Joe
Barnes
'97
is
a
living
testament
to
the
amazing
rewards
that
can
come
from
hard
work
and
persistence
as
his
career
soars
like
the
beautiful
raptors
he
works
to
protect.
Having
set
his
sights
on
a
career
as
a
wildlife
biologist,
Barnes
laid
the
groundwork
as
a
temporary
and
seasonal
biologist,
working
seven
challenging
years
as
a
high
seas
fisheries
observer
in
Alaska,
Japan
and
Hawaii
before
settling
into
a
full-time
wildlife
biologist
position.
Awakening
career
goals
Barnes,
who
majored
in
biology
with
a
minor
in
chemistry
as
an
undergraduate
at
BW
and
later
added
an
M.S.
in
biological
sciences
from
the
University
of
Nevada,
credits
his
time
in
Berea
with
opening
his
eyes
to
a
career
in
wildlife
research
and
conservation.
"While
working
with
wildlife
sounded
exciting,"
he
explains.
"I
didn't
see
how
I
could
turn
it
into
a
profession.
The
field
trips
I
took
at
BW
broadened
my
understanding
and
helped
me
to
see
a
variety
of
career
possibilities."
The
opportunity
to
research
abroad
in
Ecuador
with
professor
emeritus
Dr.
Michael
Melampy,
where
he
reveled
in
one
of
the
most
biologically
diverse
environments
on
Earth,
was
instrumental
in
Barnes'
career
path
decision.
He
credits
Melampy
with
showing
him
that
he
could
be
part
of
a
living,
evolving
discipline
and
contribute
to
the
continuing
growth
of
knowledge
in
the
field
of
biology.
Raptor
research
Today,
Barnes
serves
as
the
southern
Nevada
regional
supervisor
at
the
Nevada
Department
of
Wildlife,
where
he
continues
research
with
hands-on
conservation
of
golden
eagles,
peregrine
falcons,
goshawks
and
ferruginous
hawks.
"Raptors,
as
apex
predators,
are
important
indicators
of
environmental
health,"
Barnes
notes.
"Ensuring
their
populations
are
strong
and
vigorous
can
be
instrumental
in
conserving
broader
ecosystem
integrity."
Barnes
recently
returned
from
a
two-week
trip
to
the
Canadian
Arctic
where
he
studied
the
predator/prey
dynamics
of
golden
eagles
and
a
herd
of
calving
woodland
caribou
along
the
shores
of
the
Arctic
Ocean.
He
also
travels
to
the
coast
of
the
Gulf
of
Mexico
each
fall
to
study
mercury
contamination
and
disease
in
peregrine
falcons
in
the
world's
highest
concentration
of
this
migrant
species.
While
related
to
his
position
in
Nevada,
these
projects
are
independent
collaborations
with
top
North
American
raptor
researchers.
Other
wildlife
encounters
Although
Barnes
has
chosen
raptor
research
as
his
primary
professional
focus,
he
looks
with
fondness
on
the
other
amazing
animals
he
has
worked
with
in
his
career
including
swordfish,
mako
sharks,
sea
turtles,
Gila
monsters,
chinook
salmon
and
the
obscure
relict
leopard
frog.
Life
is
good
for
Barnes,
who
relishes
his
work
and
declares,
"I
owe
it
all
to
the
amazing
start
I
had
at
BW!"
