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If modern medicine fails to adequately treat a condition, some patients turn to alternative healing methods. Francis Holistic Medical Center in West Boylston, Mass., provides this approach to healing. Emily Gaudet ’12 is an intern at the Francis Holistic Medical Center, where she interacts directly with patients and helps provide administrative support. Gaudet’s internship is supported by the Jeffrey Fund through the Career Center.

The mathematical field of graph theory is a study of just that:  a study of mathematical figures consisting of points and lines connected to them. Yonghyun Song ’13 is serving as an intern for Associate Professor of Mathematics Sally Cockburn on a graph theory project. His work was supported by the Monica Odening Student Internship and Research Fund in Mathematics through the Career Center.

Piscidin is an antimicrobial peptide found in hybrid striped bass which binds to cell membranes in order to destroy them. Victoria Bogen ’14, Robert Hayden ’14, Akritee Shrestha ’13, Leah Cairns ’13 and Christopher Rider ’12 are working with Associate Professor of Chemistry Myriam Cotten to conduct research on piscidin. Their research aims to solve the peptide’s structure and behavior in various conditions.

For those who want to spend time abroad, the wide variety of choices can make it confusing and difficult to compare programs. GO! Overseas, an upstart company based in Berkeley, Calif., helps ease the process of going abroad through a website that compares different programs. Katherine Harloe ’12 is spending the summer as an editorial and marketing intern for GO! Overseas, writing articles and brainstorming ways to expand the website.

According to Jumpstart, a literacy program with locations all over the country, America is facing an “early education crisis.” Low-income neighborhoods seem to face a disadvantage when it comes to education, and children from these areas fall behind in their schooling much more easily. To help provide a solution to this education gap, Jumpstart offers a program designed to help at-risk students succeed. Joanna Leff ’12 is spending the summer as an intern with Jumpstart.

Hamilton’s Kirkland and Rogers glens offer beautiful forest paths for joggers, dog-walkers and nature lovers. Hidden within the lush greenery, a well-trained eye can spot several plant species growing there that aren’t native to the glens. Invasive plant species in forests have the potential to interfere with native plants and animals, as well as disrupt the microbial balance of the soil. Five biology students and Professor Bill Pfitsch are mapping these unwelcome visitors in a summer research project.

By organizing all eukaryotic species into groups and depicting their evolution in a tree-like structure, researchers shape a better understanding of how different sets of organisms relate to one another and how they evolved. However beneficial these trees might be, there is some debate as to which genetic markers should serve as the trees’ organizing principle, as well as which method of grouping should be utilized. Tani Leigh ’12 is working with Assistant Professor of Biology Wei-Jen Chang this summer to create a new version of the eukaryotic phylogenetic tree using ribosomal proteins.

The wonder and beauty of aquariums are enchanting to children and adults alike. Marine life offers a wealth of intricate diversity to our planet and these species help maintain ecosystems throughout the world. Johanna Farkas ’12 is spending the summer at one of the premier aquariums and world leaders in marine research, the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration. Farkas’ internship is supported by the Jeffery Fund through the Career Center and the Renwick Prize in Biology.

Hamilton students and faculty are working with the U.S. Air Force this summer on a project that measures the neurological responses to fear, frustration and suspicion of humans as they interact with computers.

Chemistry Professor Robin Kinnel has recently discovered the chemical compound dichlorobouillonamide, which is released by a cyanobacteria in the Lyngbya family. The chemical has never been studied in depth, and it is possible that dichlorobouillonamide has potential applications in pain treatment. This summer Aaron Danilack ’13 and Jeffrey Blackburn ’13 are working with Kinnel to carry out a laboratory synthesis of dichlorobouillonamide.