What it means to be a modern-day mentor and researcher during a global pandemic

Wofford frequently touts the opportunities that students are exposed to on our small, liberal arts campus. On Wofford’s website, they advertise programs open to students that can create a highly successful career; as the website says, “Wofford: it’s your world.” But what do these experiences in a Wofford academic setting look like when gatherings, close contact and collaboration are unsafe and dangerous?

This past summer, Ramon Galinanes, Jr., completed his first full year as the Director of Undergraduate Research and Post-Graduate Fellowships, specifically focusing on student professional development opportunities through high impact and community-engagement based projects.

Under normal circumstances at the end of the summer, student researchers from SoCon schools attend the SURF (SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum) conference, where they can interact with other students and present their research findings. Projects completed in the summer of 2019 included disciplines such as psychology, archaeology, biology, philosophy and mathematics among many others.

For Russ Kibbe ‘21, his research project was centered on synthesizing an organometallic catalyst, and he was supervised by Robert J. Harris, visiting professor of chemistry at Wofford. While the research was initially intended to take place at Emory University, Kibbe was able to conduct his research at Wofford, while also following important safety guidelines, such as wearing masks and face shields in the lab while also practicing social distancing both in the lab and during meetings.

Despite the challenges, Kibbe focused on the end result instead of the hurdles he faced.

“This summer I learned lots of new lab skills and lab techniques and was able to utilize my knowledge from the classroom for real world applications,” he said. “I also gained experience in reading and understanding published research articles from academic jour- nals. The project that I worked on is not completed, but I was able to make great progress and laid the groundwork for future students who will continue to work on this project in the years to come.”

Kibbe also spoke very highly of the opportunities of student research.

“I would absolutely recommend participating in undergraduate research if the opportunity is available. When looking for research experiences don’t be hesitant about asking your professors about research experiences you’re interested in because that may open some doors that you didn’t know existed. Undergraduate research was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as a student at Wofford.”

Paola Cruz ‘23, a student who was able to be present on campus for her summer research, worked under Laura Barbas Rhoden, professor of Spanish at Wofford, and alongside Zoe Mullins ‘22 and Madeline Samson ‘21. Their research was focused on cultural inclusivity in the Spartanburg area for elementary school children, specifically incorporating the fostering of cul- tural diversity in topics such as healthy eating choices and habits.

As it was Cruz’s first summer as a student researcher, she said that she did not have very many expectations going into the experience and that the presence of COVID-19 created even more unpredictable expectations.

“While the project could have been done almost entirely online,” Cruz said, “it would have been preferential to have done as much in person as possible. We were supposed to have in-person interviews, a forum with the Latinx community, and met with community leaders to create a more interactive research environment.”

Cruz referenced her own experiences from being a member of the Latinx community when speaking to the importance of her group’s research.

“It is so important to have a way to communicate with the Latinx community on important topics such as health and education. When I was little I was very ashamed of my cultures’ food, such as paposas (sandwiches with eggs and fried beans); stuff like that. Kids would make fun of me. I would be upset with the other children, but I was really mad at the school for not teaching students on how to be culturally inclusive and less anglocentric.” For those interested in applying for a student research position, applications for summer 2021 are due by February 1, 2021, and are awarded the following March.