By: Ashley Rogers, Former NJSOC Education Intern
As summer 2025 is nearing an end, I am saddened to announce that I will be leaving the NJSOC. I loved assisting the NJSOC team these past several months, including analyzing data for the Salamander Population and Adaptation Research Collaboration Network (SPARCnet), teaching Herpetology to 4th-12th graders, and caring for NJSOC’s Educational Ambassador Animals.
While I enjoyed participating in numerous aspects of NJSOC’s daily operations, one of the highlights of my employment was the establishment of the first Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) project at the school. EREN is a research collaborative that works with undergraduate students and professors, along with non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and community scientists to disseminate scholarly data both within the United States and around the world. I was specifically responsible for adapting EREN’s Vernal Pool Phenology Project (VPPP) to create a pilot program suitable for middle and high schoolers. This project will be offered as a course to students for years to come.
As I depart, I express gratitude for all that I have learned from the NJSOC. I believe that this internship has not only strengthened my scientific knowledge, but also my interpersonal skills. I was glad to meet the leaders of many partner organizations, ranging from the New Jersey Highlands Coalition and Rutgers University to Outdoors on Purpose and Camp Sojourner – Girls’ Leadership Camp. The unique perspectives that these individuals provided me will serve as a vital resource for my future endeavors. I look forward to conducting ecological research with a university professor for the next year, prior to pursuing a graduate degree in animal behavior or wildlife ecology. I will definitely miss spending time at the NJSOC, but am eager to utilize the skills I have garnered towards this next chapter.
