Under the direction of Elliott Associate Professor of Biology Mike Wolyniak, who also serves as director of undergraduate research and the honors program, five students presented research at a meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Wolyniak also led eight students to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research meeting at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.
Just a week before, three students joined Elliott Associate Professor of Biology Kristian Hargadon ’01, chair of the biology department, at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Atlanta, where they presented research on melanoma. The conference attracts more than 22,000 cancer researchers from across the world every year, so it is a tremendous honor for an undergraduate to even present at this meeting. The students also participated in the Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition, where Corey Williams ’19 received an honorable mention award.
Says Dr. Hargadon, "Corey's award is particularly impressive as he was competing not only with undergraduates but also post-baccalaureate students from major research universities in the U.S. and abroad."
Hampden-Sydney’s small size is undoubtedly an asset when it comes to positioning young men to make an impact on the national stage, with intimate classes and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, which facilitates relationships and opportunities that students at larger schools may never encounter. With this level of research experience as undergraduates, these young men will undoubtedly enter their careers and graduate programs a step ahead of their peers.