INTERNS
Elizabeth Oriel specializes in research into marine mammal well-being. A graduate of Wesleyan University, she received a master’s degree in conservation biology from Antioch University New England. Her master’s thesis investigated and clarified certain harbor seal characteristics that relate to well-being and that are disputed within the scientific literature, thus setting parameters for care practices in rehabilitation, in long-term captivity, and for management decisions that impact wild harbor seal populations. Working for The Kerulos Center provides an opportunity to continue exploring the themes of animal welfare, human/animal bonds, and scientific research that values observer subjectivity and relational models. Kerulos offers an organizational and conceptual framework for this work, bridging disciplinary divides, to learn about animals from the lens of psychology, cognition and brain sciences, philosophy (in concepts of mind, consciousness, and subject/object differentiation in research), anthropology (animal cultures), and conservation biology.
Elizabeth continues to study marine mammals, though now asking what pinnipeds in particular can teach humans about the nature of mammalian minds and consciousness, through studying their processes of social learning and strong emotional bonds. She consults on marine mammal well-being for organizations that monitor animal welfare and plans to extend this to assessments of wild populations. Few in the field of conservation biology directly address the emotional and mental needs of animals in the wild. Elizabeth’s goals involve raising awareness of animal culture and psychology so that management and stewardship practices include these important aspects of preserving and supporting wild populations.
Eve D’Vincent is a Kerulos Center intern studying trauma recovery in chimpanzees and orangutans. She graduated from Duke University in anthropology and is currently in graduate school in psychology, Florida Atlantic University. Eve has extensive experience in the field. At Duke and with the Nicholas School, under direction of Dr. Stuart Pimm, Eve studied endangered birds in the Amazonas, Brazil. In alliance with the National Tropical Botanical Garden she repaired nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles, designed an amphibian study in Brazil, in collaboration with the Reserva Ecologica de Guapi Acu. and conducted a study on endangered primates also in Brazil, with Conervation Internatinal., and has assisted in humpback whale studies aboard Intersea Foundation research vessels in Alaska for over ten seasons. In addition to receiving scholarships from the Explorers Club of New York, Eve has authored multiple articles and is featured in the Discovery channel production “In Search of Big Mama”, which aired in seven countries. Eve is now interning with Chimps, Inc. and studying trauma recovery and treatment approaches.
Lauren Delapenha, Jamaica
Lauren is a fourth year student at Lawrenceville School, New Jersey, the editor of The Lit. the campus magazine. Amidst her studies in writing, violin and theatre, she undertook a Kerulos internship to study the effects and experience of animals held in captivity. "I remember the first time I visited a jail. I was probably about eight years old. The whole family came. We paid our admission, bought cotton candy and a disposable camera, and embarked on our fun-filled and educational experience. I had a blast. When the day was over we bought a souvenir to commemorate our day at the Miami Jail. Now I find it terribly ironic that the word ‘Jail’ is misspelled on the souvenir as ‘Zoo.’ Every so often a story comes up in the news about a usually friendly zoo animal or pet, such as Travis the chimpanzee, suddenly "losing it", attacking a human, and being killed as a result. The most recent one that comes to mind is the incident of the chimpanzee mauling his owner’s friend. These incidents have made me think about the ethical question of keeping wild animals contained, especially in the case of zoos. While I know this is not a new question, I feel that it is particularly important given the recent, highly publicized event that resulted in killing Travis, the chimpanzee, and my concern in animal welfare. What effect does such confinement have on the animals? At present, zoos seem like well-kept jails to me, but I am prepared to be proven wrong. Do zoos become havens given a species’ endangered status? And most importantly, how do these animals feel in a zoo environment? Is there any way to figure out how they feel? Unlike humans, they do not have a voice. Or maybe it’s just that we have not tried hard enough to listen. "
A variety of courses and workshops are offered by the Kerulos Center. We also offer internships for students and other individuals seeking field experience and specialized study. For more information, please contact us.
Research Interns
Elizabeth Oriel, MSElizabeth continues to study marine mammals, though now asking what pinnipeds in particular can teach humans about the nature of mammalian minds and consciousness, through studying their processes of social learning and strong emotional bonds. She consults on marine mammal well-being for organizations that monitor animal welfare and plans to extend this to assessments of wild populations. Few in the field of conservation biology directly address the emotional and mental needs of animals in the wild. Elizabeth’s goals involve raising awareness of animal culture and psychology so that management and stewardship practices include these important aspects of preserving and supporting wild populations.
Student Interns
Eve D'Vincent, CaliforniaLauren Delapenha, Jamaica
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"Science in service to animals"
