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Mathematical logarithms and history might seem unrelated to one another, but this summer Turner Trapp ’15 is conducting interdisciplinary research into the role mathematical developments have in history. In his Emerson Foundation project, “The Discovery of Logarithms, Their Application to Ballistics, and Their Role in the Royal Navy’s Rise to Dominance in the Age of Sail,” he is working with Professor of History Kevin Grant to examine how the development of logarithms relates to England’s rise to naval dominance.

In speeches and debates, contemporary politicians often relate their values back to the principles of America’s founding fathers. However, how well they actually represent those ideals is disputable. In her Emerson Foundation project, “What Would Jefferson Do? The Jeffersonian Ideal and Modern Day Environmental Policy,” Claire Zurlo ’14 is examining how Thomas Jefferson’s political philosophy relates to today’s environmentalism.

The New England Center for Children (NECC), a school for children diagnosed with autism, has a long-standing close relationship with Hamilton College.  NECC was founded by Hamilton alumnus, Vincent Strully Jr. ’69, who serves as chief executive officer. Each semester, students interested in education and psychology work and take courses there as part of Hamilton’s cooperative education program, managed by James L. Ferguson Professor of Psychology Jonathan Vaughan.  Rosmery Rodriguez ’15 is interning as a full-time teacher with the Center’s students this summer.

Many Hamilton students do not begin serious internship experiences until their sophomore or junior years. However, through a program called First Year Forward, 33 first-year students are working with the Career Center to participate in workshops throughout the academic year and complete career-related experience the summer following their first year at Hamilton. One such student is Sharon Yam ’16, who is interning with an education firm, Independent Placements.

John Boudreau ’14, a history major, never expected to be an expert on art history. However, working as a communications intern at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute this summer has provided him a detailed knowledge of painters such as Winslow Homer. Boudreau has also been able to develop his writing skills and gain experience toward possible careers in curatorial work or journalism. His internship is supported by the Richard and Patsy Couper fund.

For Meghan O’Sullivan ’15, immigration is not just an abstract policy issue. This summer, as part of the Kirkland Summer Associates Program, she is pursuing a research project, “Oral Expression of Refugee Women.” Her goal is to create a podcast that gives some insight into the first-hand experience of the refugee women who have come to Utica, N.Y.

Isaac Handley-Miner ’14 is combining his interests in education and psychology through an internship this summer with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. With funding from the Joseph F. Anderson ’44 Internship Fund, he is studying the applications of emotional intelligence and gaining valuable laboratory experience.

If you’ve been on Hamilton’s campus this summer, you may have heard the sound of bagpipes drifting over Minor Field. Nathaniel Livingston ’14 has been playing them as part of his Emerson Foundation project, “Performing the Poetics of Music.” Through his project, he is researching the ancient instruments and epics of Scotland and Finland and exploring a long-standing interest in the intersection of music and poetry.

Through our contemporary media, readers frequently hear about the decline of religion in America.  Alison Ritacco ’14 and Hannah Grace O’Connell ’14 are working with Visiting Associate Professor of Religious Studies Brent Plate and Assistant Professor of Art Robert Knight, to examine the realities of religious life in the Utica and Clinton areas, which may complicate that common conception. In their Levitt Group Summer Research project, “Religious Spaces in Transition,” they are focusing on how local religious institutions adapt to change.

Studying the concept of infinity can be a daunting task, particularly because it requires approaching the idea from different perspectives. This summer Austin Heath ’15 is taking on that challenge by studying perceptions of infinity within three distinct fields. In his Emerson Foundation project, “Grasping Infinity: Philosophical, Mathematical, and Spiritual Conceptions of Boundlessness,” he is working with advisor John Stewart Kennedy Professor of Philosophy Richard Werner to trace the development of human analysis of infinity.