The Continuum of Curiosity

Biology major Sofia Gross '27 analyzes variation in the owl genome. (Photo by Allison Usavage '11)

Biology major Sofia Gross '27 analyzes variation in the owl genome. (Photo by Allison Usavage '11)

Sofia Gross with an owl study skin. (Photo by Allison Usavage '11)

Biology major Sofia Gross '27 spent much of their summer surrounded by owls-both in the lab and, briefly, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. There, deep within the museum's ornithology collections, they saw holotypes-the very specimens from which species are named-and met the very curatorial staff members processing their tissue sample requests. "It gave me an inside look at why those requests take time," Gross said. "My project involved destructive sampling, so I understand the care they take."

Gross's research investigates the human-driven hybridization of barred and spotted owls, a phenomenon that has accelerated as habitat loss and encroachment push the two species into overlapping territories. The project extends the work of Natalie Panora '25, who previously analyzed owl calls by geographic region. "It's a weird synthesis of both species," Gross said. "The hybrids have the base qualities of the barred owl but the patterning of the spotted owl. It's fascinating to see how the barred owls on the West Coast are already diversifying from those on the East."

Supported by Associate Professor of Biology Nandadevi Cortés Rodríguez, Gross will continue their work as part of Biology 302, the capstone research course for majors. "I wouldn't be able to do this research without her," Gross said. "She's an incredible mentor."

Vic performs the spoken-word portion of their solo show in the Handwerker Gallery. (Photo by Sara DiLorenzo '26)

Across campus, Vic '26 turned questions of happiness, consumption, and what we choose to throw away into art that blurs the line between trash and treasure. Their multimedia exhibition, shown earlier this semester in the Handwerker Gallery, featured paintings, a self-portrait sculpture, and a towering six-foot-eight figure built from more than a hundred reclaimed soda cans. "It's actually mostly Wegmans brand, not LaCroix," Vic laughed. The work asks where joy hides-or disappears-in the things we discard, and how what's left behind can still shimmer with meaning.

The show also incorporated a performance piece: Vic in costume, reading their own "spiraling ramble" about happiness, the words literally unspooling from the mouth of their sculpture on a scroll akin to a paper towel roll. "It's less a conclusive idea of happiness," they said, "and more of a grappling with it."

Mentored by lecturer Kaleb Hunkele, Vic said the experience reshaped their view of critique and mentorship. "Kaleb's approach is gentle and affirming," they said. "He believes in me, which inspires me to believe in myself." The summer also clarified Vic's next step: pursuing an MFA in art. "IC is such a good place to prepare for that," they said. "We even have a class that helps us research and apply to grad programs."

Psychology major Zoe Gainer '25 is graduating early this December, but her research on the experiences of neurodivergent students in higher education has already given her the kind of perspective and independence that comes from graduate-level work. Her survey, developed with Associate Professor of Psychology Jessye Cohen-Filipic, required approval from Ithaca's Institutional Review Board (IRB)-a process Gainer called both eye-opening and humbling. "It's not just about designing questions," she said. "It's about making sure the language doesn't pathologize people."

At the Summer Scholars Showcase, Gainer presented her findings as an oral talk-something Cohen strongly encouraged. "She told me public speaking is good practice for my academic career," Gainer said. "I was nervous, but by the end, I felt confident." Gainer credits Cohen's mentorship for much of that growth: "I really appreciate all that she's done for me, as a professor and as a mentor."

Now preparing to graduate, Gainer says the experience has given her a sense of what's ahead. "It's taught me how to manage my own time and take accountability for my work," she said. "And it's made me want to keep going-to write up the results, maybe present at a conference, and see where the research leads."

For religious studies and theatre studies double major Frankie Valens '26, whose research explores the gendered performance of "spirit wives" in Burmese ritual practice, the showcase was an opportunity to connect both majors in a single narrative. Mentored by Associate Professor of Religious Studies Eric Steinschneider, Valens focused on how both ritual and performance create meaning in spaces that mainstream culture often misunderstands-or rejects.

His poster presentation used a Venn diagram to draw direct parallels between spirit wife rituals and drag performance. The overlapping section illustrated striking commonalities: chosen family; gender performance through makeup, movement, and message; channeling (possession versus lip syncing); intensely emotional event; alternative economy; carved-out safe spaces; and backlash from the public.

While doing the research, Valens said, "it reminded me a lot of drag." The comparison revealed that both practices build "familial and economic networks and alternative family dynamics because mainstream culture is often violent towards them." With the spirit wives, he added, "there's even a kind of gig economy because whether culture values it or not, or embraces it or not, there's demand."

That demand, Valens said, is part of what makes both practices powerful. "They might take back power, and [show] how power is created in alternative relational systems."

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