Alexander Chase

Newmarket, New Hampshire native Alex Chase began his Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) project “curious about why I, and people like me, often do not act in line with our beliefs.” Alex’s SURF and senior thesis research looked specifically at what factors motivate area high school students to choose their modes of transportation to school. Through his project, Alex learned the realities of independent research—the intension needed to complete each phase successfully, the solo nature of much of the data analysis, the exciting potential for using geographic modelling, and the importance of sharing conclusions with a wider audience. He decided to write for Inquiry to share his results with the local community, for whom his research is most relevant. Alex will graduate in May 2017 with a sociology major (Honors in Major) and minors in outdoor education and in women’s studies, and then he plans to continue pursuing these interests by working as a community planner. He aims to advocate for people who have disadvantaged situations and help provide all community members with equitable access to healthy behavior through infrastructural and sustainable development practices.