Who Are the People in Your National Forests — Intern to ORISE Fellow

Note: This series will check-in with resource assistants, to share how they found their way to the Forest Service and their work to serve the public here in the Pacific Southwest.

Ask anyone in the USDA Forest Service how they got here and be ready with a cup of coffee to get stuck in for a good story. Because Forest Service stories are filled with enthusiasm, friendships and wiggly paths bringing us people from all over. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the agency for 34 years or just starting out, the story of how you got here is half the fun.

And so it goes for Michelle Carr, whose journey includes working at the Pacific Southwest Research Station twice — first as a paid intern via the Resource Assistants Program and currently as a Forest Service supported fellow. We’re glad she found her way back.

Meet Michelle Carr, Pacific Southwest Research Station

Michelle grew up just 13 miles southeast of Los Angeles in Downey, California, surrounded by plenty of national parks and forests to nudge any outdoor enthusiast down a path of caring for our forests. (Thanks, Downey!)

“Growing up, I was frequently exposed to breathtaking nature and outdoor recreation experiences in the Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” Michelle said. “These excursions fostered my connection with and appreciation for nature.”

She followed her passion for the outdoors to the Inland Empire and to the University of California Riverside, where she dug into a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences. A few years later in 2022, she added a master’s degree in the field with a concentration on atmospheric sciences.

Michelle credits a high school biology course “where I learned about the devastating impacts of climate change and environmental pollution” as the force behind her interest in research. And more particularly “the drivers of ecosystem disruptions and discovering mitigation strategies.”

One of her biggest discoveries along the way? “I became aware that scientific research is rarely easily accessible to the communities who may need it most,” Michelle said. “This sparked my desire to engage with community members, involve them in the research process, and communicate scientific research in a more inclusive way.”

The Path to the Forest Service – Twice

As a recent undergraduate, UC Riverside gave Michelle the heads up on opportunities at the Forest Service. “The Resource Assistant Program was the perfect opportunity to assist with the diversity of ongoing research projects, like the benefits of urban trees and the impacts of wildfires on vulnerable communities,” Michelle added.

So in July 2019, Michelle joined the Pacific Southwest Research Station in Riverside — one of six lab locations throughout California — as an Urban Resource Assistant. Over the next 14 months, she received mentorship on research and development in conservation and sustainable land management.

And she got to reach out in the communities she cares about. “While I was a resource assistant, I had the opportunity to participate in several outreach events, and I discovered my passion for community engagement,” Michelle said. “These community members learned about the ways they could contribute to wildfire mitigation and how access to nature could help improve their health and wellbeing.”

With her internship finished, Michelle headed back to earn a master’s degree in environmental science. And that’s when she discovered a way back to the Forest Service in July 2022.

“I came across the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) position advertisement for a Pacific Southwest Research Station fellowship. I would get the opportunity to research outdoor recreation preferences, potential users, and recreation-related ecosystem services.”

The work this time included meeting with forest staff, nonprofits and members of the community to understand their outdoor recreation needs on the San Dimas Experimental Forest.

“Based on my time as a resource assistant, I was eager to work with Pacific Southwest Research Station again and for the opportunity to help bridge the gap between Forest Service management and the public.”

Check out other resource assistant journeys with the Forest Service — Monique Rea on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Rosa-Lee Jimenez in Tribal Relations.

Want to become a resource assistant? The Resource Assistants Program offers an immersive, paid internship for current students, recent graduates, and underrepresented populations. Explore natural and cultural resources management with land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service. The program includes mentor and network opportunities, a weekly stipend to help with other expenses, and eligibility for direct hire up to two years after completing the program.