Austin Draper had two career goals when he enrolled at UW-Whitewater. He wanted a job that aligned with his passion for fish and oceans. He also wanted financial security and stability, which he lacked as a child.
A Freshwater Collaborative–funded grant in 2020 set him on the path to achieve both. Draper was one of the first undergraduates hired to work on a Freshwater Collaborative grant. Despite the uncertainty and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, he gained practical experience conducting collaborative toxicology research in aquatic species with Dr. Elisabeth Harrahy at UW-Whitewater and Dr. Tisha King-Heiden at UW-La Crosse.
Fast forward six years: In March 2026, Draper started a new job as a physical scientist with the U.S. Navy. Stationed at the Naval Oceanographic Office in Mississippi, he will be collecting data and measuring ocean parameters for naval activities.
“Being an undergraduate working in a lab and on a grant with real-world experiences and practice in analyzing and presenting data has taken me this far in my career,” he says.
Turning Passion Into Practical Skills
Originally from the Chicago area, Draper grew up loving Planet Earth documentaries, but he wasn’t sure how to turn that passion into a career. He transferred from a community college to UW-Whitewater as a junior, majoring in biology with an emphasis in ecology, evolution and behavior.
A faculty member recognized his passion for science and encouraged him to apply for a research position in Harrahy’s lab. Under her mentorship, he gained practical lab and field skills while studying the toxic effects of commonly used insecticides.
Those skills were highly relevant for his next step: a graduate degree program in coastal sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi where he studied gulf sturgeon. Draper was a master’s research fellow with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He flew to job sites around the country to assist with projects and conduct data analysis and reporting.
When it came time for job hunting, it was the hard skills that impressed potential employers. As a physical scientist for the Navy, Draper will be collecting and analyzing ocean data daily. The job combines his passion with financial security.
“Lots of people love fish and fishing, but they don’t have the hard skills,” Draper says. “Data analysis, presentation skills and learning to interact with stakeholders are very valuable, and gaining those skills started at UW-Whitewater. It set me apart.”