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Summer with the Crowbirds

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Seasons come and go, but memories last a lifetime. As Labor Day comes to a pass, we say goodbye to summer break and settle back into our academic institutions. From continuing existing projects to traveling outside the country, Crow researchers reminisce on all of the fun times we had this summer!

Dilger and his brother on the Banana River in Florida

Bradley Dilger worked with Naomi Islas and Sarah Buwick to catch up on Crow work after a challenging first half of 2024. Dilger traveled for two memorials for two close friends (including Crow alum Bill Hart-Davidson) which was difficult, but a time to connect with friends and family. Earlier in the summer, Dilger celebrated the high school graduation of his oldest daughter, Madelyn. Now, Dilger is helping with web development, Sarah and Naomi’s SIGDOC 2024 poster (more to come on that soon), and more.

Michelle sailing in Dublin
Michelle attending a family wedding (at a castle!)

Michelle McMullin ventured to Ireland for a wedding and summer camp family reunion. Now, Michelle is working with the CDW team to summarize current research to present at SIGDOC 2024, and to submit an article for publication this fall. She is also working with Lisa Melonçon and Val Smith on a collection of research narratives to help new researchers better understand the actual practice of research in technical communication.

Hui at the top of the Beehive trail at Acadia National Park

Hui Wang spent her summer traveling with family and friends to Boston, Mt. Washington, and Acadia National Park during the summer. Looking to fall now, Hui will continue working with Dr. Shelley Staples to draft and revise her dissertation Corpus-based Pedagogy in Undergraduate L2 Writing Courses: Effectiveness, Engagement and Instructors’ Understanding. Outside of Crow, she has been working with University of Arizona Writing Program to edit a new version of textbook for first-year writing courses and collaborating with graduate students across institutions on AI for STEM education.

Anh and her partner at the famous lookout at Yosemite National Park

This summer, Anh Dang went on a road trip to multiple national parks in California with her family and friends. Notable stops she visited included Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Pinnacles, and Yosemite! Currently, Anh is working on analyzing her data for her dissertation Corpus-based Materials Implementation in Writing Classrooms: Teachers’ Experiences, Perceptions and Training Initiatives. In addition to this work, she is working with Dr. Shelley Staples and Dr. Randi Reppen on the AY24-25 Crow Fellows Program.

Sarah and her family at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400

Over the summer, Sarah Buwick continued work on web development with Ola Swatek and worked on a research poster for SIGDOC ’24 with Naomi Islas. She also helped with de-identification for the Crow corpus. Outside of Crow work, Sarah (finally!) got back into reading and spent time with friends and family this summer. She attended the Brickyard 400 and visited the NFL Hall of Fame to attend the 2024 Hall of Fame Game. This fall, Sarah is continuing webwork and her research poster.

Naomi and her sister, Sara, as Sara graduates with her Bachelor’s in education from IUI

Naomi Islas worked alongside Sarah Buwick on their 2024 SIGDOC research poster and extended abstract, later to be presented in October. She also helped with de-identifying files for the corpus, and revved up for the next round of applications for funding opportunities with Bradley Dilger. Naomi’s summer break included celebrating her sister’s college graduation and traveling to visit family in Iowa.