JANS – Jackson State University senior Kevia Miles found her calling during the International Collaborative Experiences to Track Arctic LaKe Systems (ICE TALKS) fellowship program. Miles worked alongside graduate students and scientists from around the world to study global warming and conduct field research throughout Europe. Participants received a stipend and all-expenses paid.
“What’s really on my heart now is doing environmental science research and seeing the effects of the environment on the human body. This is what I love,” said the biology major. “It’s so peaceful being out in nature.”
Prior to her fellowship in Europe, Miles was set on becoming a doctor and pursuing cancer research. Now, she says environmental science is her new passion. She credits her freshly discovered interests to God and that she conveniently broke her phone within week one of the internship.
“I think God did it on purpose because I’m so used to being on my phone. I had nothing but peace and tranquility and was focused on my work. I was like, ‘Lord, I’m this into it that I don’t even need my phone. This is for me’.”
ICE TALKS is a program via the University of New Hampshire (UNH) designed to foster the scientific and professional development of students studying the Arctic Earth system under thawing conditions. The program is in collaboration with international faculty, including scientists from Stockholm University (SU) and UNH faculty co-mentors, and is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Over the course of eight weeks in Denmark and Sweden, Miles and fellow researchers spent up to eight hours a day hiking icy mountain landscapes and trekking chilling bodies of water to gather foliage and sediment samples of native plants, such as various species of salix. Research and lab work was conducted at the Tarfala Research Station, an SU field station, and Abisko National Research Station in Abisko National Park.
Miles says that though the days were long, she was also exposed to Sweden’s culture and traditions, such as fika. Fika is a daily ritual in Swedish culture, often translated as “coffee and cake break,” prioritizing to pause, relax, and socialize with family or friends.
“In Sweden, you had to walk everywhere. Everybody was either walking or had a bike. They also do nothing but hike. They keep themselves fit, and then they eat good food,” said Miles, who tried reindeer for the first time while in Sweden. “The fruit was so good over there. I was eating berries off of the ground, and my skin was just glowing.”
Dr. Naira A. Ibrahim, an assistant professor of Environmental Science in the Department of Biology, mentors Miles and recommended her for the internship due to her academic performance and natural curiosity.
“She’s very smart, and she always works very hard. She wants to learn a lot, and that’s why I chose her. She’s very excited to gain more experience in the field of environmental science and plant science,” said Ibrahim. “We want to continue this collaboration so students can travel to New Hampshire and another university to learn more and present. This is an important thing. We need the students to represent Jackson State in other places, such as conferences and meetings.”
Since her time in Europe, Miles has been presented with a full ride to graduate school at the University of New Hampshire and a chance to present her research findings at the 2024 Annual Biomedical Research Conference For Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in November, and the annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in December 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Ibrahim says that other students within the department are now eager and excited to travel abroad and join in more internship opportunities.
“This was my first time out of the country and traveling abroad. It was a really good experience for me to step outside the box because, at first, I was scared to go, so I really took a leap of faith going over there,” said Miles. “Now, since I took the opportunity, it’s been so many doors opening for me. Imagine if I would have just stayed stuck in the same mindset of being afraid to take that leap of faith.”
Samples collected during the internship will be further analyzed by experts at Jackson State University and the University of New Hampshire to determine levels of heavy metals in vegetation and wildlife, ultimately determining how global warming is impacting ecosystems around the world. Through these studies, researchers hope to reduce carbon in the atmosphere and control the changes in climate.
Miles, Ibrahim, and JSU’s Department of Biology expressed gratitude to Dr. Julie Bryce, director of The Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education at UNH, and Dr. Ruth Varner, professor of biogeochemistry at UNH, for the opportunity.
