McCreless, Erin

Erin is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. She is broadly interested in environmental conservation, and her thesis focuses on prioritizing conservation investments on oceanic islands to prevent the extinction of rare, highly threatened island species. Upon finishing her degree, Erin may pursue an academic career or may decide work in the non-profit conservation sector. Regardless of her ultimate career path, she recognizes the importance of educating students and the public about ecology and the environment, and plans to make education a central part of her career. Erin has participated in numerous inquiry-based ecology activities as both a student and an instructor, and plans to incorporate the knowledge and skills she gained in the PDP in her future teaching endeavors.