About
Karinne Tennenbaum is a junior in Saybrook College pursuing a BS in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology on the Biodiversity and Environment track. She fell in love with birds in second grade after participating in a Science Olympiad's "Feathered Friends" event. In high school, she flew into ornithology: founding her high school's birding club, creating a novice birding podcast, volunteering in bird rehabilitation, conducting research on the effect of lead on songbirds after the Flint Water Crisis, and more. At Yale, she has had diverse research experiences, including microfossil fish teeth, hummingbird structural coloration, Ranavirus epidemics, and secondary succession. Her work has taken her to the Yale-Myers Forest, Chile's Cape Horn, and Panama's Barro Colorado Island, where she garnered an interest in tropical bird communities. Beyond the lab, Karinne is an active member of the Yale Ballroom Dance Team and Yale Club Jump Rope. You can often find her playing Catan, strumming a guitar, or dashing on the pickleball court.
Molly Hill is a senior in Grace Hopper majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She has been a birder since high school, and has studied ornithology with Richard Prum throughout her time at Yale. Her research interests include bird social behavior and vocal cultures, particularly in parrots. As a birder, she is never happier than when standing on a hill hawkwatching or standing in a parking lot looking at gulls.
Julien Amsellem is a sophomore in Silliman College studying Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. He’s had passion for birds since age six, when his first Pileated Woodpecker, seen on a brisk March day outside his house, was all the convincing he needed to become a serious birder. In the 13 years since, Julien’s fervor for ornithology has only grown. He conducted two research projects on Northeastern birds, one examining the impact of ungulate overbrowsing on understory species’ populations and another on interspecific dominance hierarchies at feeders during breeding season. In search of his goal to see the world’s birds, he has traveled to the Sky Islands of Arizona, the prairies of Montana, the tropical rainforests of Panama and Costa Rica, and the scrub lowlands of Mexico. Locally, he continues to lead birdwalks for the Linnaean Society of NY, various Audubon Society chapters, and his hometown of Hastings-on-Hudson. Apart from birds, Julien can be found playing most racket sports, baking a tray of delightfully warm cookies, or engaging in a drawn-out board game with friends.
Yuyang is a senior in Silliman College pursuing dual majors in E&EB and Statistics. Having grown up in Shanghai, China, Yuyang started birding when she was attending high school in New England and now enjoys seeking new species for her life list on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Her favorite bird family to see is the Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae). As an assistant at the Peabody Museum, Yuyang is also passionate about bird taxidermy and using data to advocate for the protection of birds.
Anish Lakkapragada is a first-year in Branford College pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics. Anish picked up birding throughout high school in the Bay Area, CA and is excited to see East Coast birds during his time at Yale. When birdwatching, you can almost always find Anish with a camera -- Anish enjoys taking his photos and posting them on Unsplash for stock photography use. Anish's favorite bird to see is a plain ol' Blue Jay (for now). Outside of birdwatching, Anish enjoys napping (without an alarm) and lifting.