Taryn is a summer ecologist intern with a freshwater ecology and restoration background. She has recently graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology. In the fall, she will be staying at EIU to pursue a Master's in Biological Sciences, with a specialization in Fisheries and Aquatic Science.

During her time in Illinois, she studied the effects of agricultural land use on macroinvertebrate and fish community structure. Her research highlights the importance of managing riparian forests to conserve biotic integrity in freshwater streams. She also worked as an intern for Urban Butterfly Initiative, a local non-profit that uses butterflies as ambassadors to nature. Her time there was spent creating butterfly-friendly habitats in existing urban spaces and educating the public about the importance of native pollinators.