Redefining research: How Lane Grey ’26 found connection and collaboration at Skidmore

When many people think of research, they picture lab coats, microscopes, and quiet rooms. At Skidmore, research isn’t limited to the sciences or a single discipline – it’s a cornerstone of the liberal arts experience. Students are encouraged to pursue discovery across a variety of fields, both inside and outside of the classroom.  

Through experiential learning opportunities like the Faculty-Student Summer Research program, Summer Experience Fund, and SEE-Beyond summer funding, nearly 400 students each year engage in advanced research alongside faculty mentors across the sciences, humanities, and arts. 

It was this environment that empowered management and business and English double major Lane Grey ‘26 to find a research experience grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and shared discovery.  

“When applying for colleges, I knew that I wanted a strong research program where I could continue some of the work I did in high school,” she said. “But I wanted my next research experience to be different. I wanted the lab to be more collaborative, where it was encouraged to ask questions and to sometimes not know things.” 

With small class sizes, close faculty relationships, and access to state-of-the-art facilities like the Billie Tisch Center for Integrated Sciences, Lane found the collaborative and cross-disciplinary environment she had longed for.  

Coming to Skidmore completely fulfilled what I wanted in a research lab and more. Skidmore allowed me to explore research opportunities both in and outside of my majors and across disciplines." 

Lane Grey '26

Mentored by Assistant Professor of Management and Business Yuegi Li and supported by the Faculty–Student Summer Research program, Lane studied the levels of professional skepticism exhibited by generative AI when conducting financial accounting tasks.  

“We found that in some ways, generative AI could be very useful for the 'Big Four' accounting firms, but in other ways, generative AI was not useful. Generative AI can be used as an aid but not as a replacement.” 

By her senior year, she completed her manuscript and advanced to the second round of review as the paper moves toward publication.

Though her passion for research began in high school, Skidmore supported Lane in taking her experience to the next level — helping her build credibility, confidence, and tangible skills that will propel her into her future career.  

“My research experience at Skidmore has allowed me to dabble in several departments, publish research in my name, and has impacted my career trajectory post Skidmore.”