EVENT 4:
Title of Artwork: Untitled
Date & Time of Event: Thursday, November 30th, at 4:30 pm
Location of Event: Samek Art Gallery ELC Third Floor
Type of Event: Gallery
by Leah Carlson
EVENT 4:
Title of Artwork: Untitled
Date & Time of Event: Thursday, November 30th, at 4:30 pm
Location of Event: Samek Art Gallery ELC Third Floor
Type of Event: Gallery
by Leah Carlson
by Leah Carlson
EVENT 3:
Title of Event: The Odette England Exhibition
Date & Time of Event: Tuesday, November 28th, at 5 pm
Location of Event: Holmes Hall 103
Type of Event: Exhibition
by Leah Carlson
Step 1 – Writing Assignment and Research
The first video I watched was called, “Is Elephant Self Aware and Conscious?” This video explored an elephant’s ability to recognize itself in a mirror reflection, a skill very few animals in the world have. There are multiple steps to achieving true recognition. The first step being social behavior. This is the animal’s initial reaction to their reflection, whether that be aggression, disinterest, or fascination. The second step is test behavior. The elephants move in different directions to determine why this “other animal” is moving the same way they are. The next step is self-directed behavior. This is when the animal realizes the reflection is their own and begins exploring different parts of their body that they have never seen before. Lastly, to test whether or not the elephant truly understands that it is their own reflection in the mirror, we use the mark test. A white mark is drawn on the top of the elephant’s forehead to see if they will recognize that it is on themselves and not just on the reflection. In this experiment, the elephant completely understood and began wiping the white mark away prior to looking in the mirror. This video helped put into perspective how much we underestimate the complexity of different species’ minds.
The second video I watched was called, “That’s One Smart Bird | Animal All-Stars.” This video tested a kea bird’s intelligence by putting it through a series of scientific experiments. The bird was tested in figuring out the different ways to get a nut out of a plexi box. Each test the bird prevailed. Similar to the first one, this video showed that there is more to an animal’s mind than we would naturally expect.
The last video I watched was called, “Scientists Analyze Dolphin Communication | Inside the Animal Mind | BBC Earth.” The scientists in the video studied the communication between different dolphins through a series of procedures and data collection processes.
Step 2 – Thesis
The complexity behind the minds of different animals is being explored and tested day after day. We continue to discover important information regarding the physical and mental aspects of animals that change our understanding of their level of intelligence. These connections animals have to the human race could bring us closer to a world where we can successfully communicate with different species of animals.
by Leah Carlson
by Leah Carlson
by Leah Carlson
by Leah Carlson
This past school year, I applied to work at a nearby elementary school’s summer academy program. I have always enjoyed working with children and this would give me the opportunity to have daily interactions with the next generation of learners. Luckily, I was accepted as a student worker and began working mid summer. This was my first official job, so it was definitely a milestone in my life. It was inspiring to me seeing teachers come together to teach students from all over the county. I got first hand experience learning what it takes to be an elementary school teacher and what difficulties come with it. I was able to assist in many of the teacher’s classrooms throughout the experience and it made me think hard about what I want to do after college. There were a total of about 500 students attending this program and maybe 50 or so faculty members. Some days were hectic, especially during dismissal. I learned to be very patient around frantic (and rude) parents at the end of the day. By the end of the summer, I had built relationships with many of the students, as well as the other faculty members. I even built relationships with some of the parents. I was excited to get up and go to work in the morning, which I didn’t expect to happen. This was nothing short of an amazing experience and I hope to work there again this coming summer.
Keywords:
by Leah Carlson
Immediate Response
Objective Description
Technical Decisions
Composition:
The Work in the World
The Story it Tells
by Leah Carlson
Radiolarians are over 500 million years old and not one of them have the exact same structure. Radiolarians are single celled organisms with a delicate skeleton. The scientist who discovered them was Ernst Haeckel. The turning point in his career centered around the discovery of these organisms. Prior to his discovery of radiolarians, scientists didn’t know there were living beings on the ocean floor. Therefore, there were many unanswered questions as Haeckel continued with his research. After earning his degree, Haeckel convinced his father to allow him to travel for one year to Italy for marine research. After six weeks of work and little to show for it, Haeckel began landscape painting. This was the time that he realized that he had a passion for both art and science. Watching this film helped me understand that there isn’t a solid divide between art, science, and nature. Additionally, creating the 3-dimensional radiolarians helps us understand and appreciate the intricate details of these organisms and how every one is different. The models also prove that the mix between art and science is completely possible.