Kayla Richardson ’24

From the social sciences to the natural sciences, Hollins student researchers are getting noticed and gaining applause for their work. 

Working with Professor of Political Science Edward Lynch, Kayla Richardson ’24 spent last summer immersed in researching Catholic social thought and free market theory as one of just 12 students selected for Hollins’ Summer Fellowship Program. Their study resulted in a paper that the two presented at the annual conference of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists. 

“The praise was universal,” said Lynch. “One participant, who runs a theology program at Franciscan University, said it was the best presentation she had ever heard. Another was convinced, from the quality of her presentation and her knowledge, that Kayla was a grad student and was shocked to learn she’s a sophomore undergrad. The experience confirms something I’ve said many times: When Hollins students bring their ‘A Game,’ they stun the world. We have a high degree of faith in our students’ abilities, and based on what I’ve heard from my counterparts, the intellectual bonds formed between faculty and students at Hollins are almost unique in higher education.” 

Tram Nguyen ’24, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Son Nguyen, Nupur Sehgal ’23, and Megan Brown ’23.

Two research projects conducted by three Hollins chemistry majors were recognized at the Virginia Academy of Science Fall Undergraduate Research Meeting.  

Megan Brown ’23, Nupur Sehgal ’23, and Tram Nguyen ’24 earned the event’s top award in the Medicine category ($750 in research funding) for “Let’s Go Fishing: Catching Cysteine-Containing Proteins in Cytoplasmic Pools.” They also received honorable mention in the same category for “C-glycosylation Through Reductive Halide Atom Transfer Reaction with Photo-Irradiation.” 

The three students are all enrolled in a research lab taught by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Son Nguyen. “I am so proud of Megan, Nupur, and Tram, and am lucky to have them in the research lab,” he said. “They work very hard and very productively.” 

Nguyen and the three students also presented at the national American Chemical Society meeting in San Diego in March.