The Summer Scholars program enrolled thirteen students in 2015. Two of those students are Theodore Bauer and Abigail Mendez.
Teddy Bauer
Teddy Bauer is a rising senior at Roanoke College majoring in Environmental Science and Biology while also studying eco-centric religions. Teddy grew up in rural Virginia where he became interested in the local wildlife and environment. After learning so much about the animals around him, Teddy developed an interest in environmental science and it has led him to his majors. Teddy hopes to use his knowledge to aid wildlife conservation efforts.
Teddy’s project is titled “Post-Burn Ant Diversity and Abundance in a Sandplain Forest of Northern Vermont: Ants as Bio-indicators of Forest Restoration”. In his research, Teddy will examine the use of ants as bio-indicators in Vermont’s endangered Sandplain Forest. The Sandplain Forest has several trees such as the Pitch Pine tree that can’t grow properly without forest fires due to competition from other trees like the Red Maple. Teddy’s research will determine the time course of changes in the ant community, post-burn, in relation to changes in other communities of organisms.
Abigail Mendez
Abigail Mendez is a rising senior from Grand Lake, Colorado who is a Spanish Major with a Latin American and Caribbean Studies Concentration and a Minor in Sociology at Roanoke College. She is involved in many different organizations on campus including Xi Theta Chi, Sigma Delta Pi, and Chi Omega in which she holds a leadership position. She also holds three jobs on campus, two in the Modern Language Department and one as a Spanish tutor. After graduation, Abigail seeks to attend graduate school for her Master’s in Latin American Studies.
Abigail’s project is titled: “Honduras: The Realities of Immigration and the Perilous Road to the USA”. Abigail will analyze the historical, political, social, and economic data of Honduras from the 1960’s to today to understand how the conditions in the country have influenced Honduran immigration.