Impact On Interns
In addition to training thousands of volunteer community scientists, the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s internship program has offered young biologists immersive, hands-on experience in field research and community science. The following quotes from graduates of GGRO’s internship and fellowship describe the transformative impact of the internship program through its 35+ year history.
GGRO’s internship program has shaped the careers and perspectives of young scientists for 35+ years:
Quotes from past interns:
“I will need a whole book to explain what I have gained from the GGRO. Understanding the value and impact of community science, learning how to engage with a diverse group of volunteers and the public, being inspired to work towards ecosystem science and conservation, getting the experience of seeing and contributing to a long-term dataset, and so much more are all included in the long, long list of what I gained from my GGRO intern experience. And all those concepts have, and do, play a role in my ongoing career and life.”
— 2006 Intern
“GGRO solidified my love for birds, nature, and science. Additionally, GGRO taught me valuable skills in dealing with a diverse set of people. There were many volunteers with differing personalities, cultures, and political beliefs that I encountered on a regular basis. It challenged me to be open and understanding of different backgrounds.”
— 2013 Intern
“I feel more strongly about being a graduate of the GGRO internship than my alma mater—GGRO guided me through the fundamentals, allowed me to grow, and prepared me for the future in this field better than any academic program ever could.”
— 2019 Intern
“It’s hard to really describe when a job fully touches your heart. Yes, you will learn fully how to responsibly band and identify migrating raptors. But also, you will come to truly admire raptors and the ecosystems in which they exist, to understand the value of community-supported conservation (as well as the structure required to build a reliably skilled and engaged volunteer force), and to see yourself as a capable and equipped environmental steward (provided through training to not only perform the work, but to lead others in the same effort).“
— 2012 Intern
“My GGRO experience was the catalyst for my whole career. Doing research through the lens of citizen science shaped my view of what it means to do science, the importance of public engagement with science, and the many challenges and rewards of combining outreach, education and research. The GGRO set me on a path directly resulting in my career as a science communicator, educator and outreach professional. “
— 1999 Intern
“To be able to learn both hawkwatching and raptor banding simultaneously allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of raptor biology that I might not have achieved elsewhere. Watching a hawk soar over Hawk Hill and holding one of the same species in my hand to band it were much different experiences that offered unique lessons about the raptors that migrate through the Marin Headlands each year.”
— 2019 Intern
“The GGRO taught me to understand and appreciate working with people from diverse backgrounds, who have a passion for their work, and may be able to teach me to see the world in important new ways.”
— 2006 Intern
“I do not say this lightly, but my GGRO experience was literally life-changing. I was an office temp at a large investment bank, caught up in the urban-slacker lifestyle before my internship. Since then I’ve lived in remote field stations on three continents, studied numerous endangered species, co-written papers, and generally had a wide-ranging, eye-opening, deep-dive into the natural world—a door opened by trapping hawks at the GGRO.“
— 2009 Intern
“The GGRO was the most positive workplace I have been in. Not because it was 100% perfect, but because the people in leadership (Allen, Buzz) were so thoughtful and responsive.”
— 2010
“I have never met a group of people so invested, dedicated, and enamored with what they do. The staff at GGRO is truly top notch and their enthusiasm and love for birds of prey is palpable in everything they do. Additionally, the volunteers work so hard for this organization and bring so much passion to the field.”
— 2017
“I could also go on and on forever about all of the wonderful, smart, and kind people I got to work with at the GGRO, from staff and co-interns to the many, many volunteers. It was at the time, and remains to this day, the best job I have ever had.”
— 2018
“GGRO is actively training the next generation of biologists to conduct safe and ethical field work. Losing the GGRO internship would be a huge loss to this community as a whole and it would be a great disservice to deprive the community of Teresa and Allen as mentors.”
— 2017
“I also remember feeling very cared for, very valued—the internship was appropriately challenging, but it wasn’t thankless. A master class in how to build community values around conservation and how to integrate respect and gratitude into academic research.”
— 2012
“The passion, knowledge, and support of so many GGROers (employees and volunteers alike) over the years has sculpted my life as a professional. Plus…it opened the doors for that to even be an option. I am eternally grateful.”
— 2021
GGRO’s internship program has an excellent reputation in the ornitological community:
“Potential employers see that I was an intern at GGRO and are immediately interested in my application because they know that GGRO trains incredible raptor biologists and ecologists. The next generation of raptor scientists needs to have the opportunity to experience and take advantage of the resources, skills, and connections that this organization has to offer.”
— 2017
“This organization has a reputation in the raptor community as one of the absolute best training opportunities you can get if you want to be a raptor scientist. I have implemented everything I learned at GGRO in EVERY aspect of my life- professional or otherwise.
The technical skills I learned are innumerable. They have opened so many doors to a variety of positions in field work. Many of the interviewers I’ve spoken with say ‘wow a GGRO intern. They do a great job with their interns.’ It sets me above other applicants to say I was an intern at GGRO.“
— 2016 Intern
“GGRO’s internship is designed with newcomers in mind – which is not the case at the vast majority of raptor research operations. And none are anywhere as robust as GGRO: the opportunity to practice hawkwatching, banding, and education outreach during the course of an 8-month internship is completely unique in this field. It allows interns to diversify their skills before applying for highly-competitive field technician positions. Accordingly, GGRO’s interns graduate with a reputation that precedes them: well-rounded, adaptable, highly capable, and primed to rise to the challenges ahead.”
— 2019 Intern
“Although I learned so much about raptors and raptor trapping at GGRO, I also learned how to work with a very diverse group of volunteers, to be curious about the unique experiences of others, and about the power of a shared passion in the natural world.”
— 2017
“Science is often too siloed in universities, without reaching out to the communities where our research might matter most. This isolation can lead to a lack of buy-in from that community. Showing an intern the care, rigor, dedication, and experience that the public can bring to science may be one of the most powerful ways to destroy the ivory tower and push back against the rabid anti-science sentiment pervading so much of the public discourse.
Simply put, without the skills, knowledge and support from GGRO my career would have not unfolded as it did. I cannot put into words how instrumental that experience was in my career.”
— 2020
“The GGRO internship is one of the only hands-on internships specifically focused on raptors in North America that allows in people from all backgrounds. Other internships are exclusive to people who have previous hands-on experience with birds of prey, which means going to a specific set of Universities or programs as an undergraduate student. The GGRO opened the raptor research field to more people, made it more diverse. In the program it didn’t matter what experience you had coming in, just that you were a dedicated, responsible person who wanted to learn. With the robust volunteer program, and the extensive training for banders and hawkwatchers, interns could learn everything they needed and come out to the program fully trained. The training received at the GGRO was robust, covered a wide variety of areas, and focused on the safety of the birds, the importance of data collected to conservation, and the safety of the researcher working with the birds. ”
— 2006 Intern