MatthewArmstrong

931HogwartsCircle,Petaluma,CA94954
marms.strong@gmail.com
7073648263
Objective
ToobtainafulltimepositionasCitizenScienceCoordinatorandWildlifeBiologistatNatural
HistoryMuseumofLosAngelesCounty

Summary
Iamawellroundedbiologistwithoversixyearsofexperienceinworkingwithanimalsand
visitors,andmyenthusiasmforworkandfluencyinSpanishmakemeavaluableassettoany
organisation.

Experience
CaliforniaAcademyofSciences2012topresent
AssociateCurator,OrnithologyandMammalogy

CaliforniaDepartmentofFishandWildlife2010to2012
EnvironmentalScientist

SanFranciscoZooandGardens2005,2006,2007
SummerProgramVolunteer

Education
UniversityofCalifornia,Davis2010
MasterofScience:Wildlife,Fish,andConservationBiology

UniversityofCalifornia,Davis2008
BachelorofScience:Wildlife,Fish,andConservationBiology;MinorinSpanish
Skills

Skilledinconductingfieldresearch
Capableinhandlinganimals
Abletoworkwithvisitorsofallagesandbackgrounds
FluentinSpanish
ProficientinWord,PowerPoint,andExcel

References
JackDumbacher
CuratorofOrnithologyandMammalogy
JDumbacher@calacademy.org
4153795377

LarryWyckoff
SeniorWildlifeBiologist
Larry.Wyckoff@wildlife.ca.gov
7079445500

DanielleHuddlestun
UndergraduateStudentAdvisor
wfcbadvising@ucdavis.edu

5307549796

MatthewArmstrong
Ms.Gardner
English10H,4
1March2016
Reflection
Through researching potential jobs in the field of Biology, I learned a lot about boththe
career and myself. Before starting this research, I had not put much thought into my potential
career, and only knewthatIwantedtoworkinthefieldofBiology.Byresearchingthisfieldand
thejobswithinit,IdiscoveredjustwhatIamlookingforinapotentialcareer.
When children are asked what they want to do when they grow up, they often answer
with a very specific career, and often one that they will forget about and discard as they grow
older and realize that it was not their dream. I had many ideas of potential careers that I had to
realize were not my dream. My experience as an excellent student in Middle School made me
feel pressured to seek out a lucrative career, so for a while Ithought Iwantedtobeanengineer.
It wasnt until I was already in High School that I realized what my dream of a career actually
was. I grew up surrounded by animals, and Ive always been fascinated by nature. As a kid I
often read
Zoo Books and watched nature documentaries. I realized that Biology was my true
passion,andthatmydreamcareerwouldhavetoinvolvethatpassion.
For a dream to be real, it must be constantly worked towards. Idecidedtoworktowards
my dream of a career inBiologybypursuingavolunteeropportunityattheSanFranciscoZoo.I
accomplished that goal, and last summer I volunteered for hundreds of hours educating visitors
and working with animals at the zoo.Thisreinforcedmypassionofworkingwithanimals,butit

also showed me that I have another passion for education. I enjoyed teaching visitors about the
various zoo animals and seeing them have the same fascination that I did as a child watching
documentaries. After this opportunity, I knew that whatevermypotentialcareerwas,Iwantedit
toincludeeducation.
As I researched careers in Biology that included some form of education, I found that
there were more than I previously thought. I realized I would not have to become a teacher to
satisfy my passion for education. However, I did seek the advice of a teacher, in this case a
graduate instructor, to learn about field work and education, the two aspects of Biology I am
interested in. I contacted Ben Eisenkop, an ecosystem ecologistwithyearsofexperienceinboth
field work and education. He helps teach at Binghamton University in New York, where he
received his Masters Degree in Biological Sciences and is currently a doctoral candidate. I
asked Eisenkop about his experience in the field and in the classroomaswellashisthoughtson
the importance of Biologists. His response helped me realize how I could not only incorporate
my interests of education and working hands on with animals into a single career but also into
making the world a better place. As species dwindle and climate change threatens the planet,
more and more dedicated individuals areneededtosavethe environmentand teachpeopleabout
theimportanceofnature.IbelieveIcanbeoneofthoseindividuals.