Diving into research��

The internship offered Moya a comprehensive and immersive experience in marine biology. She spent her time doing fieldwork, including boat surveys for population monitoring, acoustic monitoring throughout the Sarasota Bay, fishing to study dolphin distribution and their prey, and gaining skills in photo identification. These hands-on experiences offered a realistic glimpse into the life of a marine biologist.��

“To thrive in this environment, it’s essential to have a growth mindset—being open to change, willing to explore new interests, and understanding that your passions may evolve,” Moya said. “You might discover that something you expected to love isn’t quite the right fit or unexpectedly fall in love with a new area of study.”��

The SDRP challenges students to grow as scientists through real-world research and offers ongoing opportunities to volunteer in diverse projects—from necropsies and offshore acoustic receiver deployments to sea turtle hatchling releases and collaborating with shark researchers.��

“At SDRP, you’re encouraged to be curious, ask questions, read scientific literature, and learn from both successes and mistakes,” Moya said. “Ultimately, the experience is what you make of it—so be a sponge, soak up every opportunity, and allow yourself to grow both personally and professionally.”

Learning beyond the science

Being a scientist means more than just doing science: it requires confidence, courage, resilience, and most importantly, a willingness to face the unknown and embrace failure as part of the journey. These are the traits that have sustained SDRP’s legacy for 55 years and enabled it to produce pioneering research for marine mammals.��

By continuing to take bold steps driven by curiosity and ambition, SDRP has helped lay the foundation for marine mammal conservation and inspired generations of scientists to follow.��

In analyzing the behavior and health of small cetaceans, Moya noted that when dolphins are together, they’re not called pods; they’re called communities.

“The bottlenose dolphins are just like us—living creatures who are curious, trying to survive, and remarkably intelligent with developed communication skills that help expand their complex social structures,” said Moya. “Bottlenose dolphins are self-aware and able to recognize one another through signature whistles.”��

Dolphins serve as vital indicators of the health of the world’s oceans. They play a key role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems, help control fish populations, help maintain water quality, and keep the food chain in balance.��

“Their sensitivity to environmental changes makes them sort of like our ocean security guards for detecting issues like pollution and disease, or even with incidents of algal blooms like red tide, which occurred in 2021 throughout the Sarasota Bay,” said Moya. “However, when dolphins are in trouble, it can be a serious sign that our oceans may be at risk too.”

Exploring the opportunities

�������ý��Ƶ students are encouraged by faculty and staff to take on internships to expand their understanding, build relationships, and strengthen their overall career path.��

“‘Ride my wave’—that’s something my mom always tells me, and it’s become a grounding mantra throughout my college journey,” Moya said. “It reminds me to stay present and embrace each moment, whether it’s challenging or joyful. The tough times are temporary, and the good ones pass quickly too—so it’s important to appreciate them while they last.” This perspective has shaped not only how Moya moves through tough moments, but also how she approaches the future.��

“Even when the wave you’re riding knocks you down, you get back on the board and catch the next wave. That mindset is guiding me as I work toward graduate school in marine mammal research while staying open to new opportunities that may come my way.”

Art History: Highlighting the Permanent Collection

The permanent collection at the Wriston Art Galleries at �������ý��Ƶ boasts over 6,000 works of art, a testament to the generosity of the college’s alumni and friends. However, less than two percent of the collection is typically on display in any given year.

To help showcase more of this vast collection, Val Muzzarelli, a junior art history major from Hazel Park, MI, took on a research project to curate a year-long exhibition. Led by Beth Zinsli, associate provost and adjunct associate professor of art, the project began last year with Wren Chlystek ‘25, also an art history major. Muzzarelli picked up the mantle when Chlystek graduated.

“They (Chlystek) left a really good foundation and gave me a really good place to start,” Muzzarelli said. “It’s been more collaborative than just me.”��

Throughout the summer, Muzzarelli has been researching, examining, and drawing connections among the artwork to create a cohesive exhibition of about 90 pieces. The exhibit will be organized around four core themes:

1. Light, More Light!��

1. ������Ƿɱ������Գ���

1. �پ�����������𳾱�Գ���

1. The Unknown��

According to Madison Pierson, the collections and gallery assistant at Wriston, “The Unknown” highlights future research opportunities for pieces whose stories are not yet known.

“Many of the pieces came to us before this building (Wriston) existed,” Pierson said. “The paper trails for some of those early gifts in particular may be less thorough.”

An unofficial fifth theme, “Greatest Hits,” will also be featured, showcasing some of the collection’s most popular pieces, including Louise Bourgeois prints and the dancing bear statues.

The exhibition aims to expose students, faculty, staff, and the community to the full breadth of the �������ý��Ƶ permanent collection. If successful, this type of exhibition will become a regular event. Pierson hopes that continuing the project in future years will allow faculty to incorporate the works into their lesson plans.

“Getting more things in the gallery also helps expose students for research but also our faculty to the wide variety of things we have in our collections,” Pierson said. “There are so many who might not know that these collections exist or the breadth of the collection.”����

The exhibition is set to open in the back gallery on Friday, September 26, with a reception planned for October. It will remain on display for the entire academic year. In a related project, Alex Whaley, a junior English literature major, will curate an exhibition in the front gallery featuring works from the Earl and Aubrey Richmond Collection of Rare Books.

Biology: Prairie Restoration��

After their freshman year at �������ý��Ƶ, 5th-year senior Laura Friestad got an internship at Lake Forest Open Lands Association in Lake Forest, Illinois, as a restoration ecologist intern. While there, they learned how to identify invasive and native species, collected seeds, and learned all about ecological restoration; in the end, they fell in love with the work.

“I was like, I can’t spend the rest of my life not doing plant stuff,” said Friestad. “So I decided to put that more into what I’m doing at �������ý��Ƶ.”��

The experience led Friestad, a clarinet performance and environmental science major, to consider ways they could help improve the ecological landscaping on campus. While brainstorming ideas for their junior year capstone class, they decided they wanted to make a prairie on campus.����

The hill behind Hiett Hall presented a natural place to start, being covered in invasive species. They went to work removing invasive species from the plot and collecting seeds from native species around the city of Appleton. They visited Bubolz Nature Preserve and also searched older areas of the city; less development means it was easier to find existing populations of native species.

From there, they would make a seed mix, weigh it out, and spread it over the hill. A year later, Friestad is continuing their work through a summer research project with Alyssa Hakes, associate professor of biology, along with Rylee Polanka, a junior environmental science major. The project allows them to study prairie restoration methods, visit restored prairie sites, identify invasive and native plant species, and develop a plan on monitoring and restoring prairies and other Wisconsin ecosystems

“We are trying to overpower the invasive seed bank with our seed bank, and that means a lot of digging up the invasive seed species, cutting the seed heads, removing the seeds, and trying to get as few of those seeds staying and more of our seeds going in,” Friestad said, “and hopefully, eventually, create a self-sustaining ecosystem.”

A seed bank can refer to the seeds already in the soil, some of which can persist for years. Prairie plants flower, produce seeds, and appear to die at the end of the season. However, their roots are still alive under the soil and can return season after season.

“That’s one of my absolute favorite things about the prairie —how they put so much into the roots,” Friestad said.

The Conservatory: Brass Pedagogy����

Joey O’Connor, a senior trumpet performance and music education major, had the opportunity to collaborate with assistant professor Nadje Noordhuis in editing interview transcripts for Noordhuis’s PhD dissertation, “The Teaching Philosophy of Laurie Frink.”

O’Connor was able to explore the teaching philosophy of brass legend Laurie Frink and uncover best practices for future educators. The dataset comprised over two dozen interviews with Frink’s former students and colleagues and the students of her renowned teacher, Carmine Caruso.

The Conservatory: LGBTuben, The Lodge, & Meditations��

Ann Ellsworth, associate professor of music, led several summer research opportunities tied to her involvement with the �������ý��Ƶ Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet (LGBTuben), an ensemble with roots at �������ý��Ƶ. Ellsworth brought together �������ý��Ƶ musicians and talented tuben players from across the country to create music rooted in inclusivity, visibility, and diversity.

LGBTuben was recently was recently gifted a lodge on 20 acres in New York’s Adirondack State Park, which the group plans to transform into an artist retreat. This space will serve as both a meeting place and an income generator to support the ensemble’s scholarship and outreach programs.

Aimee Patch, a senior music education major from Greenville, WI, collaborated with Ellsworth on managing the lodge. Patch traveled to the lodge this summer with LGBTuben to research similar nonprofits and study how a musical nonprofit can operate.

“My research looked at similar nonprofit organizations such as this to see what models we might adopt, and then also checking out a lot of the zoning laws and building laws for the Adirondack Park,” Patch said. “It’s such a beautiful space.”

Patch appreciated the opportunity to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making music happen.

“Being able to sit in on group meetings and see what happens behind closed doors and official decisions being made wasn’t something you usually see,” Patch said. “To sit there as a student, as an intern, was really incredible. To see how these decisions were made and debated and decided as a group was really powerful.”

Junior Leo Rodda, a music major from Appleton, WI, also visited the lodge this summer to continue his research with Ellsworth. Last year, he arranged music by Arvo Pärt and John Cage for horn and some clarinet to create 10-30 minute ‘meditations’ that can be used for bilateral music.

Bilateral music can be used in different therapies by providing auditory stimulation where sounds alternate between the left and right ears. The music keeps the brain activated with continuous sound.

“We’ve been using a lot of minimalist music, so the point is to listen for the small things that change,” Rodda said. “It’s to get you to mindfully pay attention.”

This summer, he collaborated with Ellsworth to finalize the digital scores and record, edit, and master the new album. Although the original plan was to record in New York, audio issues led them to re-record in-house with Brent Hauer, director of conservatory productions.

Rodda is currently selecting the best takes for the album, which will be released this fall. Additionally, a performance by the horn and clarinet studios is in the works for November 2025.

“The people there (at the lodge) and the environment that was created there were so awesome,” Rodda said. “Everyone was so accepting and passionate about what they did; to me, that was the best part. That is something that I see at �������ý��Ƶ as well; you don’t see many other places.”

Ethnic Studies: Sibling Bonds��

Seniors Gabby DeBoer (psychology), Owen Bakker (psychology and double bass performance), and Faith Onukaogu (business & entrepreneurship and global studies) worked with Estéfani Marín, assistant professor of ethnic studies, in studying sibling bonds. The three research fellows dove into interviews, coding and analyzing data to understand how siblings generate and transmit resources in the educational context. A particular focus was placed on Latin American and Asian American families.

Although Onukaogu is not an anthropology student, she said participating in research outside of her area of study gave her a unique experience.��

“Being at a liberal arts school gives you the opportunity to try things you usually wouldn’t,” Onukaogu said. “The research helped me learn some soft skills, like time management and professionalism, and also cultivate my leadership skills and communication skills. It also helped me connect with professors who are really good resources.”

Becker, who graduated from �������ý��Ƶ with a dual degree in voice performance and psychology, was intrigued. She wanted to explore this relationship between the vocal exercise and the performances that follow.��

“What I really wanted to ask, empirically and biologically, was what are the mechanisms that underlie the perceivable differences in performance?” she said. “Is it through stress and anxiety reduction?”

The study included volunteer singers who underwent a mock audition with professional adjudicators and written feedback, simulating a real environment that can breed anxiety for performers. In the first round of mock auditions, the volunteers were asked to warm up with their own techniques. The singers’ salivary cortisol was tested, and the researchers then asked participants about their levels of stress and anxiety.��

Over the course of two weeks, participants were taught to use the improvisation exercise before their performance, and the mock audition process was repeated. This time, the singers practiced the improvisation exercise before performing in front of the panel.

“We found that upon arrival, everyone was experiencing a similar level of stress at both the first and second auditions,” Becker said. “We found that cortisol levels during performance were significantly reduced at the second event after they’d practice that intervention right before their performance. They also reported feeling less stress and less anxiety. It was clinically relevant.”

Both Saladin and Abbo graduated in June with dual degrees. Their interdepartmental interests made this study possible. Having students with expertise in both the Conservatory and the Psychology Department served to bridge the gaps, and Becker and Leigh-Post said they couldn’t have done it without them.

“Dr. Becker was really in tune with my experiences as a double-degree student in neuroscience and music performance because she was also a double-degree student at �������ý��Ƶ, and she immediately presented the idea to me of being a leader on a collaborative project with Dr. Leigh-Post and the Conservatory voice department,” Saladin said. “That’s a really special and particularly ‘�������ý��Ƶ’ set of circumstances.”

Abbo, who majored in music performance (voice) and English, found it equally appealing.

“This project has affirmed to me how fun and rewarding it is to collaborate with people with different areas of expertise,” Abbo said. “None of us could have produced this research or this paper with just our individual skill sets.”

A year later, the project continues to have legs. The research was presented at The Voice Foundation conference in the spring, bringing it to a cross-institutional audience of scholars. The researchers also plan to present it to other voice teachers later this year. Meanwhile, they are preparing a manuscript for publication.

Abbo is currently in London pursuing a master’s degree in modern literature. Saladin is a graduate student in trombone performance at DePaul University.

The research has included student presentations at the Society for Neuroscience Conference in Chicago, the Midwest Regional Neuroscience Conference in Green Bay, and the Wisconsin Science Education and Research (WiSER) Conference in Milwaukee. In addition, Santiago presented findings at the Vision Sciences Society meeting in St.�� Petersburg, Florida, and the group presented their research at the �������ý��Ƶ Research Fellows (LURF) symposium on campus.

Boakye, Khan, Jatta, and Santiago are gaining deep knowledge while getting a taste for what graduate or medical school might look like. They helped build the infrastructure of Teng’s Vision, Memory, and Cognition (VMC) Lab in Briggs Hall, including Jatta using �������ý��Ƶ’s Makerspace to create a 3-D model chin rest used in experiments. They worked with electroencephalogram (EEG) technology—utilizing a special cap with built-in sensors—to measure brain activity. They learned to process, analyze, and interpret data about how our brains support cognition, vision, and memory, which they then shared at the various conferences and symposiums.

Santiago, who is interviewing for graduate schools to study neuroscience, called her experience at the Vision Sciences Society eye-opening.

“I was able to interact with vision neuroscientists from all over the world,” she said. “I had people from as far as the Netherlands and Japan to as close as Chicago and New York stop by my poster and listen to my research and findings. On the other days, I was able to listen to talks from graduate students across the world and interact with other professors during networking events.”

The Society for Neuroscience Conference, meanwhile, drew 22,000 people. It is considered the world’s largest neuroscience conference for scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. Santiago presented a poster that was co-authored by Jatta.

“I saw a lot of interesting ways we could bring more awareness about brain sciences to our communities,” Santiago said.

The research being done in Teng’s VMC lab covers a wide swath of brain activity. To do this research at the undergraduate level is a huge win for these students.��In one study, they are testing whether the human brain rapidly switches attention between what we see and what we remember, like a mental juggling act. In another study, they are exploring how we adapt our memories to different tasks. Just like you might reorganize your mental grocery list based on the store layout, the researchers believe the brain can flexibly use visual memories depending on what we’re doing.

“By understanding these processes better, we hope to gain insights that could help improve everything from education techniques to computer interfaces, and maybe even help people with attention or memory difficulties,” Teng said.

Teng came to �������ý��Ƶ in 2023 after four years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science (psychology) from Fudan University in China. �������ý��Ƶ’s endowed professorship in cognitive neuroscience��was established in 2017 by a gift from Dennis and Charlot Nelson ’67 Singleton. It allowed for the addition of a tenure-line faculty position and established a neuroscience program that offers a major and a minor in neuroscience, along with research opportunities, while deepening interdisciplinary connections to biology, psychology, philosophy, linguistics, anthropology, and computer science.

Santiago said the VMC Lab research has been a focal point in several of her graduate school interviews.

“All of them stated how they thought I would be a great fit for their lab during my graduate studies because of the research I have done here with Professor Teng,” she said.

Santiago initially came to �������ý��Ƶ because its pre-health programming is ideal preparation for medical school. She fell in love with neuroscience research along the way.

“It’s amazing we have a cognitive neuroscience professor now because it has always been my passion to understand the brain and how our brain allows us to do such complex things,” Santiago said. “Because of the resources I have by being part of her lab, I now can follow my passions beyond �������ý��Ƶ, and I am eternally grateful.”

Boakye said the research experience will be key as he charts a path either through medical school or graduate school. It builds on work he did last year in the lab of Elizabeth De Stasio, the Raymond H. Herzog Professor of Science and professor of biology, and the ongoing development of competencies in coding and experimental design in the field of cognitive neuroscience. He joined Khan in presenting a poster at the 2024 WiSER Conference at the Medical College of Wisconsin in October and gave a talk at the Midwest Regional Neuroscience Conference.

“I am eager to continue learning about the brain and its connections to all the other organs in our body,” Boakye said.

For Jatta, the research—and the presentations to peers and others—has solidified her desire to work in the neuroscience field. She is eyeing graduate studies or medical school, with a focus on understanding neural mechanisms to inform patient care. She’s had interest in pursuing such studies since losing her grandfather to a brain tumor, which she said motivated her to better understand the brain. �������ý��Ƶ has proven to be the ideal place to launch those studies.

“�������ý��Ƶ attracted me not only because of its strong neuroscience program and emphasis on research but also because of the positive experiences shared by my older brother, who graduated in 2021,” Jatta said. “Hearing firsthand about �������ý��Ƶ’s supportive community, small class sizes, and dedicated faculty from him strongly influenced my decision to study here, and it has proven to be an ideal environment for my academic and personal growth.”

Jacobs’ research was funded by the �������ý��Ƶ Research Fellows program, which gave her the opportunity to travel to New York and Philadelphia to see other examples of de Forest’s work. Jacobs is interested in how history presents through objects in the Teakwood Room. de Forest was a member of the American Craft Revival movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He designed stencils with motifs he observed in Indian architecture, and craftsmen in Ahmedabad, India, created his stencils and carvings.

“He was part of the movement of artists that was trying to move away from mass production and industrialization, preserving the arts and crafts, but he was still partaking in mass production,” Jacobs said.

As Jacobs works with �������ý��Ƶ faculty and staff to help to preserve the Teakwood Room, she recognizes that this research interacts with a long history regarding both �������ý��Ƶ and the former Milwaukee-Downer College.

“People hold this room very near and dear to their hearts,” she said. “They petitioned to have it come to �������ý��Ƶ because they wanted it to stay so bad. With this research, there’s more incentive for funding to help preserve this room as a historical space.”

Beth Zinsli ’02, assistant professor of art history, curator of the Wriston Art Center Galleries, and director of the Museum Studies Interdisciplinary Area Program, has received two grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities for work on the Teakwood Room. The first grant, awarded in 2021, was used to assess the Teakwood Room to determine the best methods of preservation and care. The latest grant will be used to implement those recommendations, including the installation of UV light filters on the windows and secure display equipment.

Jacobs will continue to be involved by creating permanent signage to explain the Teakwood Room’s importance and historical significance, based on her research.

“Emma’s rigorous research on the Teakwood Room reframes it within a global context and confirms that it is truly a university treasure that helps us better understand and share our history,” Zinsli said.

After graduation, Jacobs plans to attend graduate school to pursue a degree in library science with an intent to focus on archives management, using this research to showcase her skills in independent research and spoken presentation.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For Nico Manzanera, traveling to The Gambia wasn’t the only first. He had recently declared a business and entrepreneurship major, a program that began at the start of the 2023-24 academic year. He became the first business major to go on one of these research trips.

“I was very happy to take the opportunity,” Manzanera said.

A sophomore from Bradenton, Florida, Manzanera chose to explore the main challenges and opportunities for businesses in The Gambia. He was able to speak with people from all walks of life—entrepreneurs, lawyers, athletes, and politicians.����

Much of his observation came from traveling to local gathering spots in the city, as well as riding public transportation and talking to taxi drivers.����

“I traveled a lot,” Manzanera said. “I got to see a lot of the day-to-day life of these people.”��

Senior Gigi Wood received one of her best leads from a taxi driver.����

A double major in international relations and philosophy from Lake Villa, Illinois, Wood chose to base her research on sports and youth sports in The Gambia. Her taxi driver introduced her to a soccer player who played internationally for 16 years.����

“He was the most helpful interview I had for my project, and I hadn’t even planned it,” Wood said. “It just kind of came about just from going to different areas and seeing different fields in the country.��I was able to stumble on these amazing people who filled me in on things I wouldn’t have found online researching and gave me insights to look into on how sports can develop in these countries.”��

As an athlete herself—Wood played on the women’s ice hockey team for four years—the topic was a perfect fit. Through her interactions, Wood hoped to learn more about the difficulties The Gambia had with their developing infrastructure, how athletes develop, and what that means for their country.����

One of their main challenges, Wood said, is that many of the best athletes travel to Europe to play, especially soccer players. This makes it difficult to develop the professional teams in The Gambia.��

However, she found that some international players have started to return to The Gambia to open youth sports programs.����

“I got to talk to a few of them and get the real sense of what it means to be a youth athlete in a developing country like The Gambia,” Wood said.����

Junior Miami Kirkwood found that The Gambia is at the forefront of global environmental conversations.����

Although The Gambia is a small nation with a vast array of environmental concerns, the country also has some of the most ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Paris Climate Agreement. (An NDC is a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.)��

Kirkwood, an environmental studies major from Delton, Michigan, focused her research on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and how they collaborate with policymaking in developing countries.��

“NGOs in The Gambia play a much different role than they do here in the United States,” Kirkwood said. “They’re much more hands-on.”��

Kirkwood had an interview with the team at Green Up Gambia, one of the most renowned NGOs in the country.����

One thing founder Kemo Fatty said that struck her, Kirkwood said, was The Gambia was “ground zero” for climate change, and that it was their job to talk to people to facilitate their needs.��

“Starting with the people who are experiencing environmental crises or environmental concerns and really engaging with local populations and listening to their needs,” Kirkwood said. “These organizations have the resources to do more about that, so really they view themselves as facilitators rather than as saviors.”��

To Quynh Anh (Cailey) Cao Le,����a sophomore international relations major from Vietnam, that understanding of the daily lives, struggles, and goals of the local people made the trip a unique experience.��

“I think that is the amazing part,” Cao Le said. “We had a chance to understand their daily life. You have a chance for very intense interaction, also intense observation—really, really powerful to help understand more about the country.”��

Cao Le’s research focused on the relationship between democracy and Islam in The Gambia. According to Cao Le, about 96% of the population of The Gambia identifies as Muslim, and the country just adopted democracy in 2017.����

In addition to interviewing the Imam of the Masjid Taqwa Mosque, one of the leading religious leaders in the country, Cao Le also observed how the people acted, prayed, and worshiped, including in public spaces, to fuel her research.����

��Fun and games

Even with a schedule jam-packed with interviews and meetings, the students were able to squeeze in time to have some fun. With the beach just steps away from their hotel, swimming and playing beach volleyball together were common pastimes.��

They also embraced the city life by wandering the town and enjoying local foods, African music, and each other’s stories about their experiences. The numerous markets were also a highlight of the trip.����

“There were a ton of markets you could go to and really engage with the locals,” Kirkwood said. “I think we made a lot of local friends. It is branded ‘The Smiling Coast’ for a reason.”��

In addition, some were able to visit the Bijilo Forest Park, a national park often known as Monkey Park, to learn about the efforts around sustainability and the conservation of the monkeys that reside there.��

��Giving back

The second component of Field Experience in Development is volunteerism: giving back to a local community in tandem with KidsGive, a scholarship program associated with �������ý��Ƶ. The mission of KidsGive is to educate those in the U.S. about the life and culture of African communities.��

“The students both do field research and volunteer in community schools, so they help contribute to the places that they visit as well,” Skran said.��

Organized by junior Fanta Jatta, a neuroscience major from Madison, Wisconsin, the students visited Presentation of Mary Basic Cycle School in Brikama. Four of the 16 students came to The Gambia specifically to volunteer, attending the school daily to perform eye screenings for 400 students. They also helped an eye doctor with further examinations, and KidsGive furnished 32 students with much-needed glasses.����

Additional �������ý��Ƶ students came to help with the screenings for one day of the week, which Wood said was a very eye-opening experience for her.����

“When I was very young, I started wearing glasses and contacts,” Wood said. “A lot of these older kids who were coming in had really bad vision, and they had been going through school not knowing that they needed these.”��

�������ý��Ƶ and KidsGive also gave back in the form of sports fun, which Wood connected to her research. Before arriving at the school, Wood purchased sports equipment to be donated to the school, and �������ý��Ƶ put on a field day for the students. They all spent the afternoon playing soccer and volleyball and conducting relay races.����

Wood said one of her favorite things about the day was seeing how dedicated some of the students were to their sport.����

“These boys ran all the way home, changed into their soccer uniforms and cleats, and came back because they wanted to show us how good they were at soccer,” Wood said.����

The day they were able to spend at the school was one of the most impactful parts of the entire trip for both Manzanera and Cao Le.������

“Just seeing how happy the kids were to see us, to interact with us, how excited they were,” Manzanera said, “that really made me very happy to see.”��

For Cao Le, the warm-heartedness of the kids made a big impact.����

“I feel like a few hours of playing with the kids made my heart feel so much love and kindness,” Cao Le said. “I definitely want to come back to that school again, all because of the experience with the people in The Gambia, the local people. They are so amazing, kind, and warm-hearted.”��

Community-engaged learning

One of the benefits of traveling as part of the class, the students agreed, was that they were able to explore the country deeper and at a different pace than a tourist.��

Kirkwood reflected on how the structure of the trip forced her outside of her comfort zone. Usually a planner and itinerary follower, she adapted to their pace and was able to “go with the flow.”����

“It really made me feel like I connected more with the people there,” Kirkwood said, “and just kind of enjoyed their presence as they enjoyed mine, and that was really nice.”��

Without the class, Wood thought she wouldn’t have gotten the same experience in The Gambia.��

“Going out into the cities, going into people’s homes, into the schools, I got to experience the country from a lot of its different aspects,” Wood said. “I’m happy that I got the experience to travel there and do this kind of research.”��

On May 15, the students presented their research posters in Steitz Atrium. The posters remain on display in Briggs Hall.����

LUMP has provided a hands-on undergraduate experience in marine biology every other year since 1978, when the late Sumner Richman launched the program. Students spend time during “Marine Term” learning about coral reef ecosystems, ecology, and human effects on reef environments before embarking on the two-week research trip to the Caribbean.��

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the marine program and the Conservatory of Music, Encarnación joined the trip to study the music of Bonaire while also accompanying students on daily dives and related ecosystem explorations. That led to the idea for the Memorial Chapel performance, which will feature the LU Jazz Band performing music related to the ocean and Bonaire’s Krioyo musical tradition. Within the program, De Stasio and Piasecki will discuss the marine program and students will give brief reports on their research projects while photos and video from the trip are shown. It is free and open to the public.

De Stasio, who has led these research trips since 1996, said Encarnación, a native of Puerto Rico and an experienced scuba diver, provided an opportunity to fuse the coral reef research with the culture of the Bonaire community.

“We always try to make this trip more holistic,” De Stasio said. “We want our students to understand how the coral reefs are really a part of the society that’s there. In my Coral Reef Environments course, we always read about how corals are used by local populations, the differences across the world, how different peoples depend on coral reefs and what their long-term relationships are like. So, we always try to have someone local prepare the cultural foods that are so important to them, using local resources, and talk about their culture, the music that’s part of that. When I talked to José, I thought, this is a great opportunity to really extend that even further, to have José do some research on that and have our students experience this culture in a deeper way.”

Seeking data

�������ý��Ƶ’s marine biology program is one of only seven of its kind in the country, and many students are drawn to �������ý��Ƶ specifically for the program. The Bonaire trip is part of De Stasio’s course,��Coral Reef Environments, which is a centerpiece of what’s known as “Marine Term.”

Emma Moya, a sophomore biology major from Chicago, called the program “impactful” and said the Bonaire experience solidified her plans to pursue marine biology as a career—in ocean advocacy as well as research.

“Marine Term made me more motivated than I was before on working toward my career goals,” Moya said. “It became even more of an obsession of wanting to spend more time in the ocean, wanting to continue research on corals and marine mammals, to pursue outreach while ensuring that communities from all over are involved; that these communities are aware of the power they carry to help our oceans.”

Governed by the Netherlands, Bonaire is one of three islands off the coast of Venezuela called��the ABC Islands, with nearby Aruba and Curaçao. This marked the second time Bonaire has been the destination for the Marine Term trip. It replaced Grand Cayman as the destination in 2022 as the world began to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It worked out really well,” De Stasio said.

The first week in Bonaire was focused on gathering data of fish and coral diversity at seven sites. During the second week, students worked in small groups on research projects of their own design.

A disease outbreak affecting hard corals in the region, first detected a year ago, added new weight to the research. The Bonaire government, which operates a marine park system that protects the waters around the island, connected with the �������ý��Ƶ group in hopes that the research can contribute to a data base that will shed light on the disease and its ramifications, De Stasio said.

“We now have documentation of before and after this disease outbreak,” he said. “There are some big differences there already. We have this comparison of the same sites over this period of a year before and a year after. This disease is hitting the corals, and it happens within a month, killing off these massive coral heads that took hundreds of years to grow.”

A cultural lesson

When not diving, the group explored Bonaire, including the local music that had the attention of Encarnación. They attended Dia di Rincon, an annual event that celebrates Bonaire’s cultural heritage with food, music, and dancing, and Encarnación took lessons in the music.

“Beautiful, happy, and exciting musical traditions,” he said.

In preparation for the trip, Encarnación audited two courses—Coral Reef Environments and Ecological Energetics—took a refresher course in diving and joined De Stasio and Piasecki in getting certified in CPR and First Aid.

“This has been one of the most remarkable experiences of my life,” Encarnación said. “I learned so much.”

LUMP is an extension of other marine-related study in �������ý��Ƶ’s Biology Department. In combination with a course on microbiology and studies of local aquatic ecosystems, students investigate the similarities and differences between marine and freshwater environments. Besides Bonaire, LUMP has studied reefs in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cayman Islands.��Nearly 350 �������ý��Ƶ students have taken part in the marine program over the past four decades.

A year ago, seven students from the research trip signed up for tutorials with De Stasio to continue their study.

“We have students who come to �������ý��Ƶ because we have this program,” De Stasio said. “That has been consistent throughout the years.”

Sedlock joined the �������ý��Ƶ faculty in 2002. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Loyola University. She earned her Ph.D. in ecology and evolution from the University of Illinois.

We caught up with her to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:��What’s one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I’d like students to know that doing creative work and sharing it is scary for me, too. Often, my mind wants to convince me that other scientists, artists, writers, whatever, just wake up in the morning with complete confidence in the fact that they are going to crush it that day—develop a novel and fundable hypothesis, write a poignant and award-winning poem, or deliver a presentation without a hitch. Occasionally, I allow myself a vulnerable moment and confess to a colleague that fear has been tossing me around like a chew toy in the jaws of a pit bull—only to learn that they, too, have these moments, daily. I’d like students to know that they are not alone, and that if they are willing to share their struggles with me, I am happy to share mine, and together we can move on with the business of learning and doing.

Getting energized:��What work have you done or will you be doing at �������ý��Ƶ that gets you the most excited?

Recently, I launched myself into the field of experimental sensory ecology, which has reignited my love for research. In 2019, I designed and deployed a 100-ultrasonic speaker array in an irrigated Philippine rice paddy to test the hypothesis that the impressively intense ultrasonic chorus produced by an aggregation of tiny insects deterred foraging bats (it does). Next year on sabbatical I plan to deploy a prey cue array in a tropical understory to test whether katydids masquerading as leaves dupe not only visually orienting birds and lizards, but also echolocating bats. Are echoes returning from a leaf-mimicking insect leaf-like? These projects involve engineering, art, and science—they’re very interdisciplinary, which I love.

Going places:��Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I’m presenting moth behavior research at the International Entomological Congress in Kyoto, Japan this summer. This is surprising given that I am a bat biologist. During the COVID pandemic, I was eager to continue testing hypotheses about ultrasonic katydid choruses’ effects on other ultrasonic hearing animals. Given travel restrictions, I turned my attention to lab-based experiments on moths, specifically those that both possess simple ultrasonic sensitive ears and are crop pests. Over the past two years, and with the help, focus, and creativity of several �������ý��Ƶ students, we’ve learned that intense ultrasonic insect sound—typical of rice paddies and wet meadows—reduces egg laying, and when less intense, may attract dispersing moths.

Out of the classroom

This or that:��If you weren’t teaching for a living, what would you be doing?����

I would be doing conservation work. After earning my Ph.D., I stood at a fork in the road—take a short-term opportunity leading me into the world of wildlife conservation or an academic career. I obviously chose �������ý��Ƶ but would have been just as happy spending more time in the field and working with communities living adjacent to wildlife—working to make it possible for people and wildlife to coexist. I love diversity—among people and other species—and think bringing these realms into coexistence is incredibly important work.

Right at home:��Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

I love walking down by the river. It’s a 20-minute loop—down Lawe Street, along the river, up Olde Oneida, and past the tennis courts back to my office. Walking the “river loop” helps me stretch out physically and mentally by attending to sounds and sights beyond the frame of my computer monitor. Winter walks promise visitors from the north—buffleheads, golden-eyes, and diving mergansers, and the Lawe Street bridge-dwelling cliff swallows and white pelicans are welcome harbingers of summer during late spring.

One book, one recording, one film:��Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Book: Ed Yong’s��Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, because he eloquently reveals our limited experience of the world and challenged me to imagine the world through eyes, ears, lateral lines, electro-sensors, etc. of other creatures. I used this book in my Animal Behavior course, and the students loved it, too.

Recording: Patty Griffin’s song, Heavenly Day. Sometimes I’ll listen to this multiple times in a row. It reminds me to be grateful for today and for everything and everyone in it.

Film: I loved the documentary, My Octopus Teacher. It demonstrates the intimate connection that can be formed with another species, especially a wild animal. Some of my most precious life experiences are being noticed by a wild animal. Once, a palm civet ran down a tree and sat in front of me, head cocked to the side, to inspect my headlamp—what a thrill to be the object of its curiosity.

She said her mother has a connection to the Imagining Tourists and Tourism conference, which was how they found out about the open call for papers. She shifted the focus of her paper, discussing how Disney uses Black characters, such as Princess Tiana, to bring in Black consumers and tourists.

The conference, subtitled Fiction, Practices and Representations, will be held at the National Institute of Art History, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, Universite Paris Pantheon Sorbonne, and Universite De Geneve. It allows individuals focused on the anthropology of tourism to meet and collaborate, sharing their ideas and innovations.��It is part of a series of conferences organized annually since 2011.

It will be a bit of a family affair for Van Gilder.

“My mom is doing her own paper focusing on Hawaiian tourism,” she said. “We thought I’d get to go see it, and now I’m presenting.”��

Van Gilder is looking forward to the opportunities the conference will present.��

“I’ll be networking with other professors on the first day around papers similar to mine and talking with people who have done research related to what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m excited to absorb as much knowledge as I can.”��

Van Gilder shares that she wouldn’t be able to have these opportunities without help from Betsy Schlabach, associate professor of history, and others in the History Department. They have continued to help Van Gilder practice the presentation and explore additional ideas for the conference.����

“They helped me get my writing skills to the level that they are,” she said.����

Van Gilder will continue her research and critiques of Disney’s practices, recognizing they have a long way to go. She hopes to work in the archives field post-graduation, and this experience will build on that potential path.��

“Disney is changing a lot of rides and buildings, adding things that are historically interesting,” Van Gilder said. “I’ll get to come back to �������ý��Ƶ [after the conference] and talk about my experiences in Paris and hone my skills.”��

The past nine months have been particularly exciting for Weber. Starting in June 2023, she dove into summer research developing an open-source microscope. Her research centered around how to bring research-grade microscopy into the classroom by making it more cost-effective.��

Components of the microscope were either 3D printed, courtesy of the �������ý��Ƶ Makerspace, or created with easily accessible software. The replicability of the microscope makes it ideal for an undergraduate setting.��

“Because it is mostly 3D printed, we’re able to present it to other schools, and they can make it easily, so that sharing the knowledge is the goal,” Weber said.��

“I really liked the puzzle aspect of physics, and the desire to find out more about the world and figure out how it worked.”��
– Grace Weber, physics major

Weber had an exciting opportunity to share her knowledge when she and her co-worker, Joseph Carpenter, a junior math and physics major from Minneapolis, received a grant from the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) to fund their continued research and work on the microscope. It also came with an opportunity to give a presentation at the Wisconsin Space Conference in August 2023.����

“Being able to share the research that I had done really helped me prepare for my future and brought me a lot of excitement,” Weber said.��

Video:

Doug Martin, associate professor of physics and Weber’s academic advisor, said working with her on the microscope has been a privilege.����

“Grace has found a great balance between listening for foundational ideas and diving in to move the project ahead,” Martin said. “I look forward to each microscope meeting, wondering, ‘what will Grace bring today? How many steps ahead is she already?’ I’m really excited to see what Grace does next.”��

Thanks to her high school credits and her fall semester study abroad experience in Amsterdam, Weber’s next step is to graduate �������ý��Ƶ in three years. Spending a semester abroad—compared to �������ý��Ƶ’s trimester schedule—allowed her to accrue more credits.����

Studying abroad in Amsterdam also allowed Weber to embrace the liberal arts foundation of a �������ý��Ƶ education—exploring new academic fields and experiencing different world views.����

“I did more social science, humanities, trying to broaden my horizons,” Weber said. “I was able to take a lot of classes about Dutch culture and general different views than I would have learned about in America.”��

Upon her return to the States, Weber took her research a step further. As part of her senior project, she is working on making the microscope capable of 3D imaging. By modifying the microscope lenses, she can code it to track a particle in three dimensions.����

Looking to the future, Weber plans to attend graduate school at the University of Minnesota, where she will study medical physics.������

The medical physics field, Weber said, works with coding various pieces of medical equipment, such as linear accelerators, MRI scanners, and ultrasounds.��

“I want to, in the future, hopefully be a clinical medical physicist where I’d be able to work with cancer patients and create treatment plans,” Weber said.��