Hello! I’m Sienna Krulis and am so excited to be a Summer 2022 intern at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge! I am originally from Lutz, Florida. I grew up catching anoles and flipping rocks to see what had been hiding underneath. Science was always one of my favorite subjects in grade school; however, I was also interested in most subjects (aside from math!), so I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to study in college.

I recently graduated in Spring ‘22 with a B.S in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Conservation Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies from UCF, so it looks like Biology was the right choice for me! As a first-generation college student, I had no idea what to expect when I first arrived at UCF, so I got involved at every opportunity. I led a mentoring program for women in STEM, served as president of the Knights for Wildlife Conservation, and volunteered for multiple undergraduate research projects. I discovered that I loved fieldwork through several fieldwork trips around the Indian River Lagoon, which led me to search for field positions such as this internship for my immediate post-graduation plans.

I am incredibly excited to learn more about Red-Cockaded Woodpecker conservation during my summer with St. Marks NWR! I didn’t grow up with a strong background in birds, so I am eager to get hands-on experience with avians. I’ve already had the pleasure of climbing longleaf pines to retrieve chicks and band them. My goal for the future is to get a taste of different conservation efforts working seasonal positions around the country before pursuing graduate school. In my free time I enjoy hiking, going out with friends, and eating good food. I’m thankful to be at St. Marks and am looking forward to the rest of my summer here.