Southern Division AFS Conference Student Angles
SECP Communication Committee member Jake Wolff attended the SDAFS conference this February. While at the conference, he took time to interview a handful of students about their experiences in AFS and fisheries sciences more generally. See below each student’s angle!
Stephen O’Brien
Stephen is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. After spending time in Colorado at the Colorado School of Mines, Stephen came back to Chattanooga where he now works for the Southeast Conservation Corps. Stephen’s research interests are broadly aquatic ecology, with emphasis on salmon conservation. The highlight of Stephen’s SDAFS conference was the career and graduate school workshop where he made connections with students and professionals, and was able to get his resume and cover letter checked by leading experts in the field of fisheries science.
River Watson
River is a PhD student at the University of Southern Mississippi, but is originally from rural central Arkansas. River is most interested in the study of how the environment impacts the connectivity of fishes, whether that is recent anthropogenic habitat change driving genetic structuring between populations, or ancestral river patterns dividing once connected species resulting in speciation. She finds passion in linking geological, hydrological, or human driven changes with genetic changes. The highlight of River’s SDAFS conference was catching up with old friends and co-workers that she doesn’t get the chance to see on a regular basis.
Lucas Stevens
Lucas is an undergraduate senior at Texas A&M University and the president of the TAMU subunit of AFS. Lucas has been involved with AFS since the fall of 2020 when he was a freshman at Texas A&M. In the future, Lucas wishes to acquire a stable job in fisheries science, preferably one where he gets to be hands-on with field work on a regular basis. Lucas said that his time in AFS has contributed to the development of the vast majority of his fisheries skills both directly, as well as through the connections he has made with both students and professionals. AFS has also been a major driver in providing him with job opportunities that have even furthered his development as a fisheries professional. Lucas was most excited to network with professionals in the fisheries field at SDAFS, in particular, the student-mentor lunch.
Hayden Roberts
Hayden is a PhD student at Texas A&M University and the Event Coordinator of the TAMU Subunit of AFS. Hayden has been involved with AFS since 2020 when he attend the Texas Chapter AFS conference in Waco, Texas. In the future, Hayden aspires to pursue a career as a federal biologist, in particular the USGS. Through his time in AFS, Hayden has gotten the opportunity to interact closely with professionals in careers that are of interest him. Hayden was most excited for catching up with colleagues of his, and making new connections at the SDAFS conference.