Summer Research 2016

Students present Summer Research results

Sarah Grissom '18 explains her group's project.

Randolph students participating in the 2016 Summer Research program presented the results of eight weeks’ worth of lab work, cultural and historical studies, advanced mathematics, and digital animation today during the Summer Research Program Symposium. Participating students and their projects included: Jan Cornell ’17 and Alexandra Wieczorek ’19: “Correctional Food Deserts: Defining the Problem and... READ MORE >>

Summer Research explores links between food access and incarceration

Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women

For two years, communication studies professor J. Nikol Beckham has helped inmates earn their associate’s degrees at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. This summer, she and two Randolph students are combining her interest in food deserts and her passion for helping those who are incarcerated with a Summer Research project looking at nutritional education... READ MORE >>

Making the SUPER program SUPERB

Zhe Chen '17 and physics professor Peter Sheldon discuss their research on the SUPER program.

Since 2010, the Step Up to Physical Science and Engineering at Randolph (SUPER) program has helped the College recruit, train, and retain the nation’s future scientists. This summer, Zhe Chen ’17 is helping SUPER become SUPERB. Chen is analyzing the effectiveness of each aspect of the four-year program for science, technology, engineering, and math students... READ MORE >>

Tiny house project building momentum

Jessy Spencer ’18 oversees the construction of a straw bale bench made at a workshop last week.

Tiny houses were a big topic of discussion at Randolph last year, thanks to a project that researched the ins and outs of constructing one on campus. This summer, Jessy Spencer ’18 is building off that momentum—literally. Spencer is working on a Summer Research project with Karin Warren, the Herzog Family Chair of Environmental Studies,... READ MORE >>

Making a game out of Summer Research

Anh Vo '18 and mathematics professor Marc Ordower play John Conway's Game of Life.

Anh Vo ’18 has spent the summer playing and developing the Game of Life™ with one of his favorite professors. But this is no Hasbro board game with tiny, plastic cars or fake money—this game is reserved for those with the most advanced skills in mathematics. For Summer Research, Vo is working with mathematics professor... READ MORE >>

Summer Research project examines history of martyrdom

Will Andress '17 and Gordon Steffey meet to discuss one of their readings in the Student Center.

Coloring books are all the rage these days. Besides the typical children’s characters, there are now coloring books for adults featuring everything from butterflies to mandalas. And as Will Andress ’17 found out during his Summer Research project, there is even a martyrdom coloring book. Martyrdom: The Coloring Book is one of many texts—historical and... READ MORE >>

Teaching the teachers

Participants in Randolph's teaching institute work together to build a structure that would be tested on the shake table.

As adjunct education professor William Eggl explained the final steps of the algebraic equation on the white board, one of the middle school teachers in the Martin Science Building lecture hall exclaimed, “Oh, my gosh. It’s so simple!” Eggl was one of several Randolph faculty members sharing new instructional techniques this week at the College’s... READ MORE >>

For the health of horses

SRP meds

A group of Randolph College students are spending the summer comparing the effectiveness of over-the-counter medications in treating a skin infection commonly found in horses and livestock. Jessica Sidebottom ’17, Jacquelyn Parman ’18, Di Bei ’18, and Callan Frye ’17 are participating in Randolph College’s Summer Research program and are examining Streptothricosis, commonly known as... READ MORE >>

Plugged in to environmental issues

Sociology professor Brad Bullock and Harrison Pippin '18 talk about their project.

Each weekend this summer, Harrison Pippin ’18 has traveled downtown and set up a table at the Lynchburg Community Market. He’s not there to sell fresh produce, however—he’s there for research. As part of a Summer Research project with sociology professor Brad Bullock, Pippin has been administering a survey each week at the market, based... READ MORE >>

Making Internet security add up

Mathematics professor Jia Wan observes as Mengjin Sun '19 and Nhut Dang '18 study an equation.

Two Randolph students are using Summer Research as an opportunity to examine the critical role that math plays in cybersecurity. Mengjin Sun ’19 and Nhut Dang ’18 are working with mathematics professor Jia Wan to analyze the Diffie-Hellman problem (DHP). The DHP is a mathematical problem first proposed by Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman in... READ MORE >>