Our Students: The College at Brockport

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Our undergraduate students describe SUNY Brockport and the

Environmental Science Program

In their own words, they tell about their experiences at SUNY Brockport.

Bobby Geroux (MS '11)

Attended the American Fisheries Society Annual Conference. In the fall of 2010 I had the opportunity to present part of my graduate research at the 2010 American Fisheries Society (AFS) conference in Pittsburgh, PA. For my research I am comparing lipids and fatty acids (which are critically important to developing fish) in lake trout eggs among the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes. At the conference, I was not only able to share my research to the scientific community, but was able to network with other scientists from a variety of disciplines. The AFS conference was also a great place to meet potential employers, future collaborators and inquire about graduate programs from around the country. Without the support of my advisor, my professors and colleagues here at Brockport this incredible experience would not have been possible.

Edward Wesolowski (BS '10, MS in progress)

Throughout much of my upbringing I was heavily exposed to nature and the outdoors. Frequent camping trips, fishing trips, and hikes comprised my life’s agenda. Consequently, when the time came to pursue higher education I sought a path with which I could study the natural environment.

I began my college education at Finger Lakes Community College as an Environmental Studies major. FLCC provided me with excellent hands-on experience and greatly prepared me for further education. After acquiring my associate’s degree, I wanted to continue my education and pursue a bachelor’s degree. At this point, I had to make a choice between attending The College at Brockport or SUNY ESF. After visiting both schools and talking with some of the faculty, I decided Brockport was the school for me. I liked Brockport’s village environment as opposed to ESF’s deep urban setting, and the faculty at Brockport seemed more appealing to me.

I attended Brockport as an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Aquatic Ecology under the advisement of Dr. Jacques Rinchard. I found Brockport to be a great addition to my education, and I acquired a great deal of knowledge and analytical skills regarding the environment. The curriculum at Brockport was more demanding than at FLCC, but this proved to be beneficial. Most notably, the Environmental Science program greatly enhanced and refined my scientific writing skills. It also helped teach me the practical application of lessons learned.

One of the highlights of my undergraduate career began when I conducted a collaborative research project with Dr. Rinchard in Spring 2010. I conducted an experiment to analyze the effect of different dietary lipids on the growth, survival, and fatty acid profiles in brown trout juveniles. This was a great hands-on experience and helped increase my interest in the subject matter.

I liked working in the lab and conducting research so much that I decided to spend the summer in the Brockport Foundation Summer Research Program. This time around, I conducted an identical experiment using Atlantic salmon juveniles. In addition to conducting my research, I was also given more responsibilities in the aquaculture lab. I spent my summer taking care of fish, conducting chemical analysis, and electro fishing. It was a fantastic experience, and I would recommend the Brockport Foundation Summer Research Program to anyone interested in conducting research and getting practical experience.

In Fall 2010, graduate student, Bobby Geroux, and I attended the 140th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Pittsburgh, PA to present our research experiments. This was an awesome opportunity to explain my research findings to those interested in aquatic science. Furthermore, the experience allowed me to learn about current issues and topics important to the aquatic science community. I was also able to learn about research projects similar to my own, and even discuss such topics with those researchers.

I recently acquired my bachelor’s degree in December 2010, however, I will be returning to Brockport in Summer 2011 to begin pursuing a master’s degree under the advisement of Dr. Jacques Rinchard. My undergraduate experiences at Brockport have left me yearning for more. I want to learn more, and I want to conduct more research projects. A master’s degree will not only enhance my employability, but the experience will also help me to mature as a person. I expect it to be more difficult than my undergraduate experience, but I believe it will be worth it.

Ben Sleeper (BS 2012), Green Intern, ECOS Co-President

I am a Junior Environmental Science major with a concentration in earth science. I am from Alden, NY. This semester I am a “Green Intern” for The College at Brockport. I am working on a variety of environmental sustainability initiatives and events. I am also the president of ECOS, Environmentally Conscious Organization for Society. I enjoy living in upstate New York and am looking forward to working in the environmental sciences.

Kaitlyn Wauhkonen (BS 2011)

My name is Kaitlyn Wauhkonen, a senior majoring in environmental science at Brockport with a dual concentration in aquatic and terrestrial ecology. My anticipated graduation date will be in May 2011. I'm originally from Buffalo, New York but I sure have made Brockport my second home and Lennon Hall as my third. I currently work for Dr. Rinchard in the Aquaculture Lab between Smith and Lennon, which has been great for achieving experience within the department. I was also an intern in the summer of 2010 responsible for all the animal husbandry duties at Hawk Creek Wildlife Center in East Aurora, New York.

As soon as I walked into Lennon in 2007 for orientation, I knew that I loved the building instantly with the fish tank up front to all the displays. Every environmental science professor within the department is so intelligent and helpful which leads to great relationships with their students. This aspect is very welcoming for incoming students and definitely attracted me. For the past three years, I have grown and have learned so much through these professors that it has kept me to pursue a career related to environmental studies. Once I graduate, I hope to attend a graduate school for a program in wildlife conservation. I can’t wait to see where I end up years from now.

Jessica Martin, (BS 2014), Living Learning Community Resident

My name is Jessica Martin. I'm an Honors freshman here at Brockport and a member of the Green House Living and Learning Community. I'm from Buffalo, NY and attended City Honors School in Buffalo. I grew up traveling nationally and internationally, and have been exposed to the many natural wonders in America's National Parks system. I also travelled to Australia and New Zealand when I was 13 with the People to People Student Ambassador Program. I am interested in the natural sciences (environmental science and ecology) mainly because I was taught to appreciate these finite resources, and I seek to share these wonders with others around me while helping them understand that these things should never be taken for grantee. I would like to pursue a career in Conservation Biology or in the humanities to assist in population control and wildlife control. Therefore, I sought out this program to teach me these things and more so that I am prepared to teach others in the present and future about the imperative need to protect and maintain the planet's resources, while reaching and maintaining a decent quality of life for fellow humans in America and in struggling third world countries.

Alisha Mong, (BS 2014)

Hello, my name is Alisha Mong and I live in Webster, New York. I originally grew up in the state of Ohio and graduated from High School there with Honors. I am an only child, but have two cats that I consider to be like my siblings.

I am attending SUNY Brockport to major in Environmental Science, leaning towards the aquatic field of study. The reason I chose this field of study was to learn more about the environment, interact with the surrounding ecosystem, and help it out in any way I can.

Last Updated 11/8/11