Hi everyone! I’m Stephanie Wong and I am super excited to start interning for PDXWildlife in Ya’an, China, probably more excited than when pokemon go came out! I graduated from SUNY ESF last year with a degree in Wildlife Science. Before going to college in New York, I grew up in Hong Kong. I always loved animals and wanted to work with them as a career. Like most people in our field, I am extremely taken with mammals, and I consider it a dream to be able to work with them in a project. And that came true by interning with PDX Wildlife!

I mostly worked with birds before joining this internship. I was part of projects studying loons and falcons in Michigan, managed ducks and gulls in New York reservoirs, and studied sage grouse in California.

I never got to visit China for more than a few days in the past, let alone participate in a Chinese wildlife project. When I saw the posting for PDX internship in China, it felt like a lumbering, black and white sign to me. As a biologist that grew in Hong Kong, I feel immense pride researching China’s national treasure. Working with Giant Pandas is such a special and rare opportunity that I simply cannot pass up. I believe this project will give me invaluable animal research experience, which can only make me a better scientist. It is also a chance to collaborate with international researcher. I can’t wait and begin another new chapter in my career!

We’re excited to have you, Stephanie. See you in a few days!