St. Catherine University's virtual summer research team is providing a rich sense of community for its participants, the school said in a release on its website. 

While the university has had to implement certain restrictions due to the COVID-19 virus, the research practices have also changed in certain ways. 

“All of the teams that were initially accepted into the program were able to continue,” Cynthia Norton, director of Collaborative Undergraduate Research and professor of Biology and Women’s Studies, said in the release. “This is in sharp contrast to many programs at other institutions that were canceled. I was impressed with the flexibility, persistence and positive attitudes of the Summer Scholars mentors and the students.”

Teams began meeting with Google Meets, and weekly workshops were held to bring the students together. Without those opportunities to meet and collaborate, students would have been deprived of rich social experiences and the camaraderie of a teammate environment. 

“This work’s collaborative nature provided a community when students and mentors were separated by physical distance, Norton said. And the skills that students develop through participating in undergraduate research will prepare them to become leaders and make a difference in the world." 

Meghan Mason, associate professor of Public Health and BA/BS program director, noted that the virtual setup allowed students to actually have a richer experience than they would have without them.

“In fact, by giving explicit permission to think differently about our projects, it seemed the project outcomes were more accessible to a broader audience than just narrow disciplinary silos,” Mason said in the release. 

Among the teams that met were the history; biology; biochemistry and chemistry; physics; economics; nutrition, dietetics and exercise sciences; psychology; and public health teams.

The Summer Scholars Closing Celebration symposium ended the research and creative efforts of the teams and offered important encouragement to students continuing on in their programs.