Science and sun in New Zealand

In New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington psychobiology doctoral candidate Alexis Garland (center) described her research investigating and counting North Island robins to Bryan Pujol (left) a Mount Saint Mary College business major from E. Rockaway, NY, and Peter Kelleher, a psychology/physical therapy major from Bohemia, NY.

While the weather in New York is cold with some snow, half way around the world Mount Saint Mary College students trekked across islands in shorts and shirt sleeves during the austral summer of New Zealand. As part of a study abroad program December 28 to January 19, students and science professors Douglas Robinson and James Moran learned about the flora and fauna as well as the conservation measures taken to preserve native New Zealand organisms, while absorbing the culture. They traveled almost the entire length of both the north and south islands of New Zealand, arriving at Auckland and departing from Christchurch. Representatives from a variety of science programs including Victoria University of Wellington and the Department of Conservation in New Zealand, were among the guest lecturers. Through the wonders of the Internet, Mount students conversed via Skype with Newburgh school children.

Participating students included:

Bryan Pujol of E. Rockaway, NY, business; Brittany Farron of Watervliet, NY, biology/pre-vet; Angela Broyles of Old Westbury, NY, Spanish/interdisciplinary; Shannon Attebury of Fishkill, biology; Lindsay Bordonaro of Yorktown Heights, NY, history; Rebecca Seepersad, Farmingdale, NY, chemistry/adolescent education 5 yr BA/MSE program; Peter Kelleher, Bohemia, NY, psychology/physical therapy; Sharon Benzenberg, Ferndale, NY, chemistry; Jennifer Szkolnicki, Bronx, NY, psychology; and Joseph Santangelo, Peekskill, NY, psychology.

For more information, visit www.msmc.edu and click on New Zealand.

The Mount’s office of international studies can arrange a semester or summer at a university anywhere in the world to enrich a student’s education while pursuing a degree at the college overlooking the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY. Study abroad options include Dublin, Ireland; Florence, Italy; Segovia, Spain; Oxford, England, and more. Learn more about this program and the college during Open House on January 29.