Kristofer Covey, visiting assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, works with Shay Kolodney ’21, left, and Zoe Pagliaro '20, right, to test ways to rapidly measure carbon content in soil on Dome Island in Lake George.

Raymi Ramirez ’21, who aspires to be an astronaut, is working with a student team studying hydrogen in the Pisces-Perseus Supercluster. They will present findings to the American Astronomical Society in January.

Dominic Skeele ’22 is spending the summer after his first year at Skidmore testing how light color affects fruit fly sleep patterns, particularly the blue light often emitted from digital devices.

Summer research students enjoying a night of bowling

Faculty Student Summer Research

Skidmore's Summer Faculty Student Research Program provides students with a unique opportunity to work with faculty on original research in disciplines ranging from biology to management and business, including English, physics, dance and economics.

The program offers students the chance to spend 5 or 10 weeks in the lab or the classroom immersed in research, to gain a hands-on appreciation for scholarly work. Outcomes of the summer collaboration vary—for some students, the summer provides a foundation upon which to build a senior or an honors thesis; for others, the research could lead to published results in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Skidmore alumni who have continued their education in graduate school have reported that experience as researchers has given them distinct advantages as scholars.

For information on applying for the Faculty Student Summer Research Program, visit the Faculty Development pages.

The Faculty Student Summer Research Program is part of the Zankel Experience Network (ZEN). ZEN was established in 2020 by Jimmy Zankel ’92 and Pia Scala-Zankel ’92 to encourage the support of like-minded donors who hope to expand Skidmore’s commitment to experiential learning, including the Faculty Student Summer Research Program, Summer Experience Fund and a new Mentoring Program.

We would like to thank the following donors and funding agencies for their support of our collaborative research efforts and the Faculty Student Summer Research Program:

Alumni, Family, and Friends

Marlene Oberkotter Fowler ’61

Christy Johnson '90

Jim Lippman and Linda Friedman Lippman ’82

Richard A. Mellon ’87

Margaret Williams Page ’43

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Woodcock, Parents ’96

Axelrod-Porges Scholars
Established in 2006 by Felicia Axelrod ’62 and Robert Porges to support faculty-student teams in the area of the sciences.

Schupf Scholars
Established in 2008 by Sara Lubin Schupf ’62 to support summer faculty-student research with a preference given to students pursuing projects in the STEM disciplines. Schupf Scholars are selected beginning the summer after their freshman or sophomore year. Schupf Scholars may access additional funding for travel to meetings and conferences as well as for research supplies and expenses during their continuing research with faculty during their academic career at Skidmore.

Weg Scholars
Established in 2010 by Carol Little Weg ’64 and Ken Weg and awarded with a preference for students pursuing projects in the sciences and social sciences.

Foundations/Grants

Arthur Vining Davis Foundation

Caney Fork Farms

Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Lab

W.M. Keck Foundation

Rathmann Family Foundation

The Charles Slaughter Foundation

The GKV Foundation

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Jackson Family Wines

The Lake George Land Conservancy

MSA Safety

The National Institutes of Health

The National Science Foundation

The Nature Conservancy

The Skidmore Scholars in Science and Mathematics (S3M) Program

The Walton Family

Faculty Student Summer Research

Alumni, Family, and Friends

Foundations/Grants

Applications, Forms and Reports

Dean of Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs Contact

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