The Graduate Experience with Emily

Transcript

Let’s meet Emily, a graduate student focusing on environmental chemistry. Emily is all about pursuing an advanced education through collaborative research and hands-on experience, all while gaining valuable leadership skills. Emily, we can’t wait to hear what ESF means to your education, take it away.

– Thanks for that introduction, Alex. Continuing my education through research was really important to me, but I didn’t wanna do it just anywhere. I wanted a program that went beyond advanced classes, one that emphasized collaborative research, hands-on experiences and leadership development. ESF had just what I was looking for. It’s more than just a school. It’s a community driven by a shared commitment to making a difference for the planet. Here, learning extends beyond the classroom and into the field With research playing a central role in education. The faculty aren’t just experts in their fields. They’re dedicated mentors who invest in their student’s success. The coolest thing about my research, I get to go on cruises for weeks at a time, collecting water samples and conducting photochemical experiments directly in marine environments. These experiences give me a deeper understanding of how local ecosystems connect to global environmental challenges. Although there are a lot of undergraduates on campus, graduate students make up to 20% of the population. This creates a vibrant and diverse academic community that truly has a collaborative spirit. Whether it’s working with peers in my field, or sharing lab equipment with students studying entirely different topics, there’s a real sense of teamwork. There’s no cutthroat competition here. We all want each other to succeed. We collaborate inside and outside of our lab groups, because solving environmental challenges takes an all hands on deck approach. After I graduate, I hope to work in environmental policy, bridging the gap between science and decision making to address climate change. ESF has given me the tools, experience, and confidence to join experts tackling the world’s most pressing challenges. If you come to ESF, you won’t just learn about the environment or experience it. You’ll also become a part of its future. That’s all from me. Back to you, Alex.

– Emily, you really dove into your education at ESF. We love that you found such a collaborative environment to pursue your research interests and make a difference in our world. You’re on the path to success, Emily, thanks again.