COLA Posts

Low-Cost Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) for Art Institutions

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Art is not only fascinating to the eye but also in the way it provides historical context and brings communities together.

Conducting Historical Research on the Legal and Cultural Impacts of the Eichmann Trial

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Inspired by a history seminar on the Holocaust in Europe, Josh compared how the trial’s legal and cultural goals were translated into future legal decisions.

A Day in the Life Studying the Works of Virginia Woolf

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Olivia received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) for her project titled “Poststructuralism and Virginia Woolf: Human Consciousness and Its Mediation of the External World.”

Overcoming Loneliness while Conducting Independent Research

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

I was ready to jump into my research. However, I was immediately met with a challenge I did not plan for: loneliness.

Is Philosophical Research Even Relevant?

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

“Is philosophical research even relevant?” Any student who has experience conducting research within the field of philosophy has heard those words.

Doing Research Remotely: How I Felt Seen for the First Time

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Having the opportunity to do research remotely felt like a silver lining during a time of adversity.

Hamel Center Researchers at the URC, Part 1: Emilie Carroll

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Emilie Carroll ’27 is a music liberal studies major who received a Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) grant from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research in 2024.

How Leprosy Changed My Mind

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

I never thought my research on leprosy would make me a skeptic. Nonetheless, my investigation led me to question foundational beliefs about my perception of history.

Musical Tuning and the Joys of Liberal Arts Research

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The opportunity to conduct research at the undergraduate level is invaluable. The process inevitably involves a deep-dive into some aspect of your broader field of interest—helping with your more traditional classes and academic pursuits while sharpening a host of scholarly skills such as close reading, clear writing, and locating and evaluating sources/data.

How the URC Changed my Perspective on Public Speaking

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

I presented my research at �鶹��’s Undergraduate Research Conference on April 26, 2024.

Why the Fear of Statistics Didn’t Hold Me Back

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

As a senior, I am close to graduating and am figuring out the next steps in my life. My goals have significantly changed, especially since starting my senior year. Undertaking different projects, in both the applied and research aspects of the field of psychology has broadened my views and changed my path. One thing that has changed along the way is my relationship with statistics.

Learning the Ropes to Write My First Research Proposal

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Everyone starts somewhere. Before I applied to the Hamel Center’s Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP), I contemplated whether I was qualified.

In Defense of the Noncommittal Researcher

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

During this time as a �鶹�� student, my career goals have vacillated significantly. Reflecting back on my research, it’s easy to see that the wildly different projects I’ve undertaken are a reflection of the general uncertainty that has colored my college career.

Should Judges Use Artificial Intelligence to Inform Sentencing Decisions?

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

This summer I received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. As a philosophy major, my project—which I will turn into my senior honors thesis over this next school year—is on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in judicial deliberation.

Presenting at �鶹��’s 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

I spent this past year conducting research for my honors thesis on the way Spain frames its Islamic heritage.

An Organizational Toolkit for Liberal Arts Researchers

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Last summer, I spent ten weeks conducting research through the Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP).

If You Didn’t Know, Research Is More Than Math

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 12:00:00 +0000

In every incoming student campus tour, �鶹�� boasts its prestigious research opportunities. When I was at the dinner for prospective Hamel Scholars class of 2024, I shook a lot of hands with faculty who were eager to tell me what exciting research was being conducted in their department.