Science and Mathematics: Related Content
During the last few days of the fall term, Jupiter Kalinowski ’23, who studied protein biochemistry and biological research methods at Bennington, was busy in the lab. They were running the final experiment of their senior work.
Eve Vishnick ’23 has always been torn between studying visual arts and more science-related fields. She was attracted to Bennington for two reasons, she said. “Great financial aid and the ability to combine two separate fields without having to double major. I could make it into one thing. That was a big draw for me.”
Bennington's unique hands-on approach, embrace of all things multidisciplinary, and strong faculty mentorship sets Bennington science students apart. Thirteen alumni with careers in the sciences share how the creative and nimble education they received at Bennington and how it has helped advance their careers.
Eratosthenes of Cyrene was the first person to prove that the earth was a sphere and to calculate its circumference. Swagatta Datta ’23, who studied theoretical mathematical physics at Bennington, is following in his footsteps. Only Datta is interested in the universe.
Three students presented their research experiences working with Drosophila: the common fruit fly. As varied as their research was, each agreed that fruit flies are a great model organism. Each exemplified the perseverance required in scientific research, and all would encourage students to apply for research experiences.
The data Olivia Chiossone ’23 gathered during a “Research Experience for Undergraduates” program at Eastern Kentucky University propelled her senior work.
Bennington’s Women in Data Science Datathon introduced students to computer science and datathons to expand experience, create community, and build excitement for their upcoming virtual conference.
Halley Le ’25 is a Bennington student from Vietnam, studying Chemistry. During Fall 2022, she worked as the On-Campus Reporter in the Bennington College Office of Communications and Marketing, and wrote a number of stories covering the science scene at Bennington.
As a theoretical physics student, Swagata Datta ’23 walks a path that few venture at Bennington. After completing his second undergraduate research project, Datta reflected upon his Bennington education and Field Work Term experiences, which informed his research interests and plan for continued education.
By Halley Le '25
How can women and underrepresented minorities in the technology industry better support each other? Bennington College is starting a chapter of Women in Data Science (WiDS), a student-led initiative aimed to support college students through the creation of dialogues, opportunities, and shared resources.
By Halley Le '25
William Huntley ’23 shares his journey researching leaf morphology at Harvard, his passion for molecular and plant biology, and how his Bennington education helped shape his vision for higher education.
By Halley Le '25
How does the fat distribution and aging process in fruit flies illuminate how the human body functions? Tom Evans ’24 dove into this question at a pathology research lab in the University of Washington (UW) during the Summer 2022 Field Work Term (FWT).
By Halley Le '25
How can parents of infants notice the early markers for autism? Can early identification lead to better care down the road?
By Halley Le '25
Dr. Jennifer H. Mieres '82, MD, senior vice president of Northwell Health's Center for Equity of Care and chief diversity and inclusion officer, has been named the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2022 Physician of the Year.
Research Professor of Oceanography at Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Dr. Kara Lavender Law will speak on “A Global Look at Plastic in the Ocean.”
Julisa Juarez ’22 discusses her National Science Foundation Fellowship, which will enable her to go to the University of Washington to pursue her PhD in Chemistry.
By Mary Brothers '22
Why wait until graduate school to find your scientific niche? At Bennington, science students don’t just tag along with their professors’ research interests—they craft research questions themselves.
Carlos Mendez-Dorantes ’15, now a research fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, has received several awards for his postdoctoral research into the investigation of LINE-1 biology in cancer research.
This summer, 186 Bennington students completed their annual Field Work Term, working either in-person or remotely on a variety of internships, independent study projects, professional trainings, and more.
Cardiologist, author, documentarian, and patient advocate Dr. Jennifer H. Mieres ’82 is the 2020 recipient of Bennington College’s Elizabeth Coleman Visionary Leadership Award.
During COVID-19, Bennington College’s Office of Career Development and Field Work Term has worked alongside students to support their internship and career goals by offering increased flexibility, expanded work options, and staff support, even amid a global pandemic and economic recession.
During Field Work Term, Stanzin Angmo ’20, Ren Barnes ’22, Ekaterina Burtseva ’20, Elene Charkviani ’22, DaEun Jung ’21, and Ulysses Lin ’20 participated in the inaugural Population Health Fellowship. This fully-paid, health-related internship opportunity was jointly offered by Bennington College and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC).
Ella Simon '22 is currently studying human impacts on the ocean's environment by participating in the Sea Education Association (SEA) Semester program, which has set sail for a six-week voyage from Auckland to Christchurch, New Zealand.
In October 2019, the National Gallery of Art became the first American art museum to invite six teams of data scientists and art historians to analyze, contextualize, and visualize its permanent collection data, an effort that culminated in “Coding Our Collection,” a two-day Datathon.
Benyamin Mohammadzadeh '20 studies Business and Mathematics at Bennington College. A lifelong soccer fan, Mohammadzadeh spent a Field Work Term with FIFCO, the International Corporate Football Federation, where he helped organize the 2019 World Cup in Monaco and secured participation from the Iranian corporate football federation.
After Zalkar Ziiaidin ’22 graduates, he plans on becoming a full-time software engineer. However, as Ziiaidin pursues his studies at Bennington College, he’s not waiting to make his mark on the ever-evolving world of computer science.
As a college student, getting to an 8:00 am class on a Friday morning can be difficult. For Mareme Dieng ’20, however, balancing self-care and commitments to make it to class is all the more a victory on days when she’s arriving to Bennington from Tunisia. Or San Francisco. Or Turkey. Or Barcelona.
At the start of Fall term, Bennington College students celebrated with Student Works, an annual showcase of projects done across disciplines—from poetry and play readings, to musical performances, genetics research, oral histories, and more.
This winter, Bennington College and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) will offer six students fully-paid, health-related internship opportunities as part of the inaugural Population Health Fellowship. Population health transforms the healthcare model— in thinking about healthcare from seeing patients only when they are sick, to partnering with people to address their social, environmental, and economic issues before they become sick.