Get to Know Me

21 May Get to Know Me

Hi, everyone! My name is Kat Ko, and I am the 2018 Mosaics in Science Intern at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I’m from Westfield, NJ, and I’m currently majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at Vanderbilt University. I am also studying theatre and environmental & sustainability studies. My main focus at Glen Canyon will be the Dragonfly Mercury Project, which is a large-scale, ongoing study that involves multiple NPS locations.

I have loved being outdoors all my life, exploring unfamiliar places and having unpredictable adventures. I attended a nature camp in my hometown every summer growing up, and I worked my way up as a volunteer, assistant, and eventually a naturalist. It was amazing to be able to teach campers about the great outdoors, knowing I was in their shoes not too long ago. Those summers definitely shaped my career path, instilling not only a passion for the environment, but also a drive to protect it.

I love sharing my passion for nature with others, hopefully inspiring them to go out and have impactful adventures of their own. I’m also very fortunate to have traveled to multiple national parks with my family, so I am beyond ecstatic to be an intern for NPS now. I have always looked for STEM opportunities outside of the traditional lab/research/med school track, which is exactly what this internship offers. I am so excited to spend time outdoors this summer, learn more about the southwestern desert, and add new skills to my toolkit.