Meet Our FNR Ambassadors

FNR Ambassadors are student volunteers who share their passion for the department and Purdue with visitors to campus. Whether the visit is from a prospective student, alumnus, tour group, or one of the department’s many stakeholders, ambassadors assist in providing visitors with useful information, answering questions about the department’s programs, and showcasing the caring and inclusive atmosphere that is a hallmark of FNR.​

Name: Jadyn Alford
Major: Aquatic Sciences - Marine & Freshwater Biology Concentration
Hometown: Logansport, Indiana
Email: alford15@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: off-campus living, pursuing a minor, undergraduate research

I am a junior and currently work in an aquatic ecology lab that focuses on the Great Lakes. We research different species and aspects of that ecosystem and how they interact with each other. I love FNR and I have met a lot of great friends here. My favorite experience in FNR is learning how to identify different species in our identification classes and then taking that skill into the real world and seeing the species in their natural environment. I hope to go into conservation research or outreach in the future.

Name: Beca Appelmann
Major: Wildlife
Minors: Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Forest Ecosystems
Hometown: Felicity, Ohio
Email: rappelma@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Non-traditional student experiences, undergraduate research, The Wildlife Society, hunting working group, off-campus housing, college employment, undergraduate research

A key aspect of my journey is being a non-traditional student, having started college later in life and also transferring to Purdue from a community college. I am currently in my junior year, conducting research on soil and water conservation while working part-time with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services. I am the hunting working group leader for The Wildlife Society. The highlight of my academic experience has been studying wildlife and discovering practical ways to support meaningful conservation efforts. I look forward to engaging in more wildlife-focused research during my time at Purdue and plan to pursue graduate studies to amplify my contributions to the field. Outside of academics, I enjoy spending time with my horses, cats, and a dog that I am currently training for detection work after my graduation.

Name: Liam Doski
Major: Wildlife
Minor: Aquatic Sciences
Hometown: Smithtown, New York
Email: ldoski@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: working in zoos, Purdue sports/campus life, exotic animals, environmental education, study tips, “The Nature of Wild Things” learning community, Summer Practicum

I am a junior and joined FNR as a non-traditional student after transferring to Purdue from an outside college. I previously was a criminal justice major before becoming a Wildlife major. I am currently serving as the secretary in both AFS and STUCO and am an active member of The Wildlife Society. One of my favorite experiences in FNR came from the final week of summer practicum when we were collecting and identifying various macroinvertebrate species.

Name: Noah Haas
Major: Aquatic Sciences - Fisheries Concentration
Hometown: Osceola, Indiana
Email: haas53@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: American Fisheries Society, Undergraduate Research, Purdue Bass Fishing, Summer Internships

I am a junior and the current president of the Purdue chapter of the American Fisheries Society and an avid member of the Bass Fishing club. I am doing undergraduate research on the expansion of Banded Killifish sub-species in northern Indiana. I also am a teaching assistant for the aquatic sampling techniques class. I spend my summers working as a crew leader for an aquatic sampling team in the St. Joseph River watershed in Elkhart, Indiana. I would like to go to graduate school and continue research on fish and aquatic ecosystems.

Name: Erin Haberman
Major: Aquatic Sciences - Marine and Freshwater Biology & Fisheries Concentrations
Hometown: Avon, Indiana
Email: ehaberma@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Study abroad, learning communities, Purdue Dining and Culinary, scuba diving

I am a junior studying aquatic sciences with a double concentration in both Marine & Freshwater Biology and Fisheries. I am also a Central Hiring Manager on the Central Hiring team for Purdue Dining and Culinary. I've loved taking advantage of the programs FNR offers, such as study abroad and learning community. I was a part of The Nature of Wild Things learning community during my freshman year. I also went to Costa Rica on a study abroad trip during the spring of my sophomore year (highly recommend!). Outside of school, I am an active scuba diver working towards getting my master diver certification. My future goal is to scuba dive full-time and work in shark & ray conservation!

Name: Allie Johnson
Major: Wildlife
Hometown: Brownsburg, Indiana
Email: john268@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Undergraduate research, The Wildlife Society, Forestry & Natural Resources Student Council, rock climbing at Purdue

I am a senior and an undergraduate researcher in an aquatic community ecology lab, with a research focus on how contaminants impact amphibian disease dynamics. I have been on the Forestry & Natural Resources Student Council for all four of my years at Purdue, and I also served as the Herpetology Working Group Leader for Purdue’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society. I love rock climbing and knitting in my free time! I plan on attending graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. after I graduate from Purdue.

Name: Hannah Kaluf
Major: Forestry - Forest Management Concentration
Minors: Wildlife Science and Psychology
Hometown: Brookston, Indiana
Email: hkaluf@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Undergraduate research, pursuing a minor, transfer student life, living at home during college, graduating high school early, changing majors, out of classroom experience

I am a junior in Forestry with minors in Wildlife Science and Psychology. After graduating high school a year early, I started my college journey at Ivy Tech in psychology. I transferred to Purdue after my first year and after one semester at Purdue, I made the switch to Forestry in FNR. I haven’t had a single regret! Growing up in the West Lafayette area has given me a unique perspective on college life at Purdue. I am part of Salt Co. (a college ministry) and I’m involved in undergraduate research on prairie restoration and management. I absolutely love the FNR department and everything it has to offer, both in and out of the classroom!

Name: Laila Klang
Major: Wildlife
Hometown: Elmhurst, IL
Email: lklang@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Being a nontraditional student, transfer student, out-of-state student, The Wildlife Society (TWS), feeling nostalgic for home

I am a senior in wildlife but I originally graduated high school in 2016, so I've had a nontraditional route to finishing my bachelor's degree. I moved to Indiana to attend Purdue, and it has been a daunting but incredibly rewarding experience thus far. I am very active in TWS working group events and am working as a research analyst scoring videos for deer and turkey heat signatures. I also have two research projects running, one testing gray fox occupancy in Indiana and another studying fox and eastern gray squirrel densities on Purdue properties over time. Outside of wildlife, I also attend Purdue Book Club events and am active in FNR-hosted events. I hope to get my Ph.D. one day, but for now I'd like to focus on getting job experience, and enjoy field technician jobs for as long as possible!

Name: Hannah Kramer
Majors: Wildlife
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Email: hskramer@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Out-of-state student, pursuing a minor, changing majors, part-time jobs, internships, College of Agriculture

My name is Hannah and I am a senior in the wildlife major. I switched to FNR after my first semester at Purdue and have loved my time in FNR ever since. I am also pursuing a minor in Environmental Politics and Policy. I serve as an ambassador at both the college level and the department level and love talking to potential students. I also work a part-time job on campus and have many tips on balancing school, extracurriculars, and work. I have prior job experience with plant care and environmental education and deeply enjoyed both experiences. After graduation, I hope to go to graduate school and focus on climate change/natural disaster management and response.

Name: Abigail Malott
Majors: Wildlife and Film Production
Hometown: Marion, Indiana
Email: malott4@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Double Majoring, Honors College, undergraduate research, changing your major, Exploratory Studies

I am a junior and was originally in the exploratory studies program but ended up in FNR and have loved every minute of it. Currently, I am involved in undergraduate research that focuses on ecology, animal behavior, and wildlife corridors. I truly value this experience, as it gives me an opportunity to participate in field work, build a community, and gain experience in performing and presenting research. In the future, I hope to continue my passion for research in grad school!

Name: Collin Morris
Major: Forestry – Forest Management Concentration
Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
Email: morri659@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: House plants, Camping, Backpacking/Hiking, Purdue Student Chapter of Environmental Education, My favorite tree

I am a sophomore majoring in forestry. I have a growing house plant collection and am currently looking for more. I love environmental education and am currently on serving on the Board of Directors for the Environmental Education Association of Indiana as a representative for student chapters. This last summer, I worked at the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment conducting forest surveys. My favorite experience in FNR has been taking dendrology and learning all about the different tree species that we have in Indiana.

Name: Taryn Steed
Major: Wildlife
Hometown: Roselle, Illinois
Email: steed0@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: becoming a teaching assistant, volunteer opportunities, study abroad, student clubs, FNR vs. NRES

I am currently a junior majoring in wildlife after starting my time at Purdue studying natural resources and environmental science (NRES) . I am an active member of The Wildlife Society, a teaching assistant for FNR 24250 (Laboratory In Ecology And Systematics Of Fishes, Amphibians And Reptiles), and have volunteered at Wolf Park as well as with Purdue’s Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station. I have also been fortunate enough to participate in a study abroad, where I got to travel to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Name: Mackenzie Webster
Major: Wildlife
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
Email: mbwebste@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: Juggling extra pre-requisites, student clubs, research positions, work-life balance, pre-vet

I am a senior majoring in wildlife with the intent of going to veterinary school or grad school in the future. I switched into FNR my sophomore year and have never been happier.  I currently work in John Couture’s Forestry and Entomology lab as a field and lab assistant. My work has mainly revolved around processing starch samples, but I have also been out in the field to check spotted lanternfly traps and take spectrometry readings of black walnut leaves. My favorite experience has been meeting my lifelong friends on Summer Practicum and learning about the field that I am so passionate about. Ask me about anything at all!

Name: Mallory Wagner
Major: Aquatic Sciences – Fisheries Concentration
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Email: wagne358@purdue.edu
Ask Me About: American Fisheries Society (AFS), greek life, undergraduate research, changing majors, being an out-of-state student

I am a junior and transferred into FNR my sophomore year. I quickly found my home within the department. I am currently the outreach officer for the Purdue Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and am involved in greek life here on campus as well as undergraduate research. My research focuses on the population dynamics of larval yellow perch in Lake Michigan and surrounding habitats. I have absolutely loved all my classes within FNR and can't wait to be able to share my passion for aquatic sciences with others.