Alumni 2001
Arranged Alphabetically
1/26/05
Erika Backberg
Class of 2001
Since college, I've been searching for my calling through a variety of interesting experiences. My first 2 years out of college (01’-03’) I worked in AmeriCorps; first year, as a Family Educator (direct service) and the second year as the MN State Leader.
After AmeriCorps I became a Diversity Intern, then quickly the Diversity Coordinator at PATH Inc. PATH, Inc. is a private non-profit which provides treatment foster care and adoption services in MN, WI, ND, and CO. In conjunction to working at PATH, I also worked part-time in the media dept. of the Center for Global Environmental Education Masters Program, at Hamline University. There I created original photography and film works, edited curriculum & interactive media productions, & facilitated topical, in-depth research for multiple projects. Our work ~ Waters to the Sea, Chattahoochee River (interactive CD- ROM about water quality and watersheds) ~ won top honors @ Wildscreen Festival, hosted in Bristol, England.
Most recently, I have been working as activist/community organizer/trainer for a liberal, grassroots organization started and run by people under 30. The org. is called the League of Pissed Off Voters (www.indyvoter.org). Since August of 04’ I have been joyfully employed as the MN Regional Director. Our orgs. main goal is to create a progressive governing majority in our lifetime. The Twin Cities chapter of League is politics, and activism only fun, interesting, and relevant to our own communities!!
Email: erbackberg@yahoo.com
12/3/04
Dawn Pankonien
Class of 2001
so i'm growing up to be an anthropologist despite taking each of my elective courses in sociology as an undergraduate, and i've returned to graduate school despite once sitting across from professor samiha peterson and swearing that i had absolutely no interest in graduate level study. funny how the world works. i moved to chicago after graduation to "work in antiracism" without any idea of what i would actually do. so i bartended, assisted a socio prof at uchicago, worked at the center for labor and community research, clerked in the eurodollar pit of the Chicago mercantile exchange, cofounded an after school college prep program, coordinated the vb programs at lakeshore athletic club, and trained for and competed in the evp tour on north avenue beach, . . . usually all at the same time. yes, i was a disaster, but there are a lot of great things to do in chicago.
this september i quit all but the after school program (urban students empowered) to return to graduate school in the dept of anthropology at northwestern university. i have proposed dissertation study of the stratification of women laborers in the service sector of huatulco, mexico and will document the effects of this stratification on class structure, community organization, and gender identity (local political economic repercussions of globalization, in case anyone from nsf is reading this. :) ).
Email: d-pankonien@northwestern.edu
11/20/04
Kari L. Schmidt
Class of 2001
After graduation in 2001, I began working as a research assistant at the Microbiology Department at the University of Iowa. There my research involved investigating aspects of bacterial cell division.
This past summer (2004) I worked at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE. During this time I held 2 positions. I was an animal husbandry intern in the Lied Jungle exhibit. My responsibilities were equivalent to that of an assistant zookeeper. In addition, I was a part-time laboratory technician in the Genetics Department. There I worked on my own project trying to identify a series of microsatellite markers that can be used to analyze the genetic diversity of apes – mainly gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and white-handed gibbons.
In August, I moved to New York City. I am currently starting my PhD studies in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology through CERC (Center for Environmental Research and Conservation) at Columbia University. Furthermore, I am part of the Conservation Genetics program at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Generally speaking, my research interests include investigating the dynamics of genetic diversity and assessing the fate of small, fragmented populations. My project will encompass the protocols and analysis techniques involved in both ex situ and in situ conservation efforts, and how they are used to quantify and maintain the genetic viability of both naturally occurring and captive-breeding populations. While understanding these processes are important for conservation worldwide, my focus will be on the Neotropics.
Email: karilschmidt@yahoo.com
