Preview: ‘Boo!-ology’ research fair scares up research opportunities

Biology faculty will table their research opportunities to discuss with potential research assistants at the “Boo!-ology” research fair in the atrium of the Gottwald Center for the Sciences at 4 p.m. on Oct. 23. 

Biology Professor Shannon Jones is helping organize the event with the belonging committee of the department. She said the event would be especially useful for younger students. The faculty will be wearing costumes and the tables will be set up trick-or-treat style, Jones said. 

“We kind of create this environment where it’s an informal, kind of silly place with the costumes. It’s fun, to sort of lessen the anxiety about reaching out to a faculty member,” she said. 

Since the research fair is informal, students don’t need to worry about preparing 

resumes or interviews, but should be ready to ask questions and have conversations with faculty. 

Biology Professor Colleen Carpenter, who is also organizing the research fair, said the event was open to anyone curious to see what research the faculty is working on.

“Our goal is to increase programming that kind of increases student success,” Carpenter said. “Help them navigate not only the department, but the university and hopefully help them to be successful afterward.”

Sophomore Madeline Bullock is a biochemistry major who does research, and said the best way to find out if someone is interest in research is by getting involved. 

“Research is very hands-on,” Bullock said. “It’s different than being in a class.”

Bullock also said that one of the many benefits to researching was that you can have an easier time in your classes with labs.

“One, you learn a lot of techniques, and so a lot of the techniques that I’m learning this year in Bio 200, like I already did that in summer research,” Bullock said.  

Sophomore Moriam Animashaun is also helping conduct research.

“First I did research for a purpose, for me to have experience, and I ended up staying in research because I found it interesting,” Animashaun said. 

Contact lifestyle writer Sarah Ebinger at sarah.ebinger@richmond.edu.