Vanessa Merritt Named Fall 2021 Patterson Fellow
Our Fall 2021 Bob Patterson Interdisciplinary Studies Fellow, Vanessa Merritt, demonstrated that humility is at the core of greatness during her time at NC State.
Her love of birds inspired her to major in wildlife biology at NC State, but she always knew that she wanted to learn about the human aspect of natural sciences. To fulfill this academic passion, Vanessa double-majored in international studies and wildlife biology.
Throughout her time at NC State, she participated in a study of the impact of campus buildings on migratory birds and recently completed an inventory of NC State’s undergraduate courses with a team to determine the courses’ alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. She is a member of the Caldwell Fellows Program and was a teaching assistant for the program’s first environmental justice service team in 2020. Vanessa spent time abroad during her undergraduate career, including studying abroad in Namibia, volunteering in Kenya, and conducting bird research in Guyana.
This time abroad increased her understanding of human ways of life and solidified her desire to sustain human needs while promoting biodiversity. Upon graduation, Vanessa plans to continue her work with indigenous conservation NGOs in Kenya and Guyana before attending graduate school in 2023.
According to her nomination letter, Vanessa “has a discrete but boundless curiosity, an earnest and open mind, and a sincere sense of public engagement … She has already accomplished more than most graduate students do, and yet humility and kindness remain her most important attributes.”
