Member Spotlight: Jamie Ellis, Mobile Baykeeper AmeriCorps Program Member

Meet Jamie Ellis, AmeriCorps Patrol Member, currently serving with the Mobile Baykeeper organization, in the Mobile Baykeeper AmeriCorps program.

1. What motivated you to join AmeriCorps? I was motivated to join AmeriCorps because I wanted to continue gaining experience in the environmental sciences. After my first AmeriCorps year at Mobile Baykeeper, I wanted to continue the amazing work conducted by the patrol team.

2. What would you like to get out of this service opportunity? I would like to gain more professional experience and be more involved in the effort to provide educational resources/tools to the local community about the importance of water quality. I would like to also gain more knowledge in program coordination and science communications throughout my next year.

3. What will your service focus on for the 2019-20 program year? Over this program year, my service will focus on environmental issues within the community including stormwater, sewer, and industrial pollution. This is also while focusing on understanding state and federal regulations and gaining more skills in field sampling techniques.

4. What are your plans after AmeriCorps? My current plan is to become a part of GeoCorps to work within the national parks as an astronomy or natural resources assistant. Later, I will be applying to graduate schools that offer a Masters in Astrophysical/ Planetary Sciences so that one day I can be a part of future missions of geological discoveries on Mars and other viable planets within our galaxy.

Thank you for your service, Jamie!