My name is Ryan Mayr, and I am from Smithtown, Long Island. Smithtown is a small suburban neighborhood located in central to eastern Long Island. I grew up with my parents, sister, and many family pets. My mother is an amazing woman who had a long career teaching enrichment in mathematics and English language arts to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. My father is another individual who I often look up to. Spending 26 years in the New York Police Department and the last several years in the ASPCA investigating animal cruelty crimes. My sister, Sarah, is one of my best friends. She attended Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and achieved a degree in Music Therapy. Today, my sister is aiming to open her practice while studying for her master’s online. Lastly comes Thunder, a small and thick dog composed of dachshund and Chikwawa, therefore he is a Chiweenie.

I attended Smithtown High School West and graduated in 2018 before starting my college career here at SUNY Oneonta. Upon arrival here, I had no idea what I wanted to major in until I met some of the environmental professors and eventually was hooked. I have always loved being outside but never realized the consequences humanity has had on our environment as a whole. In my second semester of freshman year, I decided to declare Environmental Sustainability as my major, and I have not looked back since. The science behind our climate, ecosystems, and humanity is breathtaking, but the human-caused harm and changes induced in our world today are fascinating but saddening. Throughout my coursework here I have become interested in the fields of geographic information systems, climatology, and environmental sciences.

Today, I am interested in furthering my knowledge of geographic information systems and climatology. I aim to achieve my master’s in climatology shortly and hope to one day graduate with a Ph.D. As my four years of college comes to a close, I am still looking to expand my knowledge of the environment and the sciences behind it. SUNY Oneonta has given me the building blocks to have a career I have always dreamed of.