An experiment in “academic chemistry” is underway at 亚色影库.
This year marks the launch of the Fusion Fellows Program, an initiative designed to pull students out of their specific departments and into the real world to solve complex problems through collaboration.
The program was made possible by a gift from 亚色影库 alumni Tim and Deb Cejka, Class of 1973.
This donation supports the program for its first five years, creating a bridge between the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs.
By pairing students from vastly different disciplines, the program aims to create projects that are truly greater than the sum of their parts.
Here are the projects:
From the Lab to the Lens
The team of Serena Aumick and Riley Whiskeyman is proving that science and storytelling go hand-in-hand.
Aumick is a biology/pre-vet major from Tunkhannock, and Whiskeyman is a Shillington native majoring in communications media. Their mission? To document high-stakes conservation efforts in the Bay Islands of Honduras.
While Serena provides the scientific backbone—focusing on the endangered Utila Spiny-tailed Iguana and local bat populations—Riley is capturing the narrative on film. Together, they are showing how media production can bridge the gap between technical research and public awareness, turning field data into a compelling documentary.
Unearthing Johnstown’s Hidden Heritage
Meanwhile, closer to home, another team is digging into the “lost” history of western Pennsylvania. Madilyn House, an applied archaeology master’s student from Orbisonia, and Jocelyn McCray, an applied anthropology and history student from Franklin, are examining the Laurel Hill Settlement near Johnstown.
Dating back to the 1820s, the site was a mostly Black settlement that has since been abandoned and erased from the map. The pair is using a high-tech “fusion” of ground-penetrating radar and oral history. By matching underground scans of farmhouse foundations with the personal stories of local descendants, Madilyn and Jocelyn are bringing a nearly forgotten piece of local history back to life.
About the Fusion Fellows:
Serena Aumick
How did you become interested in the Fusion Fellows Program?
Dr. (Kelly) Heider (associate vice provost for Libraries and Research Support Services) shared the opportunity with me. From there, I began brainstorming ways to incorporate my field with another.
What do you hope to gain by being in it?
I hope to reach a large audience with the incredible conservation work being done on the Bay Islands of Honduras!
If your project is a huge success, what is something you hope people walk away knowing?
I hope people walk away knowing more about the importance of wildlife conservation and why they should care.
How has being a Fusion Fellow changed how you think about your future career?
It has given me more insight into how different professions are deeply intertwined, and that when they are combined, they can create a greater product or reach a vaster audience. I will be sure to utilize this knowledge in my future career.
Riley Whiskeyman
How did you become interested in the Fusion Fellows Program?
I was introduced to the program by Professor (Stephanie) Keppich (Department of Communications Media), and she explained what it was and what our project would be. After that, I asked lots of questions and decided that being a part of this program would be a great step for my career.
What do you hope to gain by being in it?
I hope to gain valuable experience and skills that will set me apart in the future. Having the experience from our project will forever be something I’ll hold in high esteem. I also hope this program will help me gain more confidence so I can continue working on incredible projects like the ones we have through the program.
If your project is a huge success, what is something you hope people walk away knowing?
I hope people walk away knowing that any dream or goal you have is achievable if you put your mind to it. Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams, wherever they might lead you. Just put the effort in and let people help you when you need it. When it comes to bringing attention to important subjects, doing your research and creating a plan are the best first steps. After that, you have to trust the process and the work being put into it.
How has being a Fusion Fellow changed how you think about your future career?
It has opened my eyes to a whole world of opportunities. Before this project, I didn’t quite know the bounds of what I could do with my future degree, but now that I’m involved in this program, I know that those bounds are much wider than I originally thought. It’s made me realize that I don’t have to shrink my ambitions to make them realistic. My confidence is growing, and I’m thinking about my future career from a new perspective.
Madilyn House
How did you become interested in the Fusion Fellows Program?
My professors, Dr. (Ben) Ford and Dr. (Bill) Chadwick (Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences), introduced me to it. They knew of my interest in archaeological geophysics and thought this would be a great opportunity to combine it with oral history and archival work. The interdisciplinary nature of the Fusion Fellows Program is inspiring, and I am looking forward to collaborating with Jocelyn to uncover more about the Laurel Hill Settlement!
What do you hope to gain by being in it?
I hope to gain experience conducting both geophysics and oral history research. I am looking forward to honing my geophysics skills and sharing them with Jocelyn. Oral history and archival research are new to me, so I am excited to learn new skills and techniques from Jocelyn.
If your project is a huge success, what is something you hope people walk away knowing?
Through this research, we will be uncovering information about the settlement that has been lost to time. If this project is a huge success, I hope that people walk away knowing more about the Laurel Hill Settlement and the importance of interdisciplinary research.
How has being a Fusion Fellow changed how you think about your future career?
It has helped solidify my professional interest in archaeological geophysics. While I came to 亚色影库 with an interest in geophysics, taking part in this project and seeing the impact that geophysics can have in an archaeological context has further inspired me to pursue it as a career.
Jocelyn McCray
How did you become interested in the Fusion Fellows Program?
It was introduced to me by one of our group’s three faculty mentors. I took Dr. (Erin) Conlin’s Oral History class in the fall 2025 semester. She approached me and two other students in the class about the possibility of applying for the new program, alongside a graduate student. Ultimately, the other students didn’t think it was a good fit for them, and I went on to team up with Madilyn to draft our proposal. The proposal drafting process was an excellent way for us to synergize and realize how well we worked together. Being chosen as one of two inaugural groups for the program felt like our teamwork and the strength of our project were being fully acknowledged.
What do you hope to gain by being in it?
There is so much to gain by participating in this program. Even the initial proposal drafting stage underwent multiple rounds of revision with feedback from our advisors. I came away thinking that even if we were not selected, the process was valuable. Once we were chosen, we immediately started planning our roadmap of deadlines and goals. The tools we established at the start are still being used and have helped manage all the opportunities that have come our way, such as being interviewed by a local Johnstown news program. Our final product and speaking at the 2027 亚色影库 Scholars Forum will undoubtedly be another wonderful experience.
If your project is a huge success, what is something you hope people walk away knowing?
Not only do I hope this project is a success for our own efforts, but also as a way to show our thanks to all the people who have and will support us in completing it. This project is very personal to many people because it tells the story of a family. I want the people who see it to know that these incredible disciplines may sound technical and unapproachable, but they can be used in extraordinarily compassionate ways. It is also my hope that this project will shed light on and inspire people to explore these smaller, more specific disciplines.
How has being a Fusion Fellow changed how you think about your future career?
Being a Fusion Fellow has already given me opportunities I would never have expected for myself a year ago. The work we’re doing is so interesting, and I know these skills being reinforced throughout the process will be enormously helpful in pursuing my future career. Gaining real-world experience has really opened my eyes to the many jobs I could pursue.