UMW’s Summer Science Institute Inspires Grads, Faculty for 25 Years

For a quarter of a century, UMW's Summer Science Institute (SSI) has been a defining student experience. It's in-the-lab, in-the-field, in-the-code, in-the-dataset kind of work. Students are fully funded during the 10-week program, earning a stipend, living on campus and staying on top of their research.

"The thing that stands out the most is that research is a learning process. The answer to your questions is not always exact, and sometimes it comes with a lot of trial and error, but that is how you learn," said Ally Fletcher, a senior from Severna Park, Maryland, majoring in biomedical sciences with a neuroscience minor.

Fletcher studies the effects of environmental pollutants on neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically in fish. During the academic year, she focused on zebrafish - the subject of her senior capstone - and during the summer, it's Japanese medaka fish. Both are model organisms for her project, which she works on with research partner Ashlyn Peszko '26 during the Summer Science Institute under the guidance of Professor of Biology Dianne Baker.

Fletcher and research partner Peszko will join other SSI participants who will share their research at the Summer Science Institute Symposium on Wednesday, July 24, a full-day event with presentations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

For many students and faculty, the program has been a primary part of their experience on campus.

"It's been a defining piece of my career," said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Keith Mellinger. "I first served as a mentor in 2004 when mathematics was added to the program, and I've seen how it's grown and expanded over the years."

That longevity and growth also means that there's a long line of alumni who have benefited from the program, many of whom came back to campus to connect with current students and share their knowledge. That was the theme of the July 11 SSI lunch, which brought together industry professionals, graduate students, program faculty and current Summer Science Institute scholars.

Chemistry graduate Karmel James '13 is a database administrator at a healthcare technology company. Russell Rudd '14 graduated with a degree in computer science and now works as a programmer at an aerospace organization. Shehan Rajapakse '15 took his computer science degree into federal and state consulting work as a software developer. Mathematics graduate Chris Lloyd '16 went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from UVA and now works at the Federal Aviation Administration in the performance analysis group.

Recent graduate Henry Mills '22, who was the first Goldwater scholar at UMW and majored in physics and mathematics, works for the Navy in radar testing. Hannah Harris '23, a Darden award recipient and Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Scholar of the Year in 2023, majored in biochemistry and English literature at UMW, and just finished her first year of medical school at The George Washington University. Maddie Killian '23 majored in physics with a Spanish minor and now is in graduate school at the University of Maryland - Baltimore County, pursing advanced studies in atmospheric physics.

Robert Courtnage '98, majored in environmental science and now serves as a lead physical scientist for the Environmental Protection Agency. With a quarter-century of career experience, he was one of the speakers at the event, sharing some insights learned along the way.

"One thing really certain about a career path is that decisions you make along the way that seem really small can have a major impact on your career," Courtnage said.

Seemingly small roles, such as president of the Ecology Club, work on recycling initiatives on campus and an internship with Friends of the Rappahannock, served as stepping stones for him. Now, with regular meetings at the White House, he still works at the local level in Fredericksburg and recognizes other leaders in the field with an annual sustainability award.

"It's been extremely exciting to have the impacts that I do today," Courtnage concluded.

Jeff Solka, the second speaker at the SSI lunch, a senior scientific and technical manager for naval data sciences at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and adjunct computer science professor at UMW, connected the dots in his extensive scientific career as well, citing the importance of mentors. He also reminded the students that their work matters.

"What you are involved in and your research this summer can have unforeseen, profound impacts in the future," Solka said.

After this week's Summer Science Institute Symposium, Fletcher will head back to the lab for her capstone project and fall classes, plus she plays volleyball, works as a peer academic consultant and is director of administration for the Student Government Association. She also serves as historian of UMW's chapter of the Global Medical Brigades and is a coach for a local volleyball club.

She's been inspired by Mary Washington faculty and may become a professor herself someday. First though are the graduate school applications for a master's degree in neuroscience, which she'll certainly have the experience and experiments to back up.