Sara Holmes, an environmental studies major with a concentration in anthropology, and Lisa Paciulli, assistant professor of anthropology and environmental studies steering committee member, were awarded a Mellon Research Initiative by Lewis and Clark College's environmental studies program (ESP).
Lewis and Clark's ESP received funds for a multi-year initiative from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The goal is to further scholarly rigor and coherence in the field of environmental studies by cultivating interdisciplinary research skills among undergraduate students at Lewis and Clark and other American institutions. These students are keys to the future of environmental studies, as they will serve as the next generation of environmental leaders in academic and policy settings.
The initiative is sponsoring two dozen students enrolled in American environmental programs. Sara will participate in a collaborative research venture, starting this semester with a launch workshop at Lewis and Clark's campus in Portland, Oregon. Sara proposes to conduct situated research to investigate the old Morse Chain Company factory and the associated contamination on South Hill in Ithaca.
Situated research is useful for examining environmental issues because it allows for the focused and concentrated study of an environmental problem in one location. The findings then can be applied to a broader context.
Sara will examine many aspects of the contamination such as the physical, economic, and social effects of the contamination. In addition, she will research the cultural significance of the Morse Chain Company to Ithacans. Furthermore, Sara will study a community organization, Ithaca South Hill Pollution (SHIP), that is fighting to clean up the contamination. The research project will culminate in spring 2010 with a concluding conference.
Lisa will supervise Sara's research with help from Michael Smith (Department of History; environmental studies) and Susan Allen-Gil (Department of Biology; environmental studies).
As a Mellon Fellow, Sara will receive $3,500 and, as an adviser to the project, Lisa Paciulli will receive $1,000.
Mellon Research Initiative
Reipients of the Mellon Research Initiative, 2008-2010
