Some organisms breathe gases. But others don't. While it may seem plausible that certain bacteria can "inhale" solids as part of the respiratory process, our preconceived notions of some solids – like iron – are rigidly robust. Never would we consider a solid such as iron a breathable entity. But it is, at least for one bacterium known to biologists as Shewanella oneidensis. David Brown '10 and Amy Allen '10 are probing through previous research on the organism this summer with Associate Professor of Biology Michael McCormick. More ...

After taking three courses with history professor Esther Kanipe, Susan Perham '12  felt comfortable in proposing a research project under Kanipe's direction and pursuing necessary funding  via an Emerson Grant.  She is now working with Kanipe on a documentary that delves into the lives of Oneida County's African-American World War II veterans. More ...

If you've ever seen a Roomba vacuum cleaner, you know that it's a pretty cool gadget. Not only does it rid your carpet of grime, but infrared sensors help navigate its way around your living room. This summer, Tom Williams '11 will play with robots that look just like these, except they're not mini-maids. They're designed to think and deduce like humans. More ...

As President Obama eases travel restrictions between Cuba and the U.S., curbing the tension between the two countries will become a priority. The conflict dates back to 50 years ago, when Cubans flocked to America following Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959. The exodus forced immigrants to reshape their core beliefs, and caused both countries to become engulfed in changing attitudes. Rachel Pohl '11 will work with Assistant Professor of Women's Studies Anne Lacsamana to study how assimilation affects an ethnic group's philosophy and perspective. More ...

Anoop Pandey '10 is responsible for distributing the famed "golden bikes" for free student use on campus, but the part of the globe he's studying certainly isn't accessible by bike. This summer, Pandey is using remote sensing to study unusual fold structures along faults in the Western Desert of Egypt. He is working with Upson Chair for Public Discourse and Professor of Geosciences Barbara Tewksbury.  More ...

Jason McGavin '12 and Matthew Baxter '11 understand that a peptide's structure can say a lot about how it functions in the body. This summer, they are studying two versions of the peptide Piscidin – Piscidin 1 and Piscidin 3. They will work alongside Associate Professor of Chemistry Myriam Cotten, whose previous work in this field has illustrated that there is a distinct difference between them.  More ...

Deborah Barany '11 and Anthony Sali '10 describe motor control in a way that would remind a listener of flip-book animation. An action consists of smaller, partial movements, that when assembled together and in the right fashion, trigger the complete maneuver. Similarly, flip books rely on persistence of vision to create the illusion of fluid motion, when in reality, they are just discontinuous images stapled together. More ...

When Courtney Flint '11 was five years old, she learned what it was like to be a colonial American. Her aunt belonged to a group called Past Masters whose members dress in period clothing and resurrect the behavior, skills and lifestyles of Americans during the Revolutionary War era. Flint joined her aunt in these activities and watched the battle re-enactments that were often popular attractions. The raucous canon blasts and trim uniforms intrigued Flint, and as she grew older, she began to wonder about the relationship between the soldiers and the citizenry.  More ...

During the last Ice Age, the whole country of Iceland was covered in a thick sheet of ice. From an aerial view, most of the island would have appeared to be in a state of frigid serenity. But under the ice, chaos ensued – massive volcanoes entombed in the ice erupted often, causing the overlying ice to melt. As the hot lava erupted into cold water, explosions occurred, depositing fragmented rock and glass with few lava flows. More ...

"I like rocks," said Manique Talaia-Murray '12 with a bashful grin. It might sound like a dull pursuit, but to Talaia-Murray and her research partner, Travis Tomaselli '11, rocks can uncover the past in interesting ways. They say that the chemical contents of a rock reveal a lot about its previous whereabouts, and their collaborative research project is a perfect example. More ...