05/29/2026
Staff highlight alert! Meet Jordan Schoen, our Community Science Program Assistant!
How long have you been at MSI?
-I started at MSI in the spring of 2025 and fell in love with the organization when I started volunteering for their Pika Monitoring Program the previous summer.
What was your "aha!" moment that made you want to work in this field?
-I studied Biology and Wildlife Conservation in College and knew I wanted a job where my office is the outdoors. As a recent transplant to Durango, when I first set foot in Velocity Basin on that first volunteer training, I knew I had to work for MSI.
What is your favorite part about your job?
-My favorite part of my job is getting to take students into the backcountry. No matter what the topic, seeing the lightbulb moment for students always warms my heart. Whether it's why bighorn sheep need to be protected, where Durango’s water comes from, or just getting to go on their first hike above tree line, it's the small moments of appreciation for the outdoors that makes everything worth it. This extends into my personal life as well.
What do you like to do when you aren't working?
-I love to backcountry ski, mountain bike, go on backpacking trips with my friends, or cook mini pizzas at our campsites. Whatever I may be doing, I try to be outside as much as possible. Spending time outside is my time to relax, readjust, and recuperate from a busy week.
Favorite field memory?
-My favorite moment in the field with MSI was last summer when the Community Science Team and the Water team both drove up to Ophir Pass to work on our various Fen Restoration projects. We were joined by wetland ecologist Rod Chimner, and were fortunate enough to learn all about the history and methods used to help restore high elevation wetlands. We worked with our hands, and tried various methods to help bring moisture back to a steep and degraded fen. It was the culmination of what makes MSI so special. Education, research and collaboration; all while spending time in the beautiful San Juans.
