Category: SRS 2025 (all projects)

CLOSED: Politics, LGBTQ identity, Morality, Accuracy. & AI and Education Study. (Jacob Gibson)

Hybrid: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

There are three projects being worked on. One is looking at the accuracy of making judgments of individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community. The other is looking at personality, moral reasoning, and the accuracy of judgments based on political affiliation. We are also working on a project looking at how AI is used in the classroom and how it is helping and harming students.

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Prerequisites

I prefer it if you have taken a research methods and stats class but that is not required.

Special Comments

No travel or courses.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: Hybrid

Contact Information: Jacob Gibson (email: jgibson@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Assessing what remains of Coral Gardens (Lisa Greer)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

Coral Gardens reef (Belize) previously contained an exceptional population of endangered Staghorn coral that has been monitored for over a decade. Between June 2023 and December of the same year, this reef collapsed, with live coral plummeting from over 30% live to zero. This project has several aims. We will document the impacts of this collapse and look for any surviving Acropora sp. corals in the wider area. We will also use 3D photogrammetry techniques to document changes in reef structure and the deterioration of individual corals post-collapse. Additionally, we will download temperature, light, and pH data from in situ data loggers stationed at several locations on the reef and analyze pH data collected in prior years. A final goal of the summer will be to further document and analyze the occurrence and distribution of microplastics at two sites adjacent to the reef.

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Prerequisites

NONE

Special Comments

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Lisa Greer (email: greerl@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Green Information Systems Comparative Study (Keri Larson)

Remote: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

This project focuses on international Green IS, or sustainable information systems, efforts. Specifically, the student research scholar will assist investigation into the sustainability practices of two nations, Iceland and Wales, that are considered leaders in the global effort to create a viable low-carbon world. The project will comprise both qualitative and quantitative data collection including assessments of both governments’ legislative endeavors and adherence to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Data will be collected in a low-tech environment, so the major requirement is familiarity with Excel. Depending on the trajectory of the project, some data will be collected via survey. As such, the student research scholar will gain experience in survey design methodology if desired, entailing the use of the Qualtrics survey platform.

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Prerequisites

Familiarity with Excel Willingness or interest in learning survey design and learning to use Qualtrics

Special Comments

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: Remote

Contact Information: Keri Larson (email: larsonk@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Land Speculation, Finance, and Indigenous Dispossession in the Early U.S. (Franklin Sammons)

Hybrid: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/16/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

Students will work with Professor Sammons to help him conduct research for his book project on the Yazoo Land Sales, and more generally on the relationship between land speculation, finance, and Indigenous dispossession in the early United States. In collaboration with the professor, students will undertake a variety of research tasks, including: researching the biographies of land speculators; researching the financial dimensions of treaty negotiations between the US and Native nations in the Southeast; helping to clean land office data in Excel; reading and taking notes on a range of primary sources, particularly digitized newspapers from Georgia in the 1790s and early 1800s, and digitized correspondence from officials in the US War Department. Students will gain experience in different kinds of historical research, learn more about Native American history and the political and economic history of the early US, and learn more about the variety of undertakings necessary to produce historical scholarship.

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Prerequisites

Students should have some experience performing primary source research.

Special Comments

Professor Sammons hopes to work with a history major with an interest in early American and Native American history, but these are not requirements for applying.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/16/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 1

Research Location: Hybrid

Contact Information: Franklin Sammons (email: fsammons@wlu.edu)

Compassion in Action (Stephanie Sandberg)

On campus or Hybrid: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

This filming project can be in person or hybrid. We will work with you on the schedule. No film-making experience necessary. 

Compassion in Action is a ten-part documentary series that will be filmed over the course of the next few years. The project will be centered at Washington and Lee University but will have the potential for travel around Virginia and the continental United States. If you’re interested in the intersection of science and the arts, or in how social science can have a major impact on the world, this is a great project for you!

Compassion in Action explores the transformative power of compassion across various aspects of human life. Each 30-40 minute episode delves into different domains such as education, healthcare, economics, and the arts, showcasing real-world examples and expert insights on how compassion can drive positive societal change. The series, set to be completed in 2026, aims to educate and inspire viewers by examining compassion’s role in promoting well-being and addressing urgent social issues. With high-quality cinematography and storytelling, the project blends journalistic integrity with cinematic beauty, featuring a mix of formal interviews and cinema verité filmmaking. The series begins with an exploration of compassion’s historical roots, inspired by Hannah Arendt’s philosophy, and progresses through topics like self-compassion, community building, restorative justice, and environmental activism, ultimately seeking to rekindle society’s compassionate spirit in today’s fragmented world

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Prerequisites

It would be great to have students who have taken at least one film or journalism course, and any students who have a hunger to learn about filmmaking.

Special Comments

Possible travel around the state of Virginia

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus or Hybrid

Contact Information: Stephanie Sandberg (email: sandbergs@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Humanitarianism: Concept and Practice (Mohamed Kamara)

Hybrid: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 6 weeks, finishing on 7/11/2025.

Project Description

Why and how do we undertake humanitarian actions? Why, for example, is Europe so quick and generous in its support of fleeing Ukrainians when it does everything to block non-European migrants from crossing into its territories? Is it because, as the governing pigs in George Orwell’s 1945 novel, Animal Farm, proclaim: “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”? How did we get to and how do we explain the kind of thinking that sees some humans as superior and others as inferior? Who deserves to be helped? Who doesn’t? Where is the ‘human’ in humanitarianism? This is a new research project I hope will culminate in a monograph. One of the chapters of said monograph will examine the life and work of two Western humanitarians who lived, worked, and died in Equatorial Africa during the first half of the twentieth century: Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), a native of Franco-German Alsace and William McCutchan Morrison (1867-1918), an 1887 graduate of Washington and Lee University’s school of law, and a Rockbridge, Virginia native. Through this immersive work, students will hone their research skills and further their knowledge about humanitarianism as a global concept and practice.

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Prerequisites

No prerequisites necessary.

Special Comments

No requirements other than enthusiasm and willingness to engage challenging questions.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/11/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 6 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: Hybrid

Contact Information: Mohamed Kamara (email: kamaram@wlu.edu)

“Analysis of Community-University Relationship Survey” (Sascha Goluboff)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 8/1/2025.

Project Description

The Community-University survey, administered by the Office of Community-Based Learning, aims to understand the relationship between Washington and Lee University and the Lexington, Rockbridge, and Buena Vista community. Information gathered will focus on community members’ thoughts about their interactions with the university and its employees, students, and alumni, as well as their experiences on campus. Their answers will benefit the further development of community-university relationships. The student researcher will work closely with the Director of Community-Based Learning, with support from CBL Office staff, to analyze and interpret the data using quantitative analysis via statistical software such as SPSS, Stata, R or other programs. Opportunity exists for coauthoring an article based on this research.

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Prerequisites

Students should have taken courses in data science and/or statistics and be comfortable working independently with the software.

Special Comments

Remote work is an option.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/1/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 1

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Sascha Goluboff (email: goluboffs@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Algorithm Design in Online Scheduling (Kefu Lu)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

When given a collection of tasks to finish which have deadlines, which one should be prioritized first? How much time should be assigned to each task? Is it even possible to finish them all? The study of scheduling in computer science is about figuring out the optimal schedule to run programs in order fulfill quality of service metrics. This project will focus on finding the best algorithms to address a series of scheduling problems in the context of distributed computing – where there are a bunch of programs to run and also a bunch of computers to run them on! In this project, students will be learning about algorithm design, efficiency, and approximation algorithms. Discussing algorithm design problems in person is most productive for research, especially in the beginning. We can also switch to more flexible meetings later on if you wish to do so. The hope is that we discover an algorithm which works well and then we can submit the result for publication. In any case, this should be an interesting glimpse into the process of algorithm design.

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Prerequisites

This project does not require any programming. However, it is preferable if you have taken CSCI-111 OR CSCI-112.

Special Comments

Students who are currently taking or have taken CSCI-211 will be starting off ahead as they will have a lot of additional context. I highly encourage you to set up a quick chat if you have questions about the project.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Kefu Lu (email: klu@wlu.edu)

Assessing Drinking Water Suitability and Challenges of Springs and Private Wells in Virginia (Madhumita Chakraborty)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/16/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

Did you know that over 1.7 million Virginians rely on private wells for their drinking water, while many others turn to roadside springs? These unregulated water sources are a lifeline for many households, yet their safety and quality remain a pressing concern. Here’s where you come in! Join an exciting research project that dives into the heart of spring and private well water quality in Rockbridge County and the surrounding areas. Together, we’ll explore critical questions, such as: (a) What contaminants are lurking in our springs and wells, if any? (b) How many people are at risk from these contaminants? (c) Who is most at risk from exposure to these contaminants? Are certain communities more vulnerable than others? (d) Do the contaminant profiles in spring water differ from those in well water? In other words, are spring water users exposed to a different set of contaminants than well water users? By participating, you’ll gain hands-on experience in water sampling, analyzing contamination patterns, and GIS-based spatial data analysis while making a real-world impact. This project isn’t just about water testing—it’s about connecting science to society. Your efforts will contribute to identifying inequities in water access and guiding potential interventions to ensure safe drinking water for all. Interested? Let’s tackle these essential questions together and make a difference!

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Prerequisites

For success in the project, you should have: (a) Enthusiasm for engaging in extensive fieldwork: While prior experience in field or lab settings is not required, you must be eager to actively participate in water sampling and laboratory analysis, learning and developing these skills throughout the project. (b) Willingness to travel off campus: You should be ready to travel to other laboratories for water quality analysis. (c) Curiosity and passion: A genuine interest in water quality issues and a drive to make a meaningful impact.

Special Comments

The work will involve: (a) three to four weeks of fieldwork, primarily consisting of day trips. (b) two to three weeks of off-campus travel for sample analysis at external laboratories.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/16/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Madhumita Chakraborty (email: mchakraborty@wlu.edu)

CLOSED: Toward a hyper-empirical gravitational wave source localization routine based on the Northstar algorithm (Tom McClain)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/23/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

The primary purpose of this research project is to determine if it is possible to build a hyper-empirical gravitational wave source localization routine around the Northstar algorithm I developed some years ago. This routine would use empirical signal modeling techniques similar to those (presumably) used by neural networks to perform source localization very quickly (i.e., on the same time scales as a neural network) while maintaining full control over parameter choices and failure modes (like the traditional approach using numerical templates from general relativity). Depending upon the success or failure of the initial builds, the project may also include testing or refinement of the routine, from small tweaks in program parameters up full runs on realistic data sets using cutting-edge GPUs on Amazon Web Services.

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Prerequisites

The ideal candidate would have completed PHYS 111, PHYS 112, and CS 111, and would have at least a small amount of experience with SciPy or NumPy. But the most important criteria is engagement; interested students should apply regardless of previous experience.

Special Comments

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/23/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Tom McClain (email: mcclaint@wlu.edu)