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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.

"The field of health care is constantly changing, as are the volunteers," says Jennifer Strater '10. Part of her job as an intern this summer is policing these changes and making sure that employees at the Kershaw County Community Medical Center are adapting to technological advancements. Strater is a computer science major with an undying interest in health care, so the opportunity, which placed her in the midst of modern computer technology, is an ideal blend of the two fields.

At three years old, Alex Gross '11 used to chase cows and pick blackberries just like his great-great-grandfather Benjamin Alden did in the mid 19th-century. Alden, the manager of the farm at the time, kept his family's diaries and letters stored in an old horse-hair chest. Gross's family eventually inherited the chest and other antiques from Old Nourse Farm, but it wasn't until last summer that Gross decided to read its contents. 

Eugene Domack, the J.W. Johnson Family Professor of Geosciences, Lab Manager/Research Assistant for Antarctic Research Megan Crocker, EMSI Instrumentation Technician Bruce Wegter and Instrumentation Specialist Greg Rahn recently attended the 15th annual Continuous Flow-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (CF-IRMS) conference at Cornell University.

Professor of Chemistry Tim Elgren and Associate Professor of Chemistry Myriam Cotten participated in a Council on Undergraduate Research annual business meeting from June 18-20, that gathered councilors from diverse academic disciplines at Montana State University in Bozeman.

John L. Murad Jr. '80, a partner with the Syracuse law firm Hancock & Estabrook LLP, has been appointed to the State University of New York Board of Trustees. SUNY is the nation's largest public university system. Murad was nominated for the position by Gov. David Paterson, and his nomination was confirmed by the New York State Senate June 3.

The Blackwell Guide to Social and Political Philosophy, a book edited by Robert Simon, the Marjorie and Robert W. McEwen Professor of Philosophy, has been translated into Chinese. It is part of the "Blackwell Guide" to various areas in philosophy.

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.

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.

Now that most Hamilton College students have left campus for the summer, the bulldozers, dump trucks and front-loaders have moved in.  Even in a down economy, Hamilton will invest, on average, in excess of $1 million per month for the next year in construction projects.