Intern Spotlight: Izzy Ampil

Izzy Ampil is a rising sophomore considering a double major in Earth Systems and Art Practice. Since January, she has been working on Land Talk, led by Professor Deborah Gordon and Erik Steiner, co-director of the Spatial History Project. To her, Land Talk is mapping the world through interviews with people who have known a particular place for twenty years or more in order to present stories of changing environments in an accessible way. She is able to work on making this information accessible through telling the untarnished stories of ordinary people. 

 

During the winter and spring, Izzy focused on developing the project for greater outreach, redesigning the website to incorporate methods of categorization for different stories to make the site easier to navigate. She also worked on finding ways to integrate Land Talk into high school curricula, and this summer she is building on her research into curriculum standards by designing lesson plans with the help of CSET (Center to Support Excellence in Teaching). 

 

She is excited about helping to grow Land Talk as a storytelling platform by connecting with peers and mentors interested in travel and journalism. Outside of CESTA, Izzy spends her time drawing and painting, exploring the outdoors, and hanging out with friends who share those passions.