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This summer, Alex Jones ’16 is conducting an important research project to better understand how vitamin C affects growth and development. He is working with Professor of Biology Herm Lehman to study what role vitamin C plays in the metabolism of Manduca sexta, a kind of hornworm that is frequently used in scientific experiments. Jones and Lehman’s research this summer is one part of an ongoing project to determine how exactly vitamin C is necessary for growth and development.

When you think of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet’s soliloquy “to be, or not to be” is probably the first thing that comes to mind. This scene is just one well-known example of the power of monologues. Monologues, whether in a 17th-century play or a recent movie, have a special power to delve into the mind of characters and connect with audiences. This summer, Kelsey Crane ’17 is exploring the particular power of monologues, working with Professor of Theatre Craig Latrell under an Emerson Summer Research grant.

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (commonly known as MASS MoCA) is the largest of its kind in the United States. For Communication major Jasper Nash ’16, the museum and its ever-changing exhibitions are providing the perfect setting to learn about communications and marketing.

Sexual assault is a significant problem on college campuses. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while they are in college. This summer, Corinne Smith ’17 is using a Levitt Summer Research Fellowship to assess sexual violence at Hamilton.

At Hamilton, research into how the city of Utica and its flourishing refugee population affect one another has been going on for over a decade. This summer Shannon Boley ’17 and Visiting Associate Professor of Religious Studies Brent Plate are studying the religious life of refugees in Utica as part of Harvard’s prestigious Pluralism Project.

Classic mythology originated thousands of years ago, yet it still resonates with audiences today. With an Emerson Foundation grant, Rachel Beamish ’16 is examining adaptations of classical and Egyptian mythology within modern young adult novels. She is working with Professor of Africana Studies and Classics Shelley Haley to examine how contemporary novels adapt classical mythology to 21st century American culture.

When Njideka Ofoleta ’16 studied abroad in Spain last semester, she noticed something about the population in her neighborhood. She lived in an area with a high immigrant population, and although she saw many African men in public and in the media, she saw few African women. She realized that African women were rarely discussed, and she “wanted to delve deeper into that rarely-covered realm.” With a grant from the Emerson Foundation, Ofoleta has spent time in Morocco, Spain, and the United States to research African women immigrating into Spain.

When most of us think about oral health, we might not think far beyond brushing our teeth and our next trip to the dentist’s office. James Robbins ’16, however, knows that there’s much more to it than that. This summer as a Levitt Summer Research Fellow he is researching water fluoridation for improved public health. Working closely with Professor of Biology Herm Lehman, Robbins has been researching the public health debate about water fluoridation.

Mihai Dohotaru, a class of 2013 graduate, is jumping directly into a career in business. He began a job this summer with UBS as a financial analyst, taking on a lot of responsibility within the financial services company.

Few Americans have the chance to really get to know their representatives in Congress. Thomas Funk ’15, who completed his second internship this summer with Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, is an exception. He worked at her congressional office in Washington D.C. and received funding from the Joseph F. Anderson ’44 internship fund to live in the capital city.