Internship Grant Empowers Jennifer Brown, A26, to Merge Ecology Research with Community Engagement

Witnessing bees’ natural pursuits across Chicago, IL, Jennifer Brown, A26, advanced current scientific knowledge on one of the most important pollinators supporting our ecosystems with support from the Office of Sustainability.

For a second summer, Jenny interned at the Chicago Botanic Garden, continuing her experience in the shoes of an ecologist. With the support of her mentors, Tufts alumni Sarah Jones, A16, and Nick Dorian, AG24, Jenny expanded on her previous research on the association between pollinator visitation and floral traits of Hydrangea arboresens. This time around, Jenny continued her work on hydrangeas, but shifted her focus to individual foraging behaviors of bumblebees.

However, science was only one of her many internship concentrations. Jenny juggled daily fieldwork research with leading intern engagement workshops as the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program Coordinator and pollinator outreach events open to the public. As a theatre and biology double major at Tufts, Jenny integrated her passion for public speaking and communication into the field of biology. Her experience with the botanic garden’s culture and work structure helped Jenny engage and inform her fellow interns and Chicago locals on the beautiful nature of the city’s bumblebees.

Jenny’s internship was funded by the Office of Sustainability’s Sustainability Exploration Grant. This annual grant provides funding for unpaid summer internships in the sustainability field with the goal of expanding the accessibility of this field for undergraduate students. This grant is made possible through generous donations to the Office of Sustainability.