Hello and welcome back to Rewildology where we explore conservation, travel, and rewilding the planet. I’m your host, Brooke Mitchell-Norman, conservation biologist and world traveler.
There are defining moments in our life that completely change our trajectory. We’re firmly set on one path, ready to give it our all, and then something happens that sends us hurling in a new direction. It frightens us, exhilarates us, and when we look back, it’s hard to picture the present day without that moment.
Kathayoon Khalil, PhD has had many of these moments. The daughter of immigrants, Kathayoon’s childhood was different than most children in the US. In this episode we explore her experiences growing up in an all-white community, how she discovered her love for wildlife conservation through her many summers at the Oregon Zoo and how she gained her parent’s approval for pursuing a path in conservation.
Kathayoon’s PhD research and career are as fascinating as they are important for furthering the conservation education field, and I’ve provided links to her work in the show notes at rewildology.com. She also gives great advice throughout the entire conversation for anyone considering a PhD and those of you that might be struggling with depression.
I came out of this conversation with lots of questions that I am still reflecting on and sorting through, like what does it mean to be an American, how am I using empathy in everything I do, and, most importantly, how do I make this industry relevant to everyone so that our work is valued to those outside of our field? I know none of us want to be crushed when another world event occurs. So how do we do that?
Kathayoon gives her thoughts on these issues and I’d love to hear you ideas, too. Message me on Instagram or LinkedIn at rewildology or email at hello@rewildology.com.
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Here is my convo with Kathayoon:
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