Students to Show Off Summer Research

Twenty-five students will exhibit their summer research projects Thursday, Sept. 6, from 4-6 p.m. in Winter Hall. “A Celebration of Summer Research at Westmont” is free and open to the public.

Students will present their findings on poster boards and be available to answer questions during the reception in the rotunda. The event includes a lecture, “Curiosity and Practice: Learning Scientific Methods,” by Amanda Sparkman, assistant professor of biology, at 4:30 p.m. in Winter Hall’s Darling Foundation Lecture Hall (Room 210). Sparkman, who graduated from Westmont in 2003, joined the faculty last spring, bringing expertise in evolutionary biology and a love of field research.

Students researched a wide variety of topics in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, English, economics and business and religious studies.

One of the hallmarks of Westmont’s academic program is the opportunity for undergraduate students to work with faculty on significant research projects. The college is working to fully endow the chemistry department’s Summer Science Research Program by matching a $500,000 challenge grant from John Stauffer Charitable Trust.