Meet #ScienceWoman Pam Loring

In honor of International Migratory Bird Day May 9, we’re sharing #ScienceWoman profiles of biologists who are helping us save our feathered friends! Our #ScienceWoman campaign honors women across the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who are making history in our agency and in conservation. With each #ScienceWoman, we share a photo and a couple questions and answers about her work. Stay tuned for more posts later this week.

Meet #ScienceWoman Pam Loring, a Pathways Intern in our Division of Migratory Birds. 

Pam earned her BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and her MS in Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. And she’s currently pursuing her PhD in Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts.

“For my MS research at URI, I used satellite telemetry to study movement patterns and habitat use of sea ducks in southern New England. For my PhD research, I am using nanotags and automated radio telemetry stations to study the movements of terns and shorebirds in southern New England and New York,” says Pam. 

University of Massachusetts student Pam Loring. (see a post written by her in 2012). Photo courtesy Pam Loring.

Q. What’s your favorite thing about working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? A. Having the opportunity to work with so many talented biologists and managers, on many different and important projects, including bird movement studies, AMAPPS surveys, waterfowl surveys, the shorebird plan, etc.

Q. What’s your favorite species and why? Common and roseate terns – they are just stunning to observe in the field and their various life history strategies never cease to amaze!

The northeastern population of the roseate tern is listed as endangered. Credit: Sarah Nystrom/USFWS

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Meet #ScienceWoman Kris Vagos

In honor of International Migratory Bird Day May 9, we’re sharing #ScienceWoman profiles of biologists who are helping us save our feathered friends! Our #ScienceWoman campaign honors women across the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who are making history in our agency and in conservation. With each #ScienceWoman, we share a photo and a couple questions and answers about her work. Stay tuned for more posts later this week.

Meet #ScienceWoman Kris Vagos, a wildlife biologist at Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. 

Kris went to Boston College for undergrad, where she studied biology and environmental science. She then went on to complete her Master’s Degree in natural resources at the University of New Hampshire.

Kris driving a boat after putting up symbolic fencing for least tern on Menunketesuck Island in Long Island Sound.

Q. How did you get interested in conservation? A. I worked as a Habitat Restoration Intern with the National Park Service in San Francisco. They were turning old Army dumps into coastal dune ecosystems and parking lots into working salt marshes. It was amazing – I wanted to do that.

Q. If you could have one incredible animal adaptation, what would it be? A. Shapeshifting camouflage.

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Meet #ScienceWoman Susi von Oettingen

In honor of International Migratory Bird Day May 9, we’re sharing #ScienceWoman profiles of biologists who are helping us save our feathered friends! Our #ScienceWoman campaign honors women across the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who are making history in our agency and in conservation. With each #ScienceWoman, we share a photo and a couple questions and answers about her work. Stay tuned for more posts later this week.

Meet #ScienceWoman Susi von Oettingen, an endangered species biologist at our New England Field Office. 

Susi studied biology and botany as an undergrad at the College of William and Mary, and studied wildlife management in grad school at the University of Massachusetts. If you can’t find her along the New England coast working with roseate terns, piping plover and northeastern beach tiger beetles, she’s probably counting bats in summer roosts and winter hibernacula. Susi splits her time working with partners to support these and other threatened and endangered species. She assists and consults with federal and state agencies, environmental organizations and private landowners to protect and recover New England’s protected wildlife.

“Mollie Beattie is my ‘official’ female conservation hero, no doubt about it. But I have lots more!” Susi says. “I work with a host of outstanding women biologists in the Northeast Region’s endangered species program and refuges. All of these women are my conservation heroes, too.” (Speaking of endangered species…Check out this interview Susi did with Fox CT on endangered species in the state!)

Susi releasing a piping plover.

Q. What’s your favorite thing about working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? A. I love working with the Service because of the opportunity to meet and work with the most extraordinary people. The dedicated and passionate biologists, landowners and conservation minded citizens with whom I work inspire me to keep plugging away at my job.

Q. If you could have one incredible animal adaptation, what would it be? A. I would love wings like a peregrine falcon so I could soar over wildlife refuges and watch plover chicks hatch and terns feed their young, and observe rare plants while never leaving a mark on the habitat.

Skiing is one of many of Susi’s outdoor hobbies! Photo courtesy of Susi.

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