Zoom Webinar
Thursday, November 3, 2022
5:30 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public.
There is no need to register.
Each year the Kelly Adirondack Center sponsors the work of Summer Research Fellows as they examine diverse topics that make the Adirondacks unique. The students interview experts in their fields and conduct field research beside faculty. On November 3, they will present their findings along with the themes that have developed in their work. The following are this year’s Summer Fellows.
Maeve Daby
Responsible Recreation: Established by Education
The purpose of this research is to examine a correlation between identification as urban youth/ minority nationality and indication of low preparation for, and inclination towards, wilderness recreation. It was conducted in fulfillment of the Kelly Adirondack Center Summer Research Fellowship, in which an educational initiative for students in Union College’s summer Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) was created. The STEP Program is geared towards exposing underprivileged students to science and technology fields, making it the perfect subject for a wilderness recreation educational program. In order to measure these tendencies, the researcher created a study with a pre/ post-test design. Following the administration of the pre-test, the participants underwent an educational experience led by the researcher. that included a nature walk and several activities designed to increase wilderness awareness and appreciation. After this program, the post-test revealed a general positive trend in increased inclination and preparation for all participants.
Megan Lee
Thanks to funding from the Kelly Adirondack Center, I was able to spend my summer at Union College conducting research with my faculty advisor and a peer student researcher for my senior thesis. Over a six week period, I trapped small mammals at various locations to collect data and fur samples from them that will eventually be analyzed using stable isotope analysis. The C13 and N15 isotopes in the fur samples will help me analyze their diets and how they differ over urban, suburban, and rural settings to get a better understanding of how anthropogenic forces are influencing their feeding behavior. Furthermore, the trapping and demographic data allows me to look into how individuals and populations differ between each site type.