Graduate Writing Fellow
Contact
stigges@bu.edu
Happy to meet in person or on Zoom upon request!
Education
PhD Candidate in Earth and Environment
2025 M.A. Boston University (Earth and Environment)
2018 B.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences)
Classes taught
WR 120 Art/Science Intersections
In this class, we examine the similarities between art and science by discussing how both disciplines are creative practices that we can use to better understand our world and ourselves. Together, we learn about the development of the Western concepts of art and science to better understand how these fields came to be separated from one another. We question this perception of art and science as opposites by looking at examples of synergistic combinations of these practices from different places and times. All backgrounds and levels of experience with art and science are welcome in this class! Our goal is to learn from one another so that we can appreciate our ways of viewing the world and expand our perspectives by sharing with each other.
WR 153 Art for Environmental Inquiry
In this class, we learn about the intersections of environmental justice, citizen science, and science communication by planning and performing our own local environmental research projects. We start by learning about the process of scientific research, considering whether our methods for building knowledge are equitable. Then, we use this understanding of scientific inquiry to examine environmental phenomena in our own projects, which we work on throughout the semester. We focus on observation through drawing and writing, which helps us to collect our data and interpret its meaning. Finally, we create a graphic narrative piece to communicate our experiences with our research projects, detailing our interest in our topics and explaining our findings in the form of a short comic. All backgrounds and levels of experience with art and science are welcome in this class! Our goal is to understand how we build environmental knowledge and share it with others.
Biography
Sophia is a coastal geomorphologist, which means that they observe how coastal landscapes change over time and identify the processes behind that change. For their research in Earth and Environment, they work locally in Massachusetts to examine how saltmarshes and beaches are responding to sea level rise. Sophia has a deep love for science but, like many people, has had way too many negative experiences with it. In class, they are excited to create a supportive learning environment that encourages curiosity and invites other people to love science. Sophia is also an artist and enjoys making comics to communicate their geologic research with others. Outside of BU, Sophia knits, crochets, sews, cooks, bakes, draws, sings, reads, goes for walks, loves cats and plants, and takes many naps.