Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: California State University, Fullerton

Title of entry: Safe Passage for California Condors

About this entry: Jennifer Ibarra ’20 (B.S. biological science), a Cal State Fullerton alumna, tracks and studies California Condors at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Maricopa, California. As a field technician, Ibarra’s work with radio telemetry focuses on condor preservation in Southern California. Her work is critical in relation to current climate change and fluctuating ecological environments. Mentoring the next generation of scientists, Ibarra invited a CSUF biological science class to visit the refuge and gain a firsthand look at the work she does. A university writer and photographer accompanied the class, taught by 2021 Outstanding Professor William “Bill” Hoese, to Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge to capture Ibarra’s work through digital content and field interviews. The story demonstrates how the university provides current students with hands-on field experiences and mentorship to help prepare them for successful careers in environmental biology and research. Students in the class were inspired by Ibarra’s story of overcoming self-doubt as an undergraduate researcher to pursue a career she is passionate about — preserving and protecting critically endangered species like the California Condor.