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public, Nick is honing his history research skills, which will better prepare him for his senior research and for his career after graduation,” he said. Earthquakes in Virginia When most people think of earthquakes in the United States, the West Coast typically comes to mind. Earthquakes are not frequent in Virginia, but they do happen. Using Randolph College’s own seismograph, Tatiana Gilstrap, an environmental science professor, and Qingping Yu ’13 began investigating alternative methods for identifying and locating local seismic events this summer. Their research is the first step in a larger study. “I have been interested in earthquake engineering and geophysics since I was in high school,” said Yu. “I am really curious about the science of earthquakes.” The pair worked with semblance analysis to study the microseismicity of Central Virginia. They used the seismograph at Randolph’s Riding Center, one of a number of seismic stations throughout the state operated by Virginia Tech. (Left to right) Qingping Yu ’13 and Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Tatiana Gilstrap Preserving the College’s Musical History For decades, the College’s music department has sponsored performances by students, faculty, and guest artists. The events were recorded on reel-to-reel tape and stored in the Lipscomb Library. Some of 200 plus tapes are nearly half a century old, and their sound quality is degrading. Under the guidance of Randall Speer, a Randolph music professor, Christine Gnieski ’13 and Karl Speer ’12 are cataloging the performances, digitizing them, and converting them to compact discs. This is the second year of the painstaking project. Ultimately, the performances will be made available to the community at large through an online library catalog. “This project bears considerable significance in preserving primary historical data related to the musical heritage of this institution,” said Randall Speer. “When these materials become available to students and faculty, we will have a very valuable resource, unique to this institution.” His students agree. Gnieski found it intriguing to listen to the tapes and to relate to what students were experiencing decades ago, while Karl Speer enjoyed the span of music. “To be able to go through the music produced at this College, to hear that evolution, that growth, is a wonderful thing,” he said. A Climate Action Plan When the College became the first school in Virginia to sign the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2006, the institution agreed to create a plan to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and ultimately approach “climate neutrality.” A student’s work is now moving the College closer to that goal. “I’m very passionate about the environment,” said Ludovic Lemaitre ’11, who is working to develop the plan with Karin Warren, the Herzog Family Chair of Environmental Studies. “Such research will benefit me because the environmental field is getting larger and more competitive every day, but a climate action plan is something very unique and valuable for a college student.” A climate action plan is a detailed description of strategies that an institution plans to use to reduce direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. The emissions result from a range of common activities on a college campus, like travel, laboratory activities, and landscaping. Climate neutrality is a long-term goal that is attained only after several decades of using a range of planned mitigation strategies. Warren said Lemaitre’s work on the plan will give him valuable experience in sustainability planning and make him proficient in a number of practical skills, including energy analysis, data compilation and presentation, communication, writing, and creative collaboration. Deciphering the Ciphers Using science to understand cryptology was the focus of summer research for Thawda Aung ’13 and Yesem Kurt, a Randolph mathematics professor. The duo used the software program Mathematica to look at cryptology, the study and practice of hiding (Left to right) Thawda Aung ’13 and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Yesem Kurt information. Aung researched how common ciphers 20
were encrypted, how to break their codes, and methods for better encrypting information so that only those with the key can decode the messages. “I was fascinated with the subject,” Aung said. “It blends together many theories from math and computer science.” Aung’s calculus, physics, and graph theory courses helped him understand some concepts in cryptology related to math, such as linear algebra and how algorithms work.. “The Summer Research Program is a great opportunity to teach students about one of the most relevant and recent applications of mathematics and to better prepare students for a career in academia,” Kurt said. “Thawda is an outstanding student who is determined to study mathematics and physics. I strongly encourage him to do so because with his enthusiasm, diligence, and talent, I am confident he will be a successful scientist or mathematician.” (Left to right) Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Karin Warren and Ludovic Lemaitre ’11 The 2010 Summer Research Programs Cryptology with Mathematics Thawda Aung ’13 and Yesem Kurt, assistant professor of mathematics Science and Math Links: Research- Based Teaching Institute Courtney Collier ’12, Meredith Humphreys ’12, Peter Sheldon, professor of physics and astronomy, and Peggy Schimmoeller, professor of education A Climate Action Plan for Randolph College Ludovic Lemaitre ’11 and Karin Warren, associate professor of environmental studies A History of the Rivermont Historic District Nick Marshall ’11 and Gerry Sherayko, associate professor of history Earth’s Body II: An Anthology of Contemporary American Ecopoetry Anneka Freeman ’11 and Laura-Gray Street, assistant professor of English Four Writing Projects in Psychology Jerry Wells ’12 and Beth Schwartz, professor of psychology “Burn Her Who Is No Bride”: A Feminist Assessment of Theclan Traditions Lindsay Wood ’11 and Gordon Steffey, associate professor of religion Non-Repetitiveness As It Applies to Shortest Paths in State Graphs and to Integer Sequences Richard Coultas ’11, Neo Wang ’11, and Marc Ordower, associate professor of mathematics Using Semblance Analysis to Study the Microseismicity of Central Virginia Qingping Yu ’13 and Tatiana Gilstrap, assistant professor of environmental science Screening Indigeneity: The National Film Board’s First Nations Films, 1939–2009 Julianna Joyce ’13 and Jennifer Gauthier, associate professor of communication studies Memory As a Political Strategy: The Politics of Stalin Remembrance in Russia Kathleen Conti ’11 and Mari Ishibashi, associate professor of political science Sustainable Urban Development in Lynchburg Louise Searle ’12, Erinn Sudol ’12, and Rick Barnes, professor of psychology and environmental studies Investigation of the Properties of Luminescent Transition Metal Compounds in Silicon Dioxide Polymers and in Ionic Liquids Poojan Pyakurel ’11 and Bill Bare, associate professor of chemistry The Presence and Absence in the Works of Juan Rulfo Lis Chacon ’13 and Chet Halka, professor of romance languages Randolph College’s Musical Heritage: Exploring and Preserving Decades of Musical Performances at Randolph- Macon Woman’s College Karl Speer ’12, Christine Gnieski ’13 and Randall Speer, associate professor of music A Theoretical Investigation of Oxidative Pathways of Peroxynitrite Rosha Poudyal ’11 and Kurt Seidman, professor of chemistry Learn more about all of the 2010 Summer Research projects at www.randolphcollege.edu/magazine. 21
Page 1 and 2: Randolph The Randolph college Magaz
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Page 8 and 9: Renovations Enhance Upgrades provid
Page 10 and 11: Family Ties Judy Eagle Shelton ’9
Page 12 and 13: in print Consuming Choices: Ethics
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