Athens, Ga. — The University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the UGA Career Center will be hosting a “Careers in Natural Resources” discussion panel on Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. in room 150 of the Student Learning Center. Students from across the UGA community are invited to come and learn how to plan for a future career in natural resource science and/or management.
“As natural resource conservation moves to the forefront of national and international concern, it is likely that additional capital will flow into the arena to help find answers to the important questions,” said David Newman, associate dean of academic affairs in the Warnell School. “This should mean more opportunities for natural resource professionals to solve problems associated with forests, fisheries, wildlife, water, air and how people will continue to use these resources.”
Natural resource professionals from numerous specialty areas will participate in the panel to discuss their jobs and advise students how to pursue a career in natural resources management and science. Panel speakers include Amanda Newman, a graduate student in the wildlife program with experience working professionally for Parsons Engineering, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Another panelist is Adam Speir, a graduate student in the water and soil resources program who completed his undergraduate degree with a 4.0 grade point average and gained experience as a professional working for the Georgia Water and Planning Policy Center, Georgia State Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and F&W Forestry.
The Wildlife Society is predicting that more than fifty percent of federal leadership positions in the field of wildlife conservation will become vacant over the next decade as baby boomers begin to retire. Presently, natural resource schools across the nation find it difficult to accept enough qualified students to fill their programs, so the value of natural resource professionals will most likely continue to increase.