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Rats may be notorious for their unappealing image, but in a scientific laboratory they can be instrumental toward testing hypotheses and unlocking new discoveries. In psychology, studying the behavior of rats can shed light on otherwise baffling animal phenomena. This summer Sarah Cocuzzo ’13 and Megan Lander ’13 are studying rats with regard to the phenomenon of contrafreeloading. Their project will examine the tendency to work for a reward even when it is readily available without any effort.

The political climate in many South American countries is difficult to contemplate.  Ecuador, for example, must cope with a divided population, a struggling democracy, and a president whose power is steadily -- and perhaps dangerously -- increasing. In an attempt to shed some light on Ecuador’s government, Kevin Tutasig ’13  will complete a Summer 2011 Levitt Leadership Program Public Service Internship in Quito, Ecuador, with the Ecuadorian National Assembly.

Associate Professor of Government Robert Martin was an invited presenter at the American Democracy Forum Conference held May 25, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He presented a paper titled “Reigning in Democracy: James Madison from the National Gazette Essays to the Virginia Report.”

Hamilton will welcome back more than 1000 alumni and their guests when it hosts the college’s annual Reunion Weekend, this year on Thursday-Sunday, June 2-5.  A special welcome goes to members of the class of 1961 who are celebrating their 50th reunion. A full schedule of events will keep attendees busy through a weekend that promises sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

The Emerson Gallery Student Art Invitational 2011 features artwork from 16 students who recently completed courses in the visual arts at Hamilton College and celebrates their creativity. The exhibition includes photography, video, sculpture, drawing, painting and mixed media ranging from introductory to advanced academic levels. The exhibition opens on Thursday, June 2, and will close Tuesday, Aug. 30, with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

University Business magazine featured an opinion piece written by President Joan Hinde Stewart in the Viewpoint section of its May issue. In “Becoming Need-Blind in an Environment of Need: How one institution has made it work,” Stewart discussed how Hamilton is ensuring access, “a deeply held principle at an institution where six of nine senior staff members were the first in their family to attend college.”  She explained the College’s decisions to eliminate merit aid and to adopt a need-blind policy in admission, examples of Hamilton’s commitment to this principle as well as its willingness to make changes counter to current trends in higher education.

Previous research has shown music to be a powerful tool in shaping mood, memory, and perspective. Yet many neuroscientists consider music to be too abstract and therefore incapable of providing the concrete details that assist in real-world processing. Sam Briggs ’12 hopes to challenge this perspective with his summer research. Briggs will work with Assistant Professor of Psychology Jeremy Skipper to examine some effects of music for his project, “Re-singing.”

As hundreds of thousands of college graduates enter the workforce this spring, Amy Goldstein ’11 is one of many recent Hamilton graduates who is sitting securely with a job in the tough economy. Goldstein will be spending the next two years working as a federal analyst for Deloitte Consulting’s Washington D.C. office.

Associate Professor of History Chad Williams has been named a 2011 Fellow by The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).  The ACLS Fellowships support individual scholars working in the humanities and related social sciences. The ultimate goal of the project should be a major piece of scholarly work by the applicant. Williams’ project is titled “The Black Man and the Wounded World: W. E. B. Du Bois, African American Soldiers, and the History of World War I.”

A Hamilton research group will attempt to quantify isolate and study the concept of self-esteem in a resreach project this summer. Arielle Berti ’13, Ellen Doernberg ’13 and Ashley Sutton ’13 will work with Associate Professor of Psychology Jennifer Borton on a study of self-esteem and how it affects everyday life.