Q: You come to Cramer Fish Sciences with a diverse range of experiences both in terms of the subjects you've studied and the species with which you've worked. How do you see those experiences influencing your new role as a member of the CFS team?

A: I haven't followed a traditional path in terms of my education and experience. I felt as an ecologist it would be better to avoid specialization, at least early in my career, and that general knowledge and experience was a better approach. While the early part of my career has mainly focused on a variety of watershed and fisheries issues in California's Central Valley, more recently my work and education has been more eclectic. My training and experience has been in a diverse range of subjects; I have performed research in areas ranging from the gender-specific fitness effects of rearing environment in nestling birds (doctoral work, University of Oxford) to questions relating to genetic epidemiology in the endangered desert tortoise (post-doc, Smithsonian Institution). Each of these areas of study has broadened my background in ecology and has ultimately provided me with a wider range of skills and knowledge to draw upon in my work with Cramer Fish Sciences.

Q: You recently completed your doctorate in Zoology from the University of Oxford. What excited you about that course of study and how will it apply in your role at CFS?

A: One of the great things about my doctoral work at Oxford was that I had an opportunity to acquire a wide range of skill-sets and training, ranging from work in spatial ecology, immunology, and molecular biology. I chose topics for my thesis which involved skills that would have general applications for future work. In fact, even though my doctoral work was on birds, I am currently investigating questions with CFS that are extremely similar and involve the same types of analyses. The thing I value most from the rigorous training I received was learning to be a problem solver — to be able to approach new questions, in subjects with which I have little experience and gain a high level of knowledge very quickly. Those types of skills have been extremely useful in my career so far.

Q: What non-technical skills have you found to be most beneficial as an ecologist?

A: My ecology background has helped me recognize that environmental issues are multifaceted. This can be viewed in strictly the biological sense — applying to biological phenomena and the complex interaction between organisms and their environment. However, this background has also taught me to think more about how we fit into the bigger picture as a species. A crucial part of environmental sciences isn't just to understand biological effects, it also includes understanding the human perspective and trying to work with various groups and interests to minimize our impact on the environment.

Q: If you met with a group of high school students researching careers in environmental sciences, what advice would you give them?

A: Make an informed decision regarding your field of interest. Pursue volunteer opportunities, internships and summer positions to gain an insider's perspective. Talk to people working in the field you are pursuing and learn about what they do day-to-day. These experiences and information will be invaluable, not only in terms of building your resume, but to also help you become more confident in your decision.

Q: What is the most significant lesson you've learned in your career so far?

A: It is important to continually challenge yourself. It makes life and your career much more fulfilling.

You may contact Kris via email by clicking here.