Summer break is for rest, relaxation, and . . . research? This summer, more than 30 Saint Anselm students immersed themselves in experiential learning opportunities through travel, field work, and mentored hands-on practice. Undergraduate experiences like these help students build practical skills, test the waters of various professional industries, and tailor their talents to a specific area of interest. From historical handwriting transcription in Spain to studying the lasting effects of topical lidocaine cream, Anselmians from all majors beat the heat by diving into a dynamic range of research.
The Albert H. Gordon Research Fellowship
Under the mentorship of Professor Christine Gustafson, Ph.D.,Politics and Economics major Martina Straka ’27 tracked the erosion of democracy and political change in Mexico and Peru. Politics major Abigail Bernabei ’27 investigated the relationship between trust of governmental instructions and health recommendation compliance in sub-Saharan African countries with the help of Professor Erik Cleven, Ph.D.
Honors Program Research
History major Matt Harland ’27 refined his research and writing skills to prepare for his soon-to-be senior thesis: a comparison of the ideologies and traits behind Adlai Stevenson and Richard Nixon’s unsuccessful presidential campaigns.
NH-LIFT Grant Research
For a second consecutive summer, Social Work major Danika Iosty ’28 researched STEM identities in middle and high schoolers with Professor Kevin Doran, Ph.D. and Professor Aubrey Scheopner Torres, Ph.D. This year, Iosty observed students’ feelings towards engineering and developed an annotated bibliography, coding their responses to the question “What does an engineer do?”
Learn more about Iosty's research →
Chemistry major Clifford Teixeira ’27 and Professor Mary Kate Donais, Ph.D.travelled to Orvieto, Italy to collect portable spectroscopy data as part of the Coriglia Excavation Project. Using an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, the pair extracted elemental information from calcification deposits near the site’s water systems and an Etruscan kiln.
NH-INBRE Research
Three students joined Professor Brian Penney, Ph.D. and Professor Shannon O’Leary, Ph.D. in the Gulf of Maine to research the nudibranch: a sea slug that has made its way to the region in recent years. This sea creature eats sponges that are vital to the gulf’s ecosystem, making it an imperative organism to study. The students also helped O’Leary monitor headwater streams for brook trout and other at-risk species, alternating between the two projects each week.
“This summer has shown me how exciting research can be, and thanks to the mentorship of Professor Penney and Professor O'Leary,” says student researcher and Environmental Science major Penny Wenzel ’27. “Along with the support of NH-INBRE and Saint Anselm College, I've had the opportunity to contribute to coastal research while growing as a scientist.”
Learn more about this research →
Professor Loretta Brady, Ph.D. ’99 and Sociology and Psychology major Vishal Velavan ’28 shared their research on Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team implementation at this year’s Violence Prevention Conference. Velavan was one of the only students who attended the conference as a presenter— an amazing accomplishment for an undergraduate.
“[Research] experiences helped me grow as a student researcher and deepened my interest in qualitative research and community-based work,” says Velavan.
Students reconvened their work with Professor Jennifer Pace, Ph.D. ’13. developing molecules that could interfere with the Hippo Pathway, an important system that helps control cell growth and function. Their research has the potential to aid scientists in studying and developing new treatments for cancer.
Learn more about this research →
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major Gwyneth Schachtner ’28 collaborated with Pace and Professor Stephen Tobin, Ph.D. to attempt to express and purify a protein coding gene. This research will continue through the academic year and benefit future experiments in the campus laboratory.
Several students revisited research with Professor Victoria DiBona, Ph.D. examining zebrafish and their role in revolutionizing biomedical research. As the model organism, zebrafish can help the students define safer exposure thresholds to the various toxins humans face every day.
Learn more about this research →
Biology major Abby Frankauski ’27, who participated in DiBona’s zebrafish lab for a second year, earned the Dr. Marie C. Chabot-Fletcher and Mr. Robert Clayton Fletcher Endowed Research Fellowship Award. The honor helped cover the cost of necessary lab supplies to keep the lab functioning smoothy.
Field Studies in Tropical Biology
Field Studies in Tropical Biology students accompanied Professor Lori LaPlante, Ph.D.and Professor Eric Berry, Ph.D. to Belize white they gained firsthand field experience in species-rich ecosystems. When the group wasn’t exploring the country’s rainforests and coral reefs, they went zip lining and cave tubing, and even indulged in delicious chocolate from a local factory!
Saint Anselm students conduct research on a wide range of topics, not limited to scientific studies. The Gordon Fellowship is a competitive award available to all majors that offers students the chance to engage in faculty-guided research and writing for compensation.
Students in the College’s Honors Program can conduct paid summer research while living on campus, and NH-LIFT and NH-INBRE are grant-funded state programs that give students a chance to gain tangible experience through semester or summer fellowships.