Muhlenberg College

Muhlenberg students Erin Jackson '25, Ashley Kim '25, Alyssa Sipman '26, and Sydney Vogel '25 presented original research on molecular genetics of animal development alongside their advisor Bruce Wightman, professor of biology, at the 2025 International Worm Meeting in Davis, California. In addition, Vogel won first prize in the "mixed media" art competition for her bio-design sweater.

More than 50 Muhlenberg College students presented original scholarly research this fall -- in areas ranging from biology, chemistry, and physics, to English, art, and sociology.

International student Fuka Aizawa '26 has worked in two different labs at Muhlenberg, followed by a research assistantship in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Brandon Brogle's profession is for the birds - literally. As an undergraduate, Brogle '20, who studied biology at Muhlenberg, took part in groundbreaking research with the College's world-renowned Acopian Center for Ornithology. Today, Brogle, who's currently an avian field technician with EnviroScience, continues to contribute to the research and says it was a single class that propelled him into the world of birds. He wasted no time taking advantage of all things birds Muhlenberg and the Lehigh Valley had to offer, notably working under Daniel Klem, professor of ornithology and conservation biology, and ornithological specialist Peter Saenger of the Acopian Center. The research with Klem and Saenger focuses on bird deaths due to collisions with windows. Klem is a pioneer in this research, which was recently featured in National Geographic. The team also focuses on testing glass that claims to be bird-friendly (that is, it deters birds from flying into it).

Lily Press '24 and Riley Wexler '24 took part in the National Science Foundation's competitive Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.

Winters '25, a biology and environmental science double major and member of the women's basketball team, studied aquatic life around the island of South Caicos.

The students and faculty presented their research at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Boston.

Liam Safran '23 and Jenny Makhoul '23 worked together to investigate the mechanisms of memory possessed by this unique single-celled organism.

Rising senior Derek George, a biology major and history minor and men's tennis player, conducted cancer research at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center in New Orleans this summer.

Lee was on campus this summer doing research with Professor Richard Niesenbaum on mycorrhizal presence, which is a beneficial fungus that grows in plant roots.

Bethany Fluck '23 and Katie Raab '24 studied predator and prey interactions under the mentorship of Professor of Biology Erika Iyengar.

Eli Coopersmith '23, Jacklyn Hernandez '23 and Gabrielle Stein '25 spent six weeks this summer developing a way to use shell waste from pecan and hazelnut manufacturers to create a soil dressing for potted plants.

Nour Yousry '23, Paige Henderson '24 and Katelyn Graver '23 conducted research with neuroscience professor Jordanna Sprayberry this summer focusing on the effects of agrochemical pollution on bumblebees.

Raab was a researcher in Biology Professor Erika Iyengar's ecology lab looking at the effects of road salt brine on local ponds.

As part of the 10-week Program for Research in Markets & Organizations, Adonis Brooks '23 is seeing firsthand what it would be like to go on to a Ph.D. program.

Muhlenberg students and faculty recently presented at the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) meeting in Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley Molecular and Cell Biology Society symposium held at Allentown's Cedar Crest Col...

Danny Monzo, Long Nguyen and Isabella van der Weide worked in the lab of Biology Professor Bruce Wightman studying sleep and arousal in the small soil-dwelling roundworm C. elegans, funded by the Vaughan Summer Research Grant.

A team of Muhlenberg students worked with Professor Sherri Young to test how readily medications can cross the blood-brain barrier to gain a better understanding of how to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Natalie David worked with Professor Jordanna Sprayberry on the effects of fungicidal odor-pollution on the bumblebee's ability to learn and recognize a floral scent.

Senior field hockey and softball player Sarah Raab researched ticks with Biology Professor Marten Edwards in the Lehigh Valley this summer.

Shivani Iyer '23 interviewed coaches, players, researchers and others to better understand the perspectives and experiences surrounding head injury and protection in the sport.

Under the guidance of Professor Maura Finkelstein, she conducted summer research exploring Indigenous perspectives on the environment and how they might be better incorporated into the field of sustainability studies.

Ava Duskic '23 and Emma Muller '22 worked with Professor Gretchen Gotthard this summer to further understand the learning and memory capabilities of Physarum polycephalum, a slime mold known as "the blob."

Three Student Researchers Are Co-Authors of Recently Published Mindfulness Study

Students in Professor Gretchen Gotthard's Lab perform research, present at conferences and may even co-author articles in academic journals.

Paige Jones and David Strzeminski, both Class of '22, worked remotely with Professor of Chemistry Keri Colabroy this summer studying protein catalysts which can play a role in the discovery of new antibiotics and other natural products.

Danny Monzo worked with Biology Professor Bruce Wightman to study the genetics of sleep in the species C.elegans.

Alice Banta did research on Leonard Bernstein and how his personal identities helped shape the portrayals of race, gender and sexuality in "West Side Story."

Michael Gatazka '21, Maria Vazquez '21, Michael Albdewi '22 and Alexander Vu '22, under the guidance of Sherri Young, associate professor of chemistry, accumulated information on peptoids from the scientific literature to summarize and gain insight into how the conformational preferences of these molecules affect their properties.

Sarah Vetesi '21 helped design a research project with her two mentors this summer that focused on assessing the level of care patients received when seeking treatment for potential sexually transmitted infections (STIs).