Smith in the World
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Session I: 4:30–5:10 p.m.

PANEL I: STORY-TELLING, ORAL HISTORY & THE IMPORTANCE OF SPACE

CAMPUS CENTER CARROLL ROOM

Moderator: Patty DiBartolo, Associate Dean of the Faculty

Ruby Lowery ‘21

Making Public: The Salsa Soul Sisters at the Lesbian Herstory Archives

Summer Internship/Praxis; Archives Concentration

Whose stories are remembered and celebrated in the archive? From its start in the early 1970s, the Lesbian Herstory Archive aspired for every visitor to find a reflection of herself in the collection. In Summer 2019, I had the opportunity to work there as the Salsa Soul Sisters Exhibition Intern. The Salsa Soul Sisters were the first Lesbian of color group to organize in the United States in the 1970s. In 2016, their papers were donated to LHA—the home of the largest collection of Lesbian material in the world. I was responsible for processing the exhibition collection, designing an OMEKA website to display the items, creating a book of exhibition materials for the Studio Museum in Harlem, and co-curating an exhibition at Brooklyn College. In the brown cardboard boxes that housed the collection live the untold stories of black women who changed the world. In my presentation, I will reflect on my experience honoring Lesbians of color through curation, and how it has informed my understanding of radical archival work and historical research; which, when brought together, amplify the stories of Lesbians of color and deconstruct common notions of queer history.

Marcela Rodrigues ‘20

Oral History as Research Methodology

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Archives Concentration

In the classroom, I learned oral history techniques and research methods. In San Francisco and New York City, over the past two summers, I interviewed eleven women and collected over twenty-five hours of oral history. Specifically, I interviewed Queer women who have immigrated from Brazil to the United States. Back on campus, I am currently working on translating the interviews into a senior thesis, in which I aim to analyze identity (re)development in the context of immigration, particularly in relation to race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. How is one’s identity transformed through displacement and immigration? Utilizing a transnational feminist pedagogy, I explore feminist psychological theories of identity development in order to understand identity shifts and re-racialization due to immigration.

Destiny Wiley-Yancy ‘20

Spaces of Belonging: Migrant Hairdressers and Community in Durban’s Hair Salons

Junior Year Abroad, Research/Travel Abroad, Study Abroad

This small-scale ethnographic project explores how Black African immigrant women situate their hairdressing practices within post-apartheid South Africa. I will reflect on the first semester of my Junior Year Abroad, during which I conducted an independent study project in Durban, South Africa. Working at the heart of some hair salons in Durban, are women from the Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, and Malawi who have to take up hairdressing work for economic survival. Through a series of interviews conducted over a four-week long research period, I learned--despite the constraints in which these women work--of the opportunities for community-building within the hair salon. For immigrant hairdressers, styling hair was more than a source of economic agency, it is also an opportunity for community-building. From this research experience, I learned that Black immigrant women cultivate spaces of belonging within spaces like the hair salon.

Sophie Willard Van Sistine ‘21

Discovering People Through Place, Discovering Place Through People: My Comic Memoir About Study Abroad in Wales

Study Abroad

From its landscape of rolling hills, to its persevering minority language, to its stone age structures layered with time and steeped in legend, Wales is a living archive of (hi)story. In late May/early June 2018 I participated in the Dylan Thomas Summer School in Creative Writing at the University of Wales Trinity St David, in West Wales. In December 2018, I completed a 116-page comic memoir about the experience of forming community with other writers during our time together. Through written word, I reflect that relationships with and perceptions of place are inextricably bound to relationships with and perceptions of people. Through image--a language of emotion, creativity, and imagination--I illustrate my cartoon-self exploring these relationships in a semi-realistic, semi-abstract and synesthetic visual world. I draw the past into the present, contemplating stories as liminal spaces of connection that transcend time. Combining word and image, I discover that storytelling is a form of empathy, which allows us to inhabit multiple worldviews and find new solutions to problems. This lays the foundation for a future comic about the life of Welsh poet and language activist Menna Elfyn, and how perspectives gained from minority languages--like Welsh--are tools for social change.

PANEL II: PUBLIC & MENTAL HEALTH

CC 204

Moderator: Lisa Johnson, Assistant Dean for International Study

Zoe Birnhak ‘21

Realities of Health Access and Inequities: My Summer in Oaxaca

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

During my summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to use my Praxis grant to work with Child Family Health International on their program, Realities of Health Access and Inequities, in Oaxaca, Mexico. This internship was very exciting for me as it combined my three areas of study: pre-med, sociology and Spanish. I had the privilege to observe alongside medical professionals and residents in a variety of hospitals and clinics serving mixed-income populations, as well as attend lectures about preventative care and public health crises that were affecting Mexico. I was able to immerse myself into an entirely Spanish-speaking environment while gaining valuable and unique clinical experience and learning about the social, economic, political and geographic factors that affect the healthcare system in Oaxaca. My work this summer was a major deciding factor in my choice to study abroad in Córdoba, Spain, next semester in pursuit of total fluency in Spanish. It has also moved me forward towards a career in the medical field working with Spanish-speaking populations and advocating for immigrants in the healthcare system in the US. In my talk, I hope to inform the Smith community about cross-disciplinary internship opportunities abroad.

Tsewang Chuskit ‘20

New Ladakhi Girls

Community Service

In 2015, I co-founded a community education summer program, New Ladakhi Girls (NLG), in my hometown in the Indian Himalayas, Ladakh. The program endeavors to advance health education among girls and women in my community. Ladakh is a remote region in India bordering China and India. The area has experienced rapid development over the last thirty years because of tourism for its landscape. The younger generation is getting the opportunity to study in school and even get college degrees, but most of the older generation is illiterate or semi-literate. They grew up with a strict religious perspective following myths and misconceptions about women’s body. Menstruation is a taboo topic of discussion even between a mother and daughter in society. NLG strives to dispel myths surrounding menstruation and to empower women and girls to discuss this vital aspect of their health openly.

Every summer, we go to remote villages and public schools in Ladakh to teach young girls and their mothers about their bodies. We encourage young girls not to feel they are less important than boys just because their bodies work differently. Since 2015, we've met with 1,300 girls and women. We work with local Ladakhi leaders to make our workshops more effective and reachable. Besides women's health, we talk about mental health, women's empowerment, safety, and sexual harassment, and wellness in Ladakhi society. This past summer, we gave workshops on sustainable and healthy menstruation hygiene, introducing products such as menstrual cloth pads and menstrual cups to women and girls. These options proved popular with the local people, as they are less harmful to Ladakh's fragile ecosystem, affordable, and non-toxic to our bodies. I continued to be inspired by my professors and colleagues at Smith. The college's open and free-thinking environment and passionate commitment to gender equity continue to influence and inform work in ways that reach far beyond myself and touch my sisters back home.

Amanda Jiang ‘20

Markers of Psychological Trauma and Wellness-based Healing

Research/Travel Abroad

I will be sharing my experiences leading a trauma-focused research project in the Ukraine (Summer ’18) and co-designing a clinical research study at the National Institutes of Health (Summer ’19). In the Ukraine, I initiated a study that investigated gender differences in mental health outcomes among military and non-military personnel. Findings from the study not only highlight the impact of sociopolitical conflicts on mental health but also uncover the influence of gender role in shaping an individual’s response to trauma. My research in the Ukraine led to this summer’s work with the NIH. Using data collected from trauma-exposed military service members, I explored the efficacy of alternative-based therapeutics on reducing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, neutralizing inflammatory biomarkers, and enhancing psychological resilience. In addition to analyzing quantitative data, I worked alongside nursing researchers who administered clinical assessments to military service members. Using knowledge and skills gathered from these experiences, I am currently developing a culturally informed trauma and resilience model for the migrant population in the U.S. This project is supported by the Kahn Liberal Arts Institute at Smith. My goal is to use the model to generate more clinical studies of novel therapeutics that target trauma for the migrant community.

Dana Ragoonanan ‘20

Exploring the Immunological Effects of HIV Prevention Methods in South Africa

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

This summer I worked at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) studying HIV. South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world, with an estimated 7.2 million people living with HIV as of 2017. To try to combat new infections, young women aged 15-24, who represent a key transmitter population, are increasingly being given pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). For my research, I was situated in KwaZulu-Natal, the province with the highest HIV infection rates in the country. My project sought to understand some of the immunological effects of PrEP in young women at risk for HIV infection. Ultimately, the goal of my project was to aid in the design of more effective treatment and prevention methods for young women as well as the broader global community impacted by HIV. My time in South Africa gave me a more holistic understanding of the disease as I was able to learn about the virus in the context of the immune response in humans as well as the cultural stigma surrounding the disease.

PANEL III: THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM OR LAB

CC 205

Moderator: Rosetta Cohen, Professor, Education & Child Study

Phuong Chau ‘21J

Machine Learning and How I am Learning in Computational Research at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Summer Internship/Praxis

This Spring 2019, I took a gap semester to work on a seven-month project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This work was a great opportunity for me to be exposed to real field research. For seven months, I built an automated framework that can generate the parameters for Molecular Simulations in much faster time compared to existing quantum mechanics approaches. The project has helped me learn about myself, specifically my interest in software engineering and data science. I also learned how to overcome Imposter Syndrome when I felt like I was the minority on the team: the only undergraduate and the only female who was working with all post-docs and "famous" mentors. However, my fear quickly disappeared because I had the chance to work with many post-doc colleagues whose research and educational experiences provided a strong foundation for growing my own learning. They taught me the beauty of diversity, cooperation, and hard work. I also learned from my great mentor, Dr. Chris Neale, who not only taught me the knowledge I needed to conduct research but also many skills I can use for life such as admitting "I don't know," because "there is no one that knows everything," or willing to say "No," when the tasks are not part of your project, and even writing my very first paper as first author. In my presentation, I will talk about what I worked on for my project as well as what I have learned through meeting people at the lab.

Sarah Glidden ‘20

Quantitative Identification of Landslides

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will review my experiences as a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates student at James Madison University during the Summer of 2019. For eight weeks, I worked on a team mathematically quantifying surface roughness in regions of Virginia with and without landslides, and creating a logistic model to automate the process of landslide identification for geologists. The impact of my experience was profound in shaping my perspective on the importance of mathematics in other disciplines, and my role as a woman in mathematics. For the first time, I actually understood what my professors were saying when they told me that math can apply to anything, and that what I am learning in class will apply directly to my future in math. I return to Smith College with a sense of excitement to go further in my math studies and learn how I can use what I learn here at Smith to assist researchers in many other fields, as well as an investment to continue to support the diversification of researchers in mathematics.

Yuliya Lavysh ‘20J

Investment Banking Summer Internship

Summer Internship/Praxis, Global Financial Institutions Concentration

I would like to share my experience as the only woman from a liberal arts school working in the predominantly male finance industry and how I managed to succeed there. This summer I worked as an investment banking analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The ten week internship gave me an incredible opportunity to learn, test my limits, and change my beliefs of what I can or can’t do. Not only did this experience shape me as a professional, but changed my perception of the finance industry.

PANEL IV: BLACK HOLES, POLYMERS & BIOBOTS: STEM RESEARCH

CC 102

Moderator: Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study

Jessica Bonsu ‘21

Stabilizing Insulin for Better Diabetic Treatment

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer I worked as an undergraduate research intern at Stanford University’s Materials Science and Engineering Department in Dr. Eric Appel’s lab. This opportunity allowed me to learn about a new field- Material Engineering- while also cultivating my knowledge of a field I was passionate about- Bioengineering. My project mainly focused on extending the stabilization time of exogenous insulin by synthesizing six polymers. We were successfully able to increase insulin stability from twenty-one hours to about one month. This would greatly impact diabetic treatment by making it safer and more cost-efficient. Despite these amazing results, my eight weeks at Stanford were challenging due to my lack of knowledge in organic chemistry and polymer science, however, it is an experience I would not trade for the world because I was able to gain new mentors, networks, and friends while doing research on a disease that affects many individuals including my own family members.

Leanna Troncoso ‘20

Summer at UIUC: Force-generating Biological Robots

Fellowship

I will review my experiences as a research fellow in a bioengineering lab at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the Summer of 2019. For nine weeks, I created, imaged, and studied the function of muscle tissue-powered biological robots. My project focused on a gap-junction protein’s effect on the force generation of these bio-bots in preparation for creating an in vitro neuromuscular junction model. To learn about action potential propagation throughout this system, I employed 2D and 3D tissue culture of skeletal muscle and motor neurons, 3D-printing, laser and electrical stimulation, high-speed image analysis, and fluorescent dye staining and injection. A fully developed bio-bot which incorporates neurons and skeletal muscle could serve as an organ mimic for drug testing. However, bio-bots have other potential functions like serving as implantable systems for drug sensing, synthesis and release or as self-repairing organisms for toxic waste clean-up. I worked closely with graduate students and mentors who were honest and supportive in providing a full picture of earning a Ph.D. at a large research institution. This gave me the clarity I needed in preparing for my future education goals and the career in medical research and practice which I intend to pursue.

Iver Sadie Warburton ‘21

NASA Exploration into Active Galactic Nuclei

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

My experience at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a researcher in observational cosmology has profoundly shaped my career plans and unfurled a world of opportunities for my professional future. As a member of NASA’s science and exploration astrophysics directorate this summer, I studied black holes at the centers of other galaxies in order to better understand galaxy composition and evolution. In my research I manipulated images of active galactic nuclei (AGN) taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the VLA. With this data, I wrote computer programs to analyze and plot in two and three dimensions the radial distribution of optical and radio gas structures within AGN. My work enabled my team to visualize previously unseen properties of AGN and form new conclusions about galaxy evolution and star formation. Ultimately, my summer internship led to a long-term role in an expanding research endeavor, for which I expect to soon publish a paper and present my research at the annual American Astronomical Society Conference in January 2020. Through this introduction to professional astrophysics research I have fostered an acute interest in black holes and galaxy evolution, both of which I plan to explore throughout my education and career.

PANEL V: CLIMATE SCIENCE RESEARCH

CC 103/104

Moderator: Susan Etheredge, Dean of the College and Vice President for Campus Life

Caitlyn Battle-McDonald ‘20

Analyzing Climate Change in Arctic Ecosystems

Junior Year Abroad

I will review my experiences studying in Iceland and Greenland during the Spring of 2019 with SIT World Learning. For four months, I travelled in these two countries, learning about the effect climate change is having on local communities. I also conducted independent research on the ways that climate change is affecting Icelandic ecosystems, focusing on trees and herbaceous plants. These experiences helped me realize the urgency of the climate crisis, and they encouraged me to pursue a career in sustainability and environmental justice after graduation.

Basira Daqiq ‘21

Developing Transparent Organic Solar Cells

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will be talking about my summer undergraduate research experience at Princeton University funded by the Praxis program. I worked on developing organic solar with a group of graduate students in Dr. Lynn Loo’s laboratory. The goal of the project is to develop carbon-based transparent and flexible active layers that can convert solar energy into electricity. This technology is to be used on transparent applications out of reach of silicon-based cells such as smart windows. Through this experience, I have decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree after college.

I will discuss clean energy, the limits of silicon solar cells, and the potential and development process of organic solar cells to the general audience. I will be also talking about how I find about the research and reached out to the principal investigator.

Morgan Donovan Jones ‘21

Steward on the Hudson River

Fellowship, Summer Internship/Praxis

Over the summer, I was a research intern at the Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River National Estuary Research Reserve (HRNERR) at Norrie Point Environmental Center, a funded National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reserve. I received this internship through the Smith College Agnes Shedd Andreae Summer NOAA Internship Fellowship from the Environmental Science and Policy Program. As a BA engineering student, I interact with systems-thinking applications, design-oriented solutions, and research-based methods on a daily basis. Through this internship, I had the opportunity to apply perspectives I gained from my engineering courses outside of the classroom. I assisted in monitoring water quality, meteorological, and nutrient analysis. As a resourceful and flexible problem-solver, I calibrated, monitored, maintained, installed, and deployed environmental data collection tools. I collaborated on a variety of projects, including lab processing, data collection, field work, office tasks, and education programming. By building agency for environmental protection through research, education, and the celebration of natural spaces, I want to invest my resources into sustainable community solutions and to continue to build on my skills as an environmental activist. I look forward to growing as an environmental steward and advocate.

PANEL VI: ECOLOGY, FOOD SYSTEMS & PERMACULTURE

CC 003

Moderator: Camille Washington-Ottombre, Assistant Professor Environmental Science & Policy

Sawyer Blake ‘21

Working Towards a New Food Economy

Summer Internship/Praxis, Sustainable Food Concentration

This past summer I had the opportunity to engage with the Northampton community in a new way by interning for a local food justice non-profit, Grow Food Northampton. The mission of this organization is to limit food insecurity in the area through a variety of programs, one of which being their Giving Garden. I, along with a co-intern, our supervisor, and weekly volunteers, spent the summer cultivating the half-acre of land. This encompassed everything from weeding, to bed formation, to overseeing the harvests and deliveries. Rather than the beneficiaries of the garden paying for the delivered produce, all the deliveries were brought to them without expectation of pay. We were taking part in creating a new kind of food economy, one that disrupts societal expectations and the ways that fresh produce should be exchanged. Rather than expecting a direct form of compensation for our work, we worked off of grant money. I strongly believe that the rest of my life will be dedicated to working towards breaking down and reimagining food systems. In a world filled with economic disparity, food scarcity, and health inequity, food justice activist work is an essential path towards global nourishment.

Abigail Hanna ‘20

Evacuation or Eviction? Climate Change Policy in Rio de Janeiro

Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad, Climate Change Concentration

I will review my experience of working in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a climate change intern with the NGO Catalytic Communities. CatComm, for short, is a full-fledged network connecting various policies, strategies and people across the greater Rio area in order to expand networks and share ideas with an increasing population. Their main focus is on the favelas of Rio, informal settlements situated within the hillsides of the city, and their representation within the public sphere. As an intern and reporter, it was my job to research flash flooding and landslide events in the favelas, and my main project was a timeline of recent landslide and flash flooding events within the past ten years, posted on CatComm's activist online journal (RioOnWatch.org). In addition to studying weather patterns, I also interviewed several favela community members about their past and current experiences with natural disasters, the functionality of the emergency response systems in place, and the general perception of favela residents to the public sphere in Rio (and vice-versa). In Brazil, low-income communities are often negatively framed as perpetuators of environmental problems, while also facing harsh social, political and ecological dynamics that the debate of climate change brings.

Phoebe Little ‘20

Overcoming Rising Tides: Planning for Coastal Resiliency on Vinalhaven Island

Junior Year Abroad, Community Service, Climate Change Concentration

In Spring 2019 I studied away at the Williams Mystic Maritime Studies Program in Mystic, CT. Through my policy seminar there, I was able to partner with the town government on Vinalhaven Island to devise a climate adaptation and mitigation strategic plan. Vinalhaven is situated seven miles off the coast of Maine in Penobscot Bay. It is threatened on all sides by rising sea levels and is dealing with increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Drafting a strategic plan involved synthesizing and prioritizing the issues and proposed solutions generated by community members and stakeholders. My final recommendations ranged from small scale climate adaptations that individuals could undertake to protect their properties from flooding to large-scale statewide regulations that would introduce carbon sequestration technology. This process taught me the value of meaningful community engagement and multi-faceted solutions to complex social ecological problems. I valued this opportunity to work on increasing coastal resiliency in my home community. I am returning to Smith with newfound confidence, grace, and intention.

Clarity Phillips ‘20

Under the Thrall of Forest and Field: Land Stewardship in Puget Sound

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer I spent three months at Compass Rose Farms in Port Townsend, Washington, a permaculture homestead tucked into the coastline of Discovery Bay; this is the land of the S'Klallam and Chimakum people. My weeks were divided between working in the gardens, tending the sheep, ducks, and geese, processing wool, participating in homesteading workshops, and completing the Permaculture Design Course. In this presentation I will briefly explain (and critique) the systems and sensibilities of permaculture as well as describe the skills and knowledge I gained from living at the farm, relating this experience to Smith's Landscape Master Plan and, ultimately, to my developing perspective as a student of Religious Studies.

PANEL VII: KITTENS, LEMURS AND DOLPHINS: A SUMMER WITH NON-HUMANS

CC 001

Moderator: Jason Bauer-Clapp, Associate Director, Lazarus Center for Career Development

Q Goodman Urdang ‘20

Treating Our Furry (and Not-So-Furry) Friends

Summer Internship/Praxis

I spent my summer at the Alpine Hospital for Animals in Boulder, Colorado, a haven for close relationships between pets and their owners. I was able to learn from veterinarians at the top of their field about diagnostic, surgical, and treatment processes, and even how to have difficult conversations with owners. Incredibly, I was also able to treat patients myself. I worked as an Exam Room Assistant (ERA), a position in which I got to do things like prepare patients’ charts, conduct my own physical exams, discuss the patients with the doctor, and bring the patient back for treatment, where I either assisted a vet tech or performed the treatment myself. This experience solidified my commitment to medicine in a way that allowed me to return to Smith College with renewed excitement for my classes and for the application process to medical school. I know now that I want a life in medicine, and that I am willing to do what it takes to make sure that I can help those in need.

Bri Jefferson ‘20

Face Ruffs & Tail Fluffs: The Importance of Zoo and Conservation Education in Motivating Environmental Change

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern in the primate/carnivore department at Roosevelt Park Zoo (RPZ) in Minot, North Dakota. As an Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) certified zoo, RPZ strives to protect and conserve the natural world, while providing a rich and educational experience to its attendees. As global conservation issues are something I’m very passionate about, I was drawn to the AZA and its certified facilities. My previous experience combined with my liberal arts education made this internship ultimately possible for me, by providing me with collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. During my time at RPZ, I learned about diet preparation, feeding methods, enrichment techniques, and habitat maintenance for a wide range of primate and carnivore species. Additionally, after I had completed training, I was trusted with a set of keys, and was able to provide daily care for the primate species by myself as a keeper-in-training. Over the course of the summer, I gave Keeper Chats to the public, designed and facilitated a lemur-themed activity for Conservation Day, and completed other related intern projects. This experience provided the skills and independent experience necessary for me to confidently pursue a career in this field in the future. Although leaving my animals at the conclusion of the summer was difficult, I hope to return to RPZ post-undergrad for further study.

Camryn McCarthy ‘20

Whales & Dolphins & Seals, Oh My!: My Experience with the Namibian Dolphin Project

Summer Internship/Praxis

During summer 2019, I participated in a Praxis internship with the Namibian Dolphin Project, a research and conservation organization directed at preserving the Namibian marine environment. I was based in Walvis Bay, Namibia where I was part of a team that carried out projects that included: 1) conducting at-sea surveys to collect environmental, behavioral, acoustic and photographic data on whales and dolphins in the bay as part of long-term ongoing research; 2) conducting land-based surveys to collect data on pollution levels and entanglement of fur seals as well as conduct behavioral and acoustic observations of fur seals and black-backed jackals as part of research into coastal predator ecology; 3) taking part in the rescue of and data collection from any stranded cetacean or turtle and associated necropsy; and 4) playing a role in running our education office and engaging with school groups and visiting members of the public for education purposes. The experience served to reinforce my passion for species conservation and fuel the next steps in my academic and professional career. I plan to continue the work this year as part of my Five College Coastal and Marine Science certificate as well as return to Walvis Bay following graduation.

Session II: 5:20–6 p.m.

PANEL I: EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES

CC CARROLL ROOM

Moderator: Patty DiBartolo, Associate Dean of the Faculty

Cara Flores ‘20

Sustaining and Cultivating Creative Communities: A Summer Spent Learning from Artisans and Designers in Cebu, Philippines

Summer Internship/Praxis

As an intern for Holicow, fully known as “Holistic Coalition of the Willing,” I obtained first-hand experience in what it takes to run a social enterprise dedicated to sustainability, creativity, and empowering Filipino culture and communities. Throughout this six-week internship in Cebu, Philippines, I had the opportunity to help with a retail pop-up event, oversee different creative projects, and attend events that celebrated creative and social enterprises. Furthermore, I also met and worked with local designers, traditional weavers, and leaders of the Cebuano creative industry. I will review my experience of these events and the travels I did during my internship to different parts of the island. I will also highlight how Holicow used human-centered design along with a social justice lens to spark change in their communities while also negotiating the parameters of existing within a developing country.

Bea Hesselbart ‘20

Middle of Somewhere: Running Across the Country for The Ulman Foundation

Community Service

This past summer, I participated in a 49-day, 4,800-mile relay run across the country from San Francisco to Boston with The Ulman Foundation 4K for Cancer program. The Ulman Foundation provides support services for young adults and their loved ones affected by cancer. Each summer, they organize cross-country run and ride teams comprised of college-aged students who come together to raise money and awareness for the foundation. After spending seven weeks running and volunteering alongside a team of twenty-seven individuals, who have all in some way been affected by cancer, I was reminded of the kindness and beauty that exist in the world. I will discuss the ways in which my teammates and I were able to inspire hope and build a community of support while running across the country. I will also reflect on the new perspectives I gained from this experience regarding life, death, and the things in between.

Glendalis Perez ‘21

Climate Change & Community on Ambergris Caye, Belize : Coral Reef Ed-Ventures 2019

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I was one of six students living and working in San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, as a participant in the Smith College Coral Reef Ed-Ventures program in Belize. During our six weeks there, we organized and taught an educational marine science summer camp for the schoolchildren of San Pedro. We also had the opportunity to participate in research investigating the coral reefs, mangroves, and local ecoidentities with our Smith professors. My presentation will focus on the integral narrative of climate change within my experiences teaching our marine science summer camp and interacting with Belizean schoolchildren and the community.

Jessica Reinert AC ‘20J

Learning in Collaboration: Lessons from Participatory Action Work with Emerging Adults in Springfield, MA

Community Service, Research/Travel Abroad

In January 2019, I joined Project SPARC (Springfield Participatory Action Research Crew) as a student researcher as a part of a special studies project. Project SPARC is a federally-funded participatory action research (PAR) project that is investigating the challenges, barriers, and obstacles youth in Springfield face as they transition post-high school into “what’s next.” In year one, we engaged the community through interviews and focus groups to learn about what is hindering and helping their success. We are not only researchers from Smith College, but we are a community team with Project Coach, New North Citizens Council, and community members and organizations. Over the summer, I worked as the lead researcher on the Documentation and Data Team. We just received year two funding and I will continue in that role, as well as support the team’s efforts to generate pilot solutions to the challenges our research identified. My presentation will introduce the principle of PAR, explain how I led our data team, detail key findings from our research, and briefly describe our plans to pilot solutions. I will also talk about how this work has impacted and changed my own trajectory at Smith College and after graduation.

PANEL II: NON-PROFITS & ADVOCACY

CC 204

Moderator: Lisa Johnson, Assistant Dean for International Study

Leah Brand ‘20

Girls Will Change the World: International Leadership Development in Germany

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I used my Praxis Grant to live in Berlin, Germany and work for an organization, Girls Gearing Up, which provides the only international leadership academy in Europe for girls. I worked with thirty-one girls, aged 12-17, from five continents and twelve different countries. The intensive program is intended to equip girls with leadership skills, grow in their confidence, and connect them to inspirational female role-models and peers from around the world. Because I study Education and Women and Gender Studies at Smith, the intersections of these two subjects in my summer work was deeply meaningful for both myself and the young people in the program. As a Smith student, I am drawn to leadership opportunities that empower young women. This experience has inspired me to continue the work of building a new generation of young female leaders through a career in education.

Ella Carlson ‘21

Learning to Be Part of the Climate Justice Movement: My Fellowship with Divest Ed

Fellowship

During the summer of 2019, I engaged in a fellowship with Divest Ed, a climate action nonprofit in Cambridge, MA working to support university fossil fuel divestment campaigns. I worked on a team of eight students to plan the beginning stages of a series of coordinated direct actions of the fossil fuel divestment movement at colleges across the US. In this presentation, I will reflect on what I learned about organizing through my experience building infrastructure for coordinating a movement, as well as the personally transformative experiences of attending and leading trainings for campus organizers. Through this fellowship, I made lasting connections with student organizers for fossil fuel divestment at campuses across the country and got to see what organizing work in the nonprofit sector can look like. I have already been able to apply some of the skills in workshop facilitation that I learned this summer to my organizing with Divest Smith College, and I look forward to perhaps pursuing a career that involves sharing these kinds of skills with peers.

Dana Chen ‘20

Shaping the Abortion Narrative: My Internship at Planned Parenthood

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I had the privilege of interning at Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) in New York City. As an intern on the Brand and Culture Strategy team, I had the opportunity to engage with all three pillars of Planned Parenthood’s mission: providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, advocating for policies that ensure access to these services, and providing accurate sex education. During my time at Planned Parenthood, I worked on a variety of projects including the organization’s “Bans Off My Body” campaign, developed in response to the slew of abortion bans passed by state legislatures over the summer, partnerships with socially responsible companies and nonprofit organizations, and the expansion of Planned Parenthood Generation Action, the organization’s youth organizing network. I will share how my experience interning at Planned Parenthood during a particularly critical time in the fight for reproductive rights enabled me to apply the writing and research skills I have developed at Smith while also teaching me important lessons about nonprofit work and health care access. I will also critically reflect on the impact my internship has had on my career goals and the lens through which I view social justice work.

Maeve Conway ‘21

A Look into Disability: A Summer of Listening, Learning, and Advocating

Summer Internship/Praxis, Community Engagement and Social Change Concentration

I will review my experience as an undergraduate intern at the Disability Law Center (DLC), the Protection and Advocacy agency for individuals with disabilities for the state of Massachusetts. During my ten weeks, I engaged with legislation, monitoring, investigation, and case work. More specifically, I worked on an amicus brief regarding the rights of blind jurors with law fellows, the attorneys at DLC, and co-counsel with the National Federation for the Blind. Also, I had the opportunity to research and draft legislative testimony for the various disability related bills in the Massachusetts state legislature. This internship developed my writing capacity, exposed me to new facets of the disability rights movement, and encouraged me to pursue a career in disability law in the future. Further, I will focus on how the work we did during these weeks had larger implications than I had truly anticipated. Under the supervision of passionate attorneys, I was trusted to do some of the necessary hard work in my short time with the organization. I was included in site visits to ascertain compliance. I participated in priority setting community outreach forums where the organization heard concerns from the widely varied needs of the disability community. Overall, I was able to get a look into the complicated networks of disability work; actively working to make the systems for this community better for all.

Chhiring Lama ‘21

Public Health Experience at a Non-Profit Organization in Nepal

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will review experiences as an intern for the Group for Technical Assistance (GTA) in Nepal during the Summer of 2019. For eight weeks, I was involved in a multitude of responsibilities from translating, proposal writing to data analysis. Working at GTA allowed me to get familiar with the work culture in Nepal and make strong professional connections. My experiences of both accomplishment at times and frustrations with situations I encountered during my internship taught me a lot. As I return for this semester, I am reminded about why I wanted to pursue a career in public health in the first place and my aspirations have bolstered.

PANEL III: MICRO PANELS

5:20 – 5:40 PM EASTERN EUROPEAN CULTURAL REFLECTIONS

5:40 – 6:00 PM TECH & DATA ETHICS

CC 205

Moderator: Rosetta Cohen, Professor, Education & Child Study

Eastern European Cultural Reflections

Caroline Dunbar ‘20

The Problems of Defining “Ukraine” and “Ukrainian”: Reflections of a Summer Language Student

Study Abroad

For eight weeks this past summer, I studied abroad in Kyiv, Ukraine as a Ukrainian language student through the Eurasian Regional Language Program run by American Councils for International Education. My teachers, Valentyna and Lyudmila, taught me the fundamentals of the Ukrainian language, but the lessons that I remember the most are those that emerged from conversations about my reflections of Ukraine formed on excursions around and outside of Kyiv. My presentation will focus on some of these reflections, as well as what navigating the diglossia that characterizes Ukraine’s linguistic landscape taught me about the challenges of establishing a homogenous Ukrainian national identity following Ukraine’s independence in 1991. Additionally, I will discuss my conversations with Ukrainians of intersecting identities that challenged the “European west” and “Russian east” binary that has dominated Western understandings of Ukraine. The different conceptions of Ukrainian identity between people such as my host dad, a native Russian speaker who fled to Kyiv from his war-torn hometown in eastern Ukraine, and staunchly Ukrainian-speaking western Ukrainian college students forced me to understand Ukrainian identity beyond concrete markers, such as language. I returned to Smith with a richer understanding of Ukraine’s complicated past and ever-changing present.

Cali Nathanson ‘20

From Russia with Lived Knowledge

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I spent two months studying abroad at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, Russia, where I also worked as an intern in Russia’s oldest museum, the famous historical-anthropological collection of the Kunstkamera (established by Peter the Great in the early 18th century). As a Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies major who seeks to pursue a career in the Foreign Service, I embarked on my travels academically well informed. Prior to this summer, I had not only not spent time in Russia, but I had never really traveled abroad that much. Consequently, my knowledge of Russia’s past and present remained precisely that: purely academic. This experience has had a significant impact on my views of Russia’s history, and in particular, on contemporary US media discourse about Russia, and the ways in which Russia’s recent Soviet past informs contemporary social and cultural trends within Russia. In my presentation, I will examine the invaluable insights that my “lived knowledge” of Russia has provided me with respect to the media discourse, and the ways in which this experience has influenced my career path. My presentation will be of interest to a broad audience, including those interested in contemporary Russian society, culture, and politics.

Tech and Data Ethics

You Jeen Ha ‘20

Interdisciplinarity in the Digital Age: Technology, Ethics, and Law

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

I will provide an overview of my time as a student at Hertford College in England’s University of Oxford during the Spring of 2019, as a researcher of computer ethics who presented to and connected with professional academics in Europe, and as a student who researched with Harvard Law School’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society during the Summer of 2019. Through these experiences, I was first able to further navigate the intersection between my computer science and philosophy majors. Then, I entered the interdisciplinary sphere of technology, ethics, and law, eventually shifting my attention toward work on tech policy. My perspectives on these disciplines, relative to one another, became more comprehensive and balanced as a result. Upon returning to Smith College, I have shared the ambitions, projects, and knowledge of the people I had the honor of meeting and learning from with my peers and professors. Furthermore, I have cultivated a new sense of hope and optimism regarding my career path and, in general, my aspirations to contribute to future discussions of tech ethics and policy.

Maggie X. Wang ‘20

So Much Data, So Little to Know: Data in Arms Control Research

Summer Internship/Praxis

I spent the second half of 2018 researching both legal and illegal international arms transfers in Washington, DC. As a Government and Statistical & Data Sciences double-major, I was thrilled to be introduced to a large body of publicly-available quantitative and qualitative data used in this field. I soon realized that these "open data" are not truly "open": extracting insight from the data was a challenging, meticulous, and time-consuming process that required policy expertise, domain knowledge, fluency in foreign languages, and access to proprietary information and technologies. In this presentation, I will discuss how my coursework at Smith enabled me to pursue internships at the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control and the Center for Strategic & International Studies, and how these experiences, in turn, inspired my senior-year projects. I will also reflect on the commonly-used data and technologies in policy research from a data ethics perspective.

PANEL IV: BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

CC 102

Moderator: Christine Speek, Dean of the College Office

Caterina Baffa ‘21

A Glimpse into the World of Tissue Engineering

Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

I spent the last two summers conducting research at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically-Inspired Engineering through their REU program. I worked with the bioprinting team of the lab, a group whose goals include working towards using 3D printing as a tool for generating functional, vascularized tissue. Over my months of work, I helped to optimize and test the generation of alginate hydrogel microparticles to serve as a model for cells when testing these innovative new printing techniques. This involved studying material properties, and how to use instruments like a 3D printer. Having the unique opportunity to work in the Lewis Lab for two summers allowed me to witness the nativity and growth of a research question over time. I learned through first-hand experience how this process involves some wrestling with difficult concepts and frustration with experiments, but also the amazing reward of discovering a new key piece of information to drive your research forward. My hope is to discuss my findings from this summer of work and also how my opportunity to participate in a research project over an extended period of time opened my eyes to the difficulties and joys of life as a researcher.

Josephine Gollin ‘22

Studying Heart Development in Germany

Summer Internship/Praxis

In my presentation, I will discuss my PRAXIS-funded summer internship at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim, Germany. For two months, I worked in a developmental biology lab studying early heart development in larval zebrafish, a commonly used model organism. I was able to experience working in a research setting full time, and I got the chance to use advanced imaging techniques such as light sheet microscopy. In the lab, I was immersed in a collaborative, international scientific community, and I've come back to Smith with a greater sense of purpose. I believe that working at a large research institute complemented my education at a small liberal arts college, and I will discuss how my internship has shaped my goals both at Smith and in my future career.

Nancy Jung ‘20

A New Way of Dealing with the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis: A Summer at Day Zero Diagnostics

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer I had the opportunity to expand my research interests in finding novel approaches to addressing the antibiotic resistance crisis as a research and development intern at Day Zero Diagnostics, a biotech startup at Harvard Life Labs. My project was to further the company’s aims to develop a rapid, whole genome sequencing-based diagnostic that identifies the species and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacterial infections within hours, rather than days. I was tasked with data parsing and curating an extensive database of multi-drug resistant clinical isolates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), performing detailed phenotypic analysis and growth optimization, and processing the strains through the company's proprietary blood protocol. The opportunity to work in a fast-paced biotech environment while being surrounded by brilliant and hard-working scientists, was an amazing and formative experience and only confirmed my passion for research. What drives me to pursue research, is not only my deep curiosity and passion for biology, but also my passion for people. I believe that there is no better way of spending my life, than continuous learning and development with translational applications that can save and improve people’s lives.

Emely Tejada Jaquez ‘20

How Did I Get Here?: Discovering My Role in Science and Medicine

Summer Internship/Praxis

As a continuation of my work in 2018, I will reflect on my experiences as a student-researcher through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP) in the Richards-Kortum at Rice University. For ten weeks, I focused on finalizing the low-cost universal cervical cancer instructional apparatus (LUCIA) kits, which include a training device created specifically for cervical cancer screening in medically-underserved areas, nationally and globally. My experience last year allowed me to combine my interests in science and languages; however, my experience this year, while providing me with the opportunity to further expand my scientific skills, pushed me to grow on an individual level, reflect on my journey to and through college, and ultimately led me to think about life after graduation, and the role I want to play in science and medicine.

PANEL V: EDUCATION

CC 103/104

Moderator: Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study

Claire Bunn ‘21

Turning to One Another - Seeking Education Justice and Community at Holyoke High Dean Campus

Community Service, Summer Internship/Praxis, Community Engagement and Social Change Concentration

I will review my ongoing experience of working in an ethnic studies classroom at Dean Tech High School in Holyoke, MA. I began working there through the Urban Education Pathway program during J term of 2019 and continue to work in the same classroom today. I will discuss the importance of building relationships and long-term commitments in community-based learning as well as my experience of integrating theory and practice in the classroom. In particular, I will talk about how working in an ethnic studies classroom has shaped my understanding of multicultural education and education justice. I hope that sharing my story will serve as a call to think critically about the responsibilities we at Smith have as part of an institution producing teachers and sending students out to work in local schools, as well as the ways we at Smith approach community engagement more broadly.

Nicole Lussier ‘22J

The Power of Out-of-School Programs: How They Help Bridge and Support Young Adults

Fellowship, Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer I worked as a researcher in the Springfield Participatory Action Research Crew (Project SPARC). Our team researches the challenges emerging adults from Springfield, MA face as they transition into adulthood. In this research, I gained priceless insight into the everyday lives of students, teachers, and parents who know first-hand the obstacles of living in an urban environment and attending inner-city schools. I was also able to connect my research from SPARC to the time I have spent working as a mentor for Project Coach, an out-of-school program for Springfield youth. For a year I worked one-on-one with a high school senior from Springfield and witnessed the way in which out-of-school programming can change the trajectory of a student’s life. In researching the experiences of Springfield residents as well as mentoring high schoolers from Springfield on a weekly basis, I have gained an understanding of the power and necessity of out-of-school programming.These experiences have also greatly shaped the future of my time at Smith because, in the hopes of becoming a high school English teacher, I now have a deeper understanding of the environments I wish to work in.

Cecilia Mendez AC ‘20

Summer at The River School

Summer Internship/Praxis

The experience I had at The River School in New York City over the summer was very meaningful to me. I was able to return to a school where I had built a rapport with teachers, students, and staff over the January term as part of the Urban Education Fellowship. I was able to expand and build upon so many skills I began learning in January. My mentor, Donna Chin (a Smith graduate herself), was an incredible support as I was given tasks that included running my own group lessons and developing lesson plans to then implement them to students that were learning English as a New Language. The River School has such a diverse population of students from all over the world and I was able to work and see the cultural inclusivity that the school tries to provide for its students. Being someone who is interested in the importance of culture and home language playing a role in a student’s education, this opportunity exposed me to the way a school can come about to enhance a student’s learning by embracing their culture and home language while building a school community that welcomes every student alike.

Ashley Rodriguez ‘21

Joining CLED's Fight for Inclusive Education

Community Service, Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad, Community Engagement and Social Change Concentration

During the summer of 2019, I spent six weeks in Accra and Kasoa, Ghana, for a PRAXIS internship working under the Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CLED), a local organization in Ghana seeking to provide equal access for children with special needs and learning differences, and advocate for Inclusive Education in public schools. Under their mentorship, I worked in a local school to assess children for potential visual and hearing impairments, engage in one-on-one tutoring with students who have learning differences, and helped to host, organize, and take notes for 300 teacher-wide, community-based, teacher-trainings on Inclusive Education. My experience has shaped my ideas on Inclusive Education and exposed me to the realities of how social, political, and cultural contexts greatly affect both the larger education system and the microcosm of the classroom. In this presentation, I will discuss my observations on how the social, political, and cultural context of Ghana affected curriculum, classroom style and structure, and therefore, the educational experiences of children in the schools that I worked, and discuss my experience working with CLED in their continual fight for Inclusive Education.

Rekik Worku ‘21

Montessori Education & Standardized Testing: My Experience in a D.C. Montessori Charter School

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer, I spent six weeks as an intern in a public Montessori charter school in Washington D.C. I shadowed teachers in different primary classrooms and worked individually with students on specific learning goals set by their teachers. This experience allowed me to draw comparisons between Montessori and traditional elementary school methods. Montessori education emphasizes the importance of individualizing instruction for each student and not measuring success based on the expectations of standardized tests. However, this experience showed how challenging it can be for Montessori teachers and administrators to practice that philosophy while also being required to administer standardized tests as a public charter school. My presentation will focus on how my internship has redefined my idea of elementary education and mandatory standardized testing.

PANEL VI: COMMUNITY ENGAGED CLIMATE ACTIVISM

CC 003

Moderator: Camille Washington-Ottombre, Assistant Professor Environmental Science & Policy

Megan Barstow ‘20

Urban Design, Culture, and Climate Change: A Smith Engineer in Jordan

Study Abroad

During the spring semester of 2019, I studied Arabic intensively in Amman, Jordan. In addition to my focus on language acquisition, I made a point to actively observe and question my physical surroundings. As a civil engineering student with an interest in transportation, I strived to learn about the urban design and infrastructure of Jordan in order to compare them with such in the United States. Throughout the semester, I learned important lessons beyond the road design or pedestrian infrastructure, such as the role of culture in design. In my Arabic classes we covered a unit on climate change, which I used as inspiration to write my final research paper about climate change and public transportation activism in Jordan. I discovered the world of climate activism in Jordan, a country that is commonly viewed as either a victim of or contributor to climate change rather than a leader in activism.

In this session, I will be reflecting on my time spent in Jordan and the things I learned about urban and infrastructure design, cultural impacts on engineered environments, and the fight against climate change.

Kate Carruth ‘20

Scrolling for Sustainability: Using Social Media as a Tool to Communicate about Climate Change

Junior Year Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

I will discuss my summer 2019 Praxis internship at UN Environment Paris, where I was the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education intern. During my internship, I helped strategize efforts to better communicate sustainability science to a wider audience in order to spread climate change awareness. I especially focused on how to engage individuals in their daily lives and what motivated them to consider sustainability when making choices. My work culminated in a digital action kit and a social media campaign: the Take Action Challenge by the Anatomy of Action. Being a UN project, the campaign needed to address a global audience and required influencers to promote the Anatomy of Action - not as a product but rather as a resource to connect people to science-backed choices that help them live more sustainably. I am looking forward to bringing these skills back to Smith to consider how to best communicate complex research to the general public and use social media as a veritable medium to do so.

Béa Edmonds ‘20

The Effect of Climate Change on Yunnan’s Ethnic Minority Women

Junior Year Abroad, Climate Change Concentration

I spent my spring semester in the province of Yunnan, where I experienced an increasing amount of drought and other extreme weather patterns. This follows the global trends of increasing inclement weather because of Climate Change. However, twenty-five ethnic minorities call Yunnan home and throughout their culture and history, they have had an especially important relationship with their surrounding natural environment. Additionally, minority groups often belong to the lowest economic tier of society, and have access to fewer resources than other groups. Less advantageous economic standing and less access to resources creates very unfavorable circumstances when people encounter the adverse effects of Climate Change, thus Yunnan’s ethnic minorities are especially at risk. To add to this, women are in the most vulnerable positions of society throughout the world, making Yunnan’s ethnic minority women the most at-risk population in the face of Climate Change. The findings of my research suggest that the best way to aid women is to share their stories and bring awareness to disadvantaged populations that may otherwise fall through the cracks of our attention.

PANEL VII: DESIGN IMMERSION

CC 001

Moderators: Borjana Mikic, Associate Dean, Integrative Learning; Emily Norton, Director, The Design Thinking Initiative

Zoya Azhar ‘20

The Economics of Human-centered Design: Summer Internship at the Busara Center

Summer Internship/Praxis

As a Design Immersion Fellow at Smith, I had the opportunity to work at the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics in Nairobi, Kenya for three months during the summer after my junior year. My presentation will give audiences an insight into my professional and personal journey, from my classrooms at Smith to working at an organization that leverages behavioral research for client-focused projects. It was an opportunity to fall in love with my work all over again and to travel around Nairobi and experience new cultures and landscapes. Now, during my senior year at Smith, not only am I bringing back new-found passions, but also a better idea of how I can make an impact with my education.

Barb Garrison ‘21

Let's Be Blunt: What I Learned About Collaboration While Researching Cannabis Policy Reform

Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

I can count the number of truly satisfying group projects I’ve had on one hand. During my summer with the Design + Democracy project, I got to add another to that tally. D+D is a research unit within Massey University of New Zealand that focuses on bolstering civic engagement through design. I assisted D+D and their partners in Auckland on the development of a tool to help New Zealanders understand cannabis policy. While the cannabis project was grinding forward, I was also given free rein to plan and execute a team-building workshop for social designers employed in government. The development of the cannabis tool was an uphill battle, while the planning of the design workshop left me feeling refreshed.

My presentation will investigate how communication style, attitude, discipline-specific training, and other factors enhanced or frustrated collaborative projects between my organization and our collaborators. I will also explore how my own approach to collaboration evolved while working in the unstructured environment of Design + Democracy and what lessons I hope to take forward into future interdisciplinary projects.

Patience Kayira ‘20

Navigating Design as a Tool for Social Change

Summer Internship/Praxis

In the summer of 2019, I traveled to Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, to complete a twelve-week internship at a research initiative called Design+Democracy. Design+Democracy believes in harnessing the power of design and technology to develop engaging tools that inform New Zealanders about politics. This experience gave me the opportunity to collaborate with designers, educators and scientists on meaningful projects that addressed social concerns. For the majority of this experience, I drew upon my strengths in writing and critical thinking to formulate questions for an app that will teach New Zealanders about cannabis reform. I also had the opportunity to stretch beyond my comfort-zone by facilitating rounds of user-testing and conducting ethnographic design research with Social Studies teachers. Immersing myself into a design workspace was both exciting and intimidating. As an English and American Studies double-major, it was empowering to use my perspective as a humanistic thinker outside of an academic context. Yet, my perfectionism and fear of failure led me into self-doubt. By the end of the summer, I emerged with a deeper understanding of myself and appreciation for design as a tool for social change.

Noor Khan ‘20

Engineering, Design and Innovation in Mexico

Summer Internship/Praxis

Through the Design Thinking Initiative’s Summer Design Immersion program, I interned at Studio José de la O, an industrial design studio, in Mexico City. During the Summer of 2019, I compiled literature on innovation in Mexico and particularly why the country has been lagging in this area. During the second half of my time in Mexico, I fulfilled my role as the intern engineer by working with electronics for one of the studio’s projects. From this experience, I learned what it means to create with a design-thinking mindset and how important it is to understand the social and historical context throughout the process of Research & Development. During the duration of this program, I saw myself flourish on an intrapersonal and interpersonal level. I returned to Smith College with a stronger grasp of the importance of human-centered design and how to stay physically, spiritually, and emotionally grounded while abroad.

Matlhabeli Molaoli ‘22

On Rooibos and Arepas — Exchanging Lessons on Leadership Between the African and Latin American Continents.

Summer Internship/Praxis

I spent ten weeks as an intern at the Latin American Leadership Academy — an institution determined to identify, connect and develop young leaders who are leading socio-political change— in Medellin, Colombia. Taking inspiration from the practice of Human-Centered Design and my time as a student at African Leadership Academy, I poured most of my energy on social impact measurement/management work for the Academy, and into leading a project to bring alumni, donors and friends of LALA together for a three-day conference at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, AL. This talk is ultimately an invitation to imagine a more just, peaceful and prosperous Africa and Latin America continents, and a dare to join those who are leading the change.

Session I: 4:30–5:10 p.m.

PANEL 1: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Campus Center Carroll Room

Moderator: Susan Etheredge, Dean of the College

Emily Daubenspeck ’20

Quantitative Compassion: How an Internship in my Home Community Taught me to Remember Humanity in my Calculations

Summer Internship/Praxis

During the summer of 2018, I engaged in a Praxis internship at Your Way Home (YWH), an organization focused on housing crisis response and facilitating cooperation between government, non-profit organizations, and private contributors, in order to make the experience of homelessness "rare, brief, and non-recurring." I performed the first exhaustive analysis of data from a six month pilot eviction-prevention program (EPIC) and produced a report on the intersections of gender and race within the YWH system. My findings from this latter report indicate that the way in which the homelessness system quantifies vulnerability--a measure used to determine eligibility for some services--may be detrimental to already marginalized populations. In my presentation, I will outline some of the broad conclusions from these projects and how they have begun to shape my considerations for future research. However, my primary focus will be on giving voice to the ways in which my perspective on the work of a data scientist in the world today has shifted, and I will discuss the social responsibility inherent in the work of an analyst when performing investigations into the situations of disenfranchised populations.

Rza Flournoy AC ’19

Sustainable Community Partnerships

Summer Internship/Praxis

Community Engagement and Social Change Concentration

My Praxis internship is an extension of my studies within the Community Engagement and Social Change concentration. I worked with the community organization Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N), an advocacy organization focused on power building in communities of color. The original founder was focused on Criminal Justice Reform specifically dismantling the prison industrial complex but over time the goals quickly expanded to meet the variety of needs of the surrounding community. N2N currently works on campaigns such as Jobs not Jails, the School to Prison Pipeline, and because of their joint 501 c (3) and c(4) status, political campaigns as well. During the Summer of 2018, I used Praxis to stay in Northampton to work on my primary goals researching the possibility for Participatory Budgeting in Springfield, Campaign Work with multiple candidates, and collaborating with local leadership to create a Candidate Training School. I come with the knowledge of realities that face our neighbors, what does a partnership with a radical local organization take and what part can a Smithie like myself plan in the larger efforts.

Julia Mettler-Grove ’21

Save the Rain: County Efforts to Minimize Stormwater Runoff

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will review my experiences as the 2018 summer intern for the Save the Rain Program of the Department of Water Environment Protection for Onondaga County in New York State. For three months I engaged in community outreach through the program and conducted a nation-wide case study report on similar programs. The internship influenced my experience through providing me the opportunity to conduct interesting, meaningful research and learn about the realistic challenges of communications and outreach efforts at the scale of county government. With the excellent guidance and mentorship of the women I worked under, I have lasting connections to the water environment career network in my hometown and reinvigorated interests in my paths of study here at Smith College and for future off-campus learning.

Delphine Zhu ’19

Imagining Community: My Summer with the Doorway Project

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer I had the opportunity to work with the Doorway Project in Seattle, Washington. The Doorway Project is currently in its second year of planning and designing a multi-faceted café space for community members, homeless youth, and students to access services and engage with service providers or other community members. During my time with Doorway, I volunteered at a local youth shelter, helped plan a pop-up community café, and conducted a research project on participant observation in local coffee shops. The inter-disciplinary setting introduced me to the different levels of community work and taught me essential skills for deliberate collaboration and communication. This experience gave me a sense of how collective community action and design can be carried out thoughtfully. I return to Smith with a deeper commitment to bridging gaps around and within communities through an embrace of radical empathy and compassionate research.

PANEL II: STEM RESEARCH

CC 204

Moderator: Rebecca Hovey, Dean for International Study

Phuong Chau ’20

Summer at LANL: Drug Discovery and Diversity Discovery

Summer Internship/Praxis

Archives Concentration

During the Summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to work as a summer intern at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This work was a dream come true for me because of the topic: computational biology in cancer treatment research. Since my father passed away from cancer, I am very passionate and have set a goal to learn about cancer treatment. However, I was nervous when I got accepted to the program because I have not taken any biology classes in college. I was afraid that I would be behind my lab-mates. Luckily, I had the chance to work with one of the best mentors who not only taught me the knowledge I needed to conduct research but also many skills I can use for life. Moreover, I gained a lot of knowledge and experience working with amazing people at the lab. They taught me the beauty of diversity, cooperation, and hard work. I have learned that even though people come from different states or countries, they can all work together and contribute to the final outcome. In my presentation, I will talk about what I worked on for my anti-cancer drug discovery project as well as what I have learned through meeting people at the lab.

Kaen O ’19

Immunology, Bilingualism, Neuroimaging, and Italian Culture: When They All Come Together

Junior Year Abroad, Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

During Junor Year Abroad in Florence, I studied in Prof. Mario D’Elios’s lab in the section of Immuno-allergology in the Internal Medicine Department at the University of Florence. I was able to immerse myself in the Italian lab environment and I am very inspired by both our project and the lab culture. I came to realize that science is shaped by different cultural elements, which encouraged me to experience and explore more scientific research in Europe during my stay. I extended my time in Italy by doing Praxis in Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL) at Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan. For seven weeks I assisted with particular projects about the clinical and socio-psychological effect of bilingualism investigated through neuroimaging, specifically a graduate thesis on the effect of taboo words in second-language. Both fields: immunology and neurolinguistics have always been my top interests. Due to limited time and resources at Smith, I could not have hands-on experience with them. My year abroad in Italy undoubtedly added valuable cultural, social, and self-exploratory elements to my scientific career. Our culture and experiences shape how we understand and perceive our surroundings. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned, observed, and experienced to the Smith community.

Dana Ragoonanan ’20

HIV on Drugs

Fellowship, Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer I worked as an undergraduate researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. I was awarded funding for my work by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, which is a branch of the National Institute of Health. This position presented the opportunity to work alongside an internationally recognized HIV/AIDS researcher to understand the replication and development of the virus in the nervous system. My project specifically focused on the effects of methamphetamine on the reactivation of latent HIV cells. I used various microscopic and molecular techniques to better understand the principles of drugs abuse in relation to specific strains of HIV that are prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa. My work this summer also led me to secure a position for next summer. I will be extending my study abroad to work with CAPRISA, the Center for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, which is the official UNAIDS Collaboration Centre for HIV Research and Policy. There I will help to develop a microbicide for female HIV patients. Through this internship I have had the opportunity to gain practical skills while exploring the career options that are available to me.

PANEL III: SMALL BUSINESS & START-UPS

CC 205

Moderator: Julia Ing ’19

Olga Blyum ’20J

Combating Sexual Harassment and Assault with Data and Technology

Summer Internship/Praxis

My presentation will be about the experience I had this summer in Washington D.C. as a full-time mathematics and data science intern at a women-owned small business called Unwanted. There are three objectives of my presentation: define sexual harassment (unwanted behavior) as an urgent issue in our society, the solution that I was developing with the Unwanted, and the influence on my future career and the society. I will briefly introduce the audience to the #MeToo movement including the most current events. I will describe my duties as an intern, including datamining and research based on existent sexual harassment reports from various fields, writing a psychologically friendly chatbot and creating work environment surveys, organizing fundraisers, developing the entire project concept and the reporting system prototype.

This startup offered me the opportunity to learn about small businesses in the U.S., the approach to combat the unwanted behavior, as well as other social issues like gender inequality as the Unwanted is a woman-managed and owned business. Empowered by this experience, I am going to advance my analytical and leadership skills as well as to share my experience of creating a powerful system to detect, analyze and prevent inappropriate behavior and eventually change the culture.

Theo Dean-Slobod ’21

The Morals of Cricket Farming

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will reflect on my experience at Tiny Farms - a cricket farm in San Leandro, California - and how the experience shaped my perspective on the humane cultivation of livestock, and the unique opportunity to attempt to engineer a better lifestyle for crickets. During my time at Tiny Farms, I was exposed to the challenges that this startup faced in designing a business that met the needs of millions of insects, as well as the needs of policy makers and consumers. I had to address my own morals while harvesting crickets, and came away from the experience a much more thoughtful consumer and creator. I have already seen how my experience working at Tiny Farms has been integrated into my learning and ability to contribute to design processes.

Aiko Dzikowski ’19

Colonization, Crime, and Cappuccinos: A Reflection on my Research in Amsterdam

Junior Year Abroad, Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

I will reflect on the insights I gained as an international student and as a Communications and Marketing Intern in the Netherlands during the Spring and Summer of 2019. As a student at the University of Amsterdam, I conducted research pertaining to Amsterdam’s governmental policies on immigration and juvenile delinquency. As a Praxis intern, I utilized my background in anthropology in order to conduct fieldwork within Amsterdam’s business district. Throughout each experience, I employed the theoretical knowledge and research skills I had gained while at Smith in a way that enhanced my understanding of the Netherlands. The nation’s history of migration and colonialism, in particular, offered me insight into political issues that continue to shape anthropological study and global cultural understanding. Such insight has benefited me academically by widening my area of expertise, by providing me with data for further research, and by allowing me to extend my academic journey into the realm of lived experience.

Jocelin Ong ’19

How Traditional Soy Sauce Changed My Perspective on the Environment

Junior Year Abroad, Community Service, Study Abroad

During my year abroad in Tokyo, I never thought I would find myself working at a traditional soy sauce brewery in southern Japan. At Yamaroku Shoyu, I learned how to make soy sauce by using kioke (a giant wooden barrel), where microorganisms grow in it to help with fermentation. It takes 2-4 years to ferment, making it a burdensome process. Thus only 1% of soy sauce in Japan is made with kioke, which in itself is a dying industry. I also led brewery tours in English and Chinese, raising awareness for the kioke. In addition I translated stories from other Japanese traditional soy sauce brewers, as well as the Yamaroku website. Throughout the translation process and observations from my coworkers, I realized that the intimate relationship between Japanese people and the environment is rooted in the language. Working at this small brewery of eight people, I witnessed the spirituality of working with nature, rather than against it. How they treated the bamboo forests for the kioke with such reverence, or how they referred to the water and soybeans as living entities was incredibly moving. Taking from my experiences here, I want to create this intimate relationship with nature in children’s environmental education in China. I am a firm believer that all people, regardless of who they are, or where they are from, have the right to a clean environment.

PANEL IV: IDENTITY & PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION ABROAD I

CC 102

Moderator: Lisa Johnson, Assistant Dean for International Study

Chloe Harris ’19

Conflict Resolution Through Environmentalism in the Middle East

Junior Year Abroad

I will review my experience as a student at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Ketura, Israel during Fall 2017. Over four months, I studied with Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian and American students learning about environmental problems in the Middle East. I participated in difficult dialog conversations about the conflict and learned how to listen and live with people who have divergent opinions. After four months of living in a region in conflict, I returned to Smith with a broader understanding of the intersection between environmentalism and conflict and how they can work in tandem.

Michaella Mentu ’19

Beyond your Comfort Zone

Junior Year Abroad

I will highlight the difficulties of my Junior Year Abroad in Lisbon, Portugal in order to demonstrate the benefits of persevering outside of one's comfort zone. My encounters with multiple forms of culture shock soured the way I was able to experience Lisbon. However, through persistence, resilience and self-determination, I prevailed with great character development. Through sharing the thought processes, inspirations and self-care activities that helped me through difficulties, I will illustrate how being outside one's comfort zone builds character.

Vivian Nguyen ’20

“Your Face Is Not American”: Studying Abroad as a POC

Study Abroad

As a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholar studying Arabic in Oman in the summer of 2018, I was immersed in Arabic language and Omani culture for ten weeks, fasting during Ramadan, preparing for a traditional wedding, climbing sand mountains, and, most importantly, serving as a cultural ambassador on behalf of the United States. Living and studying in Oman was a unique experience because I learned not only Arabic language and Omani culture but also the different conceptions of race and gender that existed outside the United States. This was not just an education abroad opportunity for me, a woman of color, but a valuable chance to demystify a purportedly homogenous America for Omanis as well. Upon my return to the United States, I gained an enriched perspective on my personal identity and a deepened commitment to advocating for educational equity, specifically to enhance global visibility for Americans of color through education abroad.

PANEL V: MARINE SCIENCE & ANIMAL WELFARE

CC 103/104

Moderator: Camille Washington-Ottombre, Assistant Professor, Environmental Science & Policy

Katherine Akey ’20

Making Connections: Coral Reef Ed-Ventures 2018

Community Service, Research/Travel Abroad, Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I was one of the six students participating in the Smith College Coral Reef Ed-Ventures program in Belize. After a preparation week on campus with the fellow members of the Coral Ed team, I traveled to San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, Belize where I lived and worked for six weeks. While on the island, we organized an educational summer camp for the schoolchildren of San Pedro and had the opportunity to participate in marine field research with our Smith professors. My presentation will focus on my experiences teaching our marine science summer camp and interacting with students and the community. As an Engineering major at Smith, I had a unique background in preparing our lesson plans. Our lessons were hands-on, activity-based, and included field trips to the mangroves, a coral patch reef, and a glass-bottom boat excursion to the outer barrier reef. I am thrilled to have been a part of the Coral Reef Ed-Ventures program, especially because this opportunity combined many of my academic and personal interests.

Bri Jefferson ’20

Lions, Tigers, and Bears (oh my!) : The Benefits of Emotional Enrichment for Animals Living in Captivity

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer I used the Praxis grant to intern at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (IEAS) in Boyd, Texas. IEAS is a sanctuary for abused, neglected, and confiscated exotic animals such as big cats and bears. My liberal arts education ultimately allowed me to enter into this program with an open mind and excellent problem-solving and communication skills. During my time here, I learned about animal management, feeding, habitat maintenance, and animal behavior. By participating in the Emotional Enrichment Program, a program unique to IEAS, I also had the opportunity to enhance the emotional lives of several animals, notably a white tiger named Karen (affectionately dubbed Kare-Bear). Watching Karen become more trusting of me throughout the months I worked with her was an incredibly rewarding experience. Although leaving her at the end of the summer was upsetting, I hope to return to IEAS [and Karen] post Smith to pursue a second internship or assistant keeper position. My internship at IEAS has cemented in me my passion for animals, my love of this work, and my determination to find a career in this field.

Amber Osterman ’19

Life Among the Tree Kangaroos

Research/Travel Abroad, Study Abroad

During the Spring of 2018, I was a student at the School for Field Studies' Center for Rainforest Studies in the Wet Tropics (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). While I was there, I was fortunate enough to research the scent marking behavior of Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroos (Dendrolagus lumholtzi). As they are an endangered arboreal marsupial living in the last remaining fragments of the Australian rainforest, this research will help further rehabilitation efforts and provide a greater understanding of these enigmatic creatures. Because of this wonderful experience I had the pleasure to attend the International Tree Kangaroo Conference in Krefeld, Germany as a speaker last summer. While there I had the opportunity to engage in thoughtful and rewarding discussions with other academics involved in this research worldwide.

From my time abroad, I was able to expand my world view as well as my individual role in the world around me. Being isolated and completely immersed in such a strikingly different environment and culture for four months allowed me to grow as a person and learn to appreciate the beauty in the world around me. Without Smith’s generosity and willingness to provide these opportunities, I would not be in the same mindset I currently am in in regards to where I see myself now and in my life beyond Smith.

Ginny (Virginia) Svec ‘20

Hawai'i Institute for Marine Biology Community Education Program Internship

Community Service, Summer Internship/Praxis

I will review my experiences as an intern for the Hawai’i Institute for Marine Biology at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa on the island of Moku o Lo’e off of O’ahu this past summer. I worked in HIMB’s community education department, giving tours to local community members, tourists, and school groups, and helping to educate community members, particularly school groups, about the marine science in Kane’ohe Bay, O’ahu. Over my time at HIMB, I worked on many individualized projects and learned about the history and current science that make up the island of Moku o Lo’e. Through my experience working at HIMB and the many people I met who guided me through this internship, I have come back to Smith College with a more directed idea of the community-based education that I would like my future to consist of.

PANEL VI: ARCHIVES & ORAL HISTORY

CC 003

Moderator: Patty DiBartolo, Associate Dean of the Faculty/Dean of Academic Development

Gracie Griffin ’21

The Power of Passion: Working at a Literary Non-Profit in Maine

Summer Internship/Praxis

This summer, I was granted Praxis to work with From the Fishouse, a literary non-profit in Maine. Affectionately known as Fishouse, this organization focuses on the promotion of emerging contemporary poets while tying together the influence of poetic oral history with modern technologies. As their intern, I worked on data entry, poetry education advocacy, and the advancement of Fishouse through website updates and social media. The main impact of my work was not in the day-to-day tasks that I was completing but the way that those tasks truly affected such a small and passionate community. While working very closely with Matt O’Donnell, the founder and current director of Fishouse, I was able to hear about and witness the way that a non-profit changes throughout time and how true meaningful work must be supplemented by dedication and love. A job is not simply about a career path but a personal and reflective journey into finding something that you care about and sharing the wealth, wisdom and joy with something larger than yourself.

Lucy Hall ’19

Uncovering the Past at Vaux-le-Vicomte

JYA, Summer Internship/Praxis, Study Abroad

In this presentation I will give a quick overview of my two-month internship at the Château of Vaux-le-Vicomte, a castle in the suburbs of Paris. During this period I inventoried and organized the essentially untouched archive of materials relating to the Château’s use as a hospital in World War One. This internship brought two things home for me. One, I discovered the power of primary source material research. Working with primary sources makes history come alive, and especially when piecing together disparate strands of a story to create a whole. Two, I learned that small tasks form the foundation for something bigger- spending two months meticulously cataloging the 40+ notebooks of medical records and the hundreds of photographic negatives added up to create a picture of what the Château was like during this period. I realized that at the most fundamental level, all big ideas come from something as small and seemingly pointless as counting the number of patients with a fractured leg. Among other things, this experience also helped me realize that a career in a museum/library science field is something I want to pursue post Smith.

Marcela Rodrigues ’20J

Self-Exiled: Queer Brazilian Women Living in the United States

Research/Travel Abroad

Archives Concentration

This oral history project gives voice to a population that has been silenced both in their home country and as diasporic individuals: Queer Brazilian women who immigrated to the United States in order to escape violence and persecution. Regardless of their legal status in the United States, these individuals have fled a social and political context from which LGBT communities live in constant danger. The lack of historical documentation of Queer Brazilian immigration is immense. As an oral historian, my main goal is to use the methodology of oral history to capture voices and experiences of historical significance, and to archive them at the Sophia Smith Collection for future research. I have conducted interviews in the San Francisco Bay Area during the summer of 2018, and will be conducting more interviews in New York City, in the summer of 2019. This project is funded and supported by the program for the Study of Women and Gender, and will lead me to my senior thesis.

Session II: 5:20–6 p.m.

PANEL I: WOMEN’S HEALTH & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

CC CARROLL ROOM

Moderator: Susan Etheredge, Dean of the College

Naomi Forman-Katz ’20

Political Advocacy in a Time of Crisis: Interning with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer, I had the privilege of interning with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, the state affiliate of the national political advocacy nonprofit NARAL Pro-Choice America. NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts focuses on advancing issues of reproductive freedom within the Massachusetts state legislature, and as an intern, I was able to engage in various aspects of this work and gain a better understanding of how a political nonprofit functions. This summer was both the end of a particularly exciting legislative session and the beginning of the election season, and in doing both policy research and electoral campaign work, I came away with a strengthened understanding of Massachusetts state politics. This summer was also a time of crisis, as Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to fill the new U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. This required immediate, urgent and strategic action and as an intern I was able to be in the “room where it happens” and contribute to the efforts to stop Kavanaugh’s confirmation. I came away from my summer internship not only with a greater knowledge of state politics and reproductive rights, but also with a more nuanced understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of approaching social justice work through a political advocacy route.

Nina Henry ’19

Abortion.com: An Analysis of International Organizations Providing Misoprostol for Self-Induced Abortions

Research/Travel Abroad

For my independent research practicum during my Spring 2018 semester abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, I analyzed international NGOs, such as Women on the Web, which use the internet to provide abortion medication in places where abortion is illegal. I examined the advantages and drawbacks of this approach, contextualizing the issue in the global health establishment's debate over self-managed abortion. My analysis drew on contrasting frames of analysis: reproductive rights and reproductive justice. I concluded that, contrary to dominant views which ignore local context, the internet plays a key role in the self-managed abortion process by connecting patients to local grassroots networks.

Noli Rosen ’19

Rural Midwifery on the Coast of Ecuador

Research/Travel Abroad, Study Abroad

This past spring, I spent one month apprenticing with midwife Gladys Clemente on the coast of Ecuador. Gladys lives in Libertador Bolivar, a small rural town right on the beach, where she has been practicing midwifery there for almost 40 years. As part of my studies in Ecuador, I was writing an anthropological monograph about Gladys' work and the history of midwifery in that region-- la Ruta del Sol, provincia Santa Elena. In my time with Gladys I witnessed and assisted two births, attended all appointments and home visits, and interviewed dozens of local women and doctors about their experiences birthing, in hospitals and at home. I will be sharing what I learned, both from formal academic research and midwifery practice, but also from the extraordinarily intimate experience of living with Gladys and her family, and being a white, American, middle class woman living in rural Ecuador. It was an endlessly humbling, self-reflective, and joyful experience. I invite you to join me as we learn about and reflect on global racism and contemporary colonization and the ethics of anthropological fieldwork, all through the infinitely brilliant and revealing lens of childbirth.

Emely Tejada Jaquez ’20

Developing Low-Cost Training Materials for High-Resolution Microendoscopy (HRME) Cervical Imaging in Underserved Areas in Brazil

Summer Internship/Praxis

Through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s EXROP program, I worked as a student researcher in the Richards-Kortum lab at Rice University. Our work focused on developing low-cost training materials to better screen for cervical cancer in medically underserved areas in Brazil. Before my experience, I often segregated my majors in Biochemistry and Portuguese-Brazilian studies; however, I have learned that it is possible to combine science and language to help answer research questions, specifically regarding global women’s health issues. I was surprised to learn about the many different ways that research can manifest itself; for the first time ever, I shifted away from wet lab bench work and relied solely on my creativity and computer skills. My experience pushed me to think about the role I would like to play in global medicine as both a student researcher, and ultimately a physician. Overall, the sense of self-awareness that I gained during my research experience has led me to return to Smith with answers to the question: What are you passionate about and why? I am looking forward to continuing my work in the Richards-Kortum Lab in the upcoming summer.

PANEL II: ARTS & LIBRARIES

CC 204

Moderator: Stacie Hagenbaugh, Director, Lazarus Center for Career Development

Patience Kayira ’20

The Right to Read: My Summer with the Langston Hughes Library and the Children’s Defense Fund

Summer Internship/Praxis

This past summer I interned at the Langston Hughes Library, a special collections library in Clinton, Tennessee that curates books written by African American authors as well as books about the black experience globally. The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), a non-profit dedicated to ensuring that all children have a “healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start in life” owns the Langston Hughes Library. My work included a variety of tasks involving library management as well as projects for the CDF. My experience was shaped by the history embedded in my surrounding environment. The Langston Hughes Library is located on the Alex Haley Farm, and Alex Haley wrote Roots as well as many other prolific novels about African American history. The CDF has also had tremendous involvement in advocating for children’s rights and addressing income inequality. The impact of my internship broadened my view of the world and my career goals. For my presentation, I will share how my time with the Langston Hughes Library and Children’s Defense Fund re-inspired me to pursue a future for social change.

T Miller ’19

Music for Good Neighbors

Summer Internship/Praxis

I will connect my experiences as an exchange student at Mills College in Oakland, California to my work with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. I had worked with OIGC, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is “to inspire joy and unity among all people through black gospel and spiritual music traditions,” as part of a Praxis internship during the summer of my sophomore year. I returned to the organization to help produce performances such as the reunion concert of the Lavender Pen Tour, a partnership between OIGC and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, that spread a message of love and acceptance for LGBTQ+ people and people of color in the Southern United States in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. My academic work at Mills studying the history and practice of Bay Area experimental music, complemented my work with OIGC in that both pursuits centered around what composer Pauline Oliveros termed “music as a community enterprise.” 