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iPhones are slick and manageable, which is why the owner of one gets a certain satisfaction out of using it. He likes the sleek black frame and the way the icons slide effortlessly across the screen. The way in which he interacts with this piece of technology is called the user interface -- the ease with which a person is able to assess the state of system and how he can use it to his best advantage. This summer, Samuel Hincks '11 will analyze how cognitive workload can help facilitate user interface.

Although Travis Mockler '11 has never taken a women's studies course at Hamilton, he has found himself at the epicenter of a project started in 2008 by a global feminism class. He is continuing work on a Burmese weaving project at Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees through the Levitt Community Service Fellowship, one of two this summer. The emphasis on culture and identity is what attracted Mockler, who is an English major.

"Who wouldn't want to know how the mind works?" Morgan Williams '11 asks. A rising junior, this summer she is working with Stone Professor of Psychology and Director of the Neuroscience Program Douglas Weldon on a project titled "The Neurobiology of Frustration"  that will survey the part of the brain that controls aggression.

Hamilton College is among the top 20 small colleges and universities sending recently graduated seniors to the Teach for America 2009 corps. This year, Hamilton will contribute nine scholars to the program, all of whom will begin teaching in rural and urban public schools across the country this fall.

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.

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. 

"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.

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.

As President Obama eases travel restrictions between Cuba and the U.S., curbing the tension between the two countries will become a priority. The conflict dates back to 50 years ago, when Cubans flocked to America following Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959. The exodus forced immigrants to reshape their core beliefs, and caused both countries to become engulfed in changing attitudes. Rachel Pohl '11 will work with Assistant Professor of Women's Studies Anne Lacsamana to study how assimilation affects an ethnic group's philosophy and perspective.