Hello,

Spring is about starting fresh and experiencing transformations, especially for our newly accepted students who begin their master's journey this summer. A warm welcome to our newest cohort of Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) and Global Field Program (GFP) students — we’re so glad to have you join our network of world changers!

We're also excited to get back into a full suite of Earth Expeditions (EE) courses this summer with the return of our EE: Australia class. We'll have more than 300 students participating in our 19th year of EE field courses!

And our final spring 2023 Diversity Cafe is tomorrow, Thursday, April 20. We'll talk to Dr. Shana Klein about her work promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion as an author and art history professor. Register below; we hope you'll join us!

On behalf of the Dragonfly Team,

Jamie

Our last spring 2023 Dragonfly Diversity Cafe is Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This virtual cafe features Shana Klein, a professor at Kent State University who holds a doctorate in art history from the University of New Mexico. Klein is author of the book, “The Fruits of Empire: Art, Food, and the Politics of Race in the Age of American Expansion." She has been awarded several fellowships for her research, including from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. In her presentation titled “Seeing Spots: The Fever for Bananas, Land, and Power in American Art," Klein will analyze the visual history of the banana in art.

In fall 2022, Dragonfly conducted a survey of graduates from the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) and the Global Field Program (GFP) and invited them to reflect on their experience. In January 2023 we published a comprehensive summary of the survey analysis and a condensed version of results. Read more.

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey; we greatly appreciate the candid responses, both about the positive elements of the program as well as where we can improve.

Urban gardens, flowerpots helping more than you think

Last month, Kevin Matteson, associate director of Dragonfly's master's programs, presented "Supporting Pollinator Conservation in Cities" at Michigan State University for the annual Wildflower Association of Michigan (WAM) conference.

“Pollinators can thrive in cities to some degree, so it’s been fun researching that over the last couple of decades,” said Matteson. Almost all worldwide population growth is expected in cities, so biodiversity in urban areas is especially important.

“I live in Lansing in the city itself... I took all the turf grass out and I (now) have all Michigan native plants in my yard," said current AIP student and WAM President Carolyn Miller. "And to see the diversity of insects that come through my yard is so exciting.” Read more.

Evaluating plant and insect programs around Cincinnati, Ohio

Dragonfly instructor and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG) Director of Global Conservation Lily Maynard was recently published in the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens for her research on local plant and insect conservation across Ohio and surrounding states. Some other co-authors include familiar Dragonflies:

-- T’Noya Thompson '18, GFP alumni, EE: Bahamas partner and CZBG Marine Conservation Impact Fellow,

-- Mollie O'Neil '13, AIP alumni, AIP facilitator and CZBG Director of Community Partnerships in Conservation,

-- Bridget Reilly, GFP student and CZBG Conservation Impact Coordinator, and

-- David Jenike, past Dragonfly instructor and CZBG Chief Operating Officer. Read more.

AIP graduate Niki Desautels '22 of Seattle, Washington, is interviewed and filmed leading a community training about bat monitoring in the Seattle area. Also in the video are current AIP facilitator Karen Sherwood of Woodland Park Zoo, former AIP facilitator and current EE instructor Katie Remine, and GFP alumni Bryan Vasquez. Desautels, Vasquez, and Remine helped lead the program. Read more.

Dragonfly graduates named Grosvenor Teacher Fellows by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic

GFP graduates Susan Dorsey '19 (left) of Baltimore, Maryland, and Katie Mauro '22 of Brookfield, Connecticut, were named 2021 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic. Dorsey and Mauro were selected to embark on a voyage aboard a Lindblad Expeditions ship destined for Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands-Islas Malvinas. They said the voyages, which began for Dorsey in November 2022 and for Mauro in February 2023, were life-changing. They were able to transfer their onboard experiences into new ways to teach students, engage colleagues, and integrate geographic awareness into their learning environments and communities. The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship (GTF) is a professional development opportunity for pre-K–12 educators made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. Read more.

AIP alumni named Mt. Lookout, Ohio, Citizen of the Year

AIP graduate Mark Plucinski '22 of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been named the 2022 Mt. Lookout Ohio Citizen of the Year. The award is the result of a project that Plucinski completed during his AIP coursework. After surveying the Mt. Lookout Square garden and presenting his data to the Mt. Lookout Community Council, Plucinski led a team of volunteers to upgrade the garden. A follow-up survey showed that the number of pollinator visitations doubled. Read more.

GFP alumni looks into green messaging in red and blue states

GFP graduate Suzanne Banks '22 of East Northport, New York, was recently published in the March-April 2023 issue of The Wildlife Professional, a science-based magazine from The Wildlife Society.Banks’ original research article, “Green Messaging in Red and Blue States," explores strategic environmental advocacy and communications — particularly how conservation organizations can channel target audience values to maximize engagement. Read more.

Studying impact of zoo displays on guests' perceptions

AIP student Karina Altman of Burlington, Kentucky, pictured here with Luna, was published in the March issue of Animal Keepers’ Forum. The Eurasian eagle owl is Altman's favorite animal at Kentucky's Ararat Ridge Zoo, where she works as an animal programs manager. But it's Deborah, an endangered Mexican fireleg tarantula, that propelled Altman's research studying the influence of displays on zoo guests' perceptions of the world's most feared animal—the spider. Altman is earning her Miami degree with experiential learning through Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Read more.

Leading conservation and environmental education in Kansas

GFP student and Great Bend Sand Prairie Assistant Manager Elsi Miller of Great Bend, Kansas, is the recipient of the Connie Elpers Rising Star Award from the Kansas Association for Conservation & Environmental Education. Miller is among 10 educators from across Kansas recognized for demonstrating leadership and excellence in the field of science-based conservation and environmental education and for teaching Kansan children about the richness, diversity, and importance of the state's natural resources. Read more.

Bird biodiversity study with 150 middle schoolers proves journal worthy

GFP graduate Marshall Sachs '22 of Orinda, California, wrote an article focusing on a six-week-long schoolyard investigation into bird biodiversity which he co-led with his 150 middle-school students. Published in the March-April edition of Science Scope, the article shares the successes and learnings from the experience. The article can also serve as a guide for other educators interested in implementing regular outdoor fieldwork on their own campuses. By connecting outdoor field work each week to in-class lessons, students were able to engage with abstract concepts in a meaningful way. Read more.

Connecting with NYC birders and finding the elusive woodcock

AIP graduate student Marissa Connolly of New York, New York, shares the joy and wonder of birding while filming in a New York City (NYC) park for her community leadership project. While filming, she discovered the elusive woodcock, a migratory game bird related to the sandpiper, doing its unusual "dance." When she's not showing folks how much fun birding can be and connecting NYC birders with general park-goers, Connolly is working on her Miami web-based assignments and connecting with experts at the Bronx Zoo. Watch the "dance".

Running, walking, hiking for the endangered Indian gharial croc

Liliana Hidalgo of Los Angeles, California, is bringing awareness to the critically endangered crocodilian, the Indian Gharial through a "Run for Crocs" event. This challenge, which ends May 1, is a virtual 5K run, walk, or hike that can take place wherever you choose and can be done solo or with others. Throughout the challenge, participants are invited to learn and educate themselves on these endangered reptiles, as well as discover nearby zoos that may care for them and are furthering conservation efforts. Read more.

Showing that zoos and aquariums can pay their interns

Current GFP student Jordan Marino of Orlando, Florida, researched financial data from nonprofits to determine whether zoos and aquariums had the funding to pay their interns. Marino's article was published in Animal Keepers' Forum, and in it, they interviewed facilities and compared financial data to find out how those facilities came up with the funding. Marino found that zoos and aquariums can pay interns; the facilities just need to prioritize it in their budgets. Read more.