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Convocation
New REM alumnus lands first job in wildlife conservation ahead of graduation
Though students sometimes worry about finding a job when they graduate, this isn't the case for Kate Earle 鈥� she's already been hired!
鈥淚 recently accepted a job with Ducks Unlimited Canada as a conservation technician and I am really looking forward to starting,鈥� the new resource and environmental management (REM) alumnus shares.
When Earle first learned about the REM program, she knew it was the right fit because of her interest in science, policy and the environment.
She recalls feeling intimidated when she first came to 大象传媒 because she didn鈥檛 know anyone and had to step outside of her comfort zone to interact with peers and professors.
鈥淏ut like most things, it got easier with time,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he cohort of REM undergrads is really inclusive, and I was able to build a great friend group and support system, which really gave me a sense of belonging throughout my degree.鈥�
Earle has enjoyed the breadth of topics and classes available in her major and she has always been open to opportunities to explore her interests and challenge herself.
This mindset led her to discover a passion for learning about ecology and wildlife, so she decided to complement her major with a minor in biology.
It also led her to get involved in some exciting research opportunities as a paid research assistant (RA).
鈥淚 gained really valuable experiences in different projects and topics I was interested in and was able to discover what I am passionate about,鈥� she says.
In her first RA position, she even found a brand-new hobby鈥攂irding.
鈥淚 love learning about all the different species around the lower mainland, and it is really satisfying to spot and identify a new bird I haven't seen before,鈥� she shares.
Another research opportunity came up later when she heard from a classmate that 大象传媒鈥檚 Action on Climate Team (ACT) was hiring an RA.
Earle, who was eager to do more research, applied and quickly discovered that she鈥檇 be researching a topic that has affected her in the past.
鈥淭he position was centred around climate-induced disaster risk management and community focused solutions to proactive emergency preparedness,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his hit close to home, given my own experience being caught in the 2021 atmospheric river and stuck in Hope for an entire week.鈥�
Together with the ACT team and with researchers from the University of British Columbia and New York University, Earle worked on a project aimed at quantifying the effects of climate-induced natural disasters on communities in the province.
鈥淢y job was to work with open data providers and scour the web for publicly available data we could use to understand these effects, whether that be cost and insurance data, utility outage data, health data and more,鈥� she explains.
She also completed an independent study on the project鈥檚 preliminary findings and wrote a report under the guidance of REM professor Sean Markey and ACT executive director Alison Shaw.
Outside of school, Earle is an avid mountain biker. She previously raced competitively and often volunteers at events and mentors youth in the sport.
鈥淚 would say mountain biking is my outlet and is my go-to activity when I need to clear my head,鈥� she says.
In addition to looking forward to starting her new job, Earle says that she鈥檚 excited to enjoy more free time now that she is finished school.
鈥淚 will be spending it outside as much as possible!鈥�