The Paired Passions of Matthew Ruppel

By Julie Grady

Traveling to another country is something that most people try to accomplish at least once in a lifetime, and many of those who do succeed in spending time overseas do so during university.

Matthew Ruppel, a senior at The College of the Holy Cross, would seem to be just another one of those “study abroad students” if it weren’t for the fact that his first trip out of the country was to Siberia with the Polaris Project.

“The aim of the project is to introduce young scientists to arctic climate research in the field,” explained the pre-med undergrad.  Whether it’s the human body or Mother Earth, Ruppel confessed the key to his two passions is simple. “What I’m really interested in is how things work. I think climate change is going to affect a lot of people in a much more personal way than you think.”

During his stay in the Northeast Science Station, a well-established research center located in Cherskiy, Siberia, Matthew found himself living in a wooden house built on a barge.  Complete with a common room, kitchen, and bunks, he was pleasantly surprised with his new home.  “It was comfortable.  At one point, I was expecting to be sleeping in a tent the entire time,” he said with a laugh.  “But, it was warm. There was a bed.”  However, Ruppel did admit to roughing it on the tundra for one night. “I had every piece of clothing with me and I still froze.” So, along with eight American students, two Russian students, and a number of professors, Matthew took a very active step into the inner workings of the Arctic.

After touring the different ecosystems Russian in-house scientists were currently researching ~ forests, tundra, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and the coastal Arctic Ocean ~ Ruppel began detailed research on rapidly diminishing permafrost, soil that remains frozen throughout the year.  “The land above the permafrost is getting larger,” articulated Ruppel. “We were looking at how the melting permafrost is entering into lake ecosystems; it’s like cookies or candy for algae and microbes. They aren’t used to the many nutrients found in permafrost and now that it’s in their environment, they’re eating it right away.  It’s changing the biology of lake ecosystems.”

Bill Sobczak, an associate professor of biology at Holy Cross and one of Matthew’s professors, urged him to apply for the program.  “I knew he definitely had the attributes to succeed in a field research environment like this.  Matthew has this nice combination of curiosity in biological science, from medicine all the way to environmental studies, that serves him well in such a diverse group of researchers.”

This five-week excursion left Ruppel even more in tune with the world around him.  “Some people think that climate change isn’t a big deal for us here in the U.S., but it’s happening now.  One of the people I encountered is already losing land to the water.  He’s almost lost a football field of land.  In the next 20 years, he won’t have his house.”

As for plans after graduation, Matthew isn’t rushing into medical school.  “I’d like to work for a few years then apply.  But, if I weren’t trying to eventually go to med school, I would apply for the program again.  Absolutely.  It’s life-changing.”

You can read more about Matthew (including his journey’s blog), Bill, and the Polaris Project at www.thepolarisproject.org.