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Finland, Florida, Fiasco
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, my Marine Corps officer father was sent to work for US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Operation Iraqi Freedom and transferred to MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Florida. As such, this led to a handful of cross-country, California-to-Florida road trips and summers spent on St. Pete Beach with the whole family—2 adults, 2 kids, 2 golden retrievers. During our summers on the beach, I remember the excitement of waking up early after thunderstorms that boasted spectacular lightning shows over the water. While my parents took advantage of the brief reprieve from the Floridian summer heat, my 6-year-old self embarked on a treasure hunt. I braved…
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Phyto-Parasites Research Group!
As published by Tvärminne Zoological Research Station. Do phytoplankton species have parasites? Yes, they do! However difficult to observe, parasites of phytoplankton have been largely overlooked by aquatic ecologists. Consequently, their diversity and ecological role remain poorly studied. Additionally, climate-related changes in salinity and temperature are expected in a variety of coastal ecosystems, particularly in the Baltic Sea. The potential impacts of such changes on the interaction between parasites and their phytoplankton hosts are currently unknown but may have important effects on community composition and infection dynamics, resulting in significant alteration of ecological processes within the entire ecosystem. In freshwater ecosystems, zoosporic fungal parasites (e.g. chytrids) have been identified…
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Science and Fiction in “The Birds” and The Blob Bloom: Lessons Learned from a Potential Toxic Algae Eco-apocalypse
After trying mountain biking, fishing, skiing, and golfing, my Marine Corps officer, southern Californian dad attempted to get the entire family interested in surfing. On another early Saturday morning, my parents, brother, and I piled in the car and drove fifteen minutes from our home to Doheny State Beach, a popular spot for beginner surfers and young families in Dana Point, California. Shortly after he managed to outfit me and my brother into wetsuits, I made a beeline for the tidal pools to explore, swiftly abandoning my ten-foot, bright yellow, foam longboard on the cold sand as my father shouted after me. I began wandering down the shore, hopping from…
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College to Landfill: Resource Management and Waste
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian NOVEMBER 8, 2017 The increasing size of the student body affects the generation of waste and use of resources by the college as a whole—an aspect that has not gone unrecognized by students, faculty, and staff alike. This semester, there exist a variety of sustainability efforts focused on waste. Notably, the effort to compost, as the Physical Plant compost had not been running until a few weeks ago. The Information Technology Services (ITS) Advisory Committee is considering a more centralized printing and copying system to reduce on campus paper usage. Student group “Campus as Lab” continues to investigate obstacles related to recycling on campus. And many…
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Armfield and Belk lounges converted to residences for returning students
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian JANUARY 28, 2016 In order to accommodate all students who wanted to live on-campus this semester, the Residence Life Office (RLO) converted community lounge spaces in the Armfield apartment building and Belk Hall into private rooms. The College has about 1,740 beds available on campus and 1,950 enrolled students, but is able to house all students who request housing when others study abroad during the semester. Since many more students studied abroad in the fall than in the spring this year, RLO needed to maximize on-campus housing this semester. RLO chose to convert the lounges at Armfield and Belk to living spaces because of the availability…
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ITS works to address student complaints about Wi-Fi
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian JANUARY 13, 2016 It is common to overhear someone venting frustration over how his or her device has a slow Internet connection. It is also relatively common, when checking Davidson’s Yik Yak feed, to see a post with complaints about slow Internet speeds, or Information Technology Services (ITS) in general. While such outlets of frustration reveal a campus-wide attitude, they generally do not help constructively solve the issues they address. “Our team once received an after-hours voice mail,” ITS Director of Systems and Networks Rob Smith said, describing one instance in which a student vented frustration. “It was near midnight. The person just cursed on the…
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In landmark moment, brand new athletic facility officially opens
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian NOVEMBER 18, 2015 On Sunday, the ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by Director of Athletics Jim Murphy marked the opening of the $13.3 million Harry L. Vance Athletic Center, an addition to the Baker Sports Complex. The dedication ceremony included words from President Carol Quillen and men’s basketball coach Bob McKillop, and concluded with coaches cutting the ribbon. Various student-athletes and dancers were the first to officially enter the facility. The much anticipated 500,000 square-foot facility features new practice courts for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball, the Cheryle Williamson Center with two new dance studios, various administrative offices, the Red Ventures Athletic Club lounge, an enhanced Nisbet…
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Film searches for place in Davidson curriculum
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian NOVEMBER 11, 2015 Most students experience film in their everyday life, whether it is accessed via social media, a show on Netflix, YouTube video, or commercial advertisement. This habit and frequent exposure to film reveal an aspect of 21st century culture. However, the role of film in the Davidson curriculum remains elusive without a major program and only an interdisciplinary minor. As the course catalog states, “Combining introductory and advanced courses in film and media studies with electives from the humanities and the social sciences, the interdisciplinary minor seeks to create critically sensitive readers of film and media while fostering insight into one of the principal…
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Queen City Conundrum
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian NOVEMBER 4, 2015 Davidson’s campus is only 19 miles away from uptown Charlotte, providing students with access to the largest city in North Carolina and one of the largest in the southeastern United States. Yet students find they aren’t able to take advantage of it as much as they would like. According to a survey administered to the student body by the Davidsonian last week, many students make a trip to Charlotte one to three times per semester, but a large majority wish they went more frequently. Barriers to visiting Charlotte include lack of transportation, cost, time to travel there, and lack of awareness about events and…
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Sustainability Week to engage campus in environmental responsibility
Steffaney Wood for The Davidsonian OCTOBER 21, 2015 Sustainability Week will take place during the last week of October and is part of an international initiative known as Campus Sustainability Month. With a focus on food and sustainability, the week features Common Hour lectures from Environmental Studies faculty, behind-the- scenes tours of Vail Commons, and initiatives from student groups, among other events. The Sustainability Office has worked to organize the week-long event since August at the recommendation of Dave Martin, interim Chair of the Environmental Studies Department. Sustainability Fellow Joe St. James Lopez ‘15 said, “I listened to a webinar to learn about what other schools were doing during Campus…
