College of Western Idaho (CWI) student, Zackery Szymczycha, and 2016 graduate, Leticia Camacho, presented their undergraduate research Monday, April 15, during the annual Undergraduate Research Conference at Boise State University. Szymczycha and Camacho collected, compiled, and analyzed raptor conservation data at The World Center for Birds of Prey as part of the The Peregrine Fund’s Global Raptor Impact Network (GRIN). Their research was part of Boise State’s Vertically Integrated Projects which provides students the opportunity to work under the mentorship of professional researchers while gaining invaluable hands-on experience.
“Internships like this are a tremendous opportunity for our students to apply scientific concepts they’ve learned in the class to real-world conservation issues,” commented Associate Professor of Biology, Dusty Perkins. “Students also develop critical science and communication skills while gaining experience of how collaborative research actually works.”