Valerie Tafoya is a senior at DePaul University majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution and minoring in Environmental Sciences. She will be graduating with her B.S in Biology in June 2022. During her time as an undergrad, Valerie became a Doris Duke Scholar and McNair scholar and is now working under Dr. Jalene LaMontagne at DePaul University. She has completed a number of research projects focusing on animals in urban environments. She is intrigued by the intersection of animal behavior and conservation and would like to conduct research on the ecology of human-modified areas and integrate citizen science and science communication to increase our understanding of human and wildlife interactions. She will be continuing her education as a Master's student at the University of Michigan SEAS, focusing on Ecosystem Science and Management.