Alumni Profiles

Profile: Hello, my name is Tyler Barns. I graduated from Humboldt State University in 2006 with a degree in Environmental Science and pursued a career in the environmental industry shortly thereafter. My most recent experience consists of two years with Envicom Corporation, an environmental consulting firm in southern California. While employed, I worked as a field biologist and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analyst. I provided biological assessments, California Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdictional delineations, CEQA impact analysis sections, and several Trustee Resource Agency permit applications. Based on my undergraduate work and private sector work, I gained experience in natural resources data collection and reporting, budget management, along with knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies related to resource protection. Additionally, during my undergraduate studies, I worked with a group for a senior project that focused of promoting ecologically sound methods for conducting the graduation ceremony on campus. My experiences result from my employment in the environmental consulting field and the multitude of classes that I have taken. I hope to further my skills by obtaining a Professional Science Masters Degree in Environmental Science here at Oregon State University.

Profile: After graduating from the PSM environmental sciences program in December 2007, I took some time off to travel around Europe and relax in Illinois with family.  In fall of 2008, I joined the Land and Water Division of Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City, Missouri.  I’m currently working as a wetland scientists within their Environmental Studies and Permitting office.   I never would have imagined such a great start as my first major career step!  I travel all over the U.S. to work on various delineation, mitigation, and restoration projects.  The PSM program at Oregon State University was one of the crucial steps needed for such a wonderful start.  The diversity of training offered throughout the program not only helped me prepare for a career in science, but also for often ignored aspects of work such as public speaking, business management, communication, and computer skills.  I am very thankful that I enrolled in the program and still miss what I consider to be a second home in Oregon State University and Corvallis, Oregon.  Please feel free to contact me with questions you may have at tbeemer@burnsmcd.com. 

Profile: The PSM program integrated well with my professional goals in the environmental field because it uniquely coordinated coursework in business, ethics, and communication with the Environmental Sciences Program. My internship experience with the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) provided an opportunity to extend my expertise in analytical methods and data management outside of the laboratory framework while learning about forest watershed management strategies by participating in the Alsea Watershed Study Revisited (AWSR). This is a paired watershed study intended to evaluate Oregon forest practice rules with regard to water quality and fish habitat when applied to current private forest management practices. Water quality and fish habitat in the Alsea watershed was studied extensively 30 years ago and illustrated the impacts of forest management practices in use at that time. This revisit to the watershed provides a rare opportunity to compare data between historical and current management practices. The study is a cooperative endeavor involving Plum Creek Timber Company, OSU Department of Forest Engineering, Colorado State University Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship, the United States Geological Survey, the United States Department of Agriculture, and NCASI where business strategies, ethics, and communication are important aspects of a successful joint venture. The internship resulted in the development of a quality assurance project plan and prototype data management system to support the ten year AWSR. I am continuing this endeavor with the objective of facilitating the exchange of watershed data and information between collaborators through a web-based data management system. Over the course of this program I associated with a number of students and professors that truly enriched the experience and gave me a better understanding of different points of view both environmentally and personally. My family, friends, and work colleagues were overwhelmingly supportive, particularly my husband Jim, who picked up many of the household duties and kept me nourished. I am particularly appreciative of Dr. George Ice with NCASI's Forestry Watershed Program who served as my Major Professor and supported this uniquely rewarding opportunity. You really are never too old to go back to school and broaden your mind!

Profile: I graduated in 2005 with a Master’s in Botany and Plant Pathology through the Professional Science Master’s degree program in Applied Systematics – Botany. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in biology from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, I worked with the Maine Nature Conservancy and the Maine Natural Areas Program. As a field ecologist I was able to explore the kettle-hole bogs, salt marshes and hardwood forests of the Northeast. After leaving the Northeast, I worked with the Bureau of Land Management in the Great Basin desert in Nevada and in the Douglas-fir forests of southwest Oregon. I also spent five years managing a research program for the Jornada Basin Long-term Ecological Research Station in the Chihuahuan desert of New Mexico, desperately praying for rain so there would be new plants to study. I left the desert to pursue a Master’s degree in the rainy Northwest. The Applied Systematics program seemed to uniquely fit my need for more technical skills to supplement my professional experience. My Master’s internship involved applying GIS analysis to herbarium georeferenceing. I currently work as a research botanist with the USDA Forest Service in Corvallis, Oregon studying understory vegetation response to prescribed fire and grazing, and the control of invasive weeds in fuel-reduction-management programs.

Profile: I came to Oregon State with the hope that the Botany PSM program would provide me with training and experience to work as a professional in natural resource management. That hope has become a reality. The PSM program provided me with an exciting internship opportunity with the US Forest Service in the Cascade Head Scenic Research Area. Our assignment was to develop a community supported plan for environmental restoration projects and to make recommendations for policy and management changes. My work as part of the team of natural resource specialists included the planning of design elements for new restoration projects in the Salmon River estuary on the central Oregon coast. As the botanist on the project I accomplished the following: i) conducted field research surveys towards assessing and prioritizing the implementation of restoration projects; ii) gathered ecological data to determine plant populations and communities. Data collected included hydrologic, geologic, historic and current conditions specific to the restoration sites; iii) mapped historic and future plant communities and plant populations using GIS and GPS technology; and iv) provided technical guidance in planning the restoration and management of the diverse range of plant communities in the marine/aquatic/terrestrial interface of the estuary. Our success was measured by an overwhelmingly positive response from a large portion of the general public, the local agencies and the project sponsors. Many of the 23 million dollars in projects that were developed through the project are in various phases of additional planning and implementation.

Profile: I completed the Professional Science Master’s program in Applied Biotechnology in Fall 2010 with a M.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology. My undergraduate education took place at Gonzaga University, where I graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in General Business in 2008. Prior to attending OSU, I worked at a plant biotechnology firm for a year to develop a better understanding of research applications in the private sector. I enrolled in the PSM program in Fall 2009 to further refine my professional skills and to develop better laboratory proficiency for a successful career in biology. My internship was at Kashi Clinical Laboratories, Inc. in Portland, OR, where I developed and managed a new drug screening department to bring it towards operational status and federal laboratory compliance. The PSM program prepared me for my internship by providing me with valuable project management skills and a strong scientific background. I am currently employed at Kashi Labs to operate the drug testing laboratory and market its services to new clients. My career goal is to devote my skills and efforts to biomedical research, specifically in the area of regenerative medicine, a rapidly growing field with profound implications for human health and lifespan.

Profile: As an undergrad I worked with algae and molecular biology techniques in the plant science department. After I graduated I worked for 4 years as a Production Scientist in the blood test manufacturing department of a large biotech company. I always felt that I wanted to get an advanced degree but wasn't sure if a traditional Masters or PhD program was what I wanted to pursue. I chose the PSM program because it has a lot of what I want in terms of advanced science knowledge but also has a strong business aspect, which is what I am interested in. Oregon State's Applied Biotechnology program has what I need to pursue my future career aspirations. After my degree is completed I hope to get involved with a small biotech company or become part of the ever growing green energy field.

Profile: I graduated from the PSM Program in Environmental Science and also earned a Graduate Certificate in Marine Resource Management. My undergraduate education emphasized vertebrate anatomy and physiology as well as evolution. I worked on a senior thesis project at Baylor in the field of medical entomology, researching mosquito population density as related to weather patterns in McLennan County, Texas. My experiences in Texas opened my eyes to the importance of environmental science and public policy, and I realized the need to integrate my interest in science with professional skills. I planned to get involved with public policy-making, especially with coastal communities, and environmental consulting. I believe that the PSM program has helped me achieve these career goals. For my internship project, I compared different communication tools to share marine recreational fishing regulations with fishermen. I will be moving to Washington, D.C. in February 2012 to start a Knauss Fellowship, where I will be working on marine policy issues, especially in the context of ecosystem-based management and incorporating stakeholders in the decision-making process.

Profile: Following graduation from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Environmental Economics, Policy, and Management, I entered the PSM Program's Environmental Science Track. From my undergraduate experience I had built a solid foundation of skills in economics and policy, but desired the fundamentals of science and compliments of professional skills to become a well-rounded environmental expert. The professional skill development has also proven to be extremely effective and useful, and is an essential component of any professional’s repertoire. To fulfill the program's internship requirement, I accepted an internship with the Ecological Careers Organization as an Environmental Planner at the Bureau of Land Management's Yuma Field Office. This assignment was specifically contracted to complete a comprehensive Resource Management Plan (RMP/EIS) for 1.3 million acres of public lands and resources. Following the internship, I took temporary placement as a federal employee at the BLM office, gaining greater responsibility on the RMP project and experience with federal land management. After the employment with the BLM, I returned to Oregon to begin an entrepreneurial business development in the biofuels industry and raised capital for Bioco Biofuels LLC. I also joined Spectron Energy's environmental desk as an Environmental Markets Broker and Analysts; dealing with global GHG reduction programs, state's Renewable Portfolio Standards for renewable energy mandates, and emissions cap and trade financial markets. I found the PSM program to fit my both my academic and personal ambitions, and thrived in the collegial environment fostered by the program. The program offered two great distinct strengths that benefited me in my professional life. First, the learning community within the PSM program brings together a technically diverse student body from all PSM tracks, where students individually contribute their strengths in a collective team environment. Second, the flexibility in the program's curriculum enables students to pursue their individual professional and intellectual interests while requiring extremely valuable skill development courses otherwise overlooked in other programs.

Profile: Prior to entering the PSM program at OSU, I worked as a field technician for six years on various ecological research projects in Oregon, California, and Connecticut. Those positions provided me with valuable experience in wildlife biology, field sampling methods, data management, and field crew supervision. I chose the PSM program to further my education because I was interested in the internship component and the program's shared emphases on science, project management, and business. My internship project with The Nature Conservancy involved coordinating a creek and wet prairie restoration feasibility study.  I graduated from the PSM program in the spring of 2008 with a master's in Environmental Science. After graduating, I worked as a Research Ecologist with the Wetland and Watershed Assessment Group at Earth Design Consultants, a small environmental consulting firm in Corvallis. In that position I was able to further develop my project management, data analysis, technical writing, and GIS skills while working on a diversity of natural resource management and research projects.  I also worked part-time as a Research Assistant in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at OSU studying the biological control of weeds.  I am now the Restoration Specialist for the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council, where I work closely with landowners, grantors, and partners to design, implement, and assess restoration activities and monitor ecological conditions within the watershed.

Profile: Through OSU’s Professional Master’s program in Applied Biotechnology, I obtained an MS in Molecular and Cellular Biology. My internship at the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing (CGRB) on the OSU campus involved learning to perform the services offered there, such as DNA sequencing, genotyping, and designing custom microarrays. Additionally, I designed, conducted, and analyzed results of a survey which allowed the center to gain insight into the level of satisfaction of its customers. The science, business and communication exposure I received during my PSM experience enabled me to find a wonderful job at the DNA EpiCenter (www.dnaepicenter.org) as a Staff Scientist.  At DNA EpiCenter I was involved in all aspects of a non-profit including marketing, science curriculum development, and grant writing.  I have currently returned to graduate school and am now seeking a PhD in Environmental Science at OSU. 

Profile: The PSM program, for me, represents an opportunity to refocus my education and experience towards a career in the corporate sector. Its emphasis of the application of thought to areas outside of an academic discipline made it highly attractive to me. I've spent a few years studying biology but now I'd like to move my career to something with broader applicability, and the environmental sciences are a perfect fit for that.

Profile: I am a biotechnologist with Industrial Biotechnology as my undergraduate training and Molecular and Cellular Biology as my Master’s training.  For a majority of my time at OSU, I worked to determine fin regeneration pathways in zebra fish.  This helped me gain good insight into molecular signaling.  My internship at Genentech, Inc. helped me gain experience in industry.  I will be pursuing a career in cell culture and process development fields in the manufacturing of drugs.

Profile: I am excited to be part of the PSM in Applied Plant Systematics as it tailors very well to what the current environmental science community needs right now: technical workers with effective skills in communication and business organization. Working many years as a technical biologist, with many private public agencies, I have noticed how such skills can benefit an organization whose resources are limited. I believe that this program is addressing need for fundamental changes in science education today. I look forward to applying myself to the diverse curriculum provided through OSU while engaging and forming working relationships with the unique local network of organizations that are providing the tools, research and hard work to conserve and restore Willamette Valley and Oregon ecosystems. My primary interests are invasive plant ecology, rare plant community dynamics, structural and functional restoration of critical habitats such as Willamette Valley wet and upland prairie systems and conservation based land management. I hope to find a niche within in the public, private or non-profit sector when I graduate; a career that can support my lifelong pursuit of hiking the never ending alpine peaks and valleys of the west.

Profile: I received my MS Degree in Applied Physics through the Professional Science Master's program at Oregon State University (OSU). Prior to graduating, I acquired research experience through internships at NASA, SRI International and SETI, and management experience as an Army Sergeant and policy adviser deployed to Kuwait. After graduating, I leveraged my science background in predominately finance and business management roles. I worked for three years at ViewPlus Technologies, where I acquired and managed grant funds, supported the establishment of the company's international branch, and created financial analysis tools. While at ViewPlus, I served on the board of the Software Association of Oregon Corvallis Chapter, was a business plan judge for the OSU Austin Entrepreneurship Program, and continued to teach undergraduate physics labs as a volunteer. My roles for my new employer, Blue Ridge Research and Consulting in Asheville, NC, include Manager of Business Operations and Scientist.

Profile: I obtained my undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Parasitology in Peru in 1997. After graduating I decided to move to the United States in search of new career opportunities landing a position at Peace Health Laboratories in Springfield, Oregon as a Clinical Microbiologist. My main interest in the past years has been understanding the mechanism of microbial pathogenesis and the technology involved in the diagnosis of difficult to isolate/culture microorganisms. In the last years, Clinical Microbiology has started to incorporate more molecular biology, thereby creating new opportunities for research and development. I was delighted when I came across the PSM in Applied Biotechnology program offered at Oregon State University. The PSM program will allow me to learn the latest cutting-edging molecular technologies as well as teach me how to successfully conduct and manage a business. By the time I complete my degree, I would like to be able to work in a biotechnology company involved in research and development in molecular disease diagnostics.

Profile: While extensively researching career choices within the biological sciences, I was delighted to find the newly designed PSM program, and was even happier to discover that this program had been implemented at Oregon State University. I hope to increase and refine my curricular experience with further molecular/cellular coursework and lab techniques, as well as gain a basic grounding in core business methods. This unique academic experience will provide the opportunity to pursue a research and development career in the areas of genetics or oncology.

Profile: I graduated in spring 2008 from the PSM program with a master’s in Environmental Science where I focused on Water Resources. My internship focused on water quality of the Middle Fork Willamette Sub-basin. I worked with multiple partners to develop and complete TMDL Implementation Plans for two rural cities. Currently, I am serving as “Watershed Technical Specialist” for the Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District in Newport, OR. My scope of work includes conservation and water quality planning, writing grant proposals for restoration and monitoring projects, and managing the “MidCoast Non-point Pollution Program” and “Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan”. I feel very fortunate that I found a position that utilizes what I have learned from the PSM curriculum, expands on my interests that unraveled at OSU, and gives me the opportunity to turn scientific, economical and social concepts into on-the-ground collaboration and action.

Profile: I graduated from the PSM program in Environmental Sciences at OSU in 2008 where I focused on biogeochemistry. My internship project with Western Ag Innovations Inc. involved sustainable agriculture and food production systems in the U.S. and Canada. I studied the nutrient dynamics of inter-seeding legumes with cereal crops using ion-exchange technology, specifically Plant Root Simulator (PRS) probes, in dryland wheat-pea production systems. The internship also allowed me to study the business dynamics of two environmentally-friendly agrarian groups that promote sustainable farming practices and third-party certification. The PSM program at OSU helped me gain skills in science as well as business management, which enabled me to serve in this dynamic role. After completing my degree, I secured a position with Western Ag Innovations, Inc. as a Research and Development Coordinator. I wish to assist decision makers, not only by employing new technologies like PRS probes, but by generally expanding the use of soil quality improvement techniques to advance sustainable land management decisions.

Profile: My current interests and life goals include a career that can combine my previous horticultural credentials with a career in education. While I am interested in teaching in the public school system, I am also interested in alternative education. Much of what we learn in life is learned through our experiences outside of school. The combination of business and professional classes taken to enhance my current credentials in plant science allow me to diversify and market myself to a broad range of employers. The PSM program will allow me to pursue all future career and life goals.

Profile: I graduated in 2007 with an Master of Science degree in Applied Physics through the Professional Science Master's program. After graduating from Michigan State in 2005 with a B.S. in Physics I wanted to pursue a graduate program that would help me work towards a career in industry, so I came to Oregon State University for the PSM Program. I felt the combination of science and business that makes up a PSM degree would better prepare me for working in industry than a standard degree. I did my internship at Micro Systems Engineering, Inc. studying the effects of highly accelerated lifetime testing on ceramic capacitors, and I now work there as a component quality engineer.

Profile: I earned my Professional Science Master's degree in Environmental Sciences in 2004. I wanted to integrate my knowledge in consulting with new information and skills from departments ranging from business to forestry. My internship project involved assisting a communications service provider through land use processes associated with facility expansion, which was an extension of my earlier work in natural resources permitting and mitigation. Coursework on the role of science in policy decisions and communication, as well as having opportunities to discuss project issues with professors resulted in a noticeable improvement in my ability to execute and accurately communicate scientific and legal concepts to clients, the public, and review agencies.After working for nine years at a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm, I recently started a natural resources consulting business, Westbrook Science & Design, LLC. My work focuses on wetland delineations and buffer analyses, impact assessments, site planning, and permitting and mitigation for unavoidable impacts. If you would like to contact me, please visit the website: www.westbrookscience.com

Profile:

I have worked full-time as the Water Projects Coordinator for Benton County since 2007. Prior to completing the PSM program at OSU, I worked on a range of biological consulting projects in California, Oregon, and Washington. The PSM program provided me with the ability to hone my skills and focus on water resources science, policy, and management prior to re-entering the work force. I currently work on interdepartmental efforts to assess both groundwater and surface water resources through the leveraging of grant funding from state and federal sources. I manage water quality (stormwater and TMDL) programs and wetland permitting at the county, and I have helped develop and inform the stream, wetland, and groundwater studies and policy in Benton County. I often present water and environmental planning, policy, and science to local and regional governments, non-profits, businesses, and community residents. Please contact me if you are interested in possible internships, project partnerships, or just to chat (adam.stebbins@co.benton.or.us; 541-766-6085).

Profile: I graduated in 2005 with a Master of Science degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology through the Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Biotechnology. I did my internship with Biomoles, Inc. in Seattle, WA, where I experienced various activities and learned how to collaborate science and business disciplines to be successful in the dynamic biotechnology industry. The opportunity to learn different disciplines (science and technologies, business, communication, and ethics) through this program was most useful to me.   I will be working for Otsuka Pharmaceuticals in Japan as a Medical Representative. Medical Representatives work to exchange information on drugs bewteen physicians and the pharmaceutical company to develop more effective and safer drugs and protocols. This work requires knowledge of not only science, but also product development, marketing, regulations, etc. and the PSM program has trained me to be competitive in such important tasks.

Profile: I decided to pursue a Master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology through the Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Biotechnology after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Knowledge of advanced lab techniques was my ultimate goal when I chose this program. In order to fulfill my internship requirement, I participated in an internship with the Virus Certification Program of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. My internship project was to design a hybridization assay to be used by the department for the detection of Prune Dwarf Virus and Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Virus. Following my internship, I was offered a position with the state, which I accepted. Since then I have worked for the University of Oregon Monoclonal Antibody Facility, a small biotechnology start-up, a mid-sized biotech company, and now have a position studying embryonic stem cells at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU. Having a Professional Master's degree has given me an edge in an increasingly competitive job market, allowing me to have flexibility in the types of scientific jobs I can compete for.

Profile: I graduated with my Professional Science Master’s in Applied Biotechnology from OSU fall term 2011. I am grateful for the education the PSM program provided me, specifically, exposure to a variety of business arenas through completion of the professional coursework. My internship experience with Intuitive Genomics, Inc., a bioinformatics services start-up, exposed me to a dynamic entrepreneurial environment and increased my knowledge of the genomics and bioinformatics fields. I am passionate about the field of personalized genomics as it relates to medical diagnostics and therapeutics, and I am currently seeking employment in this field. I look forward to beginning my career at the start of 2012.

Profile: I started my career on a farm and in a greenhouse, but this year marks over 10 years of work in the field, mostly in biological field studies and vegetation monitoring and inventory. While a PSM student at OSU, I interned through the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Conservation and Land Management Mentoring Program and worked with the Bureau of Land Management in southern New Mexico to initiate the Seeds of Success program for the state. After graduating in December 2006, I started my ambitious career as a botanist – I volunteered. While waiting to receive a post as a Peace Corps volunteer I went to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and helped conduct rare and invasive plant surveys. Now as a Peace Corps volunteer serving in the Mexico program, I’m working for the Tehuacán-Cuicatlcán Biosphere Reserve in the states of Puebla and Oaxaca. Current work includes GIS projects, ethnobotanical research, field collections, and writing plant field guides for this extremely cool piece of the globe.