Field Inclusive Experience Reflection : Derek McFarland Jr.
“Some of my interactions with the public are not as straightforward when residents who are local to these outdoor spaces assume the worst of my research activities. As a Black man, carrying these strange “”smoking boxes”” (tick traps!) through the woods, I seem “”out of place.””
BY DEREK MCFARLAND JR.
I grew up in East St. Louis, IL and was always fascinated with the natural world. I did not have much access to safe outdoor spaces, but I did sustain my fascination through the small natural wonders of my backyard and various science and nature-themed television programs that aired in the late-90’s and early-2000’s. I aimed for a career in veterinary medicine for most of my life, but in college as a biology major, I discovered my passion for ecological research. I undertook several research projects regarding ticks and tickborne diseases and their prevalence within the environment and wildlife. I discovered that ticks could serve as a conduit for my love of nature and would not limit me to just cats, dogs, or other domesticated animals. Instead, ticks highlighted the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health through infectious disease dynamics; to me, this meant limitless opportunities to interact with nature. In 2020, I graduated from Harris-Stowe State University, an HBCU in St. Louis, MO, with my bachelor’s degree in biology and immediately matriculated into graduate school.
Now, as a Ph.D. Candidate in the Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I am studying the impact of human-mediated landscape change on tickborne disease risk across the St. Louis, MO (STL) metropolitan area. Ticks are disease vectors and have the capacity to transmit disease causing pathogens to animals and humans alike. My research focuses on one tick species, the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), which is the most prevalent disease vector in the St. Louis, MO region. It can transmit several pathogens to humans, including those that cause human ehrlichiosis. The prevalence of these pathogens is maintained in the environment by reservoir hosts, which are animals that allow the pathogens to reproduce and spread to uninfected ticks. In the case of my research, it is the white-tailed deer. As humans alter the environment through urbanization, agricultural expansion, and more, natural habitats become fragmented and the physical boundaries between humans and wildlife start to degrade. Humans become accidental hosts for ticks and their risk of exposure to tickborne pathogens increases through this complex process. Through my research, I measure the current abundance of ticks, abundance of wildlife hosts, human disease risk and land cover and then compare these measurements to historical estimates. These analyses will help describe how ongoing changes in human land-use impact human disease risk over time.
Credit: Derek McFarland Jr.
My field work is physically and intellectually demanding. I collect ticks using carbon dioxide- baited traps which are small coolers, fixed to a plywood board. Double sided carpet tape is applied to the perimeter of the board and the cooler is filled with dry ice. The dry ice sublimates (from solid to gas) into carbon dioxide gas which attracts ticks to the trap. The ticks approach the trap get stuck to the tape and I collect the ticks and traps 24 hours later. This process happens across many replicates within a single site and at 31 sites across the STL metro area. The nature of my thesis research also requires that I regularly communicate with site managers of natural areas and with the residents that frequent these outdoor spaces. Here, I deliver my research significance, methods, and results to non-scientists, accessibly. This audience solicits practical answers to their questions and has deep interest in the science that directly affects them in their daily lives. In each instance, I take the opportunity to spread awareness and educate the public about environmental change, tick-borne diseases, and how they can protect themselves from infection during outdoor recreation.
However, some of my interactions with the public are not as straightforward when residents who are local to these outdoor spaces assume the worst of my research activities. As a Black man, carrying these strange “smoking boxes” (tick traps!) through the woods, I seem “out of place.” Although many approach me with curiosity, others can seem initially antagonistic. Regardless, I use these interactions to educate, connect, and assert my right to exist, fully. I am sure to carry all the necessary research permits and my cell phone in case of emergency, natural or otherwise. Still, there are ubiquitous parts of my experience conducting fieldwork that are inescapable and color my relationship with these outdoor spaces. Whether it is in the form of racist slurs graffitied across trees and rocks at state parks, confederate flags flying on trucks and lawns, or fascist signage posted along the roads that lead to the natural spaces at which I conduct research and recreate, the barriers that antagonize the right of Black and Brown field researchers like me to enter outdoor spaces are manifold.
After being funded, in part, by the Field Inclusive Research Grant I was able to purchase field supplies including 700 pounds of dry ice, and neon-yellow field safety vests for my research assistant and me. Moreover, being awarded this grant increased my sense of belonging in the field of environmental science, in field research, and in outdoor spaces in general. Although unfortunate, it reminds me that my experience is not isolated and that I’m not alone. Through community, I can find hope and work towards greater change. My long-term career goal is to continue examining the impacts of environmental change on the emergence of infectious diseases, while incorporating the diverse perspectives of the historically marginalized. I will also continue to mentor and engage People of Color, scientists, and the greater community with my research throughout my career. I look to connect other students who are first generation and from historically excluded backgrounds to science by helping them overcome barriers to access and inclusion, especially regarding ecological research and outdoor spaces.
Derek McFarland Jr (he/him) is a Ph.D. Student at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and was one of two recipients of a 2023 Field Inclusive Research Grant.
Credit: Derek McFarland Jr.