SPCC Honors
Drawing I
Animal Presence and Iconography in Art Throughout History and the Role of Art in the Protection and Conservation of Endangered Species
For my honors project in ART-131, I chose to research animal iconography through each significant art period, with the intention of identifying how a range of artists have portrayed animals both anthropomorphically and zoomorphically, as well as the cultural significance behind the use of specific species. The presence of animals in art has always been notable throughout history--from ancient civilization to modern society, animals are a significant part of the human experience. The animal world has served as an endless source of fascination, and animals have been depicted in a variety of ways--serving as vessels for joy, anguish, conservation awareness and environmental issues, gender roles, and so much more. My project explores the decorational, symbolical, and allegorical portrayal of animals in visual arts, as well as the relationship between our world and theirs--and the impact art has had on their well-being and protection.
“When your world moves too fast and you lose yourself in the chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset. Reacquaint yourself with the earth beneath your feet. Thank the air that surrounds you with every breath you take. Find yourself in the appreciation of life.”
-Christy Ann Martine
Undergraduate Research
Sponging Tradition of Dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia
My most recent undergraduate research project was through Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (CCURE), taught at SPCC in collaboration with the University of North Carolina Wilmington. My research primarily compared and analyzed documentation of the location-specific sponge foraging behavior in dolphin populations, highlighting variations in female sociality driven by prey distribution, habitat heterogeneity, and foraging tactics, as well as how those factors potentially explain observations such as stronger associations between sponging individuals compared to non-spongers. I highlighted this particular project in my Program Outcomes Creative Problem Solving page.
Impacts of Hive Establishment Methods on Bee Behavior and Honey Production
After joining NCSBA and taking beekeeping classes for a semester, I participated in CCURE for the first time and partnered with another student to research how methods used to establish hives affect bee population health and honey production through weekly hive comparisons, stressor observation and frame weight measurement. Unfortunately, I was unable to present my research at UNCW's student creativity symposium due to traveling (photos of my travels are in my gallery!), but I still thoroughly enjoyed being able to participate in this research project and develop my beekeeping skills.
Effects of Water Drainage and Pipe Construction on Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamanders
One of my absolute favorite research projects was my first undergraduate research project at SPCC, which allowed me to learn how to conduct field research and observe salamanders in their natural habitat. For this project, I surveyed amphibian populations in Matthews, North Carolina, and analyzed the effects of pipe construction near inhabited streams by collecting water quality data from multiple unaffected and affected sites. I highlighted this project in my Program Outcomes Scientific Literacy page.
Axolotl Limb Regerneration/Axolotl Reproduction
My first experience with lab research was as an intern at the Discovery Place Science Museum. I had the opportunity to assist some higher-level interns with their research on axolotl limb regeneration and axolotl reproduction. My job primarily consisted of observing and documenting axolotl behavior, gill health, skin condition, limb growth, and egg development on a weekly basis, though I also occasionally managed axolotl husbandry, including feeding, tea baths, and water temperature and pH regulation.
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Seagrass and marine flowering plant responses to climate change and disturbance
This summer (2024) I was selected to participate in a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded research experience through the University of North Carolina Wilmington. This was my first experience with intensive full-time research and my results were surprisingly significant. I worked in the Coastal Plant Ecology Lab with Dr. Jessie Jarvis, both in the lab and the field, and studied the effects of dredge spoil on Zostera marina seed viability. My project was requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discover whether or not dredge spoils could be utilized for seagrass restoration, but due to the amount of pollutants and nutrients in dredge spoil, I suspected early on that seed viability would be reduced. While I expected changes in my viability over the course of several weeks, I was surprised to have significant results within my first week of testing, ultimately proving my hypothesis and concluding that dredge spoil cannot be used as a replacement for Zostera marina seed banks in amounts >50%.
