3) Examine your evolving role as a leader and a teammate.

 

This summer I was on two teams and had the opportunity to both lead and listen in on team meetings. In the beginning of the summer, I had a less active role and spent several weeks catching up on the work that had already been done and learning how to navigate the design software I would be using. However, as the summer progressed, I was able to lead meetings with my team and a joint meeting with a non-profit partner. 

 

To me, being a proper teammate and leader means truly listening to the thoughts and concerns of my teammates. As a leader, it’s also important to motivate, support, encourage, and uplift everyone on the team. WWF did a spectacular job of doing this, and moving forward, I will make this a priority so that all team members feel truly valued. I also learned that it’s crucial to stay connected with everyone on the team and ensure they agree with team decisions. In the future, I will make sure to contact everyone before making decisions that represent or reflect on the team. 

 

4) Share what it means to belong to a community.

 

Belonging to a community means identifying with a particular group and interacting with those who have a similar identity. I belong to both the conservation and engineering communities. The needs of these communities sometimes conflict. In engineering, a project may require that I use the materials that are the least expensive or medical grade, not materials that can be reused, recycled, or composted easily. I spend a lot of time thinking of how to bring these two communities together, as I often feel I have to leave my sustainability passion behind in engineering and leave my engineering training behind in sustainability work. 

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Despite being remote this summer, I was able to be a member of and feel as though I belonged in the WWF community. I spoke regularly with my supervisor and teammates, attended the large meetings with all staff in the wildlife division, connected with other interns through Zoom and LinkedIn, and learned more about WWF's work happening around the world through several brown bag talks. 

 

6) Consider the role of community support in the work of your community partner. 

 

 WWF is perceived as a leader in the field of conservation. They are a non-profit organization, and much of their funding comes from grants and donations, so perception has a large impact on their ability to do work. WWF and its employees are highly motivated to have a positive impact on the local and global community, as the people involved in this conservation work genuinely believe in making the world a better place. Over this past summer, I was able to see WWF take big steps to discuss ways they can become more diverse and increase support for staff. Environmentalism has big overlaps with equity in the form of environmental justice, and WWF has had discussions on how their work overlaps or can overlap with environmental justice and better support communities. 

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8) Consider the role your project plays in the larger context of the social issue or issues it is working to address or alleviate. 

 

One of my main projects was to modify a thermal camera mount to reduce sticking. This camera mount has had a huge impact in the protected area it is installed in. The use of just two cameras has already resulted in 300 arrests. Stopping the sticking makes the device easier to use, reducing the time needed for rangers to remove the cameras from their mounts and drive to the potential poaching threat, increasing the likelihood that the poachers will be caught. In the short term, it has reduced poaching by catching poachers who enter the park with the intention of harming the animals. In the long-term, I hope it will act as a preventative measure and discourage poachers from entering the park in the first place.

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One of the ethical challenges surrounding this project is that the device is used in Kenya, but many of the parts were not designed or made there. Unfortunately, there is not a quick fix to this problem, as the areas where the cameras are used may not have the capabilities to make the mount themselves. But, reducing poaching can help eco-tourism, which may help the economy and lead to changes. 

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9) Compare your experiences as a Brodhead Fellow to your experiences in DukeEngage. 
 

This summer I had more engineering experience and time to apply what I had learned in class to conservation issues. Since my DukeEngage experience, I have had more opportunities for personal development, so I was more comfortable advocating for what I needed. Last summer, all of the conservation field work I contributed to was entirely new to me. This summer, I was able to jump into some projects, as I was able to apply what I already new about design, which allowed me to contribute more. I was able to make a difference internationally as well through the camera mount project. Further, being remote this summer made me more critical of my limitations in not being able to construct or test a prototype for the camera mount, but giving a final presentation made me more aware of my contributions.