This edition of From Our Eyes features Maddi Andrews (‘28 History, Political Science; Anthropology), one of the 10 student fellows who participated in the 2026 Wilkinson Interterm Research Experience (WIRE). This immersive program provided students with the skills and experiences necessary to excel in academic research. Andrews’s research project focused on how archaeologists and museum professionals balance scientific inquiry with ethical considerations when studying and displaying Iron Age bog bodies.

Maddi Andrews (‘28 History, Political Science; Anthropology) presenting her WIRE research work at the Wilkinson College Faculty and Staff Retreat. Photo by Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor).

This past interterm, I had the pleasure of participating in the Wilkinson Undergraduate Research Experience (WIRE). I joined nine other students in designing, executing, and presenting original research projects about topics that we were passionate about. I decided to apply to this program for the research experience and the opportunity to get to know my peers and faculty!

My research focused on depictions of bog bodies across different media and how these depictions differ from the original messages that scholars who study them sought to convey. Bog bodies are human remains that have been found in bogs, mostly across Northern Europe, in extremely well-preserved conditions. I analyzed movies, documentaries, museum exhibits, music, and more as part of my quest to understand how society understands bog bodies and why they are so sensationalized. I also interviewed three scholars who have worked extensively with bog bodies to understand their perspectives and how they combat overdramatized interpretations of their work. My work brings up broader questions about ethics, societal perceptions of death, and the power of archaeology.

During the WIRE application process, the program’s staff and faculty provided extensive support. This included helping me find my mentor. I sent them my research idea, and they helped me compile a list of faculty who might have research connections to my topic. I ultimately connected with Dr. Kyle Harp-Rushing, with whom I had a class previously, and he very graciously took me on as his mentee for WIRE. He helped me refine my research proposal. I could not have done this program without his guidance! One of the best parts of WIRE was getting to know Dr. Harp-Rushing better and knowing that he was there to help me with any roadblocks I hit along the way.

Maddi Andrews (‘28 History, Political Science; Anthropology) presenting her WIRE research work at the Wilkinson College Faculty and Staff Retreat. Photo by Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor).

The professional workshops the WIRE fellows participated in were also invaluable and taught me a lot about what I can do with my research. The skills I learned from these workshops showed me what it takes to publish my research, attend conferences, and frame this experience in ways that will help me further my academic career.

Throughout WIRE, one of the things I loved most was getting to know the nine other fellows. By the end of the program, it felt like we were bonded together through this amazing experience and the collective sweat and tears that we had poured into it. By far the scariest, but also most rewarding part of the program was presenting my research at the Wilkinson College Faculty Retreat at the end of the month. It was the biggest crowd I had ever spoken in front of. However, once I was done, I was so proud of myself and my peers for our hard work and for the fact that we were responsible for creating new knowledge.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who made WIRE a reality for me. I’m beyond grateful, as I know participating in WIRE will definitely be a highlight of my undergraduate experience and will give me skills I know I will use for the rest of my academic and professional career. Not to mention a new amazing group of friends as well!

Pictured in header: Maddi Andrews (‘28 History, Political Science; Anthropology) presenting her WIRE research work at the Wilkinson College Faculty and Staff Retreat. Photo by Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor).