Student Research in Math and the Sciences at Bennington College

Research at Bennington

Research lies at the core of a Bennington science education. It is in the practice of science that students begin to appreciate what being a scientist really means. There are many paths by which Bennington students can conduct there own research. Some classes feature research projects as part of the curriculum; some students opt for rearch tutorials in which they work closely with faculty research advisors; other students have the opportunity to do research during Field Work Term. Students pursuing advanced work in science conduct independent research and present their findings in a written thesis as well as orally at Science Workshops, attended by faculty and students.

Science Workshops.

To develop the scientific community at Bennington a weekly series of science seminars is offered. Faculty and students lead discussions of their own research as well as recent reports in the scientific literature.

Student group research project, studying effects on goldenrod growth
of parasitism by a gall-making fly.

Examples of Recent Student Theses:

The Systematic Development of Flameware Glaze Formulations, Althea Bryant, 2005
Lichen, Vascular Plants and Microtopography: Spatial Patterns in a Coastal Bog, Josie Lawler, 2004.
Anthropological and Natural History of Sugar Making in Bennington County, Vermont, Dana Visser, 2003.
QSAR Study of Adenosine Analogues as Potential Drugs Against Tuberculosis, Ani Kicheva, 2003.
HSP 100 Expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Emily Larson, 2003.
The Calibration of Piezoelectric Probes, Rebecca Strohmer, 2003.
An Analysis of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund Project on the Hudson River, Lucas Westcott, 2003.
Developmental differences among newts (Notophthalmus viridescens)as function of pond pH. Garth Silberstein, 2000.
Neural coding in the ventral giant interneurons during escape-turning of the cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis. Jay Queenin, 1999.
Thermal tolerance and inducible thermal tolerance are reduced by metamorphosis in Xenopus laevisand Bufo americanus. Daniel Levitis, 1999.
Microhabitat influences on seedling growth., Ravenscroft, C.
Effects of fragment habitation on breed bird populations, Teten, S.
Foraging strategies and specialization by individual workers in ant colonies, LoDolce, R.