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Hi everyone! My name is Katy Perrault (GCSP Class of 2023 Cohort) and I spent the past semester abroad in Ushuaia, Argentina! Ushuaia is a small city on the southern tip of Argentina-the southernmost city in the world, in fact, giving it the nickname “Fin del Mundo” or “End of the World”. 

I lived with an amazing host mom and was in a program with 10 other students from universities around the country (including one other from Tulane). In addition to Spanish, I was studying climate change, marine biology, socio-ecological dynamics, and environmental problems in the Patagonia and Antartica region. I learned about everything from Antarctic tourism to Centollas (a species similar to king crab) and saw glaciers, penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, whales, and dolphins, all of which were unlike anything I’ve ever studied or seen before. 

After having classes in the first part of my program, in the last month I did a research project on the phenology and reproductive success of a population of Magellanic penguins over 6 years using camera trap photos. Magellanic penguins return to the same area to breed year after year and are bioindicators, making trends in reproductive success over time useful for understanding more about both the health of the population and the health of the ecosystem that population calls home.

Besides my studies, there were lots of amazing moments and stories with the people I met and the friends I made during my time in Ushuaia. One of my favorites was when I (coincidentally) went swimming with a penguin-a Magellanic penguin, in fact! For every highlight like that one there were also challenges, big and small, like the differences in language and size of the city. I learned so much in the process, however, and I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to go to Argentina and live at the end of the world for 3 months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 8, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The four members of the GCSP Class of 2022 gave their final showcase presentations live in the Navy Building and on Zoom in a hybrid in-person/Zoom format on Friday, April 8. The virtual and in-person audiences consisted of Tulane faculty, staff, SSE Board members, Scholars’ family members, and the new cohort of GCSP Scholars. Hillary Smith, Victoria Kutz, Mark Xiao, and Penelope Stieglitz, the Class of 2022 Scholars, presented their unique journeys as Tulane undergraduates, portraying how their experiences completed the five GCSP competencies and worked toward one or more NAE Grand Challenges. Questions were asked after each presentation, the scholars were able to elaborate on some of their experiences, and share their plans after graduation. 

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend-virtually and in person! We are very proud of the Class of 2022 and know great things in store for them in the future. 

The showcase presentations were recorded on Zoom and are available below, along with some photos of the day:

Showcase Recording

Showcase Program

After meeting with Franziska, the Scholars had a great experience volunteering at Glass Half Full Nola on December 4. The Scholars were able to assist with glass drop off, helping glass donors sort their glass into the various color-types. The Scholars were also given a quick view of the new glass processing machine that will be able to process literal tons of glass every hour, a huge efficiency improvement from their previous glass processing machine. 

The Scholars also got to take home some “Second Life” glass – pretty glassware that had been donated but was too nice to crush into sand. Overall, we were very impressed with Glass Half Full Nola’s operation and hope to grow our partnership. Thank you to the GHF team for having us!

Glass Half Full NOLA Founder and Co-Director Franziska Trautmann came to speak with the Grand Challenge Scholars about the process of discovering a problem, and turning it from an idea into a business that is changing the way New Orleans handles glass.

Glass Half Full NOLA recycles glass that would normally go into a land fill, and turns it into sand that can be repurposed for disaster relief efforts, eco-construction, new glass products…etc! Franziska is also working with a team of researchers at Tulane to find ways to make the sand even more useful for the environment. Their business has grown from two Tulane seniors into a full-fledged company that is backed by tons of New Orleans community support. 

The Scholars had great questions for Franziska in this relaxed Q&A, and Tulane GCSP hopes to do a volunteer day with Glass Half Full Nola next month! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Kathryn Santanilla of NTC Career Services, who gave great, tactical information about the intricacies of the job hunt. Kathryn answered the Scholars’ questions revolving around how to format a cover letter, how to best lay out your resume, and how to nail the job interview. There was some great advice and knowledge shared in the discussion, and we hope to have Kathryn back again to share more of her tips soon!

After having limited in-person events for the 2020/2021 academic year, we were excited to have the Scholars participate in this year’s Fall Retreat!

The new cohort of scholars for class of 2023 was added just last spring, so this retreat was a great way for the scholars to connect between cohorts and work together to solve New Orleans’ problems. After lunch, the Scholar were put into two groups, each with a GCSP Steering Committee member–special thanks to Dr. Wee and Dr. Wang. The groups watched a video called Resilient New Orleans, where the students then had to identify key problems ranging from lack of proper STEM education, coastal erosion, elevated sea levels, and hurricane preparation. From there, the Scholars created a potential solution to one of the problems and constructed a model to implement their changes, which they then presented to the group.

See below for photos of their models and their engaging discussions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Camryn Vader, Class of 2023 Grand Challenge Scholar, for sharing some photos of her summer research project!

This summer, Camryn is working in a pathology lab in New York (affiliated with Stony Brook University), studying small fiber peripheral neuropathy, which affects small nerve fibers in the skin. The study Camryn is working on involves staining tissue samples for epidermal nerve fiber density testing, which is the most accurate test to detect small fiber peripheral neuropathy. This neurologically induced disease can cause skin sensitivity, unpleasant tingling, and/or pain, and most widely affects diabetics and alcoholics. Below are photos of samples Camryn worked on in the lab. 

Summer has the Tulane Scholars doing summer classes, internships, jobs, and volunteering all around the U.S. From jobs in cafes to corporate internships, our Grand Challenge Scholars are sure to stay busy and have great experiences. We are glad we were able to catch up for a quick Zoom meeting! Meet the Class of 2022 and Class of 2023 Scholars here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camryn Vader, a rising Junior and double major in Neuroscience and Public Health at Tulane University, is a new member of our GCSP Class of 2023 Cohort! One of her many extracurricular activities is volunteering at University Medical Center, located in Downtown New Orleans. Camryn shares some of her experiences: 

As a Volunteer in the Emergency Department, my primary job is to walk the next-of-kin to the room their loved one is in. Although this is my main priority, you can also find me greeting patients at the front desk, providing support to patients in the waiting room, transporting patients from their car to the hospital, answering phone calls, and delivering food to patients in treatment rooms. Being a volunteer allows me to serve the New Orleans community and gain an understanding of different cultures and ways of life. Moreover, it provides me a way to integrate heart and soul into healthcare while providing adequate care for patients.”

Thanks for sharing Camryn! We are excited to have you in our next cohort of Scholars!