Erik Cumpston
Blacksburg,VA
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Arborist Apprentice
Forestry
04.2024 - Current
- Followed ANSI standards and standardized methods to enact tree work.
- Used ropes, harnesses, personal protective equipment, and approved methods to climb and fell trees.
- Learned and identified arboricultural pathology concerns.
- Supported landscaping operations in various locations using design and functionality as paramount principles.
- Learned and performed a diversity of effective tree care methods.
- Gained a broad knowledge of tree species and their unique qualities/roles in an ecosystem and urban environment.
- Learned to work on a team with a diverse group of people, the "Tree Crew"
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Virginia Tech - Whitehead Lab
08.2023 - 06.2024
- Recorded data and maintained source documentation following set documentation practices.
- Planned, modified and executed research techniques, procedures and tests, communicating changes with my team.
- Compiled data into reports and disseminated to supervisor for review.
- Participated in research projects by designing and executing experiments.
Black Bear Behavior And Foraging Ecology
Virginia Tech - WHAPA Lab
09.2022 - 09.2023
- Identified plant species which Black Bears of Southwest VA were consuming from a video database.
- Inputted all the plant species consumed by respective individual Black Bears in an organized database.
Assistant Coach
Collington Swimming
05.2016 - 07.2022
- Learned to manage and interact with a large group of people in a calm, effective, respectful, and organized way.
- Learned to work with my fellow coaches and with parents to create a positive, organized, safe, and exciting environment for the swimmers.
- Developed my skills in working with children as well as their parents.
- Learned to love working with people.
Student Volunteer
Chesterfield Food Bank
09.2016 - 06.2020
- Followed detailed directions and rules from the Food Bank directors.
- Learned how to communicate with a vast diversity of unique individuals.
- Assisted Spanish speaking individuals in communication with the bank.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Biological Sciences (EEB)
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg05.2024
Skills
- Chainsaw Operation
- Aerial lift operation
- Brush clearing
- Pest Management
- Tree planting
- Tree Removal
- Safe pesticide usage
- Safety Procedures
- Diverse plant knowledge
- Inventory Management
- Qualitative Research
- Fieldwork experience
- Research design
- Data Collection
- Database Maintenance
- Data Analysis
- Laboratory techniques
- Running experiments
Timeline
Arborist Apprentice
Forestry
04.2024 - Current
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Virginia Tech - Whitehead Lab
08.2023 - 06.2024
Black Bear Behavior And Foraging Ecology
Virginia Tech - WHAPA Lab
09.2022 - 09.2023
Student Volunteer
Chesterfield Food Bank
09.2016 - 06.2020
Assistant Coach
Collington Swimming
05.2016 - 07.2022
Bachelor of Science - Biological Sciences (EEB)
Virginia Tech