Meet some of the talented students who have been involved in this program over the years. Based on informal surveys, approximately 41% of the former participants in this program go on to teach in classes, become involved in other informal education programs, museum studies, join other science outreach programs, start their own outreach program, start educational programs or camps, or other otherwise become involved in other aspects of science education. This is a training opportunity for STEM teachers of the future!
Maxwell Cantelmo |
Hello everyone! My name is Maxwell Cantelmo and I’m a proud Cornell entomologist. As much as I love bugs, I worked for a whole seven years at the Long Island Aquarium. This fostered a love for teaching and for the natural world. These days, I’m mostly focused on spiders and research on certain aspects of their sociality. I’m looking forward to sharing some of the beauty of arthropods with you!
Marina Victoria |
Hi everyone! My name is Marina and I am studying Biological Sciences, focusing on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with a vast interest in Education. I grew up in hot and sunny Brazil, and my favorite places up to this date are museums! I find it very interesting to use evidence from the past to learn about the history and systems of the Earth, and I am very excited to share with you my passion for science and evolutionary studies!
Adrian D’Souza |
My name is Adrian D’Souza, and I am a sophomore majoring in Applied Economics & Management and Environment & Sustainability. My passion for the environment began when I attended ecology camp every summer as a child in Millbrook, NY. I am particularly interested in parasites, and I spent a summer researching the effects of the Met52 fungal spray on black-legged ticks. In the future, I am hoping to enter a career focused on environmental consulting. In my free time, I enjoy skiing in Vermont, listening to Disney music, and eating spicy tuna avocado rolls.
Victoria DeMeo |
My name is Victoria DeMeo, I am a junior in CALS studying Biological Sciences with a concentration in neurobiology and behavior. I grew up in upstate NY exploring the outdoors and hiking with my family in the Adirondacks. I hope to learn more about how to teach and communicate important scientific concepts and results. In the future, I want to use my biology degree to do field research and help to improve the environment.
Anna Espinoza |
My name is Anna and I am a senior majoring in entomology. I grew up in Louisiana and have loved bugs for as long as I can remember, so I spent a lot of time outside in the Gulf Coast wetlands learning about nature. In high school I was involved in a project on pollination in coastal prairie remnants, which got me interested in bees. During my time at Cornell I have pursued that interest by conducting research on the biology of New York’s native bees
Nicholas Faraco-Hadlock |
My name is Nicholas Faraco-Hadlock (he/him/his) and I am a senior studying Environment and Sustainability. I grew up in the mountains of colorful Colorado cultivating a passion for animals and the habitats on which they depend. I have always had a special passion for birds and their amazing physical and cognitive abilities in ecosystems. I have been lucky to further invest in these passions through various research opportunities at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology including by studying Tree Swallow stress responses, the evolution of iris color in birds and avian population trends in the Vitousek Lab and the Lovette Lab.
Iliana Goodhew |
Hi! I am a junior at Cornell University double majoring in Biological Sciences and Environment & Sustainability. In my free time, I love to explore nature, dance, try new restaurants, sing, and travel. Currently, I am conducting a research project on Hawaii’s Mycobiome, which is the fungal aspect of microbiology. At Cornell I am in a couple of dance teams, do club figure skating, I’m a guide for Outdoor Odyssey, and also I’m part of service clubs such as Project Hope.
Agnes Guillo |
Hi, my name is Agnes Guillo. I am a first-year Masters student in the Animal Science Department at Cornell University. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, I have been interested in sheep agriculture since a young age. For the last year and a half I have worked on a sustainable agriculture project which uses grazing flocks of sheep to maintain Cornell’s Cascadilla Solar Site located in Dryden, NY. More broadly, I am interested in community-based farming, agriculture education and outreach, and supporting Spanish-speaking farmers.
Emma Harte |
Hi everyone! My name is Emma and I’m a senior majoring in Biological Sciences. I grew up in Westwood, Massachusetts, where I found a love for nature through hiking local trails and paddling on the Charles River. My main topics of study are pollinators and ecology, and I hope to work in environmental education or conservation in the future.
Ziling Liu |
My name is Ziling Liu. You can also call me“Ivy.” I come from Beijing, the capital of China. I am a junior student that majored in Animal Science and a varsity athlete on the Cornell Track and Field team. Since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated by nature, especially animals, and I want to try my best to help them. That’s why I worked in Beijing Zoo for the past summer in the environmental enrichment department. And in the future, I would like to work internationally on improving Animal welfare worldwide.
Julia Luna |
Hello! My name is Julia Luna and I study Environment and Sustainability at Cornell. I grew up in the beautiful Ithaca and I consider myself very very lucky to have been raised by these forests, these streams, these waterfalls, the lakes, and even these winters! I think spending time outside or studying the nature around us is incredibly inspiring; I am always learning new things about the world and about myself. In the future, I hope to work with communities and organize programs to help people understand nature and conserve the beautiful places they call home. I look forward to learning things from you too!
Hannah Mirando |
Hi, I’m Hannah and I am a senior studying Environment & Sustainability with a minor in Education. I am especially interested in bioacoustics, or the study of animal noises! I have been studying bird songs at the Lab of Ornithology since I was a freshman. I am excited to share how complex and interesting bird songs are with you all this semester.
Natalie Morris |
My name is Natalie Morris and I am a sophomore studying Biological Sciences on a Pre-Vet track! This year, I am working in the Vitousek Lab studying stress hormones and microbiomes in tree swallows. Growing up, I spent my free time exploring the woods in my backyard and the Blue Ridge Mountains. My positive experiences in nature caused me to become passionate about conservation and biodiversity, and to pursue a career in wildlife veterinary medicine.
Maxine Parry |
My name is Maxine Parry and I study Entomology. I’ve always been very excited to be in and around nature, so helping others be just as enthusiastic is a dream for me! I love insect pollinators, specifically bees. I’m particularly interested in the diversity and social behaviors of Hymenopterans (bees, wasps, and ants). I’m currently working in the Danforth lab here at Cornell, where I help out with the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey.
Jennifer Peaslee |
I am a senior studying Entomology with a minor in Infectious disease. I am a full-time employee in the Cornell Employee Degree Program and the program manager for the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab at the Vet School responsible for communications and outreach. One of my interests is the relationship between wildlife species and the invertebrates (insects and parasites) that cause disease, with a focus on pathogen transmission and how infectious disease can impact population health. I love being outdoors, nature photography, taking my dogs, Cassiopeia and Squidward Spiderpants, on hikes, absolutely LOVE chickens, and have a flock of 13 birds – which includes 2 very noisy guinea fowl, and I have a small arthropod collection with various tarantulas, an orange headed cockroach colony, a vinegaroon, and an amblypygid named Mr. Tickles.
Nicholas Rocha |
Hi everyone! My name is Nick and I am a third-year entomology major at Cornell University. Growing up in California’s Central Valley, I was fortunate to have easy access to the Sierra Nevada and Diablo mountain ranges where my interests in the natural world could develop. Presently, I am researching the plant-pollinator interactions of a California endemic lily (Calochortus venustus), but am also interested in the diversity and ecological roles of beetles.
Natalie Sacco |
Hi, I’m Natalie and I am a junior studying entomology at Cornell. I love animals in general, but am specifically interested in insects because of their diversity, life cycles, and ecological significance. Currently, I work in the Hajek lab here at Cornell, helping with research on invasive spotted lanternflies and fungal pathogens.
Naomi Schulberg |
My name is Naomi and I’m a junior studying Earth and Atmospheric Sciences with a minor in Plant Sciences. I love learning about the natural world, and one of my favorite hobbies is to identify trees, whether that be in Singapore (where I grew up) or around Ithaca. I am currently working at the Cornell tree-ring lab using trees to uncover past climate changes, and hope to eventually study the impact of climate change on forests at an academic institution or governmental organization.
Audrey Su |
Hi! My name’s Audrey, and I’m originally from Naperville, IL. I’m an Environment & Sustainability major minoring in Animal Sciences. The biodiversity of nature never ceases to amaze me, and I love sharing my passion for the outdoors with others. I especially love birds, herps, and prairie conservation! I aim on pursuing a career in conservation so that I can protect the natural wonders of this world.
William Taber |
Hello! My name is Will Taber, I am a senior studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and I have been a bird nerd and nature nut since I was in diapers. Growing up in North Carolina, when I wasn’t out looking for Venus Flytraps or Prothonotary Warblers, you would have found me at YMCA Camp Coniston, where I spent 4 years directing the ecology program area and working as a camp counselor. My time at camp and love for birds led me to do research with the Lab of Ornithology, trying to understand the effects neonicotinoid pesticides may have on birds, and start a small carnivorous plant farm that I love to brag about.
Isabella Yannuzzi |
Hello! My name is Isabella Magna Yannuzzi and I’m a first-year graduate student studying the pathology of apple diseases. I grew up hiking, gardening, and working on farms in New York state. For many summers I worked as a camp counselor and spent time at an Agricultural Center designing and teaching workshops for children, chefs, and other farmers. Being outdoors is one of my favorite things and I really enjoy scouting for disease symptoms and insect vectors in our orchards. I am passionate about outreach, teaching, and finding sustainable, effective, and integrative approaches for managing plant diseases.
Navigate to Main “About Us” Page to read about our Directors.
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