Hailey Arango '21

Major: Environmental Studies
Bio: Hailey Arango was born and raised in northern New Jersey and has dedicated her academic career to Environmental Studies and Biology. Her interests lie within the realms of Conservation Biology, Environmental Science, and Animal Behavior. She is eager to continue the development of her expertise through research and hopes to pursue her Ph.D. in Marine Biology after graduation.

Title of Research: Beyond Beekeeping
Mentors: Dr. John van Buren
Abstract: Beyond Beekeeping is a project I developed as the Wildlife & Conservation Intern at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey. The program emphasizes the importance of environmental education within urban settings and is centered around the conservation of honeybees within the New York metropolitan area. Whilst conducting my research, I was collecting data from the onsite beehives, administering daily behavioral evaluations, and recognizing distinctive extrinsic factors that affected the overall health of the hive population. I often found myself deconstructing complex concepts and using colloquial synonyms for sophisticated terminology such as "anthropogenic threats" and "eusociality" in attempts to share my work with the young minds of curious museum-goers. I came to realize that these brief, yet ever-frequent encounters with students supplied them with a plethora of newfound knowledge, and in turn, honed my teaching methodology. These engagements provided a means to cultivate an ecologically-based program that discusses the topics of pollination, ecosystem services, and climate change while actively promoting eco-conscious living amongst adolescents. Beyond Beekeeping strives to invoke ethical solutions to environmental problems and allow our youth to take charge of the current ecophobia phenomenon.