Adam Duerr

I think some of the best times that I’ve had have been interacting with wildlife graduate students at WVU. I helped teach a class that focused on mark-recapture analyses, which allowed the students to analyze data and apply them directly to their thesis or dissertation research.

 

Other best times for me are interacting with wildlife managers to learn what information they need to manage wildlife populations and designing research to get them that information.

I’m re-learning how important it is to be outside. As a research biologist, you progress to a point where you’re overqualified to do a bunch of stuff. My job, mostly what I get paid for, is data analysis. So I live in front of the computer. More recently, I’ve been taking my two daughters fishing and getting outside with them. It is reinvigorating. I’m trying to do more field work as well. Most of the stuff that we do is working with telemetry. Field work only involves capturing the birds, but the more often I get out in the field to see where birds may be causing damage or where eagles are, the more I am reminded how important it is to have that connection with nature so you can really better understand what’s going on and get a better feel for what the animals and the people that interact with them are experiencing. 

If you won a billion dollars, what would you do with the money?

First, I’d make sure that those in my family were taken care of. I’d make sure my daughters are set up for what they need in their lives. It would let them fulfill their dreams, but that’s only a portion of a billion dollars. I think the other big piece would be to figure out how to fund changes in our society. There are social justice issues that we have been facing in this country that need a lot more focus. Black Lives Matter clearly illustrates that BIPOC are not treated equally as white people. This extends to access to resources, such as COVID treatment and vaccines. BIPOC are also disproportionally affected by climate change.