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During her time on College Hill, Merrill Storch ’23 has developed a passion for sustainability through her studies in physics and interest in mechanical engineering. Now, she’s taking her talents to Stanford as a graduate student, where she’ll study how mechanical engineering can be used to address climate change.

Hamilton College and 13 other institutions have been awarded a $8.05 million grant by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution (HHMI). as part of HHMI’s Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) initiative titled “Increasing Capacity to Support Equitable and Inclusive Learning Environments for Introductory-level STEM Students across the LCC2 Learning Community.”

After two years of supporting virtual conference attendance, ROOTS — Hamilton’s Society for Students of Color in STEM — took 14 members to the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Students (ABRCMS) in Anaheim, Calif. The trip, which took place from Nov. 8 to 12, came at no fee to students, thanks to funding from the Dean of Faculty’s Office and a grant from Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Qian Ren ’23 knows the value of a liberal arts education. An environmental studies and economics double major, she has fostered interdisciplinary skills that she hopes to use in the field of climate finance. This emerging field aims to support climate actions by drawing on public, private, and alternative sources of funding, according to the United Nations. But before she enters the profession, Ren has her eyes set on an MBA as a means to increase preparedness for her prospective career.

Beginning with the Class of 2023, Hamilton students who graduate with a concentration in economics will be classified as STEM majors, a move that will enhance the college experience and post-graduate opportunities for international students.

Computer science major Adam Valencia ’22 was awarded a $10,000 Project for Peace grant, which he’ll use this summer to address inequalities in the technology industry.

Biochemistry major Joel Adade ’22 will conduct research at the Broad Institute’s Klarman Cell Observatory after graduation. Read what he says about how the Broad’s structure helps develop early career researchers and how his experience at Hamilton led him to this opportunity.

When Dylan Morse ’22 thinks about salmon, he sees more than a pink fish that cooks up nicely on the grill. He sees a connection between people and nature. Salmon build economies and culture in fishing towns and foster spirituality in certain First Nation communities. When climate change threatens Atlantic salmon populations, it threatens people, too.

Last summer, Matthew Anderson ’22 took part in a neuroscience research program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In addition to offering research experience, the program created a “pipeline for opportunity.” In the fall, he will return to UCLA to begin his Ph.D. in neuroscience.

Ellie Demaree ’22 is set to begin working as a research assistant for Project Achilles at the Broad Institute after graduation. A biology major, Demaree has developed both a passion and appreciation for lab work during her time at Hamilton, an interest she believes was ignited by her biology classes.