PERIPLUSA circumnavigation; a voyage or journey round a coastline; an epic journey, an odyssey

A publication of the UNCW Honors College

VOL. 6, ISSUE 3Summer 2012 content

French Excursion............2

Summer Research...........3

Clinical work in Costa Rica....................................4

Environmental Studies inNew Zealand...................5

Additional SummerInvolvement..................6-7

Hannah GillesClass of 2015

Walking El Camino de Santiago

Imagine walking across hundreds of miles of treacherous landscape,

stopping only at night to rest. The trek crosses desert and mountain alike for six weeks— one day unbearably hot, the next leaving you frozen. This past summer, fourteen students, along with Dr. Bill Atwill and Professor Valerie Rider, embarked on El Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage dating back over a thousand years. The trail they covered began in Roncesvalles on the northern Spanish border and wound 500 miles to their destination, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela: the final resting place of St. James the Apostle. Sterling Dallas (’15) in the Honors College, says she embarked on the Camino for religious reasons, despite not being Catholic herself. “I wanted to spend time meditating, and growing closer to God,” Sterling says. The students knew the trip was physically demanding, requiring an average walk of 15 miles a day, but the Camino surpassed all expectations. “There’s no way to prepare for it,” says Sterling. “In our culture, it’s just not accepted to walk for 10 hours a day. It was definitely

Honors students take a historical journey

the most pain I’ve ever been in.” However, Sterling considers the suffering useful. “It definitely taught me how much pain was in your head. You learned how tough you were.” Sterling recounts the eclectic group of people she met on the trip: Some young, many old, from various countries and

all walks of life. “I like to say I have a friend now on every continent.” Some spoke neither English nor Spanish, the two most common tongues on the trails. “It was amazing how close I got with people who

didn’t speak my language,” Sterling says. As Sterling reminisces about her trip, she recounts the remarkable kindness found in the community of pilgrims. “Even if I’d never seen them before, everyone wanted to help. And everyone says, ‘Buen Camino!’” she recalls. The salutation is common along the Camino, signifying the close bonds forged between travelers of the Way. “The whole trip was unforgettable,” says Sterling. The symbol of the Camino is the scallop shell, which many pilgrims past and present have worn as a sign of a completed journey. Sterling wears a small, artificial shell on a necklace, a fond reminder of her pilgrimage.

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Exploring and Embracing MarseilleTara Slagle shares her experience studying in southern FranceTara SlagleClass of 2013

This summer I had the opportunity to study in Marseille, France with the Cameron School of

Business. As a French minor, I have always been fascinated by French culture and enjoy speaking the language. To spend the entire month of July in southern France was something I could not miss. Participating in a UNCW program was a good experience. It was a comfort to know others would be in the same situation as myself, trying to learn the city and effectively communicate with the lo-cals. Though I had been to France once be-fore, staying in Marseille was a different experience. The weather was similar to that of Wilmington, and the university where our classes were held, EuroMed School of Management, was close to the beach. In many ways, the French students we encountered had a similar arrangement to what UNCW students have. One large difference was that the school had al-most no on-campus style housing. Most of the stu-dents live near the heart of Marseille and take a city bus to campus, located on the outer edge of the city. When we were not in class, we had the freedom to explore. I became well acquainted with the main ave-nue near our hotel , as well as with the downtown area, or the Vieux Port. Bustling with people at all hours, the Vieux Port is the oldest part of the city. The port, as well as various shops and restaurants are located there. A fish market is also held in the Vieux Port, and another typical market offering fresh produce, clothing, and hand-made items is located along the expansive sidewalk down the center of the main av-

enue near where we lived Going to these places helped me to embrace and immerse myself in the culture. Every week we went as a group on a day-trip to other areas of southern France. It was a wonderful way to see what else the southern part of the country had to offer. We visited the quaint fishing village of Cassis, an old Abbey, the large city of Nice, as well as Monaco and other places. In the French class I took, we researched the places we were going to visit as a group later in the week and presented information about them, which

gave us a better appreciation and understanding of the places and their history. A group of

French students from the university also took us on outings in Marseille. We had dinners at restaurants, sailed out to picnic on the Frioul Islands, and went dancing

with them. The weekends also provided us with the chance to visit other spots in Eu-

rope. I spent one weekend in Barcelona and an-other in Paris with fellow students, while others went to Italy, Switzerland, Amsterdam, and even Morocco. The freedom I had on this trip allowed me to learn more than I would have by spending the majority of my time in a classroom. Interacting with the locals, speaking their language, and discovering everything the city, as well as the rest of France, had to offer was something I could not get from a lecture. I also learned how to be more independent and resource-ful on this trip, which would have taken longer than four weeks to accomplish in the U.S. My study abroad experience will stay with me for years to come.

“...some-thing I could not

get from a lecture”

3

Research: Beyond the TextbookMorgan ThompsonClass of 2016

When the school year draws to a close, some students look forward to long beach days, but others see

the break as yet another academic opportunity. “I felt like I got more done during the summer than I do during the year,” Mikayla Rose (’13) explained about her summer spent continuing her research with Dr. Seaton for her honors project. In the project she analyzed the molecular structures of the Glico lipids in Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as Staph. “The bacteria build resistance to antibiotics. If we can figure out the structure, we can make better antibiotics,” said Rose. In the lab, she grew batches of bacteria. “I learned more working hands on than I would have [learned from] a textbook.” Rose spoke about learning a lot of biochemistry and using analytical methods such as Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy. “I had previous knowledge of the analytical methods, as we learn about them through chemistry lectures and even lab classes. I had never operated the instruments before my own research started.” The summer was a perfect time to work. “I feel like the summer allowed me a lot more time to do my research since I didn’t have to balance a class load along with research.” The work did not end with the summer. The project is

ongoing. She began working last spring, and continues currently. Rose said she recently helped with new undergraduate students. “They just started research this semester so my role has been to explain how to grow and prepare the bacteria since I have completed these steps several times.” Apparently their research is similar to Rose’s, so her input is valuable. While working over the summer, Rose had a different task to complete each day. “Toward the end of the summer, a lot of my time was spent on analytical instruments rather than growing the bacteria or purifying it. Once a new batch of bacteria is started, there are various steps such as centrifuging, filtrating, and purifying using column chromatography. Usually each step takes a day. Then after the samples are pure, steps are taken to prepare them for analysis with instrumentation.” Rose plans to take the research to a conference. “Dr. Seaton and I recently sent my abstract for consideration for the American Chemical Society conference in Raleigh. If accepted, I will create a poster and take it to the conference in November.” Rose said that all of the work has been no easy task, and she said she is “still stressed to get everything done.” Rose summed up her experiences in saying, “The summer research and the research experience in general has really led me to grasp the underlying practices of chemistry rather than just the information in books.”

Mikayla Rose’s research became an ongoing project with conference potential

Rose hard at work in Dr. Seaton’s lab.

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Clinical Work in Costa RicaThis two month program offered a variety of powerful opprtunities for senior Rebecca Laurine

Vanessa GarciaClass of 2016

Rebecca Laurine (’13) traveled to the province of San Jose, Costa Rica this past summer. A senior double

major in Biology and Spanish, Rebecca studied abroad there for two months. She went to school for the first month and the second month she worked in a clinic where she completed her DIS (directed independent study). Rebecca’s first impression of the country was that it was small, different, but beautiful. “The way the neighborhoods were set up was different,” she said. Walking alone to school on her first day, she felt nervous thinking she would get lost on her way there. Rebecca experienced a lot, such as dealing with the language, culture, food, and her surroundings. The hardest for her was the accent used in the Spanish

language there. When the people spoke, she said that they would chop off their “s” in words. They would also talk at a speed greater than what she could easily grasp. However, with time and practice, it became easier for her because she would try to listen and understand others. The people whom she interacted

with were patient with her and her language skills. Culture differed for her, but in a good way. Although there was no personal space when greeting a person, she felt more welcome since people greeted each other with a kiss and a hug. Rebecca felt that she was more comfortable among them. During her time there, she mentioned that they would offer food often. She felt as if her host mom, the person she stayed with, would feed her plenty. There probably was not a dish that she did not enjoy while staying there. One of her top food choices was gallo pinto, which consisted of rice, beans, cilantro, onions, and peppers. Another food choice of hers were empanadas which were filled with beans, cheese, picadillo (ground meat with other ingredients), or any leftover food. What Rebecca noticed with the food was that it was utilized well. Hardly any went to waste. Her opinion about the fruits and vegetables was that they were cheap and that they had the best pineapple and mango.

When she had free time, she enjoyed going downtown, eating, and attending the fairs and cultural parties. Her modes of transportation were by foot or bus, which she mainly used. She now wishes there were more buses here, so that she could apply her skills on knowing when to signal to stop.

While in her second month in Costa Rica, Rebecca had the opportunity to work in the clinic. During her time there, she shadowed doctors and nurses.

She mainly worked with an ulcer nurse doing paperwork, observing slides in the lab, learning about skin and bacteria, and further appying her Spanish skills.

Asked what she gained overall from this experience, Rebecca said that aside from learning the language better, she learned to appreciate more, become open minded, respect others more, and have patience. She also gained a sense of independence since she had much to do on her own in a different country with a language not native to hers. When asked again about her trip, she replied by saying that she would love to travel back to the country and get to know more people.

Laurine enjoying the colorful scenery of Costa Rica.

She noticed the differences between American and New Zealand English, and learned some about the native language of the Maori.

One of the classes she took while studying there was an introduc-tion to the culture of the Maori. This class interested her greatly, and taught her more about the history of these people. For her Honors Project, Schell decided to integrate her experiences in New Zealand with her major. Her project com-pares the environmental attitudes and behaviors of the Maori people with non-native New Zealand-ers and Americans. Since she was im-mersed in the culture and beauty of New Zealand for so long, she decided it would be a great op-portunity to do research for her project. She noticed how environmentally con-scious the New Zealand-

ers were early on through the efforts of the University of Waikato in areas such as recycling and using solar energy. With the help of her advisor, Dr. Jeff Hill, Schell was able to conduct a lot of research during her time in New Zealand, while enjoying herself and discover-ing all the country has to offer. When asked what her favorite part of her time in New Zealand was, she was unable to decide. “I loved the whole experience.”

5

Ecological Experience of a LifetimeStudies in New Zealand turned into an honors project for one student

Tara SlagleClass of 2013

Senior Terri Schell (’13), an environmental studies major, spent her spring 2012 semester studying

at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. The university, situated on the north island of New Zealand, is located in a city surrounded by lush countryside with an ocean border. “There were so many beautiful things to see,” Schell said. “The beauty is condensed, so everywhere you look is gorgeous.” She spent much of her free time travelling on both the north and south islands, sight-seeing, learning about the native Maori culture, and participating in adventurous activities such as sky-diving and bungee jumping. When sky-diving, she landed next to Lake Taupo, which is a caldera that is surrounded by other volcanoes and mountains. She also hiked across one of the country’s three glaciers, saw penguins and Kiwi birds, and helped her host mother pick vegetables from the garden for dinner. Learning about the native flora and fauna was a great way to build on what she had already learned at UNCW. Learning about the culture of the native Maori people was also an important and exciting part of her study abroad experience. Though the University of Waikato is smaller than UNCW, Schell made many friends who were from New Zealand, which was a great opportunity to learn about the culture. “I didn’t know anyone, so I couldn’t use anyone as a crutch,” Schell said.

Shell in Queenstown, New Zealand. Shell spent her spring 2012 semester abroad. While abroad, Shell began research for her honors thesis, which focuses on environmental attitudes among different groups in New Zealand.

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Honors Summer InvolvementStudents packed their schedules with so many exciting events this summer that we couldn’t cover them all in one issue. Here is a peek into their accomplishments.

Mackenzie Russell held an internship with Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL in the Stranding Investigations Program.

Abigail Watson was a marketing intern at FM:Systems, a software company in Raleigh, N.C.

Kaela Vogel did a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates internship (REU) at the Rutgers University Marine Field Station exploring the use of side scan sonar for biology field research by developing a sting ray and fish school automatic detection algorithm for side scan sonar images. Along with individual research, she worked as a tech and participated in fieldwork for all the ongoing projects.

Eric Van Gorder participated in an REU in Dr. Patton’s lab at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Polymers and High Performance Materials.

Megan Hahn attended lectures at the Center for Marine Science for three weeks, followed by a field studies course in Curacao for three weeks.

Ben Shoesmith held a Business Finance Internship (BFI) with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy in Wilmington, N.C. He also received an acceptance in the undergraduate research journal, Explorations, for his paper, “An Examination of the Impact of Police Expenditures on Arrest Rates.”

Samantha Goodwin participated in a paid Seasonal Special Activities Internship at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

Marissa Roman participated in an REU Program at Grice Marine Lab/Hollings Marine Lab at the College of Charleston.

Kristin Heidenreich participated in an REU in Deep Sea Microbiology lab at Rutgers University.

Sharay Setti started a directed individual study for

her honors thesis in the psychology research lab at UNCW under Dr. Christine Hughes. She worked with rats and pigeons.

Matthew Birk participated in an internship for his NOAA Hollings Scholarship in Santa Cruz, C.A. studying population dynamics of market squid in the California Current System.

Andrew Niccum completed an internship for his NOAA Hollings Scholarship with the Marine Turtle Assessment Program at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Bridgette Drummond held a Plant Pathology and Root Biology Internship at the Morton Arboretum in Chicago, IL.

Tom Byrnes took a downhill longboarding trip, visiting Park City, Utah, Tahoe City, California, Portland, Oregon, and Maryhill Loops Road in Washington. The trip gained attention via media kits and was sponsored by seven different companies.

Emma Bogdan volunteered with the benthic ecology lab at the Center for Marine Science and did field work.

7Kelly Hattori worked at an internship through Geo-Corps at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant, C.O.

Alexandra Mancini held an Education Camp Intern-ship with SeaWorld Orlan-do. This is a 10 week intern-ship involving employment at SeaWorld Orlando’s edu-cation department, working as a camp counselor. She worked with children ages K-8, educating them about SeaWorld’s animals and messages about conserva-tion.

Maggie Hankins walked El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain. She traveled through desert, mountains, thunderstorms, and sunshine to reach a truly special place where thousands of other pilgrims have also traveled.

Ciera Ames studied abroad in Chile with Professor Rider.

Michael Mills undertook an internship in the Vice Chancellor’s Business Affairs office working as the Planning and Budgeting intern.

Kilia Foster held an internship with a young organization called Justice Ministries that aims to combat human trafficking. The agency was started by UNCW’s former student body president, Mark Blackwell.

Lauren Schaefer conducted research on emotional development in children in Dr. Hungerford’s lab at UNCW.

Emily Schwartz volunteered in Dr. Tomas’s lab at the Center for Marine Science. she began by cleaning glassware and learning how to make specific salinities and media and how to do sterile transfers of media. She also learned to aliquot out media into test tubes and Erlenmeyer flasks for later use.

Honors students (including Sara Sweeney and Maggie Hankins featured below) pausing from their walk of the El Camino in Spain this summer.

Feature: Sara Sweeney and the el Camino

Sara Sweeney signed up for the Camino de Santiago for two reasons. First, Sweeney saw it as an opportunity to grow socially. Secondly, her religion major sparked added interest in the trip. The Camino de Santiago was “a kind of immersion therapy” due to the fact that, while one walks for five hours straight, one inevitability becomes lost in thought. Sweeney was “prepared to be in pain” and dedicated herself to exercising every day at the gym in anticipa-tion of the Camino. “Everyone got injured. Every day, we were in a pharmacy.” To deal with the physical trials, Sweeney recalled advice from Dr. Atwill: “Pain is inevi-table, but misery is optional.” The Camino experience closely correlated with the honors concept of seminar classes. As Sweeney said, “Honors allows you to learn from your own experiences instead of just from books.” The importance of observing and interaction is crucial to the learning process. Sweeney said if she could change something, she would go alone next time. “Seventeen Americans trying to order dinner is equally hilarious and frustrating.”

Jamie WatsonClass of 2015

In Your Corner It is so exciting to hear about all the wonderful learning adventures our Hon-ors College students had over the sum-mer- from international travel, to research internships, to working on films- you all have taken advantage of opportunities I bet you never dreamed about before you came to college. Reading your comments about “how you spent your summer” underscored that experiential learning is key. Com-ments such as “the experience validated that I want to keep pursing this field” and “showed me that I am in the right field” show that it’s vital to test out what it’s like to work in a specific discipline area. You challenged yourselves and grew tremen-dously in the process. Please share your experiences with our newest Honors Schol-ars so that they know about the diversity of options out there.

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Periplus Staff

Gillian Perry- EditorChristine Stark - Editor

Jamie Watson - Junior EditorBill Atwill - Advisor

Staff Writers:Vanessa GarciaHannah GilesTara Slagle

Morgan Thompson

UNCW Honors College601 South College RoadWilmington, NC 28403 www.uncw.edu/honors

910.962.4181

From the Editors Summer is typically when most college students spend their free time relaxing after a hard year. For Honors students, summer is a time when we are given opportunities to continue expanding our minds, our perspectives, and our ideas about culture. As you’ve seen in this issue, UNCW Honors students take what they’re learning in their classes and apply that knowledge in the world. This summer editor Gillian Perry was fortunate enough to join the six week journey in Spain, and editor Christine Stark spent a week in Italy. The Honors College is our home, but it is also what inspires us to explore the world. Our summer issue is a tribute to the experiences Honors gives us.

Christine Stark ’13Gillian Perry ’13