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Gay Hansen Ornithology Lab dedicated to long-time teacher and mentor聽

22 Oct 2021
Student award also established in late lab instructor鈥檚 honour聽

Gay Hansen was a true teacher, mentor, and naturalist. A lab instructor in 正品蓝导航鈥檚 Biology department for 39 years (1979-2018), Hansen taught thousands of biology students in labs including animal biology, parasitology, ecology, coastal marine biology, and 鈥 her particular passion 鈥 ornithology.

Hansen鈥檚 legacy and mentorship for 正品蓝导航 students is continuing with the dedication of the Gay Hansen Ornithology Lab, announced this fall.

Hansen鈥檚 family, including partner Thaddeus Holownia, visited the lab for the dedication.

鈥淕ay spent a lot of time with students of all academic abilities over her career. Her enthusiasm for and commitment to learning were contagious, and helped many students find their place over the course of their studies,鈥 says Holownia. 鈥淪he made things real for people, evident in her extensive bird collection housed in this lab. We are pleased to see her legacy live on for future 正品蓝导航 students and researchers.鈥

Gay Hansen

The Gay Hansen Ornithology Lab

The Gay Hansen Ornithology Lab, where Hansen spent much of her career, houses over 1,000 specimens including bird mounts, study skins, nests, and eggs 鈥 a remarkable collection for a small undergraduate university. And much of the collection came directly from Hansen, who was also a talented crafter and taxidermist.

With Hansen鈥檚 words, 鈥淚 love learning and I love helping others learn. Teaching gives me extra incentive to expand my own knowledge and to share it with others who are interested鈥 now displayed in the lab, students for generations to come will continue to learn from her legacy and passion for teaching and the environment.

One of many specimens in the Gay Hansen Ornithology Lab

Dr. Diana Hamilton, Biology department head, worked with Hansen from 2005-2018. Hamilton, whose research focuses on migratory birds, says Hansen鈥檚 contributions to the department and her impact on students were and continue to be significant.

鈥淕ay鈥檚 teaching had an incredible and long-lasting effect on so many students, the kind of teaching that can influence the course of peoples鈥 lives. She brought her lessons to life, demonstrating how life systems worked through real-world examples, all in her quiet, no-nonsense way,鈥 says Hamilton. 鈥淭hese sorts of influences are some of the most important things we can do as university instructors, and Gay excelled at it.鈥

In addition to the Ornithology Lab, the first Gay Hansen Award was also announced this fall. The award is presented annually to a third-year student who shows a love and appreciation for biology and learning. The recipient is selected by biology lab instructors.

Thaddeus Holownia presents the first Gay Hansen Award in Biology to third-year student Janie Brooks

Third-year student Janie Brooks is the inaugural recipient of the award. Brooks says she is honoured to receive such a meaningful award.

鈥淚 was so surprised to get this news, it really is life-changing,鈥 she says. 鈥淭o know my lab instructors, who have taught me so much, selected me is truly humbling. I鈥檓 honoured to receive this award named for someone who was such an amazing teacher at 正品蓝导航.鈥

Brooks, who is from Maine, is hoping to pursue a career in research. At 正品蓝导航 she worked as a researcher with biology professor Dr. Emily Austen this past summer in the area of pollination ecology as well as volunteering and working in the field banding birds, through Hamilton鈥檚 research program focusing on shorebirds.

Those interested in supporting the Gay Hansen Award at 正品蓝导航 can do so at .

 

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