About Me

Hello! My name is Natalie Sebunia, and I am a fourth-year Eminence Fellow at Ohio State majoring in zoology with a minor in geographic information science on the pre-veterinary track. My goal is to become an avian veterinarian, incorporating medicine and conservation research. My academic interests are centered around ecology, conservation, and animal behavior and well-being. I’m from Erie, Pennsylvania, and I think a large part of my interests in nature and conservation stems from living near Lake Erie.

On campus, I am currently the President of the Journal of Undergraduate Research at Ohio State (JUROS), while also being involved in the Ornithology Club and the Lights Out bird window strikes program, the Pre-Vet Club, and Club Swimming at Ohio State, where I participate as both a member and a coach. Additionally, I am a current member of Dr. Marta Jarzyna’s lab, where I work on a project focused on the diversity of bird dietary traits with a special focus on seasonal variation. I’m also a member of Dr. Zeynep Benderlioglu’s lab where I am helping out on a project focused on the behavioral responses of horses to unfamiliar aggressors, as well as a research assistant for Dr. Andreia Arruda in the College of Veterinary Medicine where I help create maps representing the biosecurity of pig farms. I am working with Dr. Benderlioglu to complete an undergraduate research thesis focused on avian admittance statistics to wildlife rehabilitation centers, with a specific focus on mapping the locations of admitted birds.

Although I still have many things to experience, I have taken advantage of the many opportunities both on and off campus. I am hoping to continue taking advantage of these opportunities as I work towards applying to veterinary school, as well as discovering more about myself! I want to use this ePortfolio as a way to keep track of everything I accomplish and experience during my time as a student and beyond.