Meg Warburton, School Programs Specialist at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, was recently awarded a RIEEA Professional Development Scholarship. We asked Meg about her experience and here’s what she told us:
I want to extend so much appreciation to RIEEA for providing me with a professional development stipend that allowed me to attend my first Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conference! The conference was an amazing experience that left me excited and inspired with a new network of colleagues to collaborate with. Most of the panels that I attended focused on the importance of community in conservation and provided extremely valuable insight in how to best show up and work with and not for our audiences. I also spent time learning at talks pertaining to environmental justice and how our organizations can advocate for justice. This in particular is helpful for me as I am the zoo representative at our Environmental Justice Academy programs that take place at both The San Miguel School and The Sophia Academy. I was grateful to hear from experts in the zoo and aquarium field, including RIEEAs very own Ayana Melvan who was an amazing panelist at the environmental justice talk. Thank you again for helping me to participate!
Attending a conference or workshop related to environmental education and want to apply for a scholarship? Learn more here!