Melissa Merrick Leads Wildlife Conservation Course

In partnership with the Institute of the Environment's Carson Scholars Program and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arizona (OLLI-UA), 2012 Carson Scholar Melissa Merrick and graduate students in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment's Wildlife Conservation and Management program have developed a course to bring current graduate research and relevant wildlife conservation and management topics to a wide audience at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's Green Valley campus.  “Wild Arizona: current wildlife conservation issues and research at the University of Arizona” focuses on conservation issues of concern for Arizona wildlife and how these challenges are approached via ecological theory, question-oriented research, and innovative tools and methodology, highlighting current research in Wildlife Conservation and Management at the U of A and beyond.  This opportunity connects SNRE graduate researchers and alumni to highly interested and involved learners from around the country, allowing students to engage the public in broadly appealing topics while simultaneously developing their outreach skills. Now in our second semester with 25 students enrolled, "Wild Arizona" has received praise and positive feedback by current and past enrollees and has been an extremely rewarding experience for all who have participated.  We hope to perpetuate this outreach into the future and are currently planning for Fall 2016.

OLLI-UA (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arizona) is a non-credit lifelong learning program open to all adults over the age of 50. We are membership driven and have four locations serving Greater Tucson and Southern Arizona. OLLI-UA is an Affiliate of UA through the Continuing and Professional Education department.