Jonathon Loos '12 B.S. Biology, Environmental Studies
For Jonathon Loos it's "water, water, everywhere," and thanks in part to his efforts—and unlike the unfortunate ancient mariner— we needn't worry there will be "Nor any drop to drink."
Jonathon is currently serving his first year of a prestigious two-year Lapham Fellowship
at American Rivers (AR), a Washington, D.C.-based, non-profit environmental conservation and policy organization that protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. As the Lapham Fellow, he helps shape community-oriented solutions for river conservation challenges, educates civic leaders about the benefits of healthy rivers, informs legislative and legal proceedings, and influences opinion leaders. The Fellowship is centered on developing a project that directly supports the goals of one or more of American River's conservation, restoration, or water policy programs. Toward that end, Jonathon will devote the second year of his fellowship to advancing AR's floodplain restoration program on rivers in the Puget Sound watershed of the Pacific Northwest. He will move to Seattle this summer to engage with regional partners in identifying priority sites for restoration that will alleviate flood risks to communities and create valuable Coho and Chinook salmon habitats.
Jonathon traces his passion for safeguarding and preserving our natural resources directly to Trinity. Having grown up in a family that was often outside exploring and enjoying the natural world, Jonathon was always interested in natural sciences, especially living things. He chose Trinity "because of the personal community among students and faculty that was palpable when I visited as a prospective student." He also liked the emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. He enrolled wanting to pursue biology and discovered it to be very challenging from the start. "I found myself in rigorous courses full of very driven pre-med students," he explains. "I simply liked biology and realized I lacked a certain ‘higher calling' that was driving many of my peers. I recall feeling out of my element at times."
That changed near the end of his first year when professor Kelly Lyons taught the ecology segment of the Integrative Biology course. "I realized that ecology was what I was most interested in" he says. "Even more exciting was the field research Dr. Lyons introduced to the class." Lyons went further than sharing her research. In one-on-one talks with Jonathon, she reassured him that a major in biology offers more options than only a career in medicine and encouraged him to stick with the program. As a sophomore, Jonathon was invited to assist with her research, and eventually he was offered a research assistant position in her lab. "I had new motivation from that point forward," says Jonathon. "College was no longer about maintaining a certain GPA but about applying what I was learning to real-world questions and issues through research. Suddenly, I saw a path emerging toward what I wanted to pursue after Trinity."
Jonathon was also interested in environment-focused courses outside the biology program. At the time there was no environmental studies major at Trinity. He a group of like-minded peers—many involved with S.O.S. (Students Organized for Sustainability)—had to individually cobble together course work that focused on the interface of environment and society. Eventually, they decided to get the ball rolling in creating an official environmental studies major thanks to huge faculty support from anthropology professor Richard Reed. "I was lucky enough to be one of the first group of students to graduate with an official major in environmental studies in addition to biology," says Jonathon proudly.
Three days after graduation, Jonathon headed to Medicine Bow, Wyoming, where he spent six months working and living in backcountry locations as a field technician for Wyoming Wildlife Consulting Company. In 2013 he began a research assistantship at Plymouth State University's Center for the Environment in Plymouth, N.H., and earned a Master of Science while researching the value of ecosystem services related to riverine flood regulation. He also completed an internship with the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, where he helped draft the state's 10-year energy strategy. The work was a natural lead-in to his current Fellowship at AR.
As to future plans, Jonathon sees himself pursuing opportunities within other environmental research and policy organizations but hasn't ruled out pursuing further academic research should the right opportunity arise.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Jonathon enjoys hiking, cross country skiing, and fly-fishing. "I'm also pretty fond of craft beer —love a good IPA [India pale ale]—cooking, all things cheese related, music, and crossword puzzles. "
He's also bullish on Trinity. "I'm reminded more every year how critical and shaping my time at Trinity was. My Trinity friends are some of my closest and most valuable friendships today. I know that the experiences I had at Trinity, inside and outside the classroom, played a vital role in defining my personal and professional identity and will continue to do so the rest of my life. I hope that Trinity will continue to be a school that creates well-rounded students and citizens that work to address the things they care about in the world."
Jonathon may be contacted at jonathon.loos@gmail.com.
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