Student Research
Work side by side with professors on research projects both inside the classroom and out in the field, tackling real problems and gaining invaluable, practical experience.
Often inaccessible to students at larger universities, hands-on research allows you to spend a significant part of your education outside the classroom working on projects of personal interest while developing skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and communication that are highly valuable to future employers and graduate programs.
In many cases, your first exposure to research comes with an in-class semester-long project. These classroom experiences let you practice the skills necessary to perform independent research, including locating literature related to your project, discerning reliable from unreliable sources, designing effective research questions, and evolving your research questions based on the data you collect and analyze. When you have gotten a taste of these skills and would like to gain additional independent experience, schedule an appointment with the faculty member who studies the topic closest to your interests to learn more about how to develop a project of your own. From this conversation, you can figure out what sort of work may be best for you and set some goals and benchmarks for a successful project.
In most cases, you can earn Directed Reading or Independent Study credit towards graduation for student research work. Many departments require a senior research project of their majors, and in many cases this work can be applied towards earning Department Distinction status at graduation. Consult your faculty mentor to find out which track may be most appropriate for you.
For a more immersive experience, the Honors Council sponsors 8-10 week summer research internships in which students work full-time on their project and live on campus with fellow research students. (Note that you do NOT need to be an Honors Scholar to apply for this program). Financial support is provided in the form of a modest stipend and housing expenses.
Hampden-Sydney students have the opportunity to present their research at the College's Student Research Symposium. Since it is important for undergraduates to get the chance to present their work off-campus as well, the College supports student travel to regional and national conferences. Regional presentation opportunities include the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference on Undergraduate Scholarship (MARCUS) meeting held at Sweet Briar College each Fall and the Virginia Academy of Science meeting held each May. On a national level, the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is held each April, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is held in Orlando, FL, and several academic professional societies hold meetings with undergraduate presentation sessions.
The College also has several outlets available on campus for the presentation and publication of original work:
- TEDx—students and professors community-wide present their own round of TEDx talks on the topic of " Tradition and Change: 21st Century Men's College"
- English Capstone—students examine race and identity through a series of podcasts
- PechaKucha—faculty and students sharpen their brevity by describing their research using 20 slides presented in 20 seconds each
- H-SC Journal of the Sciences—Hampden-Sydney's very own science publication releases its latest edition
- Elevator Pitch Competition—Rhetoric students hone their research pitch with 2-minute presentations about "Problems and Solutions in the World of Sports"
- Environmental Studies Capstone—students present their ideas and commercials
There are a many research opportunities for undergraduate research at Hampden-Sydney. You can work out a specifically-tailored research plan with your faculty mentor(s) based on your interests and future career goals.
Office of Undergraduate Research
Dr. Michael J. Wolyniak, Director
McGavacks Associate Professor of Biology
Pauley Science Center, 220 | Box 183
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden Sydney, VA 23943
(434) 223-6175
mwolyniak@hsc.edu
Undergraduate Research Professors
Faculty across disciplines offer students opportunities to do real-world research
Elliott Assistant Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs
Morton Hall, 321
(434) 223-6246
rburke@hsc.edu
Myers Associate Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs
Morton Hall, 319
(434) 223-6243
ccarroll@hsc.edu
Assistant Dean of the Faculty and Elliott Professor of History
Maples Hall, 006
(434) 223-7206
jfrusetta@hsc.edu
Elliott Associate Professor of Psychology and Assistant Dean of the Faculty
Pauley, 318
(434) 223-6429
igyurovski@hsc.edu
Elliott Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and Associate Dean of the Faculty
Pauley, 410
(434) 223-6282
rjayne@hsc.edu
Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Chair of Modern Languages
Blake A, 102
(434) 223-6213
jpalmer@hsc.edu
Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
Pauley Science Center, 120
(434) 223-6331
wtolley@hsc.edu
McGavacks Professor of Biology and Director of Undergraduate Research
Pauley, 220
(434) 223-6175
mwolyniak@hsc.edu
Journal of the Sciences
Hampden-Sydney's very own science publication, the Journal of the Sciences, showcases undergraduate scientific work taking place on our campus in the Divisions of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.