Angus Kitchell is exploring employment in a range of environmental fields — consulting, conservation/restoration and research. “Ideally something that will put my degree to work and limit the number of days I spend at a desk,” he says. Photo: Wayne Armstrong
A fan of all things outdoors, Angus Kitchell came to DU from his hometown of Seattle. He received a BS in ecology and biodiversity through the Department of Biological Sciences, where he was a lab assistant for assistant professor Robin Tinghitella. His minors are geography and Spanish. In addition to his academic pursuits, Kitchell was a member of the DU Kayaking Club and was the captain of the men’s club Ultimate Frisbee team this year.
Q: Why did you choose to come to DU?
A: Coming out of high school, I knew that I was interested in studying ecology, and [DU] is one of a very small number of schools that offer ecology as an undergraduate program. I also knew I wanted to spend my free time in the outdoors, and living in Denver makes it easy to get off the grid every weekend.
Q: Why did you choose to study ecology? Do you plan to work in your field after graduation?
A: Honestly, I chose ecology because I loved watching BBC’s “Planet Earth” series, and I wanted to study something I wouldn’t get bored with. Ecology has definitely delivered. Postgrad, I’m exploring employment in a range of environmental fields — consulting, conservation/restoration and research. Ideally something that will put my degree to work and limit the number of days I spend at a desk.
Q: Did you study or work abroad during your time at DU? If so, where? How did the experience change you?
A: Foreign travel has been the highlight of my time at DU. I spent a semester in Panama studying tropical island biodiversity through the School for Field Studies, and I participated in DU’s field quarter, which took me to the Czech Republic, Baja and throughout the American West. If anything, these experiences reaffirmed what I already knew: first, that exploring the world will always be my favorite activity; and second, that when I seek out unique experiences, I find myself surrounded by people who share my passions.
Q: Did you have an internship or do any volunteer work during your time on campus? If so, how did those experiences help prepare you for life after college?
A: I spent three years working as a research assistant in a behavioral ecology lab. I started by cleaning fish tanks and cricket colonies (through which I gained valuable experience working with algae, mold and poop) and ended up writing a thesis that sent me to Hawaii and French Polynesia to conduct fieldwork. There’s a lesson there, somewhere. I’ve also become an expert on the dissection of cricket testicles, which is great for small talk at parties.
Q: Is there a class and/or faculty member that stands out as particularly influential? Why?
A: My thesis advisor, Robin Tinghitella, has been outstanding. Conducting research in her lab has provided the combination of academic rigor, hands-on education and unique travel opportunities that I hoped to create for myself when I enrolled at DU, and the personalized guidance that she’s given me over the last three years has made both the process and the product of my research far more meaningful. I also want to thank Julie Morris, who has been a mentor and a friend in the biology department from the very beginning to the very end.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you are taking away from your time at DU?
A: A night in a tent beats a night at the bars.
DU’s spring undergraduate Commencement ceremony is at 9:30 a.m. June 4; visit the Commencement page for more information.