In her own words

Shantae McIntyre

I am a senior majoring in Biology at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) with the goal to apply for veterinary school after graduation to combine my interests in conservation and wildlife health. Ultimately, I hope to specialize in marine wildlife. Being a veterinarian would set me on my path to accomplish my dreams of becoming a first responder for marine wildlife rescue missions and a chief veterinarian at an aquarium. During the academic year, I was a member of the Schultz Fishlab at UCONN, contributing to lab meetings and solving ecological mysteries through lab experiments on juvenile Alewife. Also, joining the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program last year has helped hone my skills in research. As a Scholar, I designed my own research, collected data from the field and primary literature, conducted statistical analysis, and communicated results. Currently, I am a part of the Knutie Lab at UCONN aiding with animal care and research of wood frogs immune system response to climate change. Beyond my skills in research, I look to apply the skills I developed in my Anthropology and Africana studies minor by designing outreach materials for the public. I pursued a minor in anthropology to be a part of outreach programs for people of various cultural backgrounds. I love storytelling and communicating about marine science. I aspire to work for the government and amongst professionals who are passionate about wildlife conservation and outreach for the youth, especially women and minorities, wishing to pursue a career in conservation. It is very important I pay it forward to future generations and that I pay it back to those who have helped me achieve my accomplishments.

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