Laura is interested in the conservation of charismatic species and biodiversity, climate change, human-animal conflict, and sustainability. Her personal goal is to make sustainability and scientific research more accessible for everyone. During her undergraduate career, Laura took coursework ranging in topics from environmental policy to conservation science to effective scientific communication and conducted research with the Saikawa Lab Group using a community-based Investigation of soil contamination in Atlanta. 

 

In 2020, she graduated from Emory University with her B.S. in Biology and Environmental Sciences. Laura has also interned at conservation and sustainability nonprofits such as Wild Ark and Trees Atlanta. As part of the Poulsen lab, she is interested in investigating the relationship between rural Gabonese peoples and their natural environment through surveying and interviews. She aims to use such research to advance conservation efforts of charismatic species and prioritize both ecological and community needs.