with Bill Wang, Threatened and Endangered Species Biologist at CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife

We are excited to share an inspiring interview with Bill Wang, a 2021 graduate and accomplished alumnus of our master’s program. In a recent MCRS Alumni Q and A session, Bill discussed what motivated his move to Saipan, the unique species he works with, and the intricacies of his daily responsibilities. He also offered valuable advice for those aspiring to follow a similar career path and reflected on the preparations that equipped him for his current role.

Q. What is your current role, and what species do you work with?

While my title is “Threatened and Endangered Species Biologist”, my main role is to carry out Section 7 and Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act. I work closely with the Saipan Reed Warbler. Permitting, in other words. I oversee and coordinate the permitting process in the Division, making sure that surveys are being conducted, reviewing the findings of those surveys, and providing recommendations and consultation on land development and vegetation removal activities on the CNMI that may impact threatened and endangered birds.

Q. How did you prepare yourself for your current position?

When my Supervisor interviewed me, I asked them a lot of questions regarding the job, the pros and cons, Saipan, and living there in general. When I got my job offer, I was also given the contact emails of a few of the biologists (now my coworkers) working at the Division. I went ahead and contacted them, and we had a long conversation on a lot of topics, so I had an idea of what to look out for and what to expect coming onto the island, as well as a lot of the unique island characteristics that aren’t on the mainland …But there’s only so much someone can tell you, and while Saipan is a completely new environment, my fundamental job duties are, to a degree, pretty mundane. Great communication skills, listening to other’s opinion, identifying bird and plants, technical writing skills, these are all accumulated over the years, and making the effort to identify and acknowledge your shortcomings on these areas, while making the effort to improve on these skills puts you in a better position to succeed in your job, wherever it may be.

Q. Are there any certifications or courses you recommend MCRS students take?

I myself do not have any certifications. But I am aware that The Wildlife Society offers certification for Wildlife Biologists that could be worth looking into, especially if you are looking for jobs in Southern California. In my opinion, certifications help if you are pursuing what it certifies (i.e if you are looking for a job in data analytics, a certification in R/ArcGIS is helpful to enhance job prospect), but you need to know what and why you want to get certified in that particular area. What may be more important is how you conduct your interview. In terms of courses, I think that R, ArcGIS(and ArcGIS pro), QGIS and a botany course could all be really useful. Other than courses, some books are also really good to read: “Writing Science” by Joshua Schimel is really useful if you are going to write grants or proposals, “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer is important to understand how the roles of science and tradition may not always be opposite to each other, and “Four Thousand Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman has helped me a lot in managing my busy schedule.

Q. What inspired you to move out to Saipan?

I’ve always been looking for adventures in my life, from moving to the U.S. when I was little to taking internships around the world helping sea turtles, giant pandas, and samango monkeys, and so when I got the job offer, it was like the next chapter of my journey across the world. My family is also closer to this side of the world, and so it’s much more convenient to visit them. The biodiversity on Saipan is also extremely unique, as with many Pacific Islands. Having the chance to work with some of the most endangered birds in the world, in the middle of nowhere no less, I definitely couldn’t pass on this opportunity.