200+ to reveal research results at symposium Friday
Interested in learning more about research possibilities or even what research is?
Research representing the work of 45 different majors in the arts & humanities, social sciences, and STEM-related disciplines will be on display this Friday, Sept. 22 at the 2023 Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium in Swem Library’s Read and Relax room.
In total, more than 200 students who received Charles Center summer research grants, as well as alternatively funded research projects occurring on campus, will present.
According to Charles Center director Elizabeth Harbron, the symposium strives to celebrate the diverse work of undergraduate students and the transformative nature of faculty-mentored research.
“Undergraduate research comes in so many forms and looks so different, depending on the topic and field, that it’s hard to appreciate how much is happening at William & Mary,” Harbron said. “You really have to come to the symposium, listen to the presentations, and take it all in to appreciate the range and depth of amazing work our students are doing alongside faculty mentors—in the summertime and throughout the academic year.”
From 10:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Friday, symposium-goers can drop by to check out various projects and to hear from student researchers themselves.
One of presenters will be Seneca RiceWoolf ’25, who will share findings from her project, “Matoaka Microplastics: Quantity, Characteristics, and Significance.” Her research focuses on the presence of microplastics in nearby Lake Matoaka, as well as potential mitigation strategies to prevent the accumulation of these materials.
“During this project, I enjoyed connecting with VIMS/William & Mary staff, learning new lab techniques, and spending my summer paddling through Lake Matoaka,” RiceWoolf wrote in an email. “It helped me realize that I am passionate about science that prompts action: informing understandings about local development, species behavior, and fundamental ecosystem characteristics.”
The presenters on Friday will also include Rachel Nguyen ’24, Karino Gibson ’24, and Darrison Haftarczyk ’26, who participated together in the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation’s Artist in Residence program this past summer and worked with Dr. Timothy Hand’s lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Haftarczyk was tasked to create a visual abstract of Hand’s latest academic paper, combining art and science in an interdisciplinary approach.
“Working beside the lab was an incredible experience for me as it helped me to see the way that scientific research is communicated in a whole new light,” Haftarczyk wrote in an email. “In a time with so much misinformation, clear communication is more important than ever, and we believe that art can help lead to this.”
The complete list of student projects for this year’s symposium can be found on the Charles Center’s online program.
The application for Charles Center semester research funding is open now, with deadlines in October (priority) and December (if funds remain). Applications for 2024 summer research grants are due February 19, 2024.
