Good Vibrations: UMW Summer Science Institute Highlights Intense Undergrad Research

When red milkweed beetles engage in combat, they don’t just fight with their bodies – they communicate through vibrations that travel across the plant. This summer, University of Mary Washington students are investigating whether these fighting vibrations might actually prevent battles rather than provoke them, challenging assumptions about insect behavior.

It’s the kind of hands-on discovery that defines UMW’s Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute (SSI), now in its 26th year. The 10-week experience pairs undergraduate researchers with faculty mentors for intensive research projects, from insect communication and environmental contamination to complex computer algorithms. This year’s projects showcase an interdisciplinary approach and real-world applications, with 30 students tackling scientific questions across seven STEM disciplines – biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, geography, mathematics and physics.

“What surprised me most was how collaborative research really is,” said senior Autumn Pembelton, a conservation biology major working with Assistant Professor of Biology Lauren Cirino on the milkweed beetle project. “I’ve learned that other people are absolutely crucial to making a project successful,” she said of the work, which employed a laser vibrometer and some support from Assistant Professor of Physics Varun Makhija on getting the experimental design set up.

The institute culminates with a public symposium on Wednesday, July 23, when students present their findings through oral presentations and posters from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom. Winners in both presentation categories will receive scholarship awards supported by 1961 Mary Washington alumna Dr. Jerri Barden Perkins.

Senior Autumn Pembelton, a conservation biology major working with Assistant Professor of Biology Lauren Cirino on the milkweed beetle project. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Senior Lillie Burbulis, a biology major and climate science minor, exploring resource allocation in leaf-footed cactus bugs. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Biology students working with Dr. Cirino are part of a 10-week experience pairing undergraduate researchers with faculty mentors for intensive research projects. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Senior Autumn Pembelton checks on the red milkweed beetles that are part of her Summer Science Institute project. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Assistant Professor of Biology Lauren Cirino and Assistant Professor of Physics Varun Makhija help students set up an experimental design using a laser vibrometer. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Pembelton ’26 and Burbulis ’26 in the field collecting insects for their summer science experiments. Photo provided by Dr. Lauren Cirino.

Over its 26-year history, SSI has given over 500 students the chance to conduct dynamic undergraduate research on campus and in the field. Photo provided by Dr. Lauren Cirino.

Originally launched in 1999 with support from a DuPont grant, the program has evolved significantly since Professor of Chemistry Ray Scott first organized seven research teams. Over its quarter-century history, the program has incorporated an array of new disciplines and given over 500 students the chance to conduct dynamic undergraduate research on campus and in the field.

In 2024, the Institute was renamed to honor Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, whose gift of more than $30 million to the University ensured continued growth in undergraduate STEM research opportunities. SSI students receive full funding, including room, board and stipends, allowing them to focus entirely on their studies.

Juniors Marina Klein, a chemistry major, and Emily Hart, an applied mathematics and statistics double major, are tackling the tricky task of detecting explosive compounds in environmental samples. They often work in dimmed lighting or walk-in fridges to prevent degradation of the explosives they’re studying.

“We’ve learned one method can’t be used for all the explosives; we need to use at least two methods in tandem to quantify everything,” said their mentor, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Sarah Smith ’12, an SSI participant herself as a UMW undergrad. Her students are collaborating with another research team led by Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel.

Chemistry major Marina Klein ’27 studies sediment and water extractions working on Jepson Science Center’s fourth floor. Photo Karen Pearlman.

Emily Hart ’27 works with sediment samples to determine how explosive materials, such as TNT, degrade in the environment. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Juniors Marina Klein, a chemistry major, and Emily Hart, an applied mathematics and statistics double major, study environmental contamination inside the walk-in fridge in the Jepson Science Center. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Emily Hart ’27 collects soil and water samples on the Potomac to bring back to the lab for experimentation. Photo provided by Dr. Sarah Smith.

Showcasing an interdisciplinary approach, UMW student researchers collect samples on the Potomac along with Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel. Photo provided by Dr. Sarah Smith.

Computer science students Kassandra Williams ’26 and Kaleb Lucas are working to accelerate large-scale linear algebra problems and investigating how randomization can improve parallel processing strategies to make everyday computing tasks more efficient. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Working with Assistant Professor of Computer Science Evan Coleman, student researchers, Kassandra Williams ’26 and Kaleb Lucas, are tackling tough computational challenges. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Meanwhile, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Evan Coleman’s team is tackling computational challenges. Using image processing techniques in machine learning, senior Kassandra Williams, a computer science major and cyber security minor, is working to accelerate large-scale linear algebra problems – the mathematical backbone of applications like computational fluid dynamics and weather modeling.

In addition to the beetle study, Cirino’s biology students are exploring resource allocation in leaf-footed cactus bugs, investigating how insects balance survival and reproduction when their immune systems are compromised. The research has already required adjustment – when one injury method proved too harsh for juvenile insects, senior Lillie Burbulis, a biology major and climate science minor, pivoted to a gentler approach that’s showing more promising results.

“As someone who learns better by doing hands-on projects, SSI has solidified my love and understanding of science,” Burbulis said. “I know that research is a path I want to continue to pursue because of this program.”

Associate Professor of Chemistry Randall Reif, who directs SSI, said he appreciates its capacity to provide participants like Burbulis the opportunity to dedicate themselves to research for a full 10 weeks. “It represents a chance for students to learn about topics that aren’t always taught in the classroom,” he said. “They discover what scientific research is like in the real world.”

The Symposium on Wednesday, July 23 is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom.