Upcoming HHMI Science Symposium showcases University of Richmond students' summer research in STEM fields

The University of Richmond’s School of Arts and Sciences will host its annual HHMI Science Symposium on the afternoon of Sept. 25 in the Gottwald Center for the Sciences.

This event, which is free and open to the public, is an opportunity for students who participated in the summer 2015 Howard Hughes Medical Institute research fellow program and other student researchers to share their projects with the community. Students researched and will present their findings on everything from how gypsy moths react to different temperatures and population dynamics in eastern red-spotted newts to mathematically modeling the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae.

Over 100 students will present posters explaining their research during two sessions, one beginning at 1:15 p.m. and the other at 3:00 p.m. in the Gottwald Atrium. Participating students completed research over the summer in a STEM field – science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

“This celebration of student achievement showcases the breadth and depth of student research conducted at UR,” said Michael Kerckhove, associate professor of mathematics and event organizer. “Many new questions are generated during the exchanges of ideas facilitated by this event. Researchers contribute their perspectives to the students’ projects and in turn imagine expanded possibilities for their own work.”

In addition to student presentations, Lawrence David, an assistant professor at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, will give a lecture entitled “Perturbing the Human Microbiome.” The lecture will explore how self-tracking of health and lifestyle can influence the function of bacterial communities within our bodies.  This public lecture will start at 4:45 p.m. in the Gottwald Auditorium.

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