Daria Maslyukova

How did you choose your degree program?

The flexibility that ESS offered allowed me to attend the Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation fo two semesters which I knew I wanted to do before I started at Mason. I also appreciated the environmental justice and social classes that were incorporated into the sciences for the ESS major.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

It made me appreciate that I need to be a well rounded individual by getting to learn from fellow students and community members.

What accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of helping support the Virginia Environmental Justice Summit for three years, being a trip leader for the ecosystem restoration project to Florida through the SAIL alternative break trips, and working at the Potomac Science Center in Dr. Fowler's lab.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career? Please give an example of this impact if possible.

I realized I want to pursue a Masters following my Multidisciplinary research HNRS 361 class with Mr. Todd Stafford, where I discovered my interest in fire ecology. I now volunteer with prescribed burns for the non-profit called the Clifton Institute and the Fairfax County Park Authority.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

This summer, I’ll be working for the USGS Wetland Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry Laboratory. In August, I’ll start a master’s degree in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech.