A conservation journey on the Cuyahoga

"When I started this master's program in 2020 I had no idea how far it was going to take me or even really where to start. I always knew that I wanted to do something with water. I grew up on water and, as an avid kayaker, it's really important to me and ... my community ... I never thought that I would be in a position to catalyze real change for the Cuyahoga River in my community but thanks to my time at Project Dragonfly and Miami University I'm poised to be just that kind of community leader now."

--AIP graduate Sarah Barrow '22 of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, about her online Miami degree with experiential learning at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Finding inspiration from local wildlife to become a better advocate

"I really enjoyed the chance to get creative with different digital platforms ... Of course I wasn't always in front of a computer! The best part about Project Dragonfly was getting out in the field, whether that was collecting water samples, or conducting trail surveys ... conducting surveys of bird populations for a study on abundance and diversity ...

and being a student at Brookfield Zoo gives you an 'in' on visiting some pretty interesting places."

--AIP graduate Melissa Owens '22 of Schaumburg, Illinois, about her online Miami degree with experiential learning at Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo.

AIP graduates give and gain support from Miami Women Giving Circle

AIP graduate Sarah Davis '21 (left) of Brooklyn, New York, implemented a mapping microplastics initiative and was among 12 projects awarded Hawk Tank grants by the Miami Initiative for Advancing, Mentoring and Investing in Women (M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN Giving Circle). The Giving Circle is a university-wide initiative that works to advance, mentor, and invest in Miami women. The project was developed in 2020 and is managed by Davis, who completed her AIP degree online with field study at the Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo. She is a current doctoral student at the University of Rhode Island. Read more

Another AIP graduate, Jessica Tepas '21 of Chicago, Illinois, is a current member of the Giving Circle. Tepas earned her Miami master's degree online and completed her AIP field study at Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo. Read more

AIP student balances work in master's and being a children's book writer-illustrator

"Love in the Wild," which celebrates all kinds of love in the animal kingdom, is a recent children's book written and illustrated by current AIP student Katy Tanis. Her books have received worldwide recognition, including from Tan France of the television show "Queer Eye." Tanis is taking web-based Miami courses and engaging in field study at locations in New York and at the Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo. Tanis joined the AIP in 2019 and lives in Mantoloking, New Jersey. Read more

Uplifting volunteerism for a kinder, more compassionate world

As part of her master’s coursework, AIP graduate Gretchen Strate '21 submitted a grant application to purchase equipment for a new, volunteer wildlife rescue team. Strate received the grant and helped start the team, which she is currently coordinating in Minnesota. The funds come from The Pollination Project, a nonprofit that funds projects that create compassionate change in the world. Strate, who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earned the Miami degree online and traveled to the AIP site Denver Zoo to complete her field study requirements. Read more

AIP graduate collaborates with Dr. Jane Goodall

Since graduating from Miami University, AIP graduate Credell "Cre" Walls '18 of Chicago, Illinois, has joined with British primatologist and anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall to collaborate on a number of conservation initiatives. Walls continues to work to protect the environment and connect youth to nature with a number of people and organizations, including the Jane Goodall Institute, One Earth Film Festival, and the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Walls earned his Miami degree online while participating in field studies through Brookfield Zoo. Watch Walls' Dragonfly Diversity Cafe

AIP student named NAAEE fellow

Current AIP student Lisa Yeager of Seattle, Washington, was named a North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Civics and Environmental Education (CEE) Change Fellow. Yeager was among 30 educators and community leaders who created and executed a community action project that seeks to advance a more equitable and sustainable future. Her CEE project focused on climate change conversations. Yeager is earning her Miami degree online and participating in experiential learning at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. Read more

Co-founding a conservation nonprofit

In 2020 AIP graduate Austin Parker ‘18 of San Diego, California, and his brother, Taylor, received 501(c)(3) status for Pelecanus, a conservation-based collective they co-founded. Pelecanus hosts podcasts that tell stories and demonstrate optimism through science, present cutting-edge conservation and communications to help find hope, and inspire people into conservation action. Parker earned his Miami master's online and completed his field study through San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Read more

Saving monarchs and ash trees in Southwest Ohio

As part of her Miami master’s degree, AIP graduate Alisha Singleton ‘21 of Cincinnati, Ohio, participated in field studies on grounds at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and off grounds, such as in a monarch tagging event at the zoo’s Bowyer Farm in Mason, Ohio. Singleton's AIP master’s work focused on advocacy for species at risk in her southwest Ohio community. Singleton also published an article titled “A Hike Among Ash Trees” for the Center for Humans and Nature. Read more

Taking recycling to the museum world

AIP graduate Jo Tauber ‘21 of Harrison City, Pennsylvania, worked to bring cell phone recycling to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. "Not many people realize the connection between devices like cell phones ... and their negative impact on gorilla populations." For Tauber, who works as the museum's gallery experience manager, it was about connecting visitors to conservation. "Practicing ways to be responsible with the devices we use is the best way to minimize the unintended consequences involved in their creation. Our individual and collective actions can benefit us all, gorillas included." As a Pennsylvania resident, Tauber earned their Miami degree online and traveled to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to complete AIP field studies. Read more

AIP student selected to serve on Miami’s DEI Student Advisory Board

AIP graduate student Viviana Moreno of Largo, Florida, was selected to serve on Miami's DEI Student Advisory Board. The board helps shape efforts to cultivate diversity, equity, and inclusivity across graduate programs at Miami. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are very important to me as a Latinx woman in STEM,” said Moreno. “I am looking forward to contributing my ideas ... but am particularly excited about hearing the ideas ... viewpoints of the students and faculty I will be working with." Moreno is earning her Miami master's online with experiential learning at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Read more

AIP graduate takes conservation to the art (and mini-golf) world

AIP graduate Charmin Dahl '22, a freelance writer/editor and curator consultant, photographed these butterfly cutouts, which she and other area artists used as part of a conservation-themed, artist-designed mini-golf exhibit. Dahl's original plan was to involve students from two local schools via in-person workshops. Because of COVID, she ended up creating a Google doc with native butterfly coloring pages and asked her online community of friends to print and color the pages, and send them back to her by mail. “I’m in Missouri, but I received butterflies from all over the country, from Nevada, Massachusetts, Arizona, and other places,” she said. Dahl, who now lives in New Zealand, earned her Miami degree online and completed her field study work through Missouri Botanical Garden. Watch the exhibit installation

Detroit Zoological Society

We are excited to welcome our first cohort of Detroit-area AIP graduate students. Detroit Zoological Society, which operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Center, joins as Miami University's tenth AIP organization and first in Michigan. Read more