Student Spotlight: Jordan Spencer takes on international research in Poland
By: Brian Dunn August 16, 2023
Austin Peay State University (APSU) is home to many remarkable students, one of whom is Jordan Spencer — a dedicated and ambitious student pursuing an agriculture degree specializing in veterinary technology.
Rather than following the well-trodden path, Spencer ventured into the unknown. This 27-year-old student’s love for veterinary medicine led her to seek opportunities beyond Austin Peay, embarking on a transformative journey through international research in Poland this summer.
Spencer and five other Austin Peay College of STEM students spent several weeks over the summer in Europe, part of a three-year, $300,000 International Research Experience for Students (IRES) grant from the National Science Foundation that will send 18 Austin Peay over three years to universities in the Czech Republic, France and Poland. Five students went last summer.
‘Why would I let that stop me?’
A simple flyer piqued her interest in the IRES program. This was a stepping stone toward an enriching and transformative study-abroad journey to Poland, miles away from her husband’s military post and her comfort zone.
In Poland, embedded in an unfamiliar culture and education system, Spencer contributed to groundbreaking research in antibacterial glass – a field far from her veterinary specialization. She not only gained invaluable research experience but also the confidence to face academic challenges head-on.
Spencer worked with Ph.D. candidates, for example.
“Some of them have worked with this research for years, and I’m just coming in working for six weeks,” she said.
Far from being discouraged, this gap spurred her on.
“Being able to keep up and present work at the end of the research was pretty great for confidence building,” Spencer said. “It was a confidence-building research trip. That’s the one thing I can take away from this.”
The challenges she faced in Europe continued to push her.
Spencer plans to declare a second major — pre-veterinary medicine — in addition to studying agriculture with a concentration in veterinary technology. She also plans to expand her studies in biology, chemistry and physics.
“I thought, ‘Why would I let a few chemistry and physics classes stop me? If I can go to a foreign place and work with chemists, physicists and material scientists on stuff I’ve never even heard of, then I can do it here,’” she said.
‘Nobody gets to do this’
Spencer’s trip to Europe presented a fascinating blend of academic exploration and cultural immersion.
She described falling in love with Vienna, absorbing its rich history, and marveling at the stories embedded in each structure. The city’s blend of modernity and antiquity reshaped her perception of the world outside the United States.
“Every building has its own story, and every restaurant has been around for, you know, 50-plus years,” she said. “I gained a lot more from it than I thought I would. Traveling, tasting new foods, meeting new people and seeing history — I expected all of that. I didn’t expect the growth I would have from the experience.”
One of her trip’s cultural highlights was her communication experiences. Most people spoke English, which allowed her to engage in meaningful conversations with the locals, learning from their stories and exchanging insights about their respective cultures.
“It was great to kind of try and go back and forth with them on trying to learn how to speak Polish and then listening to some of their stories about how they grew up there and what schools there and then comparing it with schools here and how we grow up,” Spencer said.
All that she experienced and learned came to a head when she and Ariana Lovings were at Disney World in Paris. As they stood by the castle, emotion overcame them.
“We had one of those surreal moments — we traveled so much — we just kind of cried because it was one of those moments of ‘Wow,’” she said. “‘We are in Europe. We’ve traveled all over Europe. Nobody gets to do this.’”
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation International Research for Students (IRES) grant (Project No. NSF OISE-2106457).
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