91B0FBB4-04A9-D5D7-16F0F3976AA697ED
C9A22247-E776-B892-2D807E7555171534
Some pre-freshmen science students with Physics Professor Brian Collett.
Some pre-freshmen science students with Physics Professor Brian Collett.

When orientation starts, there will be 10 members of the Class of 2010 who will already know the campus well. Hamilton is in a partnership with the National Science Foundation's STEP (Science Talent Expansion Program) and the Henry and Camille Dreyfus Foundation, both of which allow the science department to fund summer research for students before they even matriculate.

The Winslow Professor of Chemistry George Shields is behind both of these grants: he was awarded the STEP grant in 2002 and the Dreyfus grant in 2003. The first is intended to increase the number of science majors with an emphasis on encouraging minorities; the second is specifically a chemistry grant. Both are highly competitive and the 10 recipients are selected from a pool of about 75 accepted students who want to be science majors.

This year's STEP/Dreyfus students are: Philip Milner, with Associate Professor of Chemistry Ian Rosenstein; David Brown, with Silas D. Childs Professor of Chemistry Robin Kinnel; Madeline Caudle and Lauren Tom with Professor of Chemistry Timothy Elgren; Russell Holz, Andrew Beyler and Thomas Morrell with Shields (Morrell is also working with Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Karl Kirschner); Thomas Nevers, with Assistant Professor of Chemistry Camille Jones; and Kathryn Arpino and Patrick Barnes with Assistant Professor of Physics Gordon Jones and Associate Professor of Physics Brian Collett.

They have all been busy. Half of the students, in fact, have been so busy as to earn themselves a conference presentation, an impressive feat for students who have not even matriculated. Milner and Brown participated in the CHOG conference, where they presented their respective work before a group of Hamilton and Colgate research students. Morrell, Beyler and Holz each presented a poster at the national MERCURY conference before an audience with representatives from institutions as far away as Salt Lake City, Utah.

What was it like? "It was a hard adjustment, learning to be independent," said Holz, who had to pick up his technical knowledge for computational chemistry fairly quickly. "It was a lot to learn," added Morrell, in the same lab as Holz. Pat Barnes, one of the physics students, agreed, explaining that his project, dealing with the national physics aCORN project, was a bit intimidating.

On the other hand, the benefits are undeniable. "It's a stress-free way to learn [my] way around the lab," explained Madeline Caudle, who enjoyed getting to know the campus, the science building, and the other science researchers without the high nerves of orientation week. Her lab partner Lauren Tom called it "getting settled in the Hamilton-Clinton community."

Not only do they meet the lab, but they meet the lab staff. Most of the STEP/Dreyfus recipients are put on projects with currently-enrolled students, a placement that allows them to meet others engaged in the same type of research. Holz, researching anti-cancer drugs with Marco Allodi '08, was adamant that he (Holz) was not just a lab assistant and glass-washer. "Everything Marco does, I do," he said. Tom shrugged. "When we come back for orientation, it'll be like home."

Getting to know the faculty is another positive for the students. Chemistry student Nevers said "I really enjoyed how the professors have been so accessible…available, open." He added that he had chosen to attend Hamilton because of the accessibility of the professors.

Silas D. Childs Professor of Chemistry Robin Kinnel, one of the program mentors, described it as "very beneficial for the students and for us."

In addition to the five weeks pre-matriculation, the program offers a 10-week position the following summer. Every student agreed that they wanted to return for future research. "I want to come back as soon as possible," were Holz's exact words. When solicited, advice for the next year's applicants varied. "Bring a car," was a popular suggestion, although some, like Brown, hiked down into Clinton in the heat. Kinnel said thoughtfully that the applicants should be honest when they apply. "Candor is good for them [the students] and it's good for us [the mentors]."


-- Lisbeth Redfield

Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.

Site Search