This paper reports on two professional internships conducted as part of the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science M.S. Professional Internship program. The first was with the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) learning about data and the metrics involved in capturing the effectiveness of control treatments. The second was working as the field crew leader with Liko Nā Pilina, a hybrid ecosystem restoration research project. These two internship opportunities were chosen based on my personal and professional interest in better understanding the landscape of invasive species management efforts.