Traveling scientist pursues Ph.D.

Imagine studying baleen whale populations in the Falkland Islands or the endangered colonies of sea lions in New Zealand. Based on her scientific research papers from these exact travels, Veronica Frans ’07 recently received the Michigan State University Enrichment Fellowship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue a Ph.D. at Michigan State University.

Her first experience with traveling the globe began at Messiah. With a dual major in environmental science and French, Frans also minored in Spanish. As an undergrad, she studied abroad five times, traveling to Belize, Ecuador, France, India and Guadeloupe.

I wouldn’t have been able to do as much as I did if I attended any other school,” said Frans. “I was also blessed to have an incredible mentor, [Professor Emeritus of Biology and Environmental Science] Joseph Sheldon, who has encouraged me and supported me through every step of my career, from my first day at Messiah to now.

After graduating from Messiah, she worked as a fisheries observer for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Alaska, spending 30-60 days at a time at sea.

“It’s amazing to see such an expanse of water on all sides,” she said, “watching a pod of intelligent killer whales feed off the catch four or five feet from where I’m standing! It’s all amazing, scary, beautiful and powerful.”

The flexibility of the job allowed her to complete two master’s degrees through a dual-degree program at Georg-August University Gottingen in Germany and Lincoln University in New Zealand. Though most of her studying was spent in Germany, she also interned for a semester in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Dolphin Conversation Society.

Although she’ll be studying in Michigan for the next five years, don’t expect her to stay in one place for long.

The NSF offers a Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) program, so I can do a year of research abroad, if I wish,” said Frans. “There will also be chances to attend international conferences and workshops. My group—the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability—also does research abroad. If I come up with a good plan, maybe I’ll end up in China for my project—or somewhere else!

— Emily Koontz ’20