Trinity College students have many opportunities to engage in research, both on and off campus. These experiences include close collaborations with professors from all academic divisions; research conducted with community partners in the greater Hartford region; participation in clinical research projects at area medical centers; and independent, student-designed research projects.
In addition to pursuing research during the academic year, more than 100 Trinity students spent part of summer 2026 engaged in research projects with faculty members in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Trinity’s Summer Research Program supports intensive student involvement in ongoing faculty research. Students receive a stipend for eight to 10 weeks of research work, as well as on-campus housing. Students also are eligible to earn co-curricular credit for summer research work through the Trinity Plus Curriculum. At the conclusion of the research period, students are required to submit a summary of their work, and they are encouraged to present the results of their work at the College’s Fall Research Symposium, held in September.
Below is a small sample of Trinity students’ summer 2026 research experiences.
Students Alejandra Gutierrez ’28 and Maya Sasaki-George ’28 worked with Associate Professor of Fine Arts Michael J. Hatch on a Public Humanities Collaborative summer research project. One half of their time was spent with a curator at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, where they worked on refining and updating the museum’s Connecticut LGBTQ+ history digital project. The other half of their time was spent working with Hatch to develop a new course on exhibitions and curating. The seminar will build on the success of an exhibition curated by Hatch’s students last spring at Trinity’s Widener Gallery.
Watch the video below to hear more from Hatch and the student researchers. Video by Nick Caito.
Yasmin Barnes ’27 and Sajja Ranjit ’29 worked with Associate Professor of Biology Benjamin J. Toscano studying “Downstream Effects of Predators on Herbivore Grazing in Streams.” The research investigates whether an antibiotic treatment changes how freshwater snails behave when exposed to predator cues. Ranjit said, “By observing the behavior, we’re hoping to better understand how pathogens may influence predator avoidance behavior.” Some research for Barnes’ senior thesis took place at the nearby Tankerhoosen River.
See more in a “Day in the Life” video that Ranjit shared on Trinity’s Instagram.
Samiya Johnson ’27 and Cindy Rodriguez ’27 analyzed water samples from urban ponds as part of their summer research with Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Chemistry Arianne A. Bazilio. “Ponds are among the most biodiverse and abundant freshwater ecosystems and also hold exceptional societal value, especially in urban areas,” Bazilio said. “However, urban ponds have been understudied historically and often experience poor water quality because of pollution from impervious surfaces.”
Previous work by Associate Professor of Environmental Science Amber L. Pitt has shown elevated levels of mercury in ponds in the Greater Hartford area. Over the summer, students collected water and sediment samples from local ponds and analyzed them for various water quality parameters, including heavy metals and nutrients. Rodriguez said, “I really like working collaboratively, inside and outside of the lab… I’m newer in the lab, so it’s been great to have mentors to help me.”
Bazilio and her students share more about their summer research in the video below. Video by Helder Mira.
Sitora Abdulofizova ’29, Jackie Garcia Alvarado ’28, and Talakinet Wabelo ’29 worked this summer with Assistant Professor of Computer Science Chandranil Chakraborttii. “This project addresses the ‘Verification Gap’—the disconnect between a software program claiming data is deleted and its actual physical persistence in remote storage,” Chakraborttii said. “By targeting RAG-based enterprise AI systems using HNSW vector databases, we aim to turn data privacy and deletion from an unverifiable software notification into a hardware-enforced guarantee.”
See more photos in the gallery below.
Jamila Hussaini ’27 and Joshua Hartman ’28 worked with Assistant Professor of Engineering Ruoxing Gao. “The project focuses on designing and prototyping a small antenna that could be used for wearable or body-centric wireless applications,” Gao said. “The students worked on antenna modeling and simulation using HFSS, then moved into prototype fabrication and measurement, including building printed antenna prototypes and testing their performance using a vector network analyzer.”
See more photos in the gallery below.
Anthony M. Messina, John R. Reitemeyer Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, has received a 2026 Career Achievement Award from the American Political Science Association’s Section on Migration and Citizenship.
For one Trinity College alumnus, the work of conducting research with faculty-scholars didn’t stop at graduation. Jacob Loor ’25—now a second-year law student at Yale Law School—recently had an article that he co-wrote with two Trinity faculty members published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Hundreds of Trinity College students spent the summer exploring potential careers as they gained practical skills through wide-ranging internships. Read about the highlights and lessons that six Trinity students took from their experiences.
Birdie Stark ’26 reflects on her experience as a first-year seminar mentor: “We help students navigate both the academic and personal dimensions of college life—our role extends far beyond the classroom.”
