Justin Monroe and Reagan Sayles, both '07, are working with Associate Professor of Biology Herman Lehman doing summer research. Monroe, a neuroscience major, and Sayles, a biology major, are working on a project titled "Biogenic amines and pigmentation patterns in paper wasp aggression." Their goal is to find a chemical reason why paper wasps with a certain spot pattern are more aggressive. Paper wasps have different patterns of black spots on their heads, which vary in size in number from wasp to wasp. A previous Cornell study found that wasps that had a blotchy pattern—multiple, variable spots—were generally the most aggressive. "This is important because the most aggressive females have the best chance of becoming queen," explained Monroe.
Sayles, who worked with Professor Lehman on a similar project during her pre-freshmen summer, and Monroe's 10-week long research project is geared at determining a chemical basis for this behavior pattern. Because serotonin, a neurotransmitter produced in the brain, is linked to aggression in many animals, they are dissecting the brains of the wasps to see if those with a blotchy pattern have high serotonin levels. Currently, they are analyzing the data in order to draw conclusions from their experiments.
Monroe and Sayles had some difficulty in the first few days of their project. "We didn't really have a great way of collecting [the wasps]. We just walked around campus and searched them out," said Monroe. But once they got into the lab, the research, for the most part, ran smoothly.
In addition to their pursuing their science careers at Hamilton, both students are involved around campus. Sayles is on the dance team and participates in the Hamilton chapter of the Association for Women in Science and Monroe is on the ski team and plays intramural sports.
Both Monroe, of Boxford, Mass., and Sayles, of Shelton, Conn., enjoy the summer research atmosphere. "It's relaxed, we're able to do work but have plenty of free time," said Monroe. "We're able to do academic work, but not have homework," added Sayles.
-- by Laura Trubiano '07
