CFANS Students come together for Women in Natural Resource Sciences Career Panel

On a snowy night in January, over 80 students, faculty, staff and friends of CFANS gathered for the first “Women in Natural Resource Sciences Career Panel.” Planned entirely by students from four different CFANS student groups, the event was organized to illuminate stories of female professionals in natural resource related fields and to highlight women’s perspectives on what it’s like to work in these historically male-dominated fields. The panelists included Kathryn Fernholz, President and CEO of Dovetail Partners Inc.; Angela Grill, Wildlife Biologist at Three Rivers Park District; Krista Jensen, Lead Naturalist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Fort Snelling State Park; Gail Nozal, Assistant District Manager at S&S Tree, a Davey Company; and Lark Weller, Community Planner and Employee Engagement Coordinator for the National Park Service. 

In the moderated discussion that lasted nearly two hours, panelists covered many topics, sharing both professional and personal stories. Key messages they emphasized were the importance of allyship, self-care, networking, good communication skills, and membership in professional organizations. When panelists were asked about common challenges faced in their professions, they talked about being the only women in their teams. Kathryn Fernholz commented on the ongoing misperceptions of what a natural resource practitioner should look like. “You don’t look like a forester,” Fernholz said, quoting someone’s response at learning of her career field. Panelists also spoke of the successes they’ve enjoyed. When she first started at S&S Tree, Gail Nozal was the only female arborist at her company, and now her site employs the largest number of female arborists out of 110 Davey Company sites across the country. “I count that as a success,” said Nozal.

Panelists emphasized that one’s dream job likely won’t materialize right after graduation. They encouraged everyone to be patient, be open to new experiences and surround themselves with good people. A CFANS student who attended the event commented that she “appreciated how the panelists took jobs at the edge of their comfort zone.” Not every job will be within the same career area, but it can provide valuable learning experiences and a chance to hone new skills that will be helpful later on in one’s career.

When asked why she agreed to be a panelist, Angela Grill said that “there’s power behind this [discussion]; there’s people who need to hear this, not just in wildlife, but in all of natural resources.” She noted that when she was in college, she didn’t have female mentors to look up to. “It is important that current students know that there are female mentors available to help them.”

The career panel was planned jointly by the Fisheries and Wildlife Club, Forestry Club, Society of American Foresters Student Chapter, and Women in Natural Resource Sciences.