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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
NSU Alumni Spotlight: Alumnus Builds Success from Opportunities in Environmental Science/Studies Program
Brandon Fuld
When Brandon Fuld was an environmental science/studies major at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, he sought opportunity and found inspiration—from a travel study course in Ecuador to a senior-year internship with a consulting engineering firm in New York.
When Fuld graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science/Studies, he had transformed that internship into a full-time position at the firm.
After working there for three years, Fuld moved into his current position in New York as an environmental manager at Skanska U.S.A., a worldwide project development and construction group where he works on multi-million dollar public works projects.
“It has been quite a journey,” said Fuld, who credits his experiences as an NSU undergraduate for inspiring and preparing him for a career in environmental science.
“Brandon is a good example of self-motivation and the desire to learn,” said Barry Barker, Ed.D., associate professor at the college. “I believe the environmental science/studies program provided a rich atmosphere for his ability to explore various options in the field.
“He had a profound insight after the travel study program in Ecuador, and I believe the impact of that experience is still with him today. The other major factor was his internship in New York, which led to his current position as an environmental manager for a large firm,” Barker said.
“At NSU, I realized I could work as an environmental scientist and delve into multiple areas of construction and construction management and be out in the field all the time,” said Fuld, whose current job encompasses multiple facets of environmental science, regulation, construction management, policy implementation, and other areas.
“During my senior year at NSU, I did the internship, and that was really a foot in the door. I interned with a consulting engineering firm in Long Island, New York. Within two weeks of graduation, I had a full-time job. That is how I ended up in the place I am today,” he said.
Fuld’s interest in the environment led to his enrollment in a travel-study course called Amazonia Cloud Forest Biogeography. During the trip, he and other students led by Barker conducted research on the rain and cloud forests, watched a volcanic eruption in the middle of the night, and experienced the local people and culture around Baños, Ecuador.
“The trip to Ecuador was probably the most eye-opening trip of my life,” Fuld said. “The Amazon rain forest and the Ecuadorian cloud forest were inspiring.
“Dr. Barker alone made me appreciate what I have always loved. He does fantastic work. It may not be the most glamorous or the easiest work, but he brings you to places to learn about everything from the wildlife to how the politics work in these countries.
“I would never have experienced this anywhere else––the way we conversed with the locals, or walking into the bear cages with a zookeeper. These experiences solidified my desire to pursue environmental science.”