Resilient furniture workshop at MIT’s D-Lab for MIT Resource Development
April 7, 2019

From left: Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
From left: Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Shooting for MIT's office of Resource Development, I photographed a weekend workshop for a small group of students to build "resilient furniture" at MIT's D-Lab. The furniture was designed to be quick to assemble and easy to stack individual units together. Thanks to Barbara and Marshall at MIT for calling me for the shoot. It's always such a pleasure to photograph activities like this!

Thanks to Hadley Green for assisting on the shoot.

Doreen Chin (freshman) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
From left: Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Tools hang on boards on the wall of the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019.
Tools hang on boards on the wall of the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019.
Tools hang on boards on the wall of the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019.
Doreen Chin (freshman) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
From left: Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
From left: Riddhi Shah (Research Associate) Myung Sun Kang (Recent Ph.D. recipient) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
From right: Ranu Singh (researcher) Leslie Yan (freshman) Doreen Chin (freshman) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Doreen Chin (freshman) Independent Activity Period (IAP) Pop-Up Resilient Furniture four-day workshop at the D-Lab workshop in MIT's building N51 in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on Sun., January 20, 2019. The finished furniture pieces were going to be installed in Grove Hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Dr. Michael Holick’s Lab and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome for Pro Publica
March 25, 2019

Dr. Michael F. Holick examines a woman for symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. The woman's children were taken away after she was charged with child abuse when a whole body x-ray of her youngest child displayed a fractured humerus, two fractured ribs, and a hyperextended knee, which were determined to be non-accidental trauma. No injuries were found in the woman's other child, but the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took the woman's children away. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says would explain the child's bone trauma. Holick assess parents and relatives to look for a genetic predisposition to the syndrome. In addition to testing joint hypermobility, Holick also does a whole genome sequence of parents and relatives and looks at the white parts of their eyes (the sclera) for symptoms of the syndrome. Holick said that the woman was not instructed to give Vitamin D supplements to her baby, in line with recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and which might have mitigated risks of the child developing Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In this case, Holick says he believes the woman has the syndrome and that her child is likely to also have the syndrome, which might explain the baby's bone fractures. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D
A promotional poster for Dr. Michael F. Holick's book "The UV Advantage" rests in a corner of his office across the hall from his Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.

I spent a couple of hours with Dr. Michael Holick, a professor and researcher at Boston University, photographing an examination of a woman accused of child abuse and around his cluttered office and lab for ProPublica.

Holick is well-known from his research on Vitamin D--he was responsible for getting the nutrient added to orange juice sold in the United States--and relies on his own controversial theories on Vitamin D deficiency and connections to a rare disease called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome to testify on behalf of those accused of child abuse.

The article on Holick's work is well worth a read: The Child Abuse Contrarian. The piece was also published by the New Yorker.

A big thank you to Jillian at ProPublica for calling me for the assignment. I've always admired ProPublica's work from afar, and it was such a pleasure to get the chance to work with the organization.

Dr. Michael F. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Michael F. Holick uses the Beighton Score to assess a woman for joint hypermobility which is a symptom of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. The woman's children were taken away after she was charged with child abuse when a whole body x-ray of her youngest child displayed a fractured humerus, two fractured ribs, and a hyperextended knee, which were determined to be non-accidental trauma. No injuries were found in the woman's other child, but the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took the woman's children away. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says would explain the child's bone trauma. Holick assess parents and relatives to look for a genetic predisposition to the syndrome. In addition to testing joint hypermobility, Holick also does a whole genome sequence of parents and relatives and looks at the white parts of their eyes (the sclera) for symptoms of the syndrome. Holick said that the woman was not instructed to give Vitamin D supplements to her baby, in line with recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and which might have mitigated risks of the child developing Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In this case, Holick says he believes the woman has the syndrome and that her child is likely to also have the syndrome, which might explain the baby's bone fractures. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic
Dr. Michael F. Holick uses the Beighton Score to assess a woman for joint hypermobility which is a symptom of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. The woman's children were taken away after she was charged with child abuse when a whole body x-ray of her youngest child displayed a fractured humerus, two fractured ribs, and a hyperextended knee, which were determined to be non-accidental trauma. No injuries were found in the woman's other child, but the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took the woman's children away. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says would explain the child's bone trauma. Holick assess parents and relatives to look for a genetic predisposition to the syndrome. In addition to testing joint hypermobility, Holick also does a whole genome sequence of parents and relatives and looks at the white parts of their eyes (the sclera) for symptoms of the syndrome. Holick said that the woman was not instructed to give Vitamin D supplements to her baby, in line with recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and which might have mitigated risks of the child developing Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In this case, Holick says he believes the woman has the syndrome and that her child is likely to also have the syndrome, which might explain the baby's bone fractures. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic
Dr. Michael F. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here in his office across the hall from his Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
Bottles and knick-knacks fill a bookshelf in Dr. Michael F. Holick's office across the hall from his Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
DNA sampling equipment lays on a desk in Dr. Michael F. Holick's Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Michael F. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says may be related to Vitamin D deficiency. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center; and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Michael F. Holick collects DNA from a woman during an examination for symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Campus in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., July 27, 2018. The woman's children were taken away after she was charged with child abuse when a whole body x-ray of her youngest child displayed a fractured humerus, two fractured ribs, and a hyperextended knee, which were determined to be non-accidental trauma. No injuries were found in the woman's other child, but the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families took the woman's children away. Holick frequently testifies on behalf of parents in similar situations in cases where he believes the child has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which he says would explain the child's bone trauma. Holick assess parents and relatives to look for a genetic predisposition to the syndrome. In addition to testing joint hypermobility, Holick also does a whole genome sequence of parents and relatives and looks at the white parts of their eyes (the sclera) for symptoms of the syndrome. Holick said that the woman was not instructed to give Vitamin D supplements to her baby, in line with recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and which might have mitigated risks of the child developing Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In this case, Holick says he believes the woman has the syndrome and that her child is likely to also have the syndrome, which might explain the baby's bone fractures. Holick is a Professor of Medicine at Boston University, seen here He is known for his contributions to research on Vitamin D, including being part of the effort to get Vitamin D added to orange juice in the United States. Holick also holds positions as Professor in Physiology & Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit at Boston University Medical Campus; Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston Medical Center

Harvard Medical School partnership with Franklin Park Zoo for the New York Times
November 3, 2018

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. The veterinary team and Harvard Medical Student Wataru Ebina (right) prepare a red panda named Hoppy for intubation as the panda lays sedated on an examination table during a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 12, 2018. Assoc. Vet. Megan Watson (from left) and Harvard Medical Student Joseph Rosenthal examine a young Baird's Tapir named Ixchel while Lead Zookeeper Sarah Woodruff and Zookeeper Bethany Yates scratch and pet the animal to keep it calm during a routine examination and vaccination at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., April 12, 2018. The tapir was born on Jan. 1, 2018. Here, Watson looks at the animal's exterior while Rosenthal uses a stethoscope to listen to Ixchel's breathing. When regularly scheduled care with any animal such as this vaccination takes place, the veterinary team likes to take the opportunity to do a general physical exam to keep an eye on the animal's health and growth. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Joseph Rosenthal, who is doing the rotation in the final part of his time in medical school before his first residency. Rosenthal said that the last year of medical school is pretty open and that advisers told him to seek out unique opportunities that would "make me think differently about medicine." Rosenthal said, "I can't think of a better capstone experience." In his residency, Rosenthal will be focusing on neurology and the effects of aging on cognition. He said he sees this rotation at the zoo as a good opportunity to learn about aging animals. He also said, "It's just as hard to understand what's wrong sometimes in animals as in humans." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. Vet. Tech. Jessica Honeywell (from left, clockwise around table), Harvard Medical School student Wataru Ebina, Assoc. Veterinarian Alex Becket, and Assoc. Veterinarian Megan Watson, examine a red panda named Hoppy for a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. Vet. Technician Jean Orlando (right) adjusts a red panda named Hoppy on an exam table for an xray while Vet. Tech. Jessica Honeywell (left in blue) Assoc. Vet. Alex Becket (in green; rear from left), Assoc. Vet. Megan Watson, and Harvard Medical School student Wataru Ebina, look at an earlier xray during a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times

Earlier this year I spent a couple days inside Boston's Franklin Park Zoo's Veterinary Hospital for a New York Times story about the zoo's partnership with Harvard Medical School for an unusual fellowship opportunity for medical students. These students, all focusing on human medicine, spend a month at the zoo shadowing the veterinary team at the zoo to provide medical care to the zoo's animal population. As one of the students told me, it's not as outlandish as it might seem at first glance. The history of medicine is replete with examples of diseases or syndromes first discovered and treated in animal populations. Second, it's useful to treat patients who can't describe their syndromes because that is common in practicing human medicine. Third, there are idiosyncrasies in animal expressions of certain diseases that might inform future treatment methods in humans. Giraffes, I was told, have very high blood pressure, but don't suffer the sames sorts of illnesses associated with high blood pressure in humans.

This one was an absolute joy to photograph, but difficult due to the sensitive nature of the animals, low lighting in many of the environments, and speed with which the veterinarians worked as they attempted to minimize the impact they had on animals during their treatment.

Big thanks to Matt for calling me for the assignment and to the design team for the great presentation in print and online.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. An xray of a 24-year-old barnacle goose is seen on a screen during a check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. One of the goose's legs has been turning inward and the zoo's veterinary team were looking for signs of pain and further degeneration in the limb. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 12, 2018. Harvard Medical Student Joseph Rosenthal poses for a portrait in the Tropical Forest house at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., April 12, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Joseph Rosenthal, who is doing the rotation in the final part of his time in medical school before his first residency. Rosenthal said that the last year of medical school is pretty open and that advisers told him to seek out unique opportunities that would "make me think differently about medicine." Rosenthal said, "I can't think of a better capstone experience." In his residency, Rosenthal will be focusing on neurology and the effects of aging on cognition. He said he sees this rotation at the zoo as a good opportunity to learn about aging animals. He also said, "It's just as hard to understand what's wrong sometimes in animals as in humans." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. A monitor displays vital signs for a red panda named Hoppy during a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 12, 2018. Senior Zookeeper Jeff Prasnal (from left) and Lead Zookeeper Sarah Woodruff brush and scratch a male 29-year-old Baird's Tapir named Milton while Harvard Medical Student Joseph Rosenthal and Assoc. Vet. Megan Watson examine the back legs of the animal at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., April 12, 2018. The tapir had previously had cracks in the nails of it's rear feet and had been treated for the condition. Topical treatments have been discontinued and on this day, the team was checking to see how the animal was progressing. They noticed that the cracks seem to be growing out. The zookeepers said that tapirs are very tactile and that brushing and scratching like this is used to calm the animal down during routine care. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Joseph Rosenthal, who is doing the rotation in the final part of his time in medical school before his first residency. Rosenthal said that the last year of medical school is pretty open and that advisers told him to seek out unique opportunities that would "make me think differently about medicine." Rosenthal said, "I can't think of a better capstone experience." In his residency, Rosenthal will be focusing on neurology and the effects of aging on cognition. He said he sees this rotation at the zoo as a good opportunity to learn about aging animals. He also said, "It's just as hard to understand what's wrong sometimes in animals as in humans." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
Harvard Medical Student Wataru Ebina examines the paws of a red panda named Hoppy during a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. Medical equipment, including nail trimmers, are seen on a desk in the veterinary hospital at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. Harvard Medical School student Wataru Ebina (right) and Vet. Tech. Jessica Honeywell (second from right) examine a red panda named Hoppy during a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 15, 2018. Vet. Tech. Jessica Honeywell administers an anaesthesia reversal agent to a red panda named Hoppy after a routine 3-year check-up at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., March 15, 2018. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Wataru Ebina, who is in the MD-PHD program. In a check-up such as this one, medical students and veterinarians perform a range of tests and examinations on animals at the zoo, usually every 3 years unless the animal's health warrants more frequent care. The red panda's general health, heart function, motor range, ears, eyes, and paws were checked in addition to a blood draw. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 12, 2018. Harvard Medical Student Joseph Rosenthal (left) and Assoc. Vet. Megan Watson examine the exterior of a 20-year-old female spotted turtle named Wiggles in the veterinary hospital at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., April 12, 2018. The turtle had laid eggs in March 2018, but keepers thought that the turtle might have had more eggs growing. In addition to the exterior exam, the turtle was x-rayed and the veterinary team listened to its heartbeat with a doppler machine. No eggs were found during this examination. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Joseph Rosenthal, who is doing the rotation in the final part of his time in medical school before his first residency. Rosenthal said that the last year of medical school is pretty open and that advisers told him to seek out unique opportunities that would "make me think differently about medicine." Rosenthal said, "I can't think of a better capstone experience." In his residency, Rosenthal will be focusing on neurology and the effects of aging on cognition. He said he sees this rotation at the zoo as a good opportunity to learn about aging animals. He also said, "It's just as hard to understand what's wrong sometimes in animals as in humans." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 12, 2018. a 20-year-old female spotted turtle named Wiggles waits for an x-ray in the veterinary hospital at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on Thurs., April 12, 2018. The turtle had laid eggs in March 2018, but keepers thought that the turtle might have had more eggs growing. In addition to the exterior exam, the turtle was x-rayed and the veterinary team listened to its heartbeat with a doppler machine. No eggs were found during this examination. The zoo and Harvard Medical School partner for a 4-week rotation for medical students such as Joseph Rosenthal, who is doing the rotation in the final part of his time in medical school before his first residency. Rosenthal said that the last year of medical school is pretty open and that advisers told him to seek out unique opportunities that would "make me think differently about medicine." Rosenthal said, "I can't think of a better capstone experience." In his residency, Rosenthal will be focusing on neurology and the effects of aging on cognition. He said he sees this rotation at the zoo as a good opportunity to learn about aging animals. He also said, "It's just as hard to understand what's wrong sometimes in animals as in humans." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for the New York Times

Recent articles for World Press Photo Witness
October 11, 2018

I've continued writing for World Press Photo's Witness online publication over the past year, and it's been a great opportunity to talk with photographers and experts around the world. It's such an honor to contribute to a publication like this.

Here are links to the most recent pieces:

You can also follow me or Witness at Medium to get updates whenever a new piece is published.

Recent work for the Chronicle of Higher Education
October 5, 2018

Student parents at Endicott College

Audrey Hoelscher, 3, uses a highlighter to draw on the back of some of her mother Anna Grimes's, 21, classwork in the Bayview Hall dormitory apartment where they live at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. At left, pictures and toys in Audrey's room are visible. Anna is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. Both she and Audrey have rooms in the dorm apartment that they share with another mother and child. She has attended Endicott for the past 2 years, having transferred from Lakeland Community College in Illinois after earning an Associate's Degree. The family is part of the Keys to Degrees program, which helps young parents earn degrees by giving them a traditional college experience. At the community college in Illinois, Anna said that she didn't really fit in with the community. All she did, she said, was "wake up, take Aud to school, go to classes, go to work, and go home." At Endicott, living on campus in a dorm apartment shared with another mother and child, she says she can take Audrey to just about anything. "I feel part of the community. Audrey knows more people than I do," she said with a laugh. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Anna Grimes, 21, plays with her daughter Audrey Hoelscher, 3, in the Bayview Hall dormitory apartment where they live at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. Anna is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. Both she and Audrey have rooms in the dorm apartment that they share with another mother and child. She has attended Endicott for the past 2 years, having transferred from Lakeland Community College in Illinois after earning an Associate's Degree. The family is part of the Keys to Degrees program, which helps young parents earn degrees by giving them a traditional college experience. At the community college in Illinois, Anna said that she didn't really fit in with the community. All she did, she said, was "wake up, take Aud to school, go to classes, go to work, and go home." At Endicott, living on campus in a dorm apartment shared with another mother and child, she says she can take Audrey to just about anything. "I feel part of the community. Audrey knows more people than I do," she said with a laugh. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Anna Grimes, 21, plays a hide-and-seek game with her daughter Audrey Hoelscher, 3, in the Bayview Hall dormitory apartment where they live at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. Anna is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. Both she and Audrey have rooms in the dorm apartment that they share with another mother and child. She has attended Endicott for the past 2 years, having transferred from Lakeland Community College in Illinois after earning an Associate's Degree. The family is part of the Keys to Degrees program, which helps young parents earn degrees by giving them a traditional college experience. At the community college in Illinois, Anna said that she didn't really fit in with the community. All she did, she said, was "wake up, take Aud to school, go to classes, go to work, and go home." At Endicott, living on campus in a dorm apartment shared with another mother and child, she says she can take Audrey to just about anything. "I feel part of the community. Audrey knows more people than I do," she said with a laugh. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Anna Grimes, 21, and her daughter Audrey Hoelscher, 3, live in the Bayview Hall dormitory while Anna completes her undergraduate degree at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. Anna is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. She has attended Endicott for the past 2 years, having transferred from Lakeland Community College in Illinois after earning an Associate's Degree. The family is part of the Keys to Degrees program, which helps young parents earn degrees by giving them a traditional college experience. At the community college in Illinois, Anna said that she didn't really fit in with the community. All she did, she said, was "wake up, take Aud to school, go to classes, go to work, and go home." At Endicott, living on campus in a dorm apartment shared with another mother and child, she says she can take Audrey to just about anything. "I feel part of the community. Audrey knows more people than I do," she said with a laugh. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle

Portraits of MIT Media Lab Professor Mitchel Resnick

Mitchel Resnick is the LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research, Director of the Okawa Center, and Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Resnick recently published the book, "Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play" which discusses new technologies and strategies for engaging young people in creative learning.
Mitchel Resnick is the LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research, Director of the Okawa Center, and Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Resnick recently published the book, "Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play" which discusses new technologies and strategies for engaging young people in creative learning.
Mitchel Resnick is the LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research, Director of the Okawa Center, and Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Resnick recently published the book, "Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play" which discusses new technologies and strategies for engaging young people in creative learning.

No Boundary Thinking seminar at the University of Rhode Island with Prof. Bryan M. Dewsbury

Katelyn Cinquegrana (center; 24, senior, Writing and Rhetoric) speaks during a group presentation during a class called "What's the Big Idea," a No Boundary Thinking-style seminar class, at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island, on Thurs., April 19, 2018. The class is led by Bryan M. Dewsbury, an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences. Students in the class take on a single major cultural issue--this semester the subject is CRISPR genetic editing technology--and discuss possible problems and propose solutions through presentations and discussions. This group's presentation was about "Universal CRISPR Care," private- and tax-funded proposal to allow equal access to the technology. On this day, two groups gave presentations and Dewsbury and other students assessed their ideas and presentation techniques. Dewsbury is an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences. Credit: M. Scott Brauer for the Chronicle
Assistant Professor Bryan M. Dewsbury (left) speaks during a class called "What's the Big Idea," a No Boundary Thinking-style seminar class, at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island, on Thurs., April 19, 2018. Students in the class take on a single major cultural issue--this semester the subject is CRISPR genetic editing technology--and discuss possible problems and propose solutions through presentations and discussions. On this day, two groups gave presentations and Dewsbury and other students assessed their ideas and presentation techniques. Dewsbury is an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences. Credit: M. Scott Brauer for the Chronicle
Nazaret Suazo (right; 19, soph, Psychology) speaks during a group presentation during a class called "What's the Big Idea," a No Boundary Thinking-style seminar class, at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island, on Thurs., April 19, 2018. The class is led by Bryan M. Dewsbury, an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences. Students in the class take on a single major cultural issue--this semester the subject is CRISPR genetic editing technology--and discuss possible problems and propose solutions through presentations and discussions. This group's presentation was about the ethical issues surround CRISPR. On this day, two groups gave presentations and Dewsbury and other students assessed their ideas and presentation techniques. Dewsbury is an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences. Credit: M. Scott Brauer for the Chronicle
Bryan M. Dewsbury is an Assistant Professor in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Biological Sciences, photographed here near his office in the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences on the school's campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, on Thurs., April 19, 2018. Credit: M. Scott Brauer for the Chronicle

Portraits of Northeastern professor Suzanna Walters

Suzanna Walters is Professor of Sociology and Professor and Director of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Suzanna Walters is Professor of Sociology and Professor and Director of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Portraits of MIT Professor Daniel Jackson

Daniel Jackson is a Professor of Computer Science and MacVicar Teaching Fellow in the Software Design Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Daniel Jackson is a Professor of Computer Science and MacVicar Teaching Fellow in the Software Design Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Daniel Jackson is a Professor of Computer Science and MacVicar Teaching Fellow in the Software Design Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Jackson is an avid photographer and he is seen here with a photo he took of a server rack in the STATA Center, where his office is located.

The Past & Future of Prison Education at Harvard with Michelle Jones

Michelle Jones (in blue), who had been imprisoned for 20 years and is now a doctoral student at New York University after being denied entry at Harvard, speaks during a panel discussion, "The Past & Future of Prison Education at Harvard" in Sanders Theatre in Memorial Hall at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The panel included academics and prison activists from around the country. The panel was part of a three-day series of events on the campus called "Beyond the Gates: The Past and Future of Prison Education at Harvard." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Paul Henry Grice III (in red plaid), a former prisoner and the executive director of Liberation Literacy, speaks during a panel discussion, "The Past & Future of Prison Education at Harvard" in Sanders Theatre in Memorial Hall at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The panel included academics and prison activists from around the country. The panel was part of a three-day series of events on the campus called "Beyond the Gates: The Past and Future of Prison Education at Harvard." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Michelle Jones (in blue), who had been imprisoned for 20 years and is now a doctoral student at New York University after being denied entry at Harvard, takes part in a panel discussion, "The Past & Future of Prison Education at Harvard" in Sanders Theatre in Memorial Hall at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The panel included academics and prison activists from around the country. The panel was part of a three-day series of events on the campus called "Beyond the Gates: The Past and Future of Prison Education at Harvard." CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle
Rally-goers walk from Harvard Yard to Memorial Hall after a rally of University Hall for a Rally for Prison Education at Harvard at Harvard University in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Tues., March 6, 2018. The rally organizers said that the rally "aims to send a message to the Harvard administration that students want Harvard to offer mixed classroom college courses in Massachusetts prisons." It was part of a three-day series of events on the campus called Beyond the Gates: The Past and Future of Prison Education at Harvard. Later in the evening, a panel of speakers addressed prison education and incarcerations in a discussion entitled "The Past & Future of Prison Education at Harvard," in Sanders Theatre in Memorial Hall. CREDIT: M. Scott Brauer for The Chronicle

Portraits of Harvard sociologist Nathan Glazer

A miniature statue or puppet in the likeness of Nathan Glazer stands in his living room. The statue was made by Timothy Moynihan, the son of Glazer's collaborator and US Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Glazer couldn't remember Timothy's exact quote about the statue but said it was something like, "There are statues of Karl Marx everywhere, and none of Nathan Glazer!" Nathan Glazer is an sociologist, writer, and academic, who taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University. He is seen here, at age 94, in his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a few blocks from Harvard's campus, on Fri., June 16, 2017.
Nathan Glazer is an sociologist, writer, and academic, who taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University. He is seen here, at age 94, in his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a few blocks from Harvard's campus, on Fri., June 16, 2017.

For the Chronicle of Higher Education and its magazine, I've photographed portraits, protests, seminars, and student parents, around New England in recent months. These are a few favorites from those assignments. Thanks, as always, to Rose and Erica for all the work!

Surreal, cactus-filled landscapes of Saguaro National Park
September 5, 2018

Saguaro cactus stand with other vegetation in the hills of Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Saguaro cactus stand in the Cactus Forest area of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
A crested or cristate saguaro cactus stands against blue sky in the Cactus Forest area of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA. The crested appearance is a natural result of fasciation, and is relatively rare in saguaro cacti.
Saguaro cactus stand in the Cactus Forest area of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Engelman's prickly pear cactus and Saguaro cactus stand in the Cactus Forest area of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Saguaro cactus stand with other vegetation in the hills of Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
A tourist stands near saguaro cactus and other vegetation in the hills of Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Framed by the long, spiny branches of ocotillo plants, Saguaro cactus stand in the Cactus Forest area of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountain District) near Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Earlier this year, I spent a couple quick days wandering around Saguaro National Park's eastern and western portions. It was my first time really seeing cacti like that in the wild, much less a cactus forest, and I couldn't help but take a few shots of such a strange landscape.

More available on my archive: Landscapes from Saguaro National Park West and Landscapes from Saguaro National Park East.


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