I’m Brian Lovejoy and I have the pleasure of joining the Echinacea Project for my spring quarter project assistantship. I am a PhD Candidate with Northwestern University’s Plant Biology and Conservation program. While working as a project assistant is a requirement for my program, I was ecstatic when I saw the description for this project! It is not often that I get the opportunity to work on pollinator studies, and I am greatly looking forward to the experience.
My research involves understanding the connections between human behaviors and perceptions and urban development practices with a focus on lawn ownership and cultivation. I get to work with an incredible team of scientists to find different alternatives to traditional lawn applications in order to find potential solutions to urban ecological issues as well as addressing urban restoration goals. My project specifically focuses on understanding how lawn alternatives might impact urban flood frequency, and the scale at which lawn alternatives might be implemented to have an impact. This work involves interviewing homeowners, a pilot-scale hydrology experiment, and lots of GIS (Geographic Information Systems).
My contribution to the pollinator study will be to use GIS as well as other mapping software applications like google earth to characterize the landscape in which the experiment is taking place in order to shed light on the diversity and abundance of pollinators within the project area. I look forward to working with the team on this project and continuing to learn and grow as a scientist!
I am interested in plant conservation and learning how a long-term research project is conducted. I am also interested in seeing what impacts of climate change can be observed in a study like the Echinacea Project.
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I am from New Hampshire and enjoy photography, especially nature and wildlife photography.
I want to study bees while I am on team echinacea, specifically how burning the prairie impacts them. I also want to learn to identify native plants!
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I am from Plainfield, IL originally but I spend most of the year in Wooster, OH on my college campus.
In my spare time I like to get on some wheels (skateboarding, biking, rollerblading, roller skating etc.) to take my dogs out, camp, read, binge shows, craft, play games or nap with my cat.
I want to study all varieties of wild flowers and native grasses. I also wish to learn about how the environment affects them and the impact they have on the ecosystem around them. i am also very exited to be part of a team and learn how a research project like this one works!
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I am from Hoffman, MN
In my spare time I like to hang out with friends, run, listen to music, and go hiking to explore the outdoors.
High School Teacher- Peachtree Ridge HS, Suwanee GA
Pronouns: she/her
Research Interests
I want to learn all I can about prairie grass! I currently teach 9th grade biology. This summer I am focused on project based learning and incorporating Team Echinacea’s work into the classroom. I live far from any prairie but want my students to have the opportunity to learn from engaging and inquiry based lessons about prairie ecology.
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I am from Suwanee GA
In my spare time I like to embroider and go on long walks.
As someone coming from a pre-health background, I am still exploring my interests in the different areas of plant research. I am interested in learning more about native plants, conservation, and plant ecology. I am also interested in learning more about human and animal interactions with plants.
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I am from Chicago! I have always been interested in science and biology, so going into pre-med/pre-health seemed like the most rational decision to make. However, after taking more biology classes involving plants and ecology, I became more interested in plant ecology and human-plant/animal-plant interactions.
In my spare time, I like to knit/crochet (would love to get back into embroidery and sewing), spend time by the lakefill, watch dramas, and be a virtual farmer in Stardew. This summer, I would love to explore the garden more and to learn more plant names.
I’d like to pursue more research in pollinator-plant interactions and how the environment can affect pollinator behavior. I’m interested in conservation ecology and I’m excited to study how fire might affect bee nesting this summer.
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I grew up in Texas, but luckily escaped and lived in Illinois for college. I became really interested in entomology and conservation while working closely alongside my professors, and I hope to dive into this intersecting field more in the future!
In my spare time I like to read, draw/paint, watch movies, listen to a ton of music, and go camping.
I want to study all of the different native plants to Minnesota and how they can coexist with agriculture. I especially want to get a good understanding of how the natural world works without much outside help.
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I am from Elbow Lake, MN.
In my spare time I like to run, read different books, garden, and hang out with my dogs.
B.S. Botany and Environmental studies, UW-Madison, 2023
Pronouns: She/her
Research Interests
I am broadly interested in plant ecology, restoration ecology, and fire ecology. I am curious about plant functional traits, especially those related to fire adaptation, and intraspecific variation.
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I am from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and fell in love with prairies during my undergraduate years in Madison, Wisconsin! In my spare time, I like to run, bike, do ceramics, knit, and read.
B.S. Environmental Studies, Portland State University, 2023
Pronouns: she/they
Research Interests
I would like to focus my career on fuels reduction, prescribed fire in the west, and fire ecology, possibly doing more biological survey in post burn areas. I have experience in fuels reduction, wildland firefighting, trails, arborism, ecological restoration, and organic farming.
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I am from Portland, Oregon and grew up right outside the city in Beaverton. I have worked all over the Pacific Northwest from Washington to California as well as coastal Maine.
In my spare time I like to read, garden, go camping, and do crafts like carving, crocheting, mending, and weaving.
East of Fairbanks, AK, FFT2 on the Bean Complex Fire
