Breaking into conservation isn’t easy, especially in western Montana. But the scientific skills Whitney Wyche built in different EPI courses, alongside students just like her, gave her a solid foundation to get started. Today she works for the Land Trust of Napa County in California, mapping rare plants, checking wildlife cameras, and removing invasive species, among other tasks. Read her story to see how she got there.

Around the time I got my first Instagram I also went on my first EPI trip. My nerves surrounding EPI’s unplugged policy had less to do with being offline and more to do with being disconnected from my parents. 12 years later I went on my first EPI course as an adult and employee. Although adults don’t have to go unplugged on EPI courses , I decided to go as unplugged as possible. I wanted to challenge myself to feel as connected to the student experience as possible. Here is

For the past three years, Joe has closely observed the flowering process of a serviceberry tree (Amelanchier alnifolia) outside his office. As he explained during the webinar, something as simple as watching leaves and flowers emerge in early spring can be a powerful way to do climate science.

Citizen science is rewriting what we know about Yellowstone’s wildlife. Two groundbreaking studies—powered by data collected by students and volunteers—reveal that bison are ecosystem engineers and that large herbivores defy the old grazer-browser labels. From DNA metabarcoding of scat to tracking bison herds, these discoveries show how community-driven science is transforming conservation and inspiring the next generation of ecologists—thanks in part to the fieldwork of EPI