Research at Washington College
Critical thinking, communication, and analysis are key components of any liberal arts education, and hands-on research is one of the primary ways you will develop those skills at Washington College, no matter your major.
Unlike large universities where research is reserved for graduate students, every undergraduate at Washington College has the chance to conduct research appropriate to their major and aligning with their interests. Our undergraduate students work side-by-side with our expert faculty on research—whether contributing to professors’ research or working with advisors in designing independent research.
Undergraduate research is an opportunity for our students to get hands-on in their fields, learning not only how to use research to answer questions, but how to develop thoughtful ones to start. Whether in the lab, field, studio, or library, every Washington College student cultivates familiarity with the research skills, techniques, and tools that serve them throughout their careers. This includes learning to write in styles and forms appropriate to their field and for a more general audience so that they can convey their research effectively and widely. Research for the Senior Capstone Experience is also the culminating step in Washington’s writing program, which engages every student during every year they spend at the College.
Working with Faculty
There are abundant opportunities for students to work on research with faculty. Through coursework and co-curricular research programs, established partnerships, and other opportunities, students and faculty engage in a range of collaborative experiences. Faculty get to know students and their interests well enough to seek them out for projects. Those close relationships lead to abundant opportunities for students to work on research with faculty. Research assistant, internship, lab assistant, and other positions are available to students on campus. Some students co-author papers with faculty, attend professional conferences to present research, and more.
Research Seeks to Find Natural Treatment for Honeybee Disease
David Estes ’24 took the free Beekeeping 101 course offered to Washington College students and continued to care for the hives in the Campus Garden throughout the academic year. Then when he began Medicinal Chemistry in spring 2023, he learned the professor, Daniel May, was looking for a student to help with research into potential treatments for honeybee diseases.
Before the first week of class was out, Estes made his way to May’s office and asked how to apply for the summer research project, funded by the Toll Summer Research Program.
Read the StoryCoursework
Research can look very different depending on your major, but every student is engaging in research practices from their first year on campus, learning how to ask good questions and use different resources to find the answers. Our students start with introductions to Miller Library and its archives and lab courses beginning in the first semester. Across campus, students work within various disciplines to conduct research and write about their findings in appropriate ways. Most students interested in laboratory or field research get into the lab during their first year, and many science courses include lab components. Students pursuing other majors learn how to conduct and synthesize research early in their careers. These skills are practiced across all four years at Washington College so students familiarize themselves with the tools they may be using throughout their careers and understand how to approach others with which they are unfamiliar. They learn how to use laboratory equipment, write and conduct surveys, cite scholarly sources in their arguments, and, perhaps most importantly, practice the techniques that give them a head start when entering graduate programs.
Senior Capstone Experience
Students employ and develop research skills in nearly every course they take at Washington College. Ultimately, students put those tools into practice through the completion of their Senior Capstone Experience (SCE), a year-long research project focused on a topic of their choosing. Representing the culmination of your studies and experiences, the SCE is discipline specific, and demonstrates critical thinking, writing, and knowledge at an advanced level. The SCE project can take the form of a research paper, comprehensive exam, professional portfolio, artistic creation or performance, service project, or another project of active learning. Students work with a chosen faculty advisor throughout the process. While the SCE is the largest individual research project a student undertakes, completing coursework and engaging in experiential opportunities throughout your studies prepares you for the length and depth of research required for your capstone.
Conducting Research at Washington
Location & Resources
Washington College is uniquely postiioned to support a wide variety of research projects, with rural, natural and urban locations all easily accessible. And the facilities, expertise, and equipment at the College mean students have the tools they need to effectively undertake their projects, whether in the natural sciences, social sciences, or humanities.
Opportunities & Funding
Research is a vital part of the Washington College experience, and we invest in multiple programs to cover costs to ensure students can conduct research. Washington College provides resources and funding opportunities students can tap into when pursuing independent research, supporting the purchase of materials, travel expenses, and more.
Research Outcomes
After you’ve conducted your research and have written about your findings, the next step is publication, presentation, and, for some, awards. Washington College values research and celebrates students’ success in making their contributions to knowledge. The best student research projects are recognized for their writing and research achievements, often monetarily.