Jamie Rodriguez ’23
School of Public and International Affairs
Wild About Wild Horses: What Does the Public Know and How Does It Know It?
I studied how visitors to North Carolina’s Shackleford Banks learn about the island’s wild horse population. The horses have inhabited the island for centuries and are protected and managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Though the Park Service educates visitors about the horses through pamphlets, exhibits and tours, we wanted to quantify the educational value of having firsthand encounters with the animals. With the assistance of Professor Rubenstein, I helped design and administer a survey that measured the educational outcomes of visitors’ experiences with the Shackleford horses. My work consisted of creating survey questions that minimize bias, developing methods of delivery that mitigate viral transmission, and soliciting responses in the field. My experiences exposed me to a unique intersection of social science and ecology, prompting my interest in the planning and design of public spaces.
2020
Biodiversity and Conservation
Rubenstein Group, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University
Daniel Rubenstein, Class of 1877 Professor of Zoology, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology