Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Professor of Chemistry Kristin Slade and her research students Camila Garcia '24, Lina Hassini '26 and Genevieve Larkin '27 study malate dehydrogenase (MDH), a critical enzyme in the citric acid cycle. In the lab, they purify the enzyme to observe its kinetics under different conditions.

Associate Professor of Music Charity Lofthouse and John Bewley '27 discuss Japanese pop music, with a specific focus on the musical connections between Japan, South America and the music scene of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Japanese artists in Japan.

Working with Associate Professor of Practice in Biology Susan Cushman, Eliza Chace ’26, Jonah Friedman ’26 and Victoria Smith ’25 process collected fish from Hector Falls Creek to analyze for contaminants as part of the Seneca tributary survey of aquatic communities.

This week, we’re spotlighting students engaged in research with faculty this summer. Here, Aspen Suwyn ’25 works with Professor of Chemistry Justin Miller to synthesize proteins and other molecules with possible pharmaceutical applications.

Kevin Frost ‘25 and Ava Lee ‘25 use liquid nitrogen to freeze hemp tissue samples for preservation to later conduct DNA analysis while working at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva.

Greta Paasch '27 and Mia Tetrault '25 (center) work with Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectional Justice Betty M. Bayer (right) and Rochester Institute of Technology Professor Juilee Decker to arrange photos for an exhibition at The National Women's Hall of Fame titled “The Rollercoaster for Women’s Rights, Equality, and Freedom.”

Associate Professor of Anthropology Chris Annear meets with Chloé Woods ‘27, Najma Ahmed ‘26, Michelle Mangione ‘27 and Estelle Bignet ‘26 to discuss their research on Chinese engagement in Zambia. This work supports Annear’s upcoming book "Big Brother, Big Man."

Associate Professor of Physics Leslie Hebb takes a selfie with Jake Romney '26 and Biruk Nardos '25 at the Space History Museum in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This summer, Romney is analyzing spectra of hundreds of stars to measure their magnetic activity and see how it changes over time, while Nardos is working on a project to simulate the interior structure of extrasolar planets.

Piper Polga ’26 and Abigail Cole ’25 visit Anthony Road Winery’s vineyard with Cornell University graduate student Donald Caldwell as part of research on the history and economics of the Finger Lakes wine region with Associate Professor of Sociology Ervin Kosta.

With Professor of Chemistry Erin Pelkey, Keira Potvin ’26 works up a reaction using a liquid-liquid extraction while Merrelle Grillo ’26 uses flash column chromatography to purify anti-cancer pre-cursor.

At the Classes of 1972 Outdoor Classroom, students working with Professors of Geoscience Neil Laird and Nick Metz this summer hear from Augusta Williams ‘13 and Caitlin Crossett ‘15 about their career journeys and experiences as women in science.

Audrie Fazio ‘25 works with the Clarence A Davis ’48 Visual Arts Curator Meghan Jordan to unframe photos after the closing of the show “Frames of History: Selections from the George Stephanopoulos Collection.”

Under the direction of Professor of Geoscience Nan Crystal Arens, Arshi Fawad '26 and Bailey Gervais '27 clean and preserve Early Eocene-age leaf fossils from southwestern Alabama to gain information on earth’s climate 54 million years ago.

Assistant Professor of Economics Sooyoung Lee teaches “Economics of Immigration.”

Students in “Documentary Production” review lighting and recording techniques in the Digital Learning Center with Associate Professor of Media and Society Jiangtao Harry Gu '13.

Professor of Art and Architecture Ted Aub assists students in pouring bronze during “Sculpture Workshop.”