Looking for a career that integrates sustainability? This new series spotlights NC State alumni who are making a difference in sustainability.
Tiffany Moore, a 2018 graduate of NC State majoring in Environmental Sciences, shares about her jump from campus to a sustainability-related career.
How is sustainability part of your current work?
I work for Zoo Miami as a Butterfly Conservation Lab Manager. Since the Navy left their base, bunkers that were once used as ammunition storage have been re-purposed as a butterfly conservation lab. To preserve the wildlife, we made the bunker 100% sustainable. Solar panels lie on top and there’s a rain catch to provide running water in the lab. I currently house rare butterfly species to repopulate the local habitat and hope to hold endangered species such as the Shaus Swallowtail that is only found on the Florida Keys.
How did NC State prepare you for a sustainability-related career?
NC State taught me how important sustainability is. My professors showed me how to make positive changes that will go a long way. Every environmental class I had always had an element of sustainability. It is our present, and it is our future. NC State also led its students to think outside of the box and be creative. When I attended, I saw the campus transform and use better practices. That is a good feeling to me.
What message do you have for current NC State students hoping to integrate sustainability into their career?
Do not box yourself into one idea; be creative! Find multiple ways of integrating sustainability. New technology will emerge, use it. Don’t think that any small change is too small to make a difference. Every little bit helps.
Do you want to be featured in this series or know someone who should be? Let us know