Nature

Environmental Listening: An Intro to Acoustic Ecology

A photo of Hildegaard Westerkaamp smiling as she records a camel in the desert.

The second week of my freshman year, my professor took our class on a soundwalk, which is the practice of deep listening to the environment during a walk. Each member of our class had come to the Performing Arts Technology department from different disciplines, hoping to learn more about sound for film, music production, and recording techniques; we had not … Read More

Nature Rx – How Nature Can Make You a Healthier, Happier You!

Tree in the ross courtyard in winter

Nervous for Winter? We all live in Michigan and as we all know, Michigan winters can be cold and long! With less sunlight and less green, we miss the freedom of summer and warmer weather. But did you know that nature, something we see everyday as we commute to campus, can help you through these winter months? Research done here … Read More

Spring Into an Ann Arbor Summer

It’s finally spring! After bearing through the brutality that is a Michigan winter, I think everyone deserves congratulations and a green, sunny day. The weather (although inconsistent) is starting to feel warm and refreshing, but final exam season might be bringing back feelings of bitter cold, so practicing self-care and resilience are more important than ever!  To help you in … Read More