Jennifer Strotman - Women in Science

We value and celebrate our staff for their dedication to conservation and commitment to serving the American public.

 

Meet fish and wildlife biologist Jennifer Strotman, and learn about her overcoming challenges to get to where she is today. #womeninscience

 

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My name is Jennifer Strotman, and I'm a fish and wildlife biologist for the Ventura Fish and Wildlife office.

 

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It took me a long time just to find my little place in the science world, because I just didn't have the

 

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confidence to pursue science, but after the military I had to rethink

 

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my career path. So I really got excited about ecosystems,

 

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and the environment and all the different ways that humans

 

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and animals interact, and the plants that are involved.

 

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So the biodiversity was really important to me. It took me, until I was in my early twenties to realized I had

 

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the capability of going into the science field. It doesn't happen for everybody when their four,

 

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or ten or fifteen. It happen to me when I

 

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was twenty-one years old, injured out of the army and having to rethink my entire life plan.

 

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So sometimes it takes a while, but you always kinda default

 

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to that one thing. And the one true linear thing in my life has always been animals, and the outside.

 

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So I was like, what thing combines those two things what I love the absolute most?

 

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And that was biology. I couldn't be where I am today without solid mentors,

 

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being brave,

 

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And, being socially awkward and jumping out and

 

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asking someone to please help me. And not only to overcome my shyness

 

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but also to overcome dyslexia, and to embrace it and let it work to my advantage.

 

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This is Poppy my service dog and she goes to work with me every day .

 

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Poppy's favorite things are being silly.

 

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Going on hikes, playing with her kitty sisters., and playing with all her friends.

Done