Environmental Sciences: The Heidi Albright Interview

One of the best sources of information about different majors on campus is other students. Heidi R. Albright graduated from UVM in the spring of 1999 as an Arts and Sciences Environmental Sciences major. Heidi graduated Magna Cum Lauda, with a 3.85 grade point average, and was awarded the Biology Department's John Wheeler Award for Chemical Ecology. Heidi answered my questions about the Environmental Sciences major a few weeks after her graduation.

Nicholas J. Gotelli
Co-director, Environmental Sciences.

NJG: Why did you choose the Environmental Sciences Major in the College of Arts and Science?
HRA: I chose it because UVM doesn't offer a straight 'ecology major' except for Terrestrial Ecology in the School of Natural Resources (SNR). The Environmental Sciences major appealed to me because I had the freedom to choose more ecology classes. It seemed to be more flexible and interesting than some of the other 'classic' majors on campus.

NJG: Did you consider any universities other than UVM?
HRA: I am a native Vermonter, and grew up in Guilford, a small town south of Brattleboro. I applied to several other schools and was accepted, but UVM was the cheapest option for me as an in-stater.

NJG: What are your career goals now that you have graduated?
HRA: That's a big question! I would like to pursue a PhD in ecology, probably studying plant-animal interactions. I am also considering getting an MS in education and teaching biology at the high school level. I was a bit disappointed with my some of my high school biology, and I would like the chance to teach biology to high school students in a more inspiring way.

NJG: Were there any notable courses that were important to you in this major?
HRA: Dr. Gotelli's Environmental Biology (Biology 102) and Community Ecology (Biology 264) were very important, as were my statistics courses (Statistics 141 and 211). Even though I studied plant-animal interactions for my thesis, I never actually got to take Dr. Brody's course on this topic because it always conflicted with my other courses. I'd probably have to throw chemistry in there as an important course, and I took a number of geology courses that helped me to understand vegetation patterns.

NJG: Were there any notable non-science courses you took at UVM?
HRA: Eastern Philosophy (Philosophy 3) and Asian Traditions (Religion 21) were both important to me because of my personal interest in eastern religions. Expository writing (English 50) was also great, and all of the art classes I managed to get into were pretty inspirational.

NJG: What were the pluses and minuses of having such a flexible major?
HRA: The pluses were that I loved every class I took. The minuses were it was sometimes hard to choose! In retrospect, I wish I had been able to take a class in plant physiology, but it never seemed to work with my schedule.

NJG: The independent project is an important part of the Environmental Sciences major. What was your project?
HRA: I studied with Dr. Alison Brody the ecotypic resistance of mustard plants to infestation by spider mites. The project turned out pretty well, as I was able to find several ecotypes that showed differing levels of resistance.

NJG: How did you get started on this project?
HRA: As a freshman, I took Biology 1 and did well. In Biology 2, they offered a Research Studies program. If you got an A or an A+ in Biology 1, you could do a whole semester independent project in lieu of the regular labs. At that time, Dr. Brody was the director of the program. She interviewed me, and after we talked I hooked into the project. Doing that project was the single most important decision I made in college. It led to summer employment with Dr. Brody in Colorado and three additional years of study that culminated in my thesis work for college honors.

NJG: How can the College of Arts and Sciences improve its Environmental Sciences major?
HRA: Add a core course for the major and improve the advertising. I had no idea the major even existed until I heard about it from my advisor.

NJG: Did you take any time off after school? If so, what did you do?
HRA: I took 4 years off after high school. I moved to Maine, where I worked to save money, which I spent on traveling to Guatemala, where I volunteered in a hospital for disabled children. I also volunteered for a field biology crew in Belize that was studying metabolic requirements of migratory birds. I then lived on a commune for a year, trained to be a whitewater rafting guide in Maine, bicycled from Richmond Virginia to Key West Florida, and also took a shorter bike trip through the Adirondack and Green Mountains. So, I managed to do a lot of interesting things between the end of high school and the start of college.

NJG:What are your hobbies and interests outside of school?
HRA: My main interest outside of school is Aikido, which I study and practice intensively. I train at Aikido of Champlain Valley in Winooski, where I also assist in teaching classes. I also enjoy bike touring, mountain-biking, fishing, and gardening.

NJG: Many students are worried about their job choices after graduation, and some have opted for degrees in engineering, medicine, and computer sciences for this reason. Did you consider these sorts of issues as you went through school?
HRA: No, I really came to college to learn about something that I love, not to make money later in life, although I may regret that later on! I wanted to learn about something that really interested me and that I had a passion for.

NJG: What advice do you have for new undergraduates considering a major in environmental science?
HRA: Get out there and meet your professors. Get interested in research, and make connections with other faculty and students. Also, pay attention and do well in your classes.

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