On Monday, May 8th, Honors students in Biology, Molecular Biology, and Neuroscience successfully defended their honors theses, bringing to a triumphant close what was, for many of them, years of work.

The 2017 Honors Students in Biology, Molecular Biology, and Neuroscience. Back row, L-R: Kenny Viel, Jiayu Chen, Lauren Michael, Adam Berndt; Front row, L-R: Taylor Jamil, Sarah Mohr, Sarah Naguib

The students had presented their research to peers, faculty, parents, and friends last week, but on Monday, they hosted their outside examiners, established academic researchers in their field who had generously agreed to read and critique their theses, and to come to campus for the day. Researchers came from the University of Dayton, University of Cincinnati, and the Ohio State University, among others.

Each student gave a short presentation to their examiner, then the two of them sat down for an hour to discuss their thesis in detail, as well as the broader area of science to which their work contributes. The examiners asked questions and probed for the limits of the student’s knowledge, but they also shared stories and provided valuable points of reference. The research mentors and other departmental faculty attended the exams, but the conversation is purely between the student and their examiner. One of the students captured the spirit of the event, calling it “intense, but really fun!”

Once the exams were complete, the students, examiners, mentors, and other faculty and staff gathered at Weaver Cottage to celebrate the students’ achievements and to enjoy a wonderful, relaxing lunch.

2017 Honors Students with their mentors. Back row, L-R: Kenny Viel, Jiayu Chen, Prof. Siobhan Fennessy (Biology, mentor to L. Michael), Lauren Michael, Prof. Andrew Engell (Neuroscience, mentor to S. Mohr), Adam Berndt, Prof. Joan Slonczewski (Biology, mentor to A. Berndt); Front row, L-R: Prof. Chris Gillen (Biology/Molecular Biology, mentor to K. Viel, J. Chen, and T. Jamil), Taylor Jamil, Sarah Mohr, Sarah Naguib, Prof. Hewlet McFarland (Neuroscience, mentor to Sarah Naguib).