Megan Ossmann: Green is in her Genes

by Bonnie Eissner

Megan Ossmann at Seatuck Environmental Association, where she interned as a member of Adelphi’s 2014 Community Fellows Program.

That third student is Megan Ossmann, a junior majoring in environmental studies with a minor in biology. During Camille Pajor ’09‘s green spring break, Ossmann volunteered at Seatuck Environmental Association. She was subsequently selected to be a member of Adelphi’s Community Fellows Program for summer 2014. Upon seeing Seatuck on the list of nonprofits she could intern at, she seized the opportunity to return.

For Ossmann, conservation has been a lifelong interest. “As a kid, I was obsessed with nature documentaries, and it always saddened me to hear about endangered species,” she said. At Adelphi, she has delved even further into her passion.

Introduced to the Garden City Bird Sanctuary through Adelphi’s Freshman Community Action Program, Ossmann began volunteering there in June 2013 and has since been named a student director—a role that allows her to broaden awareness of and support for the sanctuary.

Part of Ossmann’s work at the sanctuary involved a research project in which she examined Long Island’s climate and precipitation records through the lens of water demand to look for patterns of climate change. The project complemented work she and a fellow student, Joanna Wells, conducted this past year with Beth Christensen, Ph.D., professor and director of Adelphi’s Environmental Studies program.

Ossmann and Wells analyzed post–Hurricane Sandy sediment samples collected by Dr. Christensen from offshore sites at Long Beach and Fire Island. By comparing the post- Sandy samples to a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey prior to Hurricane Sandy, Ossmann helped determine the effect storms like Sandy have had on Long Island beaches and may continue to have should such weather return in the future.