Autumn McGowan is an EHS alum who attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and in May 2022 earned a B.A. in Public Policy with concentrations in environmental policy and social policy, and minors in Sociology and Civic Analytics. Currently Autumn works as a Conservation Fellow with the Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and their Science Team.

Autumn has always been passionate about the environment and spent her time in school focusing on the ways in which the environment and communities interact, particularly access to resources and nature. Her internship during school was spent working with nonprofits on the Water-for-All Campaign in Chicago, an ongoing fight to ensure that everyone has affordable access to safe drinking water. Now with The Nature Conservancy, Autumn spends her fellowship supporting science needs for multiple projects to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. This includes sustainable fisheries work in the Great Lakes, analyzing nature-based solutions in rural and urban areas, and promoting clean and renewable energy.

New to Michigan, Autumn has been exploring the beautiful nature spaces the state offers, and in her free time enjoys doing puzzles, cooking, reading, and traveling wherever possible.