Laura Koehn
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What they do:
- Laura is currently entering biological data and working on small research projects for a professor in the UW Biology Department. The professor, Dr. Dee Boersma, has been collecting data and doing research on Magellanic penguins in Argentina for the past 30 years. She also recently spent two months in Argentina for Dr. Boersma. The focus of the lab's research centers around penguin conservation and behavior.
Math on the job:
- Laura uses a lot of statistical techniques such as linear regressions and ANOVA's to analyze data collected from the field. She also works with a lot of computer programming, computer languages, and statistical software.
Student's background:
- Laura received a Bachelor of Science with a double major in ACMS and Biology from the University of Washington, Spring 2011.
- Laura had a strong interest in the conservation of wildlife and
ecosystems but was unsure how she could contribute to this field. She
then discovered the ACMS major and chose to advance her knowledge of
applied mathematics so that she could use those skills towards the
conservation of animals and wildlife.
- Laura currently uses this knowledge in her job, but hopes to attend graduate school in the near future to continue her education of applied mathematics.
Advice for students:
- Get involved in undergraduate research. Research will help you determine things about what you want to do with your life and help you start to make connections with professors in the field to open up opportunities for you in the future.