Graduate Student Travelling
A river bird takes flight – How a summer of travel enhanced my time as a graduate student and why it might for others, too
Chris Dennison, MSc Student
Growing up on the shores of Thousand Islands National Park, I’ve rarely strayed far from home. For years, my wife Olivia has called me Kingfisher, and I’ve always embraced the name. I’m a river bird at heart and may even be a bit stubborn in that regard. When I do travel, homesickness often follows close behind, on adventures big and small.
The summer of 2024 was the biggest adventure of my life. During the winter semester, I received a Globalink Research Award from Mitacs that would fund two months of research related travel. This award would take me far from my river home and the islands but also gave me the opportunity to grow as a scientist, and more importantly, as a person. It may have been difficult to leave, but I would not hesitate to encourage other graduate students to incorporate travel into their work. Here’s why:
The Birds of Motown – Field Work in Detroit, Michigan
The first leg of my summer travels began in Detroit, Michigan. MSU colleague and friend Katie Brown picked me up from the Windsor train station, and after a short trip through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, I found myself in Motown.
Since 2018 the Study of Active Neighborhoods in Detroit (StAND) team has been deploying AudioMoth recorders to collect acoustic data in the city. A large part of my research includes the analysis of this acoustic data to determine factors that affect avian diversity and occupancy in Detroit, which will in turn contribute to an understanding of potential synergies between biodiversity and human health in the city.
Working as an ecologist in an urban environment can be challenging and requires sensitivity to the needs and concerns of the people that live there. Communicating the goals of your research effectively is important, but more important is an ability to listen with compassion and embrace new perspectives. Many of the residents we spoke with in the field expressed enthusiastic curiosity about our research and were quick to share their own stories about the goldfinches, blue jays and pheasants who call Detroit home. Near the end of my time in Detroit, I also had the pleasure of meeting the founders of Rescue Michigan Nature Now! The organization, founded by Detroit natives Tharmond Ligon Jr. and Zenaida Flores, has planted gorgeous pollinator gardens and maintains a large therapy forest across acres of restored vacant land. Tharmond and Zenaida work with local youth to maintain their growing sanctuary, and to teach the next generation the value and healing power of nature.
Interacting with Detroit residents and organizations left me with a strong sense of pride in my research, and for a city I have grown to admire for its resilience, people, and birds. Although I’m passionate about the ornithological side of my research, learning and listening to the people who live in Detroit was an equally rewarding aspect of my time in the field. I am truly thankful for the time and interest of those we met and will continue to admire the work of organizations like Rescue Michigan Nature Now!
The NACCB Conference – Vancouver, British Columbia
Following my two weeks in Detroit, I made the journey to Vancouver, British Columbia to attend the Society for Conservation Biology North America (NACCB) conference. The natural beauty of the west coast was remarkable. Dense forests filled with towhees and thrushes are surrounded by distant mountains and the strong scent of the sea. In the backdrop was a gathering of passionate conservationists, many of whom I was privileged to make connections with. From fellow graduate students to veteran scientists, my five days at the NACCB conference was spent with wonderful people eager to share their expertise, advice, and kindness. Meeting scientists I have long admired, and finding potential opportunities for work following my degree, made my time in Vancouver extremely fulfilling. I had the opportunity to share my research and findings during a 15-minute talk and was honoured to receive an award for best student presentation at the conference.
In a digital world increasingly defined by online meetings, the opportunity to meet with colleagues and potential collaborators in person was an absolute pleasure. I have no doubt my time at the NACCB conference opened professional pathways that otherwise would not have been possible.
The Rocky Mountains – Fort Collins, Colorado
Vancouver is difficult to top in the arena of natural beauty, but my next destination, Colorado, certainly made a strong case. I had the joy of bringing my better half with me for this leg of my adventure, and we were both treated to many stunning hikes, the most memorable being a trek to the top of Signal Mountain with bioacoustics legend Dr. Kurt Fristrup. Much like Vancouver, the natural beauty of Colorado was augmented by the scientists I was able to meet, including Kurt and others from Colorado State University. The short time I also spent with passionate researchers working with the US Parks Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division was greatly appreciated and afforded me even more connections to build upon those already made in Vancouver.
The Last Leg of my Journey – East Lansing, Michigan
It was difficult to say goodbye to Colorado, and to my partner, who would return to our river home. But my adventure had one more stop, with two weeks in East Lansing scheduled before my own flight home.
I had the privilege of staying with my colleague and friend Katie Brown, and quickly felt at home working close to Michigan State University and catching up with colleagues from the StAND project. With around 4 TB of new acoustic data to analyze, my time in East Lansing was an opportunity for work, but also to make more connections and communicate my research with a wider audience. I was able to organize a birdwatching and bioacoustics event with a group of incredible youth members at Rescue Michigan Nature Now!, and on my last day in Michigan, I took part in the filming of an episode for the PBS documentary Wild Hope. Filmed at one of the beautiful bird meadows restored by the Detroit Bird Alliance, we were treated to goldfinches, red-winged blackbirds, and indigo buntings, and I was once more able to discuss the research that we conduct in the city, and the importance of nature in our ever-urbanizing world.
Returning Home
Before I knew it, my time away was at an end, and I found myself back on a train destined for my hometown of Gananoque and the St. Lawrence River. I was anxious to return but as I sat on the train, I was able to reflect on the preceding two months with joy and gratitude.
My affinity for home on the river is still strong (a Kingfisher can’t completely change his feathers). This summer afforded me a wealth of new experiences that would not have been possible without taking that first flight. I embraced new challenges and strengthened my appreciation for the inclusion of diverse, human perspectives in ecological research. These experiences reaffirmed the incredible value of in-person connections, and grew my appreciation for the rewards of travel, including the beauty of new people and landscapes.
Most graduate students have goals or expectations for their degree program. When I started my MSc., travel was admittedly not on my list of expectations, or even my list of goals. But I am so grateful that it became a part of my graduate experience, not only for the incredible landscapes I was able to enjoy, but even more so for the growth I experienced as a person and scientist. As I reflect on my summer experience I think of how time truly flies while the seasons change and I prepare to defend my thesis in December. Writing about my summer away gives me a strong a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, and a feeling that perhaps this river bird might enjoy another flight someday soon.