I’m Colin Park from the Willamette River Valley of Oregon (Portland area). I’ve worked as a plant protection technician for the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for over ten years. As you can see from this photo I love doing entomological outreach!!!
Prior to that I worked in the education and horticulture fields for several years before planning to become a science teacher. I started working for APHIS (checking ‘bug traps’) in the summer while going to school full time and had so much fun working with insects that I quit school and never looked back.
Now it’s time to take my education to a level that will allow me to take on more responsibility in my chosen field of invasive species prevention and management. I’m thrilled the UNL has provided us with this opportunity.
I also have a deep passion for ecology and conservation--working with beneficial species and doing ecological restoration projects in my free time. Hopefully someday I will be able to spend most of my time doing this.