Jana Woerner is a 2026 recipient of the Homer Higbee International Education Award, which is presented to MSU students and volunteers who have made significant contributions to support global learning, intercultural awareness and an overall appreciation for the opportunities that occur through international engagement.
Woerner is a doctoral candidate pursuing a dual degree in integrative biology and ecology, evolution and behavior. Her international fieldwork, institutional collaboration abroad and commitment to education-abroad programming are evidence of her multifaceted contributions to international communication, cross-cultural understanding and desire to advance MSU’s mission to provide every Spartan the opportunity to become a global Spartan.
During a three-year period in Kenya, Woerner forged relationships with conservation organizations, local professionals, and government and non-governmental agencies operating in the region. While there, she collected data on spotted hyena behavior and demography. Because of the relationships she formed during these visits, new and existing partnerships between Woerner, her colleagues at MSU and her connections in Kenya have flourished.
“My years with the Mara Hyena Project have been some of the most formative of my life,” said Woerner. “In Kenya, I learned the technical skills of being a field scientist. I also learned the many non-scientific skills that fieldwork demands.”
“I would never have made it through my time in Kenya without an incredible support network. The kindness and mentorship I received have stayed with me wherever I go. The people I worked with in Kenya shaped both the scientist and the person I’ve become, and I try to pass on that same support and mentorship to the undergraduates I now work with at Michigan State.”
Through regular lectures she would deliver to tourists and community audiences, Woerner’s work in Kenya advanced public awareness of MSU scientists’ research in the region and situating that research within broader Kenyan ecological and conservation contexts. Her outreach efforts not only enhanced public understanding of international research collaboration but also highlighted MSU as a global research institution.
In addition to Woerner’s work in East Africa, she spent two years in Germany as part of her dissertation research at the Max Planck Institute and the University of Konstanz. She funded these experiences through fellowships she won from MSU and the German Academic Exchange Service.
“My dissertation research is part of a larger collaborative project called ‘Communication and Coordination Across Scales,’ led by Dr. Ari Strandburg-Peshkin at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany. Ari and I first met in Kenya in 2022 while collaring an entire group of spotted hyenas. Ari strongly encouraged me to apply for funding through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to spend several months working with her group in Germany,” said Woerner.
“My colleagues at the Max Planck Institute have played an incredibly important role in both my research and my personal life. Being part of such an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment pushed me to think about my work in new ways.”
These collaborations strengthened ties between MSU and leading European research organizations.
At MSU, Woerner’s impact on international education is substantial. She has twice organized and taught the study abroad course MSU’s Behavioral Ecology of African Mammals and will be teaching it again this upcoming summer. The course provides MSU students with immersive, hands-on research experience in Kenya, while introducing them to Kenyan ecology, conservation challenges and cultural contexts. As part of the program, she connects MSU and Kenyan students, educators and wildlife professionals. The relationships established provide everyone involved with intercultural learning opportunities.
Currently, Woerner is mentoring several undergraduate students who are extracting biological data from audio and video recordings of wild Kenyan hyenas, making aspects of her research overseas accessible as training opportunities for MSU undergraduate students.
“Jana’s activities demonstrate an exceptional commitment to promoting international understanding through sustained engagement, leadership and education,” wrote Eli Strauss, assistant professor of integrative biology, in his nomination letter.
“Beyond her activities at MSU, Jana’s international character is deeply engrained in her personal history — born in Germany before moving with her family at 10 years old to the United States, she is fluent in both German and English. Jana exemplifies the spirit and intent of the Homer Higbee International Education Award, both in her actions and her person.”