Ramya Ramnath ’13 and Sarah Ohanesian ’14 are spending the summer researching brain hemisphere perceptional differences under the direction of Assistant Professor of Psychology Serena Butcher. While many of the questions they are asking seem basic, the implications of their research could be fundamental to scientists’ understanding of the human brain.

Eli Bunzel ’13 and Dominic Veconi ’15 are carrying out their summer research by examining single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes originally discovered and researched by Matthew Therkelsen ’12. They’re working under Assistant Professor of Biology Wei-Jen Chang with May graduate Leonard Teng ’12.

The Sedimentology Lab in the Taylor Science Center is busy this summer with eight summer students who are doing research on various aspects of Antarctica sediments as well as the geographically-closer Oneida Lake. 

According to The Wall Street Journal’s “Market Watch,” alternative energy is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States.  Elizabeth Jonathan ’13, a physics concentrator and mathematics minor, and Sunrose Shrethsa ’14, a physics and mathematics double concentrator, are using their summer research grant to investigate new possibilities in this dynamic field.

Spencer Olsson ’14,  a math concentrator with minors in physics and sociology, is spending this summer examining 28,000 rows of data on two fish parasites, a field of study normally researched by Hamilton’s biology department. Olsson is  applying a new physics research technique to the field of biology.

Gabe Mollica ’14 first discovered Stephen Sondheim’s music during a weeklong Westminster Choir summer camp at Rider University and was struck by the complication and sophistication of the composer’s work. Mollica will continue to study Sondheim’s work with the help of an Emerson summer research grant. 

Biology and women’s studies are two concentrations not usually associated with one another. Ashley Perritt ’14, a 2012 Levitt Summer Grant Recipient, plans to bridge this gap with her summer research project, “An Investigation of the Profiling in the Emergency Room.” Perritt will be advised by Elizabeth J. McCormack Associate Professor of Women's Studies Vivyan Adair.

Lauren Howe ’13 presented a paper she co-authored with Morgan Osborn ’14 and Katrina Keay ’14 at the Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS) 2012 Conference on May 26. They wrote the paper, “Let’s Dig In! Adirondack Food Culture Through the Ages,” for Professor Robin Kinnel’s Adirondack seminar (ES 220 Culture and Natural History of the Adirondacks).

The Hamilton College chapter of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, initiated 21 members of the Class of 2012 to associate membership at the annual banquet in the Science Center Atrium on May 18. Family members in attendance enjoyed a program of observations by mentors about the students, their research, and student plans to continue in research.