3 Undergraduate Researchers in Biology Labs Receive

We are delighted to announce that three outstanding undergraduate researchers working in biology labs have been selected to receive the Harrison Undergraduate Research Award for Summer 2026.

From the Bergland Lab, Anjali Frary will pursue her project, “A Genome-Wide Investigation of Shared Polymorphisms in Drosophila,” examining patterns of genetic variation across populations to better understand evolutionary processes.

Also from the Bergland Lab, Caroline Smith has been recognized for her project, “Selecting for Superclones: How Evolutionary Models Demonstrate Variation in Fitness,” which explores how evolutionary dynamics shape differences in fitness across populations.

From Xiaorong Liu’s lab, Susan Rotherham will conduct research on “Age-Dependent Changes in Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells in Mice,” contributing to our understanding of how visual system function changes over time.

These awards recognize the students’ academic excellence, creativity, and commitment to advancing research across diverse areas of biology. We congratulate Anjali, Caroline, and Susan on this well-deserved honor and look forward to the outcomes of their summer research.