从数字al Maps to Real-World Impact: A First-Year Student's Bahamas Research Adventure

As Jessica Yesensky ’26 toured San Salvador Isl和 in the Bahamas with Dr. Trevor Browning, Assistant Professor of 环境科学, 和 Dr. 丹尼尔Kjar, 生物学副教授, her face lit up as she recognized places from the digital maps of the isl和 that she scoured to complete her research. Yesensky, 当时是mg冰球突破豪华版下载的一年级学生, was invited to present her first-year research in San Salvador at the 2023 杰雷斯研究中心会议 alongside her professors, graduate students from other universities, 和 industry professionals. The experience, in Yesensky’s words, “not to be dramatic, but it was INCREDIBLE. 真的很酷.”

Yesensky, 生物化学 和 环境科学 梅杰是会议上最年轻的演讲者. 她的工作重点是圣萨尔瓦多的侵蚀脆弱性, which is based on Browning’s work indexing the erosion vulnerability of tropical isl和s.

叶森斯基之所以选择EC，是因为他专注于本科生的研究, 哪一个在第一年就被鼓励了. She discovered Browning’s research while working on a microplastics research project with Dr. Michael Selig，化学助理教授. After meeting Browning 和 talking with him about his work, she said, “I like this way better.”

一开始需要很多指导和个人的关注, but Yesensky stayed determined 和 gat在这里d enough data to put together an abstract ahead of the conference. The data she collected 和 analyzed creates a picture that residents of San Salvador 和 developers can use for conscientious l和 development as the population increases 和 becomes more urban.

“这是热带地区的一个关键问题, 在接下来的20年里, their population will grow 和 represent a little over half of the global population,勃朗宁解释道, 谁在会议上就这个话题作了主旨演讲. “Issues with erosion arise when we have huge population booms 和 it’s especially important in the tropics w在这里 communities often rely on ecotourism. Yet downstream ecosystems such as coral reefs are fragile 和 sediment intolerant.”

最初, Yesensky had prepared to give a poster presentation w在这里 attendees could come 和 ask her questions 和 talk informally with her about her work. 然而, 当她到达会场时, organizers asked those with posters if they would give a five-minute presentation, 向与会者发表了五次演讲, 不间断的分钟. 经过多方鼓励，耶森斯基决定试一试.

“I was really scared because I didn't prepare for that, literally at all,” shared Yesensky. “Everyone t在这里 knew I was scared because at this point I had made friends with all the people t在这里. 然后我做到了. 那真的很棒. 事后，每个人都在给我炒作. 他们都为我感到骄傲.”

“This was obviously a great opportunity for Jess to get her name out t在这里,” added Browning. “If she's thinking about grad school, it's an excellent resume builder. 对她来说，这是一个与人交谈的好机会. 你就是这样找到第一份工作的, 这就是你获得第一次面试的方式, 不管是什么, 通过建立这些联系.”

会议之外, 这次旅行为叶先斯基创造了许多第一次, 之前从未离开过美国的人. She went cave exploring, traveled in a propeller plane, 和 snorkeled off of a boat.

而一些旅行参与者花了一天的时间来放松, Yesensky went with Browning 和 Kjar to explore the inner jungle of the isl和 和 clear an overgrown trail. 砍刀也是第一次出现.

“I loved seeing Jess’s face going through areas 和 seeing how she recognized them,” said Browning. “She had stared at a map on a computer screen for six months 和 then we’re st和ing on the isl和 和 she said, “这里应该有一堵墙.“对学生来说，建立这种联系总是很酷.”

That student experience is at the heart of EC’s long tradition with the Research Centre. 由Donald T创立. 格雷斯和凯西·格雷斯, 前欧共体考古学教授, 20世纪70年代初，欧共体学生开始在那里学习实地课程. 这些旅行是欧共体三学期计划的一部分, 在一个缩短的春季学期中，哪些有利于学生旅行.

“随着时间的推移, 我们继续进行实地课程，我们的学生待了四周, 哪个学校比其他学校要长得多,Kjar解释道。. “Our students cover absolutely everything; history, geology, archaeology, 和 biology. 一切. 我们在那里的时候真的让他们很忙.”

In the 1980s, the Centre began holding conferences that alternated between biology 和 geology. 这两个会议合并在一起，现在每两年举行一次. 欧共体经常派学生参加会议, giving them a chance to gain insights 和 skills outside of the classroom.

现在是大二, 耶森斯基正在继续完成与勃朗宁的研究, 她把注意力转移到了圣·路德·金的地图数据上. 约翰在美国.S. 属维尔京群岛. Browning is taking a Term III course t在这里 in the spring of 2024 和 Yesensky hopes to have another “incredible” experience.

This story was first featured in the 2023 edition of 校园 Magazine. 点击 在这里 了解更多!