University of Denver Autumn 2024

on campus throughout the year. Kelsie Hunnicutt, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab, does much of her work in the Seeley G. Mudd building. “It’s not quite as glamorous as the field research, but we do really important work analyzing all of the data [the team] generates, so that we can really start to see the important patterns that are shaping how these deer mice are living at high altitude,” she says. As one of the more senior members of the team, Hunnicutt says she prioritizes her role as a mentor. “A large part of my job is helping to teach these really important skills to the other members of the lab, as well as to the underrepresented minorities and the women in our lab, especially for people who didn't have the opportunity to learn those skills previously,” she says. More than just research The true identity of the Velotta Lab is found in how the team works and plays together. From barbecues and Thanksgiving gatherings to ample time spent together in Colorado’s wilderness with limited connection to the outside

world, Velotta has created a tight-knit team. “Whenever we complete a big experiment, we always do something to celebrate,” Hunnicutt says. “We've gone axe throwing before—Jon is a surprisingly great axe thrower—and we've gone on whiskey tastings in local distilleries in Denver. We just really love hanging out with each other.” The Velotta Lab is truly like a family, says Senese. “It’s one of the most supportive academic communities I've been a part of,” she says. “And I wouldn't want to do this work anywhere else but at the University of Denver.” Next year, the lab will use a new grant to investigate the impacts of climate change on mice and botflies at another field site near Idaho Springs while continuing their fieldwork at Mount Blue Sky. So next time you’re at the top of Mount Blue Sky, where it’s windy and the air is thin, take a break and look around. You might see members of the Velotta Lab—or even a little deer mouse scurrying around, no huffing or puffing in sight.

Opposite page: Senese peers through a trap—one of the more than 300 the team can set in one night. Below: From left: Riley Corcoran, Jon Velotta, Sarah Senese, Madison Tatro and Kelsie Hunnicut stand at the summit of Mount Blue Sky.

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