Student Spotlight: Lovinia Reynolds ’17

Concentration:

Geology-Biology

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California and Brooklyn, New York

What is your research on?

I will be researching nutrient cycling in secondary forests in Bahia Brazil with the Porder lab. I spent last semester studying abroad and working with the same lab in Bahia.

What is the event that you are currently working on?

I've been helping other dedicated students (Aida Palma and Donovan Dennis) work on a student-run event on race in the Americas. It is being held on Thursday, April 21 in Petteruti Lounge. With the support of the Brazil initiative, students from the Heritage series programs and the students mentioned above have put together a panel that discusses different experiences of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity in the Americas. This panel will be led by students, for students and will feature student panelists. I personally enjoy working for the Brazil Initiative because I think that they really recognize the value of student input and that some of the best learning can be done by students themselves. I think this effort sets the Brazil Initiative apart from other departmental lecture series in that it not only brings intellectuals to campus but it is also positioning itself to be a resource to students who want to study Brazil. It is creating a space for students to talk about issues important to Brazil, like the issue of race which we will be discussing this Thursday.