The Radford University girls lacrosse roster is stacked from top-to-bottom with student-athletes that excel in the classroom.
Lacrosse player Brittany Rinaldi spent the summer in Yellowstone National Park and other Wyoming parks as part of interesting Radford University field work.
Each and every one of them starred on their high school teams and many of them have already made an impact on the collegiate playing field. But only one Highlander can say she has used her talents to study… trees.
That’s right, redshirt junior midfielder Brittany Rinaldi took an unforgettable trip to Cody, Wyoming this summer to attend the North American Dendroecological Fieldweek (NADEF) with Radford University.
“I attended the conference with my professor, Dr. Maxwell, and two other students from Radford,” Rinaldi explained. “Tommy Callahan and I were the only ones selected from the Geospatial Sciences major actually. It was a huge honor to be selected because I know Dr. Maxwell is very passionate about this field of science.”
The trio of students, alongside Dr. Maxwell, stayed at the A.L. Mickelson Field Station in Cody, Wyoming and conducted field work in the beautiful areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park for 10 days in July.
Their goal was to gain a better understanding on dendrochronology which is the study of tree rings in order to date trees and reconstruct past climatic conditions in an area or region. By making these reconstructions, scientists can use the data to predict future climate patterns.
“In addition to the actual scientific work, we learned a lot about how to effectively work with a group of people in a short period of time,” continued Rinaldi. “We had to gather and analyze our data, write a research paper and present our findings. It was a very rigorous, but very rewarding experience.”
What makes Rinaldi’s drive to learn so impressive is her ability to stay intrinsically motivated. In her first full season as a Highlander after transferring in from Army West Point, she posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was named to the IWLCA Honor Roll.
“I take a lot of pride in my academics. I really enjoy learning and gaining new knowledge and skills,” Rinaldi said. “I have a mindset where I want to learn as much as I possibly can and I want to fully immerse myself in every opportunity.”
Radford University does whatever it can to open new doors to its students. Whether it’s study abroad, student exchange or professional development programs, Highlanders are often afforded the opportunity to experience new things all over the world. In Rinaldi’s case, her experience this summer began while making connections with her professors.
“I hope to work for a conservation organization and help solve the major environmental problems of the world,” Rinaldi said of her post-graduation aspirations. “My major allows me to utilize technology to work towards solving these problems. I’m extremely grateful for everything Radford has given me and for the relationships I’ve built with some outstanding professors in the Geospatial Sciences Department.”
Rinaldi and her classmates left an impression at NADEF and were awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. As part of the fellowship, they will be asked to elaborate on their projects in an independent study before presenting at a national conference.
“I just have so much passion for nature and the environment. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to conduct research and to do what I love which is being outdoors and in nature.”
To learn more about the North American Dendroecological Fieldweek, checkout www.Nadef.com.
–RU Athletics
