WiserEarth Editors

Dear Wiser Earth members,

I am Veterinarian, graduated from Londrina State University, Brazil. I worked in for six years with jaguars, pumas, maned wolves, among other wild carnivores in a conservation research project in different biomes in Brazil (Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal). During this time, I faced many environmental issues such as overexploitation of natual resources, illegal wildlife hunting; and also social problems such as poverty and social injustice.

Despite my veterinarian background, I had lot of experience in environmental research field, especially biology and ecology, and I gained valuable experience during this period of life. However, I always felt that something was missing: social work.

I realized that inclusion of society in environmental issues is crucial to solve some of the problems we are facing today. How can we (as environmentalist, as activist or as researchers) tell people to conserve the environment and the biodiversity if there are so many poverty and hungry around? How can we educate people to conserve the environmental if illiteracy is one of the major problems in this country? 

I humbly hope to find answers to these questions in the future, and to help the environment minimizing these problems. Now I am looking for a Master's degree that fits my career goals and will help me to understand a little bit more about social and environmental issues.

I look forward being in contact with you to share some information and experience,

All the best,

Cyntia Kayo Kashivakura