People of the Green Sahara

Project Exploration alumna and board member Katilin Judkins will join Project Exploration cofounder Paul Sereno and his team as they return to Gobero, Niger, the site of their 2000 “Green Sahara” discovery. A recent graduate of DePaul University, Kaitlin is currently interning in the Environmental Marketing department at Exelon Corporation.

Kaitlin as a Junior Paleontologist

Can you tell us about your role on the Gobero expedition? 

My role on the expedition to Niger as a Student Ambassador will be to write blogs and provide reports about my daily experiences and the team’s involvement in the field withPaul Sereno. Some of the things that I will be doing include: writing 8-10 blog posts, developing an educational program for Project Exploration students when returning from the trip, providing ongoing media support through interview sessions, and researching the way different cultures in Niger  perceive the environment they live in.

Are there places that you have been or things you have seen that you may not have without Project Exploration?

Project Exploration has exposed me to the study of science in so many phenomenal ways. I know for sure that if it wasn’t for Project Exploration, I would not have gotten the chance to grow a passion for traveling out of my comfort zones growing up. My first expedition to Montana was a hard transition for me, because it was my first time being away from my family and embarking on an expedition in the “Bad Lands” of Montana. However, this expedition sparked my interest in becoming more observant of the environment around me, as it relates to various fields in science. I was then able to major in a subject at DePaulUniversity that allowed me to analyze critical issues related to the study of Environmental Science and Urban Affairs.

Have you been outside of the country before?

I have been outside of the country once before, I traveled to Spain while I was in high school.

Gabrielle Lyon and Kaitlin Judkins on the 2004 Junior Paleontologist Expedition to Montana. Photo by Conor Irons.

How did you get involved with Project Exploration? What programs did you participate in?

I first became involved with Project Exploration through a teacher named Dr. Marvin Hoffman, who recommended the program to me while I was in my eighth grade year at North Kenwood Oakland Charter School. I was not interested in the program at first, because, as so many other students will tell you, I did not like science and did not want to get my hands dirty!! After numerous discussions with Dr. H and my mother, I got involved with a program that would definitely change the way I viewed science, and I became a 2003 Junior Paleontologist.  I enjoyed my JP experience so much, that I then became a member of the 2004 Dinosaur Giants Team, where I was able to apply the skills I learned in the field as a Docent for the Garfield Park Conservatory!

What are you up to now?

I am now a graduate of  DePaul University, and currently interning for Exelon Corporation in the Environmental Marketing department. It is such a pleasure to be surrounded by people who are passionate about changing the way people conserve their energy, and I definitely am able to apply that same passion for the Environmental Sciences that I have gained over the years through my participation in Project Exploration programs.

I am also a student representative on the Board of Directors for Project Exploration, so I am able to work with other board members to develop new ideas and tactics in continuing to shape the way Project Exploration students see science. I hope to attain my law degree in the future in the Environmental Science field, and develop my own nonprofit initiative for young students. However, for now I am in the process of gaining as much experience as possible to prepare for my future career.

Project Exploration alumnus Tommie Collins, Gabrielle Lyon, Alumna and board member Kaitlin Judkins and Alumna Genesis Galan at Dinner with a Dinosaur XI

So, what part of the Gobero expedition are you most looking forward to?

I am most looking forward to helping to excavate the recently discovered burial complex at Gobero, and most of all learning about the people and cultures that once dwelled in the desert 10,000 to 5,000 years ago. I would also like to interact with the people who live there today, and get their perspectives on how changes in the environment overtime have effected the way they live.

Is there anything you are apprehensive about?

I am most apprehensive about preparing for the trip, because I have never been on an expedition of this degree. I would just like to make sure I am fully prepared for the unexpected.

What are you looking forward to learning in Niger?

I am looking forward to definitely learning about the rich history and culture of people who lived in Gobero, Niger. I am also excited to see the beauty of the landscape of the desert!