Anthony Alvarez
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Dear Leaders of the National Science Foundation,
I wanted to take a moment to send you my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude. Participating in the Smithsonian Research Training Program has been one of the most exciting, challenging, thought-provoking and rewarding experiences I have ever had the privilege to be apart of. Living and working with the other RTP students has been one of the best parts of this program. I now have friends both across the country and across the globe. It is difficult to look back on the past two months and distill the intensity and enormity of that experience into words.
I had the honor of being assigned to Dr. Scott Wing, Chairman of the Department of Paleobiology. Scott was a tremendous mentor and teacher out in the field. He expanded my knowledge of vertebrates, plants, geology, general human interactions over extended and rugged periods of time, and the limits of human endurance. From the rustic camping, extreme environmental conditions, and rigorous fieldwork I was able to get an accurate taste of exactly how difficult fieldwork can be - and I loved every minute of it. I also got to experience the sense of peace and quiet that can only be had in the middle of the Wyoming Badlands.
I cannot thank you enough for this time. I am overwhelmed at your generosity in funding my position, and I want you to know that I made the most of every moment I had. I look forward to the day when I can help contribute in such a way to another's experience.
Sincerely,
Anthony Alvarez
Research Training Program
Class of '04