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. Read more.