Department of Animal Sciences,
Gainesville, FL
International Courses
IDS4956 - UF in Sorrento Perspectives on Bay of Naples
BIOL390 - Internship Program
MUL2010 - Experiencing Music
IDS1161 - What is the Good Life
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IDS4956 - UF in Sorrento Perspectives on Bay of Naples
In the UF in Sorrento Perspectives on Bay of Naples course, I was introduced to several different disciplines and topics within the Metropolitan City of Naples. In this class, we discussed civil rights, ecosystem conservation, geography, and other important topics that are studied and valued in the area. These topics were discussed by guest lecturers at the University, as well as expanded upon through cultural excursions that allowed us to explore more about these topics on a more personal level. For example, in our class, we discussed marine biology in the Sorrento Peninsula and got to visit the Turtle Hospital in Naples to understand tourism boating’s impacts on the turtle population.
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In addition to learning more about the different perspectives on the bay, I also got the opportunity to focus on a different cultural topic for a personal project. For my project, I focused on Ancient History and Mythology, specifically examining Greek Influence in the Sorrento Peninsula. Through my project, I delved into the Myth of the Sirens in the Sorrento Peninsula, exploring the history and stories of the Marine Protected Area of Punta Campanella and Marine Grande. This project tested my research skills, forcing me to find information related to a completely different culture and language. I had to translate stories and resources from other languages, uncover hidden historical representations in town, and learn how to effectively communicate the full story. The final product of this project was an e-portfolio that highlighted my findings of Greek influence in the peninsula.
BIOL390 - Internship Program
For my internship class, I am working with OBlu and Marea Outdoors ASD at the Marine Protected Area of Punta Campanella and Ireanto Bay. OBlu and Marea Outdoors ASG are marine conservation organizations that focus on the three key goals of monitoring, information, and conservation. In this marine protected area, I work alongside these organizations to help address key ecosystem issues from human and environmental impacts, such as how tourism can have massive impacts on local ecosystems and species in high-boat traffic areas.
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As a part of my internship, I work on several projects at the bay, including boat activity monitoring, surveying blenning populations, and participating in litter pick-up. While I am involved in each of these projects, my primary focus is assisting with student research on the biodiversity of Blennings in Ireanto Bay. These small fish are keystone species that help to provide crucial information for evaluating ecosystems and assessing local impacts based on population size and density.
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In this project, we are quantifying the amount, density, and biodiversity of the Blennings population in the small bay at Ireanto. I serve as an additional survey collector, conducting two surveys every day to help gather an overall view of the blenning population and species diversity in the bay. After collecting the survey numbers and photos, I then use these photos for species identification which are shared with our team for data analysis. This project has allowed me to develop my field skills, learning how to collect data in the water while snorkeling for population surveys.
MUL2010 - Experiencing Music
In my freshman fall semester, I took the MUL2010 Experiencing Music course at UF. While I took the class as a degree requirement and had no initial interest, I started to become really interested in the connection between music and culture. As a previous music student before college, I have always had an interest in musical themes. However, I never thought of how music is deeply interwoven into cultural identity.
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My class covered music fundamentals, identities, interactions, and narratives. We went over how different forms of music can be shaped by several different forces such as a community's society, politics, and culture. It was almost important to develop an understanding of the history of music, delving into several different cultures and the types of music and instruments used outside of the United States. With this class, I felt that I was able to really understand how much music is engraved into many cultures and how it varies throughout the world. It is one of the first courses I took in international studies, and had a huge influence on how I viewed cultures and learned how to appreciate these differences and identities.
IDS1161 - What is the Good Life
“What is the Good Life” is one of the more philosophical courses I took during my undergraduate experiences and taught me critical thinking and an understanding of cultural literature. I took the class as a Quest 1 requirement during my freshman year, and this class had a significant impact on how I can interpret intercultural stories and literature.
What I enjoyed the most about this class was our open discussions of topics and actions of the characters in the literature. One of the main literatures we spent our time discussing was Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. This book follows the story of a young man named Siddhartha and his journey to enlightenment in ancient India. This book evoked a lot of philosophical debate, looking at the actions of the character and interpretation of life and spiritual awakening. These discussions allowed me to avoid looking through a tunnel view and open my mind to understanding deeper philosophical questions, many of which there is no clear-cut answer to. The skills and lessons I developed in this class have continued to translate to my international experiences, being able to understand how cultural literature and lessons are intertwined with international cultures.