Research

Research Interests

My primary research interests relate to the effectiveness of interpretation at provoking audiences to care about their environment by affecting their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. I am especially interested in the effectiveness of various interpretive techniques (e.g., hands-on activities, novelty, serendipitous experiences) and elements of interpretive program design (e.g., interpretive themes, dialogic interpretive methods) to inspire these changes.

Effects of Thematic interpretive Day Camp programming on Children's Environmental Attitudes

(Thesis Research; September 2022-June 2024)

Conducted research on the effects of thematic interpretive programming on children's environmental attitudes
Planned and led two eight-day interpretive summer day camps developed using research-supported best practices for non-formal education programs (June & July 2023)
Surveyed participants on their environmental attitudes before and after the program and conducted interviews to identify attitude changes and effective techniques
- - Pre- and post-program surveys were compared using Wilcoxon Signed-ranks test
  - Interviews and educator memos were open coded to identify common themes
Presented findings at :
- - Public presentation (April 2024)
  - National Association for Interpretation Heartland Regional Conference (April 2024)
  - National Association for Interpretation Great Lakes Regional Interpretive Workshop (March 2024)
  - Coalition for Education in the Outdoors Research Symposium (January 2024)
  - Midwest Environmental Education Conference (November 2023)
Findings written and published in:
- - Journal of Interpretation Research (March 2026)
  - Master's Thesis (June 2024)

A young man with a mustache and glasses reading from a sheet of paper.

Administering the Children's Environmental Perceptions Scale during the day camp program. Photo by Jim Buchholz.

A young man with a mustache and wearing a shirt and tie standing in front of a powerpoint presentation and gesturing to the slides.

Presenting thesis results to the public. Photo by Jim Buchholz.

Vegetation analysis of the rouge river floodplain of the University of Michigan-Dearborn

(Undergraduate Research; September 2018-December 2020)

University of Michigan-Dearborn Floodplain Inventory Analysis (September 2019-December 2020)

Combined analysis of data from Tree Inventory and Understory Vegetation Inventory
Additional analyses include soil composition analysis, groundwater level analysis
Presented research virtually through University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Arts, Science, and Letters (CASL) Virtual Undergraduate Research Presentation website (April 2020), Sigma Xi Virtual Student Scholars Symposium (May 2020), Sigma Xi Virtual Annual Meeting & Student Research Conference (November 2020), the Stewardship Network's 2021 Conference (January 2021), 2021 University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Symposium (April 2021), and University of Michigan-Dearborn Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Showcase (April 2021).
- - Co-awarded best undergraduate presentation in Ecology and Evolutionary Science category at 2020 Sigma Xi Virtual Annual Meeting & Student Research Conference
  - One of three winners of a $500 travel scholarship from 2021 University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Symposium

Vascular Plant Analysis of Ecosystems on the Rouge River Flooplain of the University of Michigan-Dearborn G. Bray.pdf

Poster for Sigma Xi Student Scholar Symposium (Presented on May 14, 2020)

University of Michigan-Dearborn Floodplain Understory Vegetation Survey (May 2019-September 2019)

Part of UM-Dearborn Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) grant for 2019
Identified and estimated percent coverage of understory vegetation (herbaceous plants, mosses, saplings, etc.) in ten, 200-square meter quadrats in various locations in the floodplain
- Measured and identified all woody plants >2 cm in diameter
- Estimated coverage in 10 random 1-square meter sections of each quadrat
- Correlated vegetation abundance and type to ground water levels
Presented findings at SURE Poster Session (September 2019)

A young man looking at the ground. There are three meter sticks on the ground making a square.

Estimating ground cover abundance and composition. Photo by Kaitlyn Tatro.

SURE poster.pdf

Research Poster (September 2019)

University of Michigan-Dearborn Floodplain Tree Inventory (September 2018-April 2019)

Identified and measured the circumference of all trees >30 cm in circumference or of novel species in the UM-Dearborn Environmental Study Area floodplain (September 2018-February 2019)
Calculated relative dominance and relative frequency for all species identified.
Presented findings at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Showcase in April 2019

A young man and a young woman measure a large tree with a tape measure.

Measuring a Northern Red Oak with Kate Truitt. Photo by Dr. Orin Gelderloos.

NSCIposter Gelderloos Res1.pdf

Research poster (Presented on April 19, 2019)

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