Class of 2015 – Page 5

This month, five Wesleyan students received Summer Experience Grants, supported by the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship. The honor comes with a $4,000 stipend to supplement costs associated with a summer internship experience. The grants are available for Wesleyan sophomores and juniors currently receiving need-based financial aid who plan to do socially innovative or socially responsible work during summer break. The recipients include Theodora Messalas ’15, Dara Mysliwiec ’16, Keren Reichler ’16, Geneva Jonathan ’15 and Jared Geilich ’15. In addition, film major Aaron Kalischer-Coggins ’15 received a Priebatsch Internship Grant. All grantees report on their experiences on the Patricelli Center's ENGAGE blog. Sociology major Theodora Messalas is working with…

As a recent recipient of an undergraduate research fellowship, Jack Singer '15 is spending his summer at Wesleyan studying the geochemical evolution of the moon. The fellowship, supported by the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium, comes with a $5,000 award. Grantees are expected to work on research related to space/aerospace science or engineering under the guidance of a faculty member or a mentor from industry. For the next three months, Singer will work on various research projects with his advisor James Greenwood, assistant professor of earth and environmental science. Singer will first prepare a fragmented lunar sample (Apollo 12035,76) for…

This summer, Elaine Tsui ’15 will work on her undergraduate research in the Chemistry Department as an American Chemical Society Fellow. Tsui, who is double majoring in English and chemistry, received the fellowship from the Society's Connecticut Valley Section. Funding opportunities are available for those with interests in physics, biology, materials science, engineering and medicine. As a fellow, Tsui will conduct self-directed research under the supervision of Albert J. Fry, the E.B. Nye Professor of Chemistry. In 2013, Tsui worked with Fry as a Hughes Fellow and studied “Andodic Oxidation of 1,1-Diphenylacetone in Various Alcohols." She will continue this research for 10 weeks…

Wesleyan hosted the Academic Scholarships, Fellowships and Prizes Reception for students May 7 in Daniel family Commons. "We gather today to honor students who represent the highest ideals of Wesleyan University―intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, creative expression, leadership, and service. While celebrating these recipients of awards, prizes, and scholarships, we also honor and thank alumni and friends whose generous contributions make these prizes possible," said Ruth Striegel Weissman, provost and vice president for academic affairs. The prizes and recipients are listed below: Butterfield Prize Established by the Class of 1967 and awarded to the graduating senior who has exemplified those qualities…

In this issue of The Wesleyan Connection, we speak with Joaquin Benares ’15, who recently was awarded a Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship Seed Grant for his project, Boundless Updated Knowledge Offline (BUKO). BUKO uses an electronic bookshelf (Raspberry Pi powered server) to bring video lectures, e-textbooks and other educational tools to Philippine public schools to supplement their (sometimes nonexistent) libraries, teaching aids and contact time with teachers. Q: Where did you grow up and how did you end up coming to Wesleyan? A: I was born and raised in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. I attended high school…

Jillian Roberts ’15 presented a poster at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association in Boston, Mass. on March 15. The poster, titled "Influence of minimal group membership on children’s ideas of equality," is co-authored by Jessica Taggart, research associate and Psychology Department lab coordinator, and Hilary Barth, associate professor of psychology, associate professor of neuroscience and behavior. Roberts developed the project herself and has conducted the research over the past two years.

An exhibit curated by Emma Rothberg '15 is on display at the Middlesex County Historical Society in Middletown. In "Juxtaposing Likeness: Fashion Accessories from the Collection of the Middlesex County Historical Society," museum volunteer Rothberg presents about two dozen items from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, including jewelry, hats, spectacles, a silk parasol, fans and a man's leather billfold from just after the American Revolution. The items are displayed in two glass cases inside the museum. Rothberg's exhibit also was featured in a December 2013 issue of The Hartford Courant. Her exhibit statement reads: "Clothing, potentially more than…

Over the summer, Nishaila Porter ’15 worked on a research project as a 2013 Diversity Intern at Columbia University. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program and the U.S. Implementing Organization cosponsored the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory Summer Intern Program at Columbia University for the second consecutive year. The goal of the Columbia University Diversity Internship is to “expose minority students to careers in scientific ocean drilling by providing them with a 10–12 week educational and career building experience.” Current interns work with mentors on research projects using scientific ocean drilling data. While working on the project, titled “Which Marine Fossil Assemblages…

Elizabeth Baumgartner ’15 co-authored two scientific papers that were recently published as abstracts and presented as posters at "PAINWeek 2013: The National Conference on Pain for Frontline Practitioners," a national medical conference held on Sept. 4–7 in Las Vegas, Nev. As part of an internship this summer with Purdue Pharma LP’s Department of Risk Management and Epidemiology, Baumgartner, who is majoring in neuroscience and behavior and the Science in Society Program, participated as a member of a team of epidemiologists doing primary research on the impact of the use and abuse of prescription opioids on both patient and abuser populations.…

In this issue of The Wesleyan Connection, we speak with Aviv Fraiman from the Class of 2015. Q: Aviv, what are you majoring in and why? A: I’m majoring in neuroscience and behavior because I find the brain absolutely fascinating. When I think of the brain, I’m reminded of a puzzle, except instead of the pieces being cardboard shapes, they’re an interwoven tangle of yarn. All the different pathways – it’s really chaotic, but there’s such beauty in its design. Neuroscience is a field where there’s an endless amount to learn and that really excites me. Q: You're currently President…

Lily Myers ’15, a member of WeSlam, performed a poem about her family that has received more than 1.7 million views on YouTube. The poem, titled "Shrinking Women," won Best Love Poem at the 2013 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational in April, and expresses the pressure women feel to take up less and less space, to be quiet, to be small and to eat sparingly. Fellow slam poet Evan Okun ’13 said, “Her piece exemplifies Wesleyan's progressive thinking, innovative writing, and emotional honesty when it comes to Slam Poetry.” Myers also appeared in Upworthy.com and The Huffington Post. She is currently studying abroad…

While their classmates spend the summer growing business contacts at off-campus internships, 10 Wesleyan students hope to cultivate something equally lucrative – sustainable agriculture. The “dirt in the nails” days are long but satisfying at Wesleyan's Long Lane Organic Farm, a student-run organic farm that gives students a place to experiment and learn about sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals - environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. This summer, the students are cultivating two acres of land, the biggest plot they've ever farmed. They're growing cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, tomatillos, squash, asparagus, basil, broccoli, lettuce, blueberries…

Students Receive Patricelli Center Grants, Priebatsch Summer Internship

Singer ’15 to Study Moon Rocks as Connecticut Space Grant Fellow

Tsui ’15 to Study with Professor Fry as American Chemical Society Fellow

Students Honored For Academic Achievement with Awards, Fellowships

Government Major Benares ’15 Creates “Electronic Bookshelf” to Benefit Teachers in the Philippines

Roberts ’15 Presents Psychology Research at Professional Meeting

Exhibit by Rothberg ’15 Juxtaposes Historical, Contemporary Fashion

Porter ’15 Works as Diversity Intern with Ocean Drilling Program

Baumgartner ’15 Authors 2 Scientific Papers

Neuroscience Major Fraiman ’15 Encourages Students to Become WesEMTs

Video of WeSlam Poet Myers ’15 Receives 1.7M Views

10 Students Tend 2 Acres at Wesleyan’s Long Lane Farm