2026-27 Capstone
Perception of Safety In Relation to Street Lights
Special Interest
2026-27 Capstone
NASA and Citizen Scientist Breakthrough
This article details the scientific work done by citizen scientists, volunteers who help carry out scientific research and documentation alongside professionals. "Citizen scientists have successfully located thousands of previously unknown pairs of “eclipsing binary” stars, NASA announced in June." "Overall, the citizen scientists identified 10,001 eclipsing
2026-27 Capstone
Nocturnal Pollinators and Artificial Light at Night
The journal article Lost in the Glow: How Light Pollution Disrupts Pollinator Behavior is a structured literature review of the behavioral, ecological, and pollination-related impacts of artificial light at night on nocturnal pollinators, published in the Asian Journal of Environment and Ecology. "Artificial lighting acts simultaneously as both
2026-27 Capstone
OP-ED: Addressing a Need for Darkness
Background I chose to work on the Dark Sky problem space that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Parks and Watercraft Division presented to our team. The Dark Sky Initiative aims to restore natural darkness at night, protect the right to dark skies, and conserve the nighttime ecosystem. When I
2026-27 Capstone
Biophilia
What is Biophilia “…Biophilia is not a single instinct but a complex of learning rules that can be teased apart and analyzed individually. The feelings molded by the learning rules fall along several emotional spectra: from attraction to aversion, from awe to indifference, from peacefulness to fear-driven anxiety.” A
2026-27 Capstone
A Conversation with Summer Wohlfrom
I conducted an impromptu conversation with Buck Creek’s Naturalist Summer while attending a Bird Bingo event. Victoria and I attended because we had been having trouble getting to outdoor events due to the weather. This conversation clarified the structure of Ohio State Parks staff and the barriers to implementing
2026-27 Capstone
Awe
A political columnist recounts his experience in a hay field with Smithsonian scientists and is inspired to leave his political journalism days to become an environmental journalist instead. He explains that his previous work left him in a perpetual state of unease, and that we all should take time to
2026-27 Capstone
More Than a Meal
Family dinners may seem like an ordinary part of everyday life. But the research discussed in this article shows that family meals can create opportunities for parents and children to communicate and understand each other, and build emotional bonds. The important part is not only eating together. It is what
2026-27 Capstone
Design Conjecture: Children's Picture Book
This design conjecture was made in response to the interviews I did and the article about nocturnal pollinators. While this could be a fun project and a way to reach the next generation of environmentalists, I wouldn't bet it's the most impactful option among all possible
2026-27 Capstone
Interview: Devin Mingesbruney
I first spoke to Devin Mingesbury, Coordinator for LightsOut Ohio and an OSU Professor in Environmental and Natural Resources, about the effects of light pollution on birds overall and in Ohio specifically. I learned a lot about birds through this interview, but the most insightful part was her involvement in
2026-27 Capstone
More Than Family Harmony
Family relationships are not always simple. Parents, children, and grandparents can feel close to each other. They can also disagree. They can support each other while having different opinions and expectations. A strong family relationship does not mean that everyone always agrees. It can include both connection and conflict. “intimacy
2026-27 Capstone
A Conversation with Jim McCormac
I found Jim McCormac through his blog, where he posts nature photography and observations weekly, writes the Nature column in the Columbus Dispatch, worked as a botanist for 30 years at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and gives educational talks on moths and other wildlife around the Midwest. Ohio