Volunteers and mentoring have been integral parts of my PhD and Master’s. During my Master’s research at Central Michigan University, I processed and analyzed over 3,000 juvenile (age-0 and age-1) otoliths. I heavily relied on a small army of over 30 undergraduate volunteers to assist in the prep work. During my PhD at Michigan State, I also sought out volunteers to help in the lab as needed. I found that time spent with both my hired technicians and volunteers offered excellent opportunities to be a mentor as so many have been for me. 

Field work in the White Mountain Rec Area was going to be a single day, rather comprehensive survey of Nome Creek. There was a lot to do and was estimated to be a 15 hour work day. There were only three of us. A fourth person really would help everything go smoothly. Time to ask for a volunteer. Coincidentally, one of my MSU technicians was now living in Fairbanks. I reached out to see if he was available and the timing was perfect, he could assist in the field all day. Excellent! 

I flew up to Fairbanks early in the morning and would catch a return flight that night. It would be a long day, but good friends in the field would make all the difference. More than that, it would bring a sense of familiarity to a new place. We had worked together collecting fish in streams in Michigan and he was an excellent technician, both in the lab and in the field. By this time, we knew how each other worked. I had only used these survey techniques in training and had yet to collect the data on my own. Being a fish biologist, I have obviously focused on fish but have had less experience in habitat work. Fortunately, a mentor would be there to help me get the technology up and running, then we would divide and conquer. 

We collected data for the entire reach, saw a few Grayling, and met a feathered friend. We didn’t break for lunch until the work was completed. During our very late lunch, a Gray Jay inched closer and closer. First on the side of the truck bed, eagerly listening to our conversation while scoping out our food. Then switching to the top of the opened truck door. Then the nearby brush. The curious little Jay nearly grabbed food out of my hand. 

It was great to reconnect and have a familiar friend as a volunteer out in the field, so far from where we met.

After a very long day, it was time to head back home.