Auriana Dunn

Thesis Title: Mammalian Baselines through Time in the Bear River Range: When Paleontology meets Wildlife Science

Auriana’s plan is to pursue graduate studies and a career in wildlife conservation and advocacy. She hopes to continue in wildlife and anthropological-related research and to further explore science communication. She is interested in better understanding the intersections of animal ecology and human culture to better inform conservation initiatives.

According to Auriana, “My experience with the Honors Program is what initially pushed me towards the interests that became my thesis topic. I was very lucky to have been a part of the Honors Ecology and Legacy study abroad for the summer after my freshman year. My experience in Patagonia, Argentina, completely cemented my interest in ecology, conservation and how social and physical sciences can be used together to understand them. The experience also has inspired me in bringing in the humanities perspective in sharing research, which I hope to incorporate as I continue to share my thesis research and into my future career.”

From Auriana’s Advsior

“I have had the privilege of mentoring Auriana while she developed and conducted her interdisciplinary research at the intersection of paleozoology and wildlife biology. Her research incorporates novel quantitative approaches to assess the impacts of anthropogenic climate change on animal species occurrence in Utah’s alpine ecosystems, which has implication for contemporary wildlife management and environmental restoration projects.”

Kasey Cole, Ph.D., College of Science

Max Lepore

Thesis Title: An Analysis of Social Class Representation in America

After graduation, Max will attend law school at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago. After completing his legal education, he hopes to first serve a federal clerkship and then go into private practice for a few years before transitioning into government work or academia in the long term.

Max explains, “The Honors Program improved every facet of my experience at the U. Whether I was growing with my classmates in small classes, working with an incredibly bright professor on a comprehensive research project or helping lead a class of first-year students through their entrances to college, my experiences in the Honors College helped me become a stronger student, professional and human being. I know I am more prepared for my future education, career and life because of the Honors College, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunities I have received over the last four years.”

From Max’s Advisor

“Max’s thesis examined the causes and consequences of the dearth of individuals with working class background among elected representatives in Washington and in state capitals across the country. Simply put, most of our lawmakers are quite wealthy and worked in high-paying white-collar professions before their election. Max wanted to understand how this skew in social class backgrounds affects our government and the representation Americans receive. I handed him a copy of Nicholas Carnes’s White Collar Government, and challenged him to come to me with an idea of how he could further our knowledge of this topic. He did not come back with one idea; he came with five—more than enough to complete a doctoral dissertation on the topic.”

James Curry, Ph.D., Department of Political Science