Category: Praxis Independent Study

Liz Larsen, BMC ’25

Sherd Analysis & Database Creation: Hajji Firuz

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Jennie Bradbury

Field Site: Penn Museum

Field Supervisor: Katherine Blanchard

Praxis Poster: 

Liz Larsen_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

This semester, I engaged in an independent study in the Near East section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology under the supervision of the Keeper, Katherine Blanchard. I was given several options for projects and ultimately selected an endeavor concerning a specific site in North-Western Iran: Hajji Firuz Tepe.

On-site, my responsibilities centered around data creation, photography, and data entry (in that order). I’d pull out and process one tray of ceramic sherds at a time, writing down their object and area numbers and creating a short description. Then, I’d move on to photography and ultimately digitize my gathered data for upload to the public database on the Penn Museum’s website.

When approaching this opportunity, I adopted a set of intentions for my research. The first of these was to explore and then implement the approaches and techniques archaeologists utilize in ceramic analysis. Along the way, I hoped to familiarize myself with the archaeology of the given region and chronological period and then unpack points of academic discourse specific to it. The goal in selecting these aims was to orient myself towards gathering data for a cumulative final project that would allow me to demonstrate an understanding of ceramic analysis via its application.

As the semester began, a couple of things became clear:
1) The material that I had been directed towards processing was not primarily from Hajji Firuz and instead was a mix between it and two other sites that had also been excavated in the region around the same time: Dalma and Pisdeli. In fact, the material from Hajji Firuz was squarely in the minority.
2) Given the newly realized range of material (as my chronological timescale roughly doubled in span), it would be difficult to use my data as a case study for considering the discipline of ceramic analysis generally.

As my project continued, I shifted my focus toward the discussion and ontology of chronological and cultural transitions in ceramic analysis. Also, in response to the range of material I was dealing with, I chose to integrate my simultaneous studies in computer science and use Python to analyze the data I was creating. This helped me to select a smaller sample of the pieces that I have processed, specifically ones coming from a couple of stratigraphic layers at Dalma, which I am including in the mock pottery analyst’s report that will serve as my final project.

Charlotte Yuan, BMC ’24

Public Policy: Economic and Health Policies

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Seung-Youn Oh

Field Site: The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development

Field Supervisor: Jill Avery-Stoss

Praxis Poster: 

Charlotte Yuan_Poster_FinalS24

 

Further Context:

In this Independent Study Course, I developed a curriculum seeking to deepen my understanding of economic and health policies at the regional level. To prepare for my graduate school of public policy in fall 2024, I applied to the Research Intern position at the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, hoping to understand public policy in a professional context and think about how real-world policymaking differs from theoretical framework. The Institute is a research organization that provides customized client solutions and strategies to facilitate decision-making that enhances growth, impact, and sustainability in Pennsylvania.

Throughout the internship, I completed four different assignments, enhancing my quantitative data analysis, communication, and problem-solving skills. One of my favorite projects is writing a white paper on Baby Bonds, which are publicly funded trust accounts for children of low-income households. This allowed me to learn about how this policy can have a positive impact on children in Pennsylvania by reducing the racial wealth gap, while recognizing potential challenges of passing the legislation, such as the amount of funding it requires. In the white paper, I provided a comprehensive report on the benefits of Baby Bonds and suggested recommendations for policymakers to overcome potential challenges. These experiences help me to connect the readings on public policy and the real-world impact, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Kira Elliot, BMC ’24

The Practice of Theories of Transformative Justice

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Joel Schlosser

Field Site: Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project

Field Supervisor: Sarah Morris and Gabby Jackson

Praxis Poster: 

KiraElliot_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

In 1995 the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 33 of Special Session 1. This act requires individuals between the ages of 15 and 17 charged with certain felonies be charged in adult court if they meet certain requirements, such as the use of a weapon during the alleged crime (ACLU). The process of charging and trying a child, under the age of 18, as an adult in adult court is called Direct File Juvenile (DFJ). However, Pennsylvania actually has no lower limit for the DFJ process; kids as young as 11 have been charged as adults, and sentenced with adult prison sentences, in the state of Pennsylvania. The DFJ process has been admittedly manipulative, cruel, and an abuse of power by the District Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia County. However, every day children are still being treated as adults in this unjust, unproductive, and unnecessarily punitive system.

The Youth Art and Self-empowerment Project (YASP) is a youth-led movement focused on ending the DFJ process, restorative justice, and using community power to transform the legal system. Their aim is to build a world where there are no kids in prison and to create new possibilities for youth around the city. My internship with YASP focused on court advocacy, DFJ data tracking, and their youth led Participatory Defense Hub. I track data on DFJ cases, importing aspects of data available on a young person’s docket (the sheet which includes their incarceration placement, court hearings, lawyer, bail information, etc). All of this information is public record and public information alongside all adult arrests. I also attend court every week and take notes on aspects of the case relevant to the decertification process. Decertification is a legal motion that advocates for the judge to move the DFJ case back to the juvenile system, where it should be. For the defense lawyer, this requires presenting a strong argument that the young person would benefit from the counseling, and education available in the juvenile justice system. I use this information I gather in court to assist with YASP’s Participatory Defense Hub at YASP Participatory defense is a community organizing model that empowers individuals and communities to actively participate in the defense of their loved ones facing criminal charges. YASP’s Hub is a grassroots response to mass incarceration, the purposeful confusion of the court system, and rooted in community based knowledge sharing. Going to court helps with participatory defense because there are many things said in the courtroom that aren’t put on the dockets as public information–this includes any conditions that a young person may have agreed to for decertification.

Being an intern at the Youth Art and Self-empowerment Project has been life changing. It has allowed me to apply my academic skills to invaluable work in Philadelphia County. For me, bringing the theoretical into practice is an important part of learning–it elevates political theory and has allowed me to be an effective, useful, and helpful member of the Youth Art and Self-empowerment Project. This has made me a better student and a stakeholder of the community. It has also shown me a path toward the work I aim to dedicate my life to. The internal politics of the District Attorney’s Office, including which court rooms DFJ cases are sent to, and which judge oversees hearing the case, can directly impact young people’s lives, for better or for worse. However, community focused abolitionist work is effective and transforms the lives of Philadelphia youth.

Cavan Helmering, BMC ’25

Applied Health Economics: Market Economics Internship at Navvis Healthcare

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: June Kim

Field Site: Navvis Healthcare

Field Supervisor: Dan Bateman

Praxis Poster: 

Cavan Helmering_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

This Praxis course at Navvis Healthcare was the continuation of an internship from the summer of 2023 that continued into the 2023-2024 school year. At Navvis, I was on the Market Economics team. My internship started with an incredible amount of learning, as healthcare is a vast market with so many ins and outs. The team I am on completed a new set of financial models for a client partner last summer, and a big part of that was contact discernment. I went from never having looked at a contract to being able to explain its terms, or at least those that tied somewhat to economics.

[…] this has been a fantastic internship experience. Dan Bateman, my supervisor, made sure that I was learning as much as possible and I owe so much of my learning to my one to one calls with him. Turning this into a Praxis allowed me to have the time and space to dive deeper into concepts of healthcare that I was interested in and see real time changes to a system
that is constantly regarded as broken. I could not have completed this Praxis course without the help of Tiffany Stahl and June Kim, my faculty advisor. A huge thank you to Dan, Tiffany, and June who have all been wonderful throughout this process and I would not have been able to learn so much without their constant support.

Lamisa Hossain, BMC ’24

Achieving Sustainable Development: Examining the Role of Private Equity and Foreign Direct Investment in Africa

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Michael Allen

Field Site: Alterra

Field Supervisor: Leah Coates

Praxis Poster: 

LamisaHossain_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

Working at Alterra Capital Partners as a Strategy and Investment Research Intern has been an exciting journey into the world of private equity and sustainable investment. Working in supporting Alterra’s climate fund, my role delved into researching opportunities within renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate technology startups.

Each week presented a new challenge, pushing me to sharpen my skills in financial modeling, investment research, and crafting compelling presentations. The technical competencies honed during my internship are undeniably valuable. My assignments allowed me to gain proficiency that will undoubtedly serve me well in my future endeavors.

Moreover, the exposure to the intricacies of investment research has deepened my understanding of the interplay of macroeconomic and microeconomic dynamics in driving investment decisions, which is a wonderful way to apply my learnings from class into practical experiences. Yet, beyond the technical realm, it’s the softer skills cultivated during my time at Alterra that truly stand out. Communication, in particular, emerged as a cornerstone of my growth. Whether it was articulating ideas in team meetings or seeking guidance on challenging tasks, I learned the importance of clear and concise communication. Initially, seeking help during uncertain situations was a challenge for me, but throughout the semester, I was presented with multiple opportunities to sharpen my communication abilities.

This experience instilled in me the understanding that collaborating enhances innovation and facilitates problem-solving. Reflecting on my internship experience, the most significant takeaway lies in the evolution of my approach towards tackling challenges. Embracing a proactive mindset, I’ve learned to confront obstacles head-on, leveraging the collective
knowledge and experience around me. This proactive stance not only enhances efficiency but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth. As I embark on the next chapter of my journey, I carry with me not just the technical skills acquired but also a newfound appreciation
for the power of effective communication and collaborative problem-solving. My internship at Alterra Capital Partners has not only equipped me with the tools to navigate the intricacies of the financial world but has also instilled in me the confidence to embrace challenges with resilience and resourcefulness.

Lillian Ernst, BMC ’24

Writing in Restorative Justice

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Vanessa Petroj

Field Site: The Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project: Healing Futures

Field Supervisor: Felix Rosado

Praxis Poster: 

LillianErst_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

This semester, I worked with the Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project: Healing Futures, (YASP) to continue projects I began last summer with Bryn Mawr College’s Summer of Service program. Healing Futures is a youth diversion program using Restorative Justice practices. The District Attorney’s office can refer a case to Healing Futures, where they go through a 12-week curriculum that fosters growth, reflection, and accountability in young people who have harmed another person. They write an apology letter to the person they hurt and share it out loud in a Restorative Community Conference—a Circle process. In these Circles, the Person Harmed and the Responsible Youth can discuss the experiences they’ve had revolving around the harm committed.

I used my experience as a Writing Center Tutor to support the initial stages of this process, where self-reflective writing is critical. I was inspired by the Freedom Writers Diary Teacher’s Guide, which provides several worksheets for in-classroom community building and writing strategies. I adapted these provided worksheets to fit the structure and setting of Healing Futures, which is shaped by closed, small group conversations. Alongside creating worksheets, I generated journal prompts and structured schedules for the curriculum to best support the process of Healing Futures. I focused on activities that explored self-assessment and reflection with the goal of building confidence in writing the apology letter.

I had the opportunity to share my work twice over the course of the semester. In March I attended the Mid-Atlantic Writing Centers Association’s annual conference, hosted at George Mason University. Here, I gave a presentation on the connections between my work at Healing Futures with my work at the Writing Center. Then, in April myself and my fellow intern at YASP, Kira Elliott, hosted a Teach-In on the power of writing. We compared the ways writing is used in the criminal (in)justice system versus in Restorative Justice practices, and what kind of social power we have with the written word. Being able to share my work with the broader community brought an extra layer of fulfillment to my Praxis experience, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities.

Della Burke, BMC ’25

Museum Fieldwork: Cheshmeh Ali

Semester: Spring 2024

Faculty Advisor: Jennie Bradbury

Field Site: Penn Museum

Field Supervisor: Katy Blanchard

Praxis Poster: 

Della_Burke_Poster_Final_SP24

 

Further Context:

This semester, I interned with Katy Blanchard, the Keeper of the Near East Collections at the Penn Museum. In consultation with my faculty advisor, Dr. Jennie Bradbury, I elected to work with ceramic material – vessels and sherds, fragments of pottery – from Cheshmeh Ali, a site in Iran’s Tehran Plain. This site dates to the Transitional Chalcolithic Period (c. 5300-4300 BCE) and is adjacent to the Islamic site of Rayy. Both sites were excavated by the Penn Museum in the 1930s under the direction of Erich Schmidt. The material brought back to Penn has remained largely unphotographed and digitally inaccessible.

In my preliminary research before the semester, I realized that scholarship on Cheshmeh Ali is limited, which made the site and material even more appealing, as my work in the museum would expand the accessibility of Cheshmeh Ali’s material culture.

In the Near East Collections, my responsibilities were primarily inventory and photography. For the first two weeks of my internship, I cross-checked object IDs and field numbers and photographed the complete vessels to ensure they were all accurately recorded and represented in Penn’s digital collections. After that, I labeled, re-bagged, and returned them to the shelves. I worked with boxes of sherds from the site for the rest of the semester. The size of the boxes was often misleading, as many had more sherds (around 200) than I expected! For the sherds, I carried out an inventory, including cross-checking numbers and writing descriptions of the sherds, and photography. Outside of the Collections, I input my data and descriptions into spreadsheets so Penn’s electronic database is up-to-date. Then, my images are added to Penn’s online collections, and the Cheshmeh Ali material is accessible to researchers and visitors of the digital collections!

In addition to my internship, I’ve worked under the guidance of Dr. Jennie Bradbury, and my research centers on visual analysis of the Cheshmeh Ali material. Through my work with the material and review of scholarship and ceramic material from comparative sites (e.g. Kara Tepe and Tepe Pardis) I’ve been investigating three questions: What are the interactions between motif and vessel/sherd form? Is there a shared vocabulary of motifs and forms across sites from the Transitional Chalcolithic Period? And, considering these, what can I deduce about social complexity? For my final project, I am playing with digital scholarship by creating a Scalar “book” to communicate my findings.

I am grateful for the opportunity to work so closely with the Cheshmeh Ali material and my two advisors, Katy and Jennie. The Department of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology and practical experiences, like the Praxis Program, informed my decision to choose Bryn Mawr. I am thankful I was able to combine the two and contribute to increasing accessibility in museums and archaeology!

Saule Aoki, BMC, 24′

Montgomery County Coroner

Semester: Fall 2023

Faculty Advisor: Maja Šešelj

Field Site: Montgomery County Coroner’s Office (MCCO)

Field Supervisor: Jessica Bisch

Praxis Poster: 

Saule Praxis Poster - Copy

 

Further Context:

During the fall of 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in a praxis course designed around an internship with the Montgomery County Coroner’s office. The county coroner is responsible for determining the death’s cause, manner, and circumstances through medical examination and investigation. You may see the profession portrayed in crime TV shows, but real life is much different. In addition to homicide and deaths involving criminal activity, the coroner’s office is responsible for investigating suicide, accidents–such as falls or drug overdoses, sudden death,
deaths in-custody’s-or during police intervention or incarceration.

During my internship, I participated in various steps of the medicolegal process. I attended and assisted with autopsies every day during my training. I measured and recorded organ weights, took fingerprints, and helped everything run smoothly. While assisting in the morgue, I observed
how the medical examiners determined the cause of death and had the opportunity to ask many questions. I learned a lot through hands-on participation and witnessed how pathological signs discovered during an autopsy indicate the cause of death.

Last summer, I interned with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science in Houston, Texas, through Bryn Mawr’s summer internship program. My prior experience with medicolegal cases in Houston provides a basis for general comparison with the patients I observed in Montgomery
County, which has a median income twice that of Houston. Houston had many more daily cases, more homicides, and people who did not have access to healthcare during life. Yet, Montgomery County has huge wealth disparities; patterns of wealth were highly associated with the number of cases and circumstances of each death.

Overall, I’m grateful for the opportunity to intern with the Montgomery County Coroner’s office. I have gained a lot of insight into the field, and I plan to use the connections I’ve made to continue a career in forensic science.

Palmer Jones, BMC, ’24

Healing Futures Through Restorative & Transformative Justice Practices

Semester: Fall 2023

Faculty Advisor: James Martin

Field Site: Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project (YASP)

Field Supervisor: Felix Rosado

Praxis Poster: 

Healing Futures Poster (5)

 

Further Context:

This was my third semester working with Healing Futures in the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project. This program aims to focus on connecting with youth to teach them the importance of accountability and engagement with their community. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office sends eligible cases to the Healing Futures team and if the capacity and resources are there (often a challenge with non-profits such as this), the responsible youth (demeaning language is avoided) will be enrolled and immediately begin meeting with a team of two facilitators. We then connect with the person harmed (notice the dignifying language) to begin making connections and assisting them with their needs throughout the process. By the end of the sessions, the responsible youth will have written an apology letter and have been prepared to share it with the person harmed at their Restorative Community Conference. This conference utilizes the indigenous circle process, highlighting the importance of creating an intentional space. Using restorative and transformative practices, facilitators guide the circle and provide people a chance to share how this impacted them or caused harm. All involved will then create a restorative plan that the responsible youth typically spend 4-8 weeks completing.

Throughout this entire process, we continue to provide transportation, food, or any other support (within our means) needed in order for them to be successful. Once completed, there is a community celebration where we present a personalized award to honor the responsible youth (and occasionally the person harmed) for their strength and determination. This semester, I focused on gaining confidence in my facilitation skills through learning from the program manuals. I worked one on one with other facilitators to brainstorm how the current curriculum could be expanded or made more accessible and implemented new workshop materials. Guided by my mentors, I focused on the nature of healing connections and how programs that engage with the community help people to build ecosystems of care. I previously compared the youth in the program to seeds, reflecting the health of their environment and the things that pour into them.

If we continue to pour positive, confidence-building energy into the youth, they will learn to better care for themselves, which allows them to better care for their community. Through this, there is a reimagination of what community care can look like and hope beyond our current systems of accountability.

Olivia Kaplan, BMC, ’24

The Clearly Collective

Semester: Fall 2023

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: The Clearly Collective

Field Supervisor: Olivia Cleary

Praxis Poster: 

Cream Simplified Professional Portrait University Research Poster-3

 

Further Context:

Clearly Collective, a visionary custom silk scarf company, stands at the intersection of art, fashion, and architecture. This women-owned startup specializes in crafting exquisite silk scarves inspired by monumental architecture from any location. Each scarf is a canvas, meticulously designed to capture the essence and beauty of iconic landmarks, structures, and lifestyle; the Clearly Collective transforms these elements into wearable masterpieces. These intricate patterns, details, and motifs are thoughtfully curated and placed together to evoke a sense of connection and appreciation. The heart of the company lies in its commitment to
celebrating cultures, lives and memories through its designs. The scarves serve as a visual journey, showcasing the unique charm and significance of various locations.

As a college senior, the significance of real-world experience cannot be overstated. While academic knowledge forms a solid foundation, the transition from classroom learning to practical application is where true growth and readiness for the professional world occur. Real-world
experiences I have gained from working with The Clearly Collective have offered me invaluable insights into the complexities of various industries, providing me with the opportunity to apply problem solution and analysis skills to actual situations.

These experiences not only enhance problem-solving skills but also open up the world of opportunities ahead. The exposure to real-world challenges has instilled a sense of confidence and self-efficacy, empowering and strengthening my interests.

While working at the Clearly Collective, I have been given the opportunity to learn and grow in my academic and career interests. I have also been given the chance to be a member of a small team working to make a big impact. The ability to learn and grow with the company has offered exposure and skills unlike anything else I have experienced.

A large part of the work, besides working on designing scarves, has been a combined effort to learn client outreach, business development, and media skills. These expertise and trials ensure the development of effective and engaging content, enabling the company to offer unique and high-quality product and customer experience. Business development skills have been
fascinating, learning from a women-owned and founded company, how strategic growth, including market analysis, client acquisition, and partnerships building to expand the reach and impact of the brand. Meanwhile, media development play a pivotal role in crafting compelling
narratives, creating visually appealing content, and finding desired and few clients, continuing to grow platforms for marketing and brand building.

The Clearly Collective engages with its audience across various platforms, creating a community that shares a passion for art, fashion, and architectural marvels. As time goes on, the collective hopes to bring in more stories and memories of places: towns, neighborhoods, and communities, to create meaningful pieces anyone can enjoy.