Last month, WTI road ecologists Marcel Huijser and Mat Bell participated in Montana State University’s (MSU) inaugural Undergraduate Research Fair, where they introduced students to WTI and research opportunities within the road ecology group. They hope that it will inspire students to bring their energy and creativity to collaborative WTI projects. “At WTI, undergraduate researchers can help us address real-world problems, they can be part of the solution, and we can help them acquire the knowledge that the world needs today.” said Marcel.

MSU estimates that 200 students attended the fair, which included displays from 35 research disciplines at the university. Students were able to visit tables at their leisure and speak with staff about research that interested them. Mat noted that there was immediate interest in the WTI road ecology table, “Students stopped early on because they saw the wildlife crossing model, but they stayed for a long time once we started chatting. I was impressed with the level of engagement we got, and I bet we’ll see some of these students at WTI in the future.”

WTI has had great success working with students as both researchers and employees. Some enjoyed it so much they became full-time staff members. “My experience as a student researcher allowed me to explore numerous transportation topics, from access to public lands to safety of vulnerable road users,” reminisced Karalyn Clouser, who started at WTI as a student researcher nearly 15 years ago and is now a research associate leading her own projects. “Each day was a new experience, and I liked my job so much I stayed on post-graduation. My coworkers at WTI have provided wonderful mentorship which has supported me through graduate school and in my professional career.”