Furman students help Michelin bolster biodiversity

Faith Sulak ’24 absorbed nature five meters at a time. 

With a notebook in hand and an app for identifying plants, the then-senior biology major at Furman University put her classroom studies to work in the spring and summer of 2024 taking inventory of the flora in a five-meter circle around various points on some of Michelin North America’s properties in Upstate South Carolina. Sulak was part of a team of undergraduates engaged in biodiversity research with Henry Keith and Ellen Hard Townes Professor of Biology John Quinn. 

The task at hand? Help Michelin complete a biodiversity assessment, tracking the variety of plant and animal life on their properties so the company can complete a management plan for these lands by 2030. Sulak, along with Ashley Razo ’24 and Timothy Eugster ’24, helped do that by keeping meticulous notes on the plants she was able to identify, measuring the diameters of trees so Michelin can track their growth and even deploying autonomous audio recorders used to identify birds in the area by the sound of their songs and calls. 

“It was fascinating to me that a corporation like Michelin was interested in learning about their biodiversity and actively managing their land to increase it,” Sulak said. “This was the first real biology research I engaged in, and I kind of fell in love immediately.” 

Why biodiversity matters

John Quinn, right, presented the University Partnership Award to Michelin North America representatives during the Bell Tower Ball on Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

Quinn has studied sustainable land management for about 20 years, so when he heard via the Shi Institue for Sustainable Communities that longstanding Furman University partner Michelin wanted help with their biodiversity assessment, he offered to take the lead. This project in 2024 was the perfect opportunity to give students hands-on experience with the work they might do if they pursue a career as an environmental consultant. 

Biodiversity – or the variety of life you’ll find in an area – is critical to a healthy ecosystem. But species are going extinct at an alarming rate, Quinn said, and “the traditional ways we’ve worked to protect biodiversity, like setting aside protected areas, will only affect about 15% of the planet.” 

An assessment like the one his students worked on can help turn 10 acres of turf grass that aren’t supporting many native species into a diverse meadow of wildflowers and grasses teeming with life. 

“Data like this can also help an organization identify and remove invasive species and implement sustainable forest management practices,” Quinn said. 

Undergraduate research

Furman’s students are surveyed five years after graduation, and time and again they list undergraduate research with a faculty member as the most impactful experience at Furman outside the classroom. Erik Ching, director of undergraduate research, said the reason research is so influential in students’ lives is likely because of “the sustained relationship that a student has with a faculty mentor over an entire summer, and sometimes even two or three summers.” 

Quinn is “one of Furman’s most prolific research mentors,” Ching said, and he recognizes academic talent and potential in his classrooms. Sulak said he made her feel like the hard work she put into her class assignments positioned her well for this research opportunity. The data she collected will inform Michelin’s environmental stewardship. 

“My research with Dr. Quinn made my transition from my undergraduate to my graduate education much smoother,” Sulak said. 

Sulak is now pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching at Furman. She is among the 91% of students who participate in at least one engaged learning experience while attending Furman. Michelin North America has partnered with Furman in other ways, including a logistics and warehousing project involving Furman business students, participation in the university’s Career and Internship Fair and support of the Diversity Leadership Initiative at Furman’s Riley Institute.