Hi there! I'm Nathan, a '27 from Lynn, MA (just outside Boston). I'm an intended Engineering Sciences Major and Studio Art Minor—I like to understand, design, and create things. I also love reading about history, writing, and photography (hence this blog). On-campus, I'm involved in the Triathlon Team, French Living Learning Community (LLC), and Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship. Explore my posts for an inside perspective of everything Dartmouth has to offer!
I took this class to explore the Biology Department and it ended up defining my freshman Fall. I grew close with other biology-minded students and together we delved deep into cellular mechanisms and processes in a fast-paced environment. The labs were long but rewarding and everything about this class made me a better scientist—Professor Bezanilla is an amazing teacher! I would recommend this class to anyone with a passion for biology and research.
“Who do I want to be?” is a question that I frequently ask myself as an undergraduate (and I’m sure you will as well). A good place to begin answering this question, however, is “Who am I ?” Taking Investigative Memoir as my first-year seminar allowed me to explore this question via personal reflection and expressive writing—something that has helped me frame my identity at Dartmouth with the rest of my life. College can be a surreal experience, but Professor Sharlet’s introduction to the world of creative nonfiction has given me the ability to transform my own perceptions into tangible, recorded stories.
As a kid I drew a lot; I was inspired by architectural books like “Pyramid” and “Castle” and fascinated by illustrations in “The Way Things Work.” All of these books are by the author David Macaulay—and I had the opportunity to take this very class with him! I completed weekly sketchbook exercises, worked on visually communicating inventions, and was able to receive personal feedback. The theme of visual illustration as a tool in engineering resonated strongly with me, inspiring my interest in an engineering major modified with studio art. Given my long relationship with his work, this class was truly a dream come true.
SummerAmherst, Massachusetts
I interned at a running biomechanics research lab in Amherst, MA, to explore my interests in kinesiology and running shoe design! I was able to self-fund the internship through a grant from the Dartmouth Center for Professional Development (CPD). I spent the rest of my summer reading, spending time with family, and took a trip to Quebec before returning to campus.
The first of a two-part series on classical mechanics, this class made physics refreshing and enjoyable. The content came primarily through lectures given by Professor Caldwell, who was extremely clear and made each class memorable with demonstrations, jokes, or historical tangents. The lab section, which involved hands-on physics experiments, reinforced my understanding of the material in a practical sense. I took this course as an engineering requirement, and I found it to be my favorite quantitative course thus far.
The Hood Museum of Art is Dartmouth's center for all things exhibition-related in the visual arts. With a large gallery space and one of the most extensive collections in the country, the Hood Museum—or "Hood" for short—provides students with unparalleled opportunities to learn about the creative process of artists, the act of displaying art, and understanding the meaning of art.
On a cold winter evening last week, I attended an opening by the photographer Cara Romero titled Panûpünüwüga, or Living Light. Romero is a renowned artist of the Chemehuevi tribe, and her work is widely recognized for exploring Native American and Indigenous experiences. I saw the event listed in a Hood email newsletter, and given that the exhibition is planned to run until mid-August, I knew this would be my chance to hear directly from the artist. When I arrived, the space was packed—everyone from students to local alumni to faculty and staff were present.
The opening reception began with remarks by President Beilock, followed by a statement from the curator, Jamie Powell, and finally, words from Cara Romero herself. What I took away from the statements was that Dartmouth is actively making efforts to expand its Native American art collection, and this exhibition was the culmination of an intensive collaboration between the Hood, Romero, and other Indigenous artists. Additionally, the Hood is hosting Romero's biggest show to date, setting a precedent for future Native American art exhibitions.
Romero's opening remarks in the Hood atrium
The exhibit itself spanned across a main gallery in the Hood and extended to a second level upstairs. Each photograph was intriguing and led me to consider how she pursued her photography practice. Romero used unique angles, perspectives, and timing in conjunction with digital editing to create powerful images that transcend normal photography. Her technique, combined with her thematic focus on the histories and lives of Indigenous peoples, made the exhibition more profound in its ability to prompt reflection in the viewer. As mentioned in a press release from the Hood, "this exhibition presents a thematic examination of Romero's complex and layered images, which celebrate the multiplicity, beauty, and resilience of Native American Art and Indigenous experiences."
Overall, the opening was another amazing opportunity to learn about the art world up close and personal—how exhibition openings function, how curation occurs, and how collaborative work between artists, curators, and museums can lead to artistic progress. I will be on the lookout for future exhibit openings, but in the meantime, I can keep busy through all the other ways the Hood engages students—including the museum club, a student-led collecting program, and seminars by visiting artists.
Having grown a little more accustomed to the single-digit temperatures in Fahrenheit, I decided to spend my three-day weekend participating in a campus-wide snowball fight.
The Lunar New Year festivities continue! Here's a photo gallery of Korean Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association's celebrations!
A weekend of embracing the cold and finding fun activities to do! From winning money at a game show to the Annual Snowball Fight, this weekend is a core memory of my experience with Dartmouth winters!
