Yellowstone was the first national park ever created anywhere in the world, with a history spanning more than 150 years. And although it remains one of the least human-altered landscapes in the United States, the impacts of climate change are already becoming visible across this iconic conservation area. EPI students learn about this impacts through participatory science while collecting data for ongoing research

At just 23 years old, Maeve Cain has lived a lot, and in a lot of places. In that journey, she has taught in Yellowstone, instructed ski lessons in Idaho, and now works as a science educator in one of the most diverse national parks in the world: Olympic National Park in Washington. And we're proud to say that EPI has been part of that path.

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