Making Memories: Biostation 2017
SEAS alumni often recall Orientation at the University of Michigan Biological Station as one of their most cherished memories. It’s easy to see why. Students meet their fellow classmates for the first time—forging friendships that often last throughout their lives.
After their first day of hiking and studying together on the wooded shores of Douglas Lake in Michigan’s Up North country, Dean Jonathan Overpeck had a few words of wisdom for students.
“We all need to keep being inspired,” he said, “and that inspiration comes from that connection with Mother Earth.”
We caught up with a few students that same evening to learn what inspired them to choose SEAS, and what dreams they hold for the future.
Rebecca Villegas (Environmental Justice) - Michigan, USA
I’m originally from Dowagiac, MI, a little town in southwestern Michigan. My parents are originally from Mexico, and they migrated here before I was born.
What brought me to SEAS? Honestly, the faculty. We have some really great individuals who are doing leading research that folks, especially in the environmental field, are using—especially when it comes to environmental justice. Dr. Taylor is a very renowned leader in that field and so it’s really amazing to say that I’m being mentored and guided toward a great career with the help of one of the strongest leaders across the nation.
It feels great to be part of the inaugural class of SEAS. In terms of the concept of being more interdisciplinary, I think that’s where the environmental field is going. It’s really important to be able to look at an issue holistically and try to dissect it through various types of perspectives—whether that be through planning, or policy, or engineering. So I’m really, really grateful that there has been more of an emphasis on working cross-collaboratively with other colleges across the university. So I’m excited, and a little nervous, to see how everything rolls out, but there are really good things that I’m looking forward to.
Pictured at left, listed from left to right below:
Brett Zeuner (Environmental Justice) - Michigan, USA
I interned with the EPA last summer and I loved the work that I did, and now I’m interested in automotive and electric vehicles, and SEAS has a great program to develop those skills. I’m also interested in justice issues, and they have a great Environmental Justice program here.
Eventually, I would really like to work in policy at either the state or federal level. I’m really eyeing the presidential management fellowship program, so hopefully that doesn’t get cut.
Saachi Das Kuwayama (Environmental Justice) - Illinois, USA
I just graduated with my bachelors, and I did some research on stakeholder perceptions related to a water-contaminate project, and there’s some really great research going on in SEAS related to that. So that’s why I chose SEAS.
When I graduate, I’d really like to continue on to research, so I’d like to go on to get my Ph.D.
Iris Saraeny Rivera Salinas (Conservation Ecology) - Mexico
I’m interested in studying biodiversity, and during my bachelor’s, I was studying agro-ecosystems and the relationship between biodiversity and agricultural practices. So now I want to follow all of this and continue my studies in that track.
In the future, I want to continue doing research in biodiversity and ecosystems and get my Ph.D.
Kevin Bosma (Sustainable Systems) - Michigan, USA
I’m very happy that our new dean is a climate change scientist. It’s refreshing to see someone who has the passion—not only the passion, but also the knowledge about issues relating to climate change—and the capacity to work on them. Climate change was one of the motivating reasons for going back to school. Specifically, I want to deal with energy, which is very closely related to climate change and the effects it has on it. That’s why I chose U-M, because I think they do a good job of creating professionals who have the capacity to work on those problems.
Pictured at left, listed from left to right below:
Yiran Shen (Landscape Architecture) - China
I know that the core of SEAS is Sustainability, and I know that’s the future of landscape architecture. So I came here with no doubts. We’re all excited, and happy to enjoy this trip!
Lixi Liu (Sustainable Systems) - Hawaii, seven-year resident of Michigan, USA
I have a slightly different story. I came to Michigan as a student in mechanical engineering. Since then I began to take classes at SEAS and I found that it really helped to expand my knowledge in the field of renewable energy. So I decided to add the dual sustainable systems degree to my program, as well as the joint Ph.D. with SEAS. Having a leader like Dean Overpeck—who has all of the expertise in renewable energy—certainly brings the school in the right direction. It also puts SEAS as one of the leaders in pioneering more sustainable practices.
Yanjun (Leona) Liu (Sustainable Systems) - China
I majored in environmental engineering as an undergraduate, and I’m constantly worried about the environment and hope to help change the attitude of people. So I chose to study sustainable systems.