While most college students enjoy their summers relaxing with friends and family while holding a fun part-time job or an internship, professors often work on projects ranging from book-writing to lab research. During these summer months, professors commonly use their free time to advance their careers in creative — and usually time-consuming — ways.
Biology professor Judith Eisen said she uses extra time in the summer months for ongoing research projects.
Eisen, whose focus is cell and developmental biology, spent her summer at the University conducting complicated lab research. The purpose behind these labs was to learn more about embryonic development of the nervous system. Eisen said she likes continuing her work during the summer months because she has more available time than during the academic year.
While some University professors spent the summer break close to campus, others left town to pursue projects.
Ellen Campbell, an associate professor as well as horn player at the University’s School of Music, spent her summer months in Michigan performing in the Fontana Music Festival, a chamber ensemble group that meets annually at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Campbell said she feels that her personal time spent performing helps her in teaching throughout the academic year.
“Any time you perform it’s a learning situation,” she said.
Jane Dawson, an assistant professor in the political science department, used the summer to launch a book project after winning a University research award.
Dawson said she hopes the finished project will show how environmentalism and certain ethnic, racial and religious identities go together.
“Everyone has their own identity,” Dawson said.
She said her work shows that people do not have to have the same ideas in order to create a better global environment.
Dawson, who is the author of “Eco-Nationalism,” finished her research during the summer and is currently writing about her findings. She is taking this fall term off to write the first three chapters of what will eventually be a six-chapter book, and plans to complete the project during the summer and fall of 2001.