Earth Expeditions students in Guyana at Kaieteur Falls. Kaieteur is one of the highest, most spectacular, and most powerful waterfalls in the world. Its thunder can be heard long before visitors glimpse this magnificent cascade. Photo by Global Field Program graduate Scott Vincent '18 of Cincinnati, Ohio. | |
|
Hello!
With International Education Week (IEW) right around the corner (it's November 18-22), we want to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to international education. Never has international education been so relevant and so necessary. A joint initiative of the U.S. state and education departments, IEW celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange.
"International education is all about expanding horizons, making connections, and establishing mutual understanding between people in the United States and other countries," according to the U.S. Department of State. And Miami University observes IEW annually with a wide range of virtual and in-person activities. You can learn more on Miami's Global Initiatives' IEW website.
Miami University's Fall 2024 Commencement and Dragonfly's graduation celebration are coming up soon on December 13-14, so if you're planning to attend, please don't forget to RSVP; details for planning your visit will be sent to registrants on December 9. We're looking forward to seeing you!
And be sure to scroll down to read about some great student and partner work, including our 2024 photo contest winners and a reflective piece from a student who traveled to Paraguay with Earth Expeditions this past summer.
On behalf of the Dragonfly Team,
Katie
Dr. Katie Feilen, Director, Project Dragonfly
| |
Dragonfly Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff, and Partners | |
|
|
|
Dragonfly photo contest winners!
Every year we invite Project Dragonfly students, instructors, and staff to submit photos for the annual Dragonfly photo contest. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who submitted photos! Read more
Pictured: Winning photo in the "Community in the U.S." category. While at Taylor Community Gardens in Michigan, Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) student Christina Amato participated in some beekeeping. Amato, of Ferndale, Michigan, is earning Miami University’s online AIP master’s degree with experiential learning through Detroit Zoological Society.
| | | |
Reflection on Paraguay: "I can see myself in conservation"
AIP graduate student Sarah Hildebrand of Cincinnati, Ohio, reflects on her 2024 Earth Expeditions Paraguay course, sharing that "going to Paraguay definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone ... but once we were there, I felt comfortable and I really got to see myself in conservation.
"I'm in AIP. We might go somewhere for the day, but I still come home. So being fully immersed like that (in another country) really allowed me ... to really just live in the moment, which helped my confidence in my conservation abilities.
"Anyone in the program - whether it's AIP or GFP - when they ask about Paraguay, I can't help but highly highly recommend it, because it really did change my life."
Hildebrand's experiential learning takes place at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
| | | |
On the air in St. Louis with a Partula snail conservationist
AIP graduate student Kayla Garcia Gray was on a recent episode of St. Louis on the Air sharing some exciting news about a recent milestone in Partula snail conservation. She is the zoological manager of invertebrates at the Saint Louis Zoo, and her master’s focuses on the conservation of Partula snails, which play an important role in maintaining tropical forest health by eating decaying plant tissue and fungi.
For Gray, “being part of an effort to bring Partula snails back from near extinction is what conservationists dream of for all endangered species,” she said. “While the Partula snail's natural habitat is over 5,000 miles away, their survival is paramount to the world’s ecosystems.”
Gray's experiential learning takes place at Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.
| | | |
Clockwise from top left are Ignarski, Vabro, Maxwell, and Hurst. |
Dragonfly students published in Animal Keepers' Forum
Four Dragonfly students were published in Animal Keepers' Forum, a publication of the American Association of Zoo Keepers.
In "Hand Raising Lorikeets: How Lorikeets Make Amazing Ambassadors" AIP graduate student and zookeeper Angela Ignarski of Orland Park, Illinois, summarizes her work in caring for lorikeets, a species of parrot known for being very active, vocal, and friendly. Their sweet-natured demeanor makes them great for interacting with the public. Ignarski participates in experiential learning through Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Read more
In "Low-Cost Sustainability Efforts from a Zookeeper's Perspective" GFP graduate student and zookeeper Chelsea Vabro of North Riverside, Illinois, addresses sustainability efforts within animal care operations and encourages zookeepers to continue to evaluate how they are operate and the tools they use. "There are many ways to help reduce waste, and not all options have to be high cost to make a big impact." Read more
In "Conservation Education: Engaging with Visitors Inside and Out" AIP graduate student Kelly Maxwell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, addresses how captive care facilities engage with visitors through conservation education. She said there is also a need to engage those who are not visiting—those who may not have the means or reasons to participate in conservation. Maxwell's in-person experiential learning site takes place at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Read more
In "Does Altering a Gorilla’s Diet Alter Their Activity Budget? A Preliminary Study" GFP graduate student and zookeeper Stephanie Hurst of Buffalo, New York, evaluates if changing the long-standing diet of a troop of zoo-housed gorillas impacts their behaviors. Since most behaviors did not change, Hurst would like to explore more diet presentation and timing or randomizing times going forward. Read more
| | | |
|
Saving salmon in northwest Oregon
AIP graduate student Audrey Evans of Happy Valley, Oregon, published an opinion piece in the Portland Tribune newspaper. In "Protect Local Salmon Through Community Science" Evans writes about the plight of wild salmon and how we can become part of the solution in salmon conservation through community science. "All humans are inherent scientists," she writes. "If we use our natural talents and curiosity to contribute to scientific datasets, we have the potential to make a lasting positive impact on our environment." Evans participates in experiential learning at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. Read more
| |  |
|
Promoting more native habitats to connect Chicago communities
AIP graduate student Juliana Castagna of Homewood, Illinois, published an opinion piece in the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle. In "Fixing Habitat Fragmentation in Our Communities: Native Plantings Can Help Residents and Roaming Animals," Castagna explains how the communities of Homewood and Flossmoor value green spaces but the "scattered distribution of these green spaces can be detrimental to species that rely on larger habitat spaces to fully thrive." She suggests transitioning neighborhood lawns into native habitats, for "more connectivity between the larger habitats as they would offer food, shelter, and other resources for animals moving through our neighborhoods." Castagna's experiential learning takes place at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Read more
| | |
|
Tackling food waste in northeast Illinois
AIP graduate student Suzanne Waite of Elmhurst, Illinois, published an opinion piece in the Elmhurst Patch. In "Curbside Composting Service is Available in Elmhurst!" Waite writes that food waste accounts for a large percentage of solid waste in landfills and contributes to climate change by producing greenhouse gas emissions. Curbside composting offers a way for us to help reduce the amount of organic waste going into landfills, reduce our global footprint, and help the environment. "There are so many benefits to composting ... and signing up is easy," she said. Waite's experiential learning takes place at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Read more
| | |
|
Taking action to save endangered shorebirds
AIP graduate student Lindsay Keller of Chicago, Illinois, published an article in Sevenseas Media. In "Piping Plovers: Climate Change Threatens Endangered Shorebirds" she focuses on the struggling populations of piping plovers (charadrius melodus). Despite being federally protected and despite habitat restoration efforts, these small shorebirds "may be facing their greatest adversary yet–climate change," she writes. "Sea level rise and migratory challenges could push them to the brink of extinction." Keller identifies a number of actions we can do to help mitigate climate change and save piping plovers, including getting involved in conservation action projects, reducing our carbon footprint, and spreading the word. Keller's experiential learning takes place at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Read more
| | |
Altman, Hidalgo, Mazrimas-Ott |
Dragonfly graduates earn AAZK awards for their work within the animal care field
The American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) recently announced its 2024 keeper award winners, and three Dragonfly graduates were recognized.
Karina Altman '23 won the Paper of the Year Award for her "Sssensational Snakes: Overcoming Fear by Inspiring Empathy" article. She is the Zoo Content Manager at the Ark Encounter's Ararat Ridge Zoo in Williamstown, Kentucky. As an AIP student, Altman participated in experiential learning at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Liliana Hidalgo '23 won the Susan D. Chan Author of the Year Award for her work, "Monitoring Komodo Dragons in Zoos: An online approach." Hidalgo, who earned a GFP master's degree, is an animal keeper at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
Christy Mazrimas-Ott '12 won two awards — the Nico Van Strein Leadership in Conservation Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award — "in recognition of her outstanding commitment to professionalism during her distinguished career both as a zoo keeper and advocate for conservation." As the founder of Trees for You and Me (TFYM), Mazrimas-Ott devoted more than a decade to guiding and developing the TFYM program into a global fundraising project. Her dedication to the conservation of polar bears and their environment is evident in all aspects of her career, from educating guests over her 38 years as a zookeeper to traveling with Polar Bear International as a Field Ambassador. "Her work has helped pave the way for future generations." Mazrimas-Ott's AIP experiential learning took place at Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
| | | |
Klein at the 2024 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. YYC refers to Calgary's branded international airport code. | |
GFP alumni presents to a packed house at AZA conference
GFP graduate Cassie Klein '23 of Orlando, Florida, presented "Language Effects on Perception of Zoos" to a packed house at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conference in September in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Klein's presentation focused on her master's research in studying the connection between words and their connotations when it comes to conservation organizations. Klein, who works as a research associate based at Disney's Animal Kingdom, analyzed the effects of different word usage on public perceptions in zoological settings.
| | | |
|
|
Supporting needs of international animal care givers
GFP graduate Jennifer Bridges '16 of Pflugerville, Texas, was published in Animal Keepers' Forum, a publication of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK). In "The Emerging Nations Program: How AAZK members and AAZK Chapters Make a Difference," she shares how AAZK's International Outreach Committee is assisting the professional development needs of the international animal care community and how the committee is providing educational and mentorship resources that support advances in the field of animal husbandry. Read more
| | | |
 |
Conducting research for sake of student well-being and environmental literacy
Research by GFP graduate Rachel Arbor '23 of Beacon, New York, and Dragonfly associate director Kevin Matteson has been published in Environmental Education Research, a journal for advancing research-based and scholarly understandings of environmental and sustainability education. In "Interdisciplinary Nature Journaling Improves Mood and Helps Build Connection in Middle School Students," Arbor and Matteson explore how integrating nature journaling within a middle-school English Language Arts classroom can enhance student well-being and environmental literacy amidst increasing concerns about children’s mental health. Read more
Arbor was also part of a research team that was published in CourseSource, a journal of peer-reviewed teaching resources for undergraduate biology and physics. In "Space Mission Ecology: Making Connections Among Science Disciplines Through the Lens of a Unique Plant," the team summarizes a case study that aimed to "increase awareness of essential services plants provide to society, as well as the importance of fundamental aspects of ecology for other disciplines and the interconnectedness among different fields of science in general." Read more
In September Arbor served as a panelist at Climate Week NYC at the American Museum of Natural History. She helped lead a discussion with educators, policymakers, and climate education leaders on integrating climate change education across grade levels and subjects in New York State. "It was an amazing event and had a significant turnout, many of whom were Dragonfly students and alumni," said Arbor. Watch the recording
| | |
Work of Borneo's HUTAN the focus of Singapore Film Festival and sustainability-conservation events
Our Earth Expeditions Borneo partners at HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project recently partnered with Earth In Focus, a Singapore Film Festival to share the story of human-wildlife coexistence in the Kinabatangan Floodplain. The short film explores various avenues where wildlife and people can learn to cohabit within the same landscape. HUTAN's co-director Isabelle Lackman was part of the panel sharing thoughts and experiences during the film's debut in Singapore in early November. Additionally, Lackman joined a sustainability debate at the Malaysian Palm Oil Forum while HUTAN's co-director Marc Ancrenaz and research officer Amanda Shia presented at Wildlife Conservation Network's Expo.
| | |
Elephant affinity: A call for Dragonflies who work with elephants
Are you passionate about pachyderms? Having received numerous emails regarding elephant research, conservation, and welfare from alums and current students, Dragonfly visiting assistant professor Michelle Szydlowski hopes to start an elephant affinity group. Past, present, and future Dragonflies who work with, for, or around elephants (or any other pachyderm, potentially) are invited. The group could expand to those interested in, but not yet working with, elephants. Interested? Please reach out to Michelle at szydlom2@miamioh.edu and let her know. This is a great opportunity to do what Dragonfly does best: connect communities with similar interests!
| | |
|
Dragonfly informational webinars
Interested in learning more about the Advanced Inquiry Program, the Global Field Program, or Earth Expeditions? Please join us for an upcoming live webinar with Project Dragonfly staff and graduates on Thursday:
- December 5, 2024
- January 9, 2025
- February 6, 2025
Each presentation will start at 8 p.m. ET and last 30 minutes with additional time for questions and answers. Learn more
| | |
|
Inside Earth Expeditions info sessions
This year we offered Inside Earth Expeditions (EE), a series of info sessions that covered details on course themes and EE partner organizations, daily activities, lodging, activity level, and tips on packing and preparing. Perfect for current AIP and GFP students, prospective GFP students, and those interested in taking an EE as an individual course, these sessions were led by experienced members of our instructional team. Recordings of each session are available on our website. Learn more
| | |
|
|
|
AIP site-specific info sessions
Each year our premier zoological, botanical, and wildlife conservation AIP sites offer their own in-person and virtual information sessions. These free sessions allow applicants to learn more about the experiential learning that takes place on-grounds at AIP sites and in and around the cities where they are located.
Miami University’s AIP sites are located in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis. Learn more
| | | |
Project Dragonfly combines the flexibility of online courses and conservation action in your home community with unparalleled experiential learning and field study in the U.S. and across the world. Through two degree programs, stand-alone professional development courses, independent studies, community engagement and networking, Dragonfly provides a professional community for folks at a reasonable price. Learn more below! | | |
Earn a master's degree
Earn a Master of Arts in Biology or a Master of Arts in Teaching in the Biological Sciences through the Advanced Inquiry Program or the Global Field Program.
Learn more about each of our programs below.
| | |
Earn graduate credits
In addition to Dragonfly's master’s degree programs described elsewhere, we offer a number of online and hybrid courses that, along with our suite of Earth Expeditions global field courses, can be taken on their own for professional development and lifelong learning.
| | |
Attend a virtual info session to learn more
Please join us for a free, live webinar with Dragonfly faculty, staff, and graduates. We look forward to connecting and sharing with you!
| | |
|
|
|
Project Dragonfly is committed to dismantling the structures and forces of exclusion and oppression, particularly in our education systems and in the environmental and conservation movements. To learn more about our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, please visit our
DEI webpage.
| | | |
|
A transformative education initiative within Miami University's Department of Biology, Project Dragonfly oversees the world's largest graduate degree programs dedicated to community-driven ecological and social change. Dragonfly students join the frontlines of community innovation, working across an extraordinary network of leading U.S. zoos, botanical gardens, and community organizations around the world. Dragonfly offers the Advanced Inquiry Program and the Global Field Program master's degrees, which combine online and on-site experiential learning, as well as individual field courses through Earth Expeditions.
Know a friend or colleague who might enjoy Project Dragonfly? Please share this email with them.
Have an idea for the newsletter or our social media? Submit to the Dragonfly Share form!
| | |
|
|
Project Dragonfly
111 Upham Hall, Bishop Circle
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056
513.529.8576, dragonfly@miamioh.edu
www.ProjectDragonfly.MiamiOH.edu
Follow us
| | | | |
