I did not want to leave this hub!

I also have the privilege of being co-advised by a member of the Mason faculty and also a researcher out at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, VA. He is also an alum of the ESP PhD program, so there have been a lot of great synergies.

What are your hobbies?

I am an avid bread baker/experimenter, as well a fan of all things British television. Oftentimes I am baking bread while watching a British TV show. I lived in Oxford, UK for a year and it’s never really left me.

Where have you conducted fieldwork?

I conducted my master’s fieldwork across the midwestern flyway of the whooping crane (Wisconsin, Indiana, Alabama). I am hoping to conduct my fieldwork for my dissertation in the United Kingdom at different rewilding sites where they have reintroduced, or hope to reintroduce species across the island.

Where are you from? 

Bethlehem, PA

What are some causes/ issues you care about? 

Water quality and accessibility, ocean acidification, spotted lanternflies, the Fair Foods Program.

What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies? 

I have done fieldwork for classes, I completed a study abroad in Belize, I volunteer as an undergraduate researcher in the Salerno Microbiology Lab at the Potomac Science Center, and I intern with the GMU Department of Biology as a Water Quality Intern.

What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here? 

The Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation!

What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason? 

I hope to gain the experience and expertise needed to work in stream restoration.

What are your hobbies? 

Saying hi to all of the Starship Robots :)

What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area? 

All of the museums.

What is your favorite thing about being a student?

The opportunity to explore interests outside my major.

Where have you conducted fieldwork? 

I've conducted fieldwork at my local conservation park, at the streams on campus, and Belize!

Brian Griffiths holds a joint Postdoctoral Fellowship between George Mason University and the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER). He takes an interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching, examining environmental sustainability and conservation from social, cultural, economic, and ecological perspectives. Brian's research focuses on game mammal conservation in the Peruvian Amazon, where he has collaborated for several years with an indigenous Maijuna people. Specific focus areas include the sustainability of hunting, the ecology and behavior of game species at mineral lick sites, the sociocultural complexities of hunting and the game meat supply chain, and the impacts of cultural loss on the conservation of biodiversity. Brian has a passion for using socially informed research and digital storytelling to empower Amazonian indigenous people to conserve their cultures and the environment and using visual media to promote conservation awareness. He also collaborates with several nonprofit institutions in his work, including OnePlanet, the Morpho Institute, Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon, and many others. Brian holds Bachelor's degrees in Environmental Engineering and Plant Science form the University of Delaware. He is also a Fulbright alumnus. Contact email: bgriffi7@gmu.edu.

Becky grew up 10 minutes from the George Mason University campus. She received a double major in Environmental Science and Economics from the University of Mary Washington, where she was on the varsity volleyball and club swim teams. Following her undergraduate studies, Becky worked for the Fairfax County Park Authority, where her adventurous interpretation of exploring ponds, creeks, the forest for wildlife was passed on to the next generation.

While at GMU, Becky especially loved her study abroad experiences, learning from communities in the Amazon Rainforest and on safari in Kenya. From piranha fishing to feeding orphan elephants, Becky highly recommends those courses to anyone with the means and interest. Her takeaway from her entire GMU graduate studies experience highlights how important connections with professors and peers are, not only for class recommendations, but finding the best people to encourage her wild masters project of exploring how tattoos could be used to increase funding and awareness for endangered species.

A fan of Harry Potter, 1,000 piece puzzles, and all things dessert, Becky's dream job would combine her passion for youth engagement in wildlife conservation - with a salary. Feel free to reach out to Becky for any questions or help at rconway5@gmu.edu.

Rachel Golden Kroner (PhD) is a graduate of the Environmental Science and Policy program. Her disciplinary background includes conservation biology, geography, and the social sciences. She is currently employed as a social scientist at Conservation International. In this position, she conducts interdisciplinary research, collaborates broadly - especially with local experts, and communicates and translates her work through traditional and non-traditional outlets, ultimately to foster evidence-informed policy for the betterment of nature and society. Her PhD research focused on the impermanence of protected areas in Amazonia and its implications for conservation science and policy; she published a portion of this work in the journal Science and received international media coverage. While at Mason, Rachel also served as President of the Environmental Science and Policy Graduate Student Association and volunteered with the Society for Conservation Biology DC chapter. Rachel holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a specialization in Ecology and Conservation Biology from Boston University.

Juthapathra Dechanupong (Ju is what her family calls her) is a wildlife conservationist whose passion lies in saving the wildlife and the ecosystem in Thailand through grassroots programs, education outreach, and wildlife behavioral research.

She is a founder of the Zero Go! program in Thailand and was recently a manager of a wild elephant cognition research. She has recently joined Love Wildlife Foundation, a small NGO in Bangkok, as a lead educator. Ju loves getting the children excited about wildlife and learning how they are part of the natural world even if they live in the middle of the city. She hopes that one day her work will influence the younger generation to care more about the environment and inspire them join the wildlife conservation effort.

Outside of work, she is an avid swing dancer and a proud mama of a dog, two cats, a rabbit, and two guinea pigs.  If you would like to learn more about Ju, please do not hesitate to get in touch with her via email: juthapathra@gmail.com