Sarah Clewell
"I did research at the top botanical gardens in the world."
Principia's Summer Research Assistantship program provides funding for students and recent graduates to stay on campus during the summer to work alongside professors on projects ranging from trends in presidential politics to the home range of timber rattlesnakes. Along with developing research skills, they interact with experts from other institutions—an invaluable opportunity as they prepare for graduate school and careers.
Biology major and transfer student Sarah Clewell (C’17) worked on Dr. Chrissy McAllister's National Science Foundation grant, researching the breeding systems of plant species. In addition to meeting with scientists at the Danforth Plant Center at Washington University in St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden, Sarah traveled to London for research at the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew. “I appreciated working so closely with experienced researchers in my field of study,” she says. “The professional development that has come from working on this project is invaluable.”