51³ΙΘΛ students among few undergraduates to present at the 2023 North American Symposium for Bat Research
51³ΙΘΛ has ample amounts of opportunities for students to participate in experiential learning whether it's an internship or student-faculty research. Jordan Morgan β25 made the most of her research with fellow student Ainslee Stroup β24 and Bryan Arnold, associate professor of biology, when she presented at the annual North American Symposium for Bat Research in October.
Bat research is one of the many student faculty research opportunities students can have at 51³ΙΘΛ. Arnold studies the social behavior of bats and examines the role of communication in bats.
βIn this study, we placed automated bat recorders in six locations in Siloam Springs State Park in Clayton, Illinois. These recorders identify and record the high frequency sounds that bats produce as they fly by the microphone, allowing us to measure bat activity in different locations in the park,β Arnold explains, βWe are primarily interested in studying the calls flying bats make when communicating with other bats, termed "social calls", so we can better understand the function of the different sounds produced by different species.β
With aspirations of studying environmental law upon graduation, Morgan never planned to work in a lab. βI was initially drawn to the research because itβs such a niche area of study,β Morgan explains, βTo draft environmental laws and policies, you receive data and information from field scientists. This allowed me to get hands-on experience as a field scientist that I can directly apply to my future career in environmental law.β
Morgan and Stroup had the opportunity to present at the North American Symposium for Bat Research in October 2023. This annual event, hosted by the , facilitates communication and collaboration among scientists, educators, and the general public.
Morgan and Stroup were among a handful of undergraduate students presenting at the conference. βThere were a lot of opportunities to network with other professionals in the field,β Morgan noted. Most importantly, she was able to meet with environmental lawyers while at the conference. βI was able to see how their work could relate to my future career and how research is tied to environmental law.β
Morgan majored in environmental studies and wildlife management with minors in global studies and pre-law. During her time on campus, she traveled to five different countries through the BreakAway program, allowing her to explore her professional interests beyond the classroom. βIβve been to Cuba to conduct green sea turtle research and Costa Rica to study tropical ecology.β
Morgan credits her success as a student researcher to the environment 51³ΙΘΛ fosters between faculty and students. βBeing able to have close working relationships with faculty made me feel comfortable enough to ask questions about research opportunities and gave me the confidence to pursue various research.β
Students like Morgan are encouraged to approach faculty about research opportunities and can even participate in the bat research with Arnold.
βWhile this project is ongoing, our ultimate goal is to understand the function of the different social calls produced,β Arnold explains, βin addition to monitoring activity patterns in the park, and use that information to identify important habitats that should be managed and protected to benefit these important species.β
To learn more about bat research on campus, visit the website .