Welcome to the 2023 Spring Student Research Fair

Friday, April 14th, 2023 - Mayser Gymnasium

1:00 - 3:15 PM

Exploration and Discovery are fundamental to the experience of students and faculty at Franklin & Marshall. They are hallmarks of a liberal arts education and provide the opportunity for new ideas to emerge through the intellectual partnership of faculty and students. The Spring Research Fair presents a venue to view the tangible results of our collective efforts to engage new questions and produce new knowledge during the past summer and current academic year. 

Student-faculty research collaborations began in the natural sciences at Franklin & Marshall in the 1950s, and in the early 1980s the Hackman Summer Research Scholars program ensured substantial future support for such collaborations in all divisions of the College. Summer Scholar students received significant institutional support from the Hackman, Eyler, David Schuyler Urban Studies Fellowship, and Bolton endowed Funds. During the academic year, Leser, Nissley, Rockhold and Independent Research funds supported 49 student projects and the John Marshall Fellow funds supported 23 student projects in Academic Enrichment or Community & Public Service. Some of these students are here today to share the results of their research and discuss the impacts these research experiences have had on them. 

The work presented today expands our perceptions of what constitutes a classroom and what defines "teacher" and "student." The number of interdisciplinary projects also provides evidence of the vibrancy of the research environment at Franklin & Marshall. We invite families, students, faculty, alumni, and all members of our community to share in this exposition of new knowledge.

Mary Osirim

Interim Provost and Dean of the Faculty