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CSU PSM Program

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Professional Science Master’s in Zoo, Aquarium, & Animal Shelter Management @ Colorado State University

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Last week 22 second and third year students attended the Association of Zoos and Aquariums annual conference in Portland, Oregon which was hosted by Oregon Zoo!🦫

This conference was a great opportunity for students to network with professionals in the field, connect with PSM alumni, and present their capstone projects. 17 out of 22 students presented their research by either attending poster presentations or giving presentations during different panels at the conference. We are so proud of everyone who attended and presented at the conference!!

Thank you to oregonzoo , nwtrek , and ptdefiancezoo for hosting such amazing zoo days!!🦬🦫🦌

#csupsm #azaannualconference #csupsmzaasm #coloradostateuniversity by @csupsm

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20 hours ago

It is October which means it’s spooky season and we are kicking off a new series!!👻🎃

For this month we will be highlighting a “spooky” species each week which will be known as Spooky Saturdays. The first species to be featured is the vampire bat! 🦇 These amazing animals are known for their unique diet, their reciprocal altruism, and their infrared vision!

Just because they sound or look spooky, doesn’t mean they actually are. Each animal has unique qualities that allows them to survive in their environment! 🦇🎃✨

#spookyspeciessaturday #vampirebat #csupsmzaasm #csupsm by @csupsm

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4 days ago

For this week's #FollowingCapstoneFriday , we are seeing what Bri Gomez was up to this summer! Her capstone project, "Let the Light In" was assessing the effects of architectural light modification on reticulated giraffe behavior.

Bri is conducting her project at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is working under Rick Hester who is the Director of Animal Science, Behavior, & Environment.

A typical day for Bri included gathering behavioral data on giraffe, inputting it into Excel spreadsheets, graphing it, and analyzing/interpreting it. She also went on a lot of zoo walks, occasionally shadowed different teams at CMZ, read lots of scientific papers sent to her by her mentor, and had group discussions about scientific papers with her CMZ cohort members and her mentor.

Bri learned that behavioral analysis is an important consideration for animal care and management decisions at zoological organizations. She also learned that it’s a scientific field that continues to grow and expand which keeps things interesting and forward progressing!

Bri remarked "I loved my summer at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the opportunity to be there is something I would recommend to anyone interested in the zoo field and animal behavior! "

#csupsm #followingpsmfriday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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22 days ago

For this week's #FollowingCapstoneFriday , we are seeing what Lacey Robison was up to this summer! Her capstone project was exploring the benefits of behavior plans for foster dogs.

Lacey conducted her project at All Aboard Animal Rescue, located in our very own Fort Collins, CO! She is working under Kim Shelton, who is the Volunteer Coordinator, as well as Emma Krier, who is the Foster Coordinator.

A typical day for Lacey consisted of helping at adoption events by supervising dogs while potential adopters were visiting with them, and ensuring the dogs received breaks. Outside of the events, She also helped conduct foster home checks. Lastly, she got to train and handle some of the dogs to create her behavior plans.

This summer, Lacey learned that dogs get sweaty when they experience anxiety, similar to humans. However, dogs primarily sweat through their paws!

#csupsm #followingpsmfriday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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a month ago

For this week's #FollowingCapstoneFriday , we're traveling to Kansas to check in with Hannah Strahl! Her capstone project "Spotting Temperaments", is investigating factors that affect the temperaments of cheetahs such as how the cheetah was reared. She is thrilled to be presenting her research at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference in Oregon!

Hannah is conducting her project at Tanganyika Wildlife park which is located in a small town just outside of Wichita, Kansas. She is working under the Dr. Samantha Russak, the Curator of Research and Welfare and Registrar, and Phoebe Andrews, the Carnivore Supervisor.

A typical day for Hannah starts by assisting the carnivore team with husbandry routines such as diet preparation and habitat cleaning then heading over to the cheetah breeding complex to work on her project. She exposed the cheetahs to novel objects and used continuous focal sampling to see how resilient the cheetahs are to new experiences.

Tanganyika Wildlife Park is accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) and is Global Humane Certified. Tanganyika is proud to participate in the Animal Management Program (AMP) and Species Survival Plan (SSP) to help manage populations of cheetahs, clouded leopards, and more! The park has successfully produced 11 litters of cheetah cubs with more on the way!

#csupsm #followingpsmfriday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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a month ago

Happy International Dog Day! Meet some of the PSM students' dogs: Pawsha and Myah.

Make sure to give your puppies at home some extra love today, or visit a shelter to help dogs in need!

#csupsm #csupsmzaasm #internationaldogday by @csupsm

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a month ago

Happy International Cat Day! Meet some of the PSM students' kitties: Sylvester, Walter, Jasper, Poppy, and Ragnarok.

Make sure to give your kitties at home some extra love today, or visit a shelter to help kitties in need!

#csupsm #csupsmzaasm #internationalcatday by @csupsm

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2 months ago

For this week's #FollowingCapstoneFriday, we're traveling to Madagascar to check in with Sydney Jacobs! Her capstone project, "Growing up Edwarsi", is analyzing if there are any behavioral or developmental differences between male and female infants of the Milne-Edwards' Sifaka (Propithecus edwarsi).

Sydney is conducting her project at Centre ValBio, a research center nestled in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park. She is working under Dr. Patricia C. Wright, an acclaimed primatologist and the Founder and Executive Director of Centre ValBio.

A typical day for Sydney starts by hiking out into the rainforest, finding her designated study group of sifakas, and following them around all day. Every 5 minutes, she takes behavioral data utilizing instantaneous focal sampling.

Centre ValBio is dedicated to the conservation of Madagascar's unique, extremely biodiverse, and highly endemic ecosystems. They work closely with local communities to protect biodiversity while improving livelihoods. The centre harnesses cutting-edge conservation science to expand scientific knowledge and ensure Madagascar's heritage is protected for generations to come!

#csupsm #followingpsmfriday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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2 months ago

ave you been looking for a way to earn a master’s while working? Now is your chance! Our 3-year online program is targeted toward folks with 3-5 years of experience working in the field who are looking to further their knowledge, skills, and experience.

The PSM program utilizes experiential learning alongside blended science, business/management, and professional skills coursework to prepare students for a successful future in animal welfare. Make sure to send in your application by July 15th to be considered for this unique opportunity!

Want more information? Visit our website (link in bio) by @csupsm

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3 months ago

For this week's #FollowingCapstoneFriday, we're traveling to Florida to check in with Izabella Ferjiani! Her capstone project, "Prey on Display", is analyzing if carcass type and presentation has an effect on the behavioral diversity of African Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus).

Izzy is conducting her project at ZooTampa in Florida under the tutelage of Kelly Trotto, the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry, and Sue Pasquine, the Curator of Animal Behavior and Enrichment.

A typical day for Izzy consists of assisting with the design and creation of enrichment for the animal care teams, including filling out enrichment logs. She supports the evaluation and improvement of behavioral management and conducts welfare assessments across the Zoo. Izzy also assists with animal husbandry and any other tasks required for the Zoo's day to day operations!

ZooTampa is proud to participate in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative initiative among zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to manage the populations of hundreds of species. They have had 54 animal babies born since January 2026, with more on the way! These births are crucial in supporting the SSP and all of the incredible animals that call ZooTampa home!

#csupsm #followingpsmfriday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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3 months ago

Join us on Thursday, May 14th for our 2026 PSM Capstone Symposium! 🎉 Support our 2nd-year students as they present their final projects. The event will take place at the CSU Lory Center in Room 386 from 8:30am-5:00pm. Cheer on their hard work in-person, or virtually through live stream.

Scan the QR code or click the link in our bio to check out the Symposium 2026 website and learn more about the speakers and their projects. We hope to see you there!

#symposium2026 #csupsm by @csupsm

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5 months ago

For this week's Where Are They Now Wednesday, check out what 2018 PSM graduate, Brandi Taylor has been working on as a Carnivore Animal Care Specialist at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance! Swipe to learn more about her journey!

#csupsm #WhereAreTheyNowWednesday #psmzaasm by @csupsm

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5 months ago