Pat Polzin on the Goby Round-Up/Carp Corral June 12-16, 2006. -FWS photo

Pat Polzin holding a soft-shell turtle on the Illinois River during the Annual Goby Round-up/Carp Corral June 12-16, 2006. -- FWS photo

The La Crosse Fishery Resource Center (Onalaska, WI) welcomes a new summer intern Patricia Polzin. Polzin takes part in the Conservation Career Diversity Intern Program through the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO).

ECO and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have a cooperative agreement to provide opportunities for students and recent graduates to experience environmental conservation, particularly for those from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Since Polzin was young, she was inspired by knowing about life and its wonders. Her intention was always to work in or with nature. That is why Patricia interned last summer at the Creston FWS in Montana as an ECO intern. Part of her job as a ‘Bull Trout Ranger’ was to conduct a creel survey to determine whether anglers’ can identify native from non-native game fish.

Her other duties include helping a field survey crew in field sampling, electrofishing and gillnetting. She also took care of, fed, and released fish from the hatchery. This summer, Patricia will be helping La Crosse FRO with Asian carp invasive fish management, refuge and reservation fish surveys, vegetation surveys, and the conservation of endangered species.

Before Polzin came to La Crosse, she studied Marine Biology at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) where she graduated with a BS in June 2006. She grew up in Munich (Germany), but also has U.S. citizenship.

In her spare time, Polzin enjoys traveling, working with children, and outdoor activities such as rafting and jet-skiing. Her career goals are to accumulate more professional work experience before gaining a Masters Degree in wildlife management and conservation.  Polzin’s personal goal is to use her experience and passion for the environment as an employee of the Service or any other environmental organization to conserve the intrinsic value of nature.