MESM 2022
Bio
Alyssa (Broberg) Kibbe graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Ecology. During undergrad, Alyssa studied the parental instincts of California mice. Specifically, she analyzed brain hormone levels and recorded behaviors to determine if mice parents could recognize their offspring. In the summer of 2018, Alyssa completed an animal care and conservation internship at Wolf Park in Battleground, Indiana. Through this experience, Alyssa learned about wolf behavior, animal care and training, and species conservation. These experiences widened Alyssa’s views on conservation from being solely about the organisms to the larger interactions within an ecosystem. Research trips to Madagascar, Washington’s San Juan Islands, and the Galapagos Islands taught Alyssa about the importance of preserving ecosystems in their original state. In Madagascar, she witnessed the gaps of knowledge about conservation and the societal pressures that caused habitat destruction. Contrary, in the Galapagos, she witnessed a country making the preservation of their ecosystems a priority, thus saving species from extinction. At Bren, Alyssa plans to study conservation planning in pursuit of a career in a state conservation department. Alyssa hopes to be able to educate the public through field research and policy on best practices for conserving our natural ecosystems.