About
Hello! My name is Sara Soba and I am a current senior at Dickinson College majoring in environmental science. Originally from Atlanta, GA, I developed a passion for the outdoors after attending a semester school during my sophomore year of high school (Fall 2014) called the Outdoor Academy. At the Outdoor Academy, I spent four months in Pisgah National Forest taking normal high school courses during the week and spending the weekends learning how to backpack, rock climb, and whitewater canoe. It was during my time there that I learned about the impacts of coal mining on Appalachian communities, the importance of human connection with the outdoors, and the urgency in which we need to change our behaviors.
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Fast forward 6 years and I'm graduating college with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Through my studies I've learned that sustainability extends beyond the realm of environmental science and into fields such as economics, archaeology, art, and English (to name only a few). With this deeper understanding of the complexities of sustainability, I am looking forward to working in a field that allows me to create spaces where people can exchange ideas and work toward furthering a reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world. My dream is to work in urban design to create beautiful, functional spaces that further all realms of sustainability - environmental, social, and economic.
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In addition to being a passionate scientist and communicator, I spend most of my free time outside hiking, running, or horseback riding. I have been a leader in the Dickinson Outing Club since my second year, serving as the Club President during my senior year. During the non-academic year, you will often find me off hiking with my dad, twin sister, and our dog Daisy in the metro-Atlanta area.
CV
Teaching Assistant and Peer Tutor
January 2019-Present
Clarify challenging concepts for students seeking support in mathematics, physics, environmental science, and GIS
Prepare mini-lessons about data analysis and interpretation for introductory courses
Help students improve scientific writing skills
Help students develop study skills and gain confidence working independently
Outdoor Education Coordinator
August 2018-May 2019
Planned the first-year Wilderness Pre-Orientation trips:
Organized the application and interview process for wilderness pre-orientation leaders
Developed and led the training curriculum for new leaders
Planned the logistics of wilderness pre-orientation trips
Worked with colleagues to design and implemented Outdoor Education courses
Managed gear rental
Research Assistant
May 2018-May 2019
Worked with Dr. Maggie Douglas to investigate trends in national insecticide use and its impact on bees.
Learned and used R to clean and aggregate pesticide data from the USDA and created visualizations of national insecticide trends
Built an interactive web page for the research project
Met with local beekeepers and research collaborators to discuss and learn about the
effect of insecticide use on pollinators
Presented research at the Pennsylvania Entomological Society Annual Meeting in
November 2018 and was awarded Best Undergraduate Research Poster
Wrote a manual for future research assistants to continue website development
Outing Club
August 2017-Present
Participated and served on the executive board for the Dickinson College Outing Club.
Executive Board:
President – Spring 2020 - present
managed an executive board of 12 members to plan and lead outdoor trips ​
Trip Leader – Fall 2018, Spring 2019
led backpacking, hiking, camping, and skiing trips​
Club Equestrian Team
August 2017 - Present
Practice and compete with a team of 40 students in the IHSA hunter-jumper circuit.
Dean's List
All semesters
Awarded to all students with a 3.5 GPA or higher