Sky’s the Limit

BY sarah c. Baldwin ’87

From building a satellite to exploring immunology, virtual reality, and more, undergraduates are engaged in ambitious research.

EQUiSat, created by Brown undergraduates, was launched into space May 21, 2018, on a rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia.

courtesy max monn When asked about the recent success of a student-led aerospace project called eQuisat, Brown planetary scientist James Head ’69 PhD said he isn’t surprised—he’s impressed: “Brown undergrads have done the impossible: they have designed, built, and launched a satellite with the audacious goal of bringing space to the people. What could be more ‘Brown’ than students dreaming an impossible dream and then making it a reality?”

Whether for the summer, the semester, or the academic year, collaborating one-on-one with a professor or with an interdisciplinary team, writing a thesis, or working on an independent study project, at any given point more than 1,000 Brown undergraduate students are conducting research in labs, libraries, and the field.

If Brown is a hotbed of research opportunities for undergrads, said oludurotimi adetunji, dean of undergraduate research and inclusive science, it’s because “students are seen as equal partners and cocreators. their voices and contributions matter.” their work is not going unnoticed. In fall 2017, two recent graduates were among the 25 cited as having written the top undergraduate research papers by the prestigious undergraduate awards—the largest academic awards program in the world, with 6,432 applicants from across the globe that year. seventeen additional papers by students and recent alumni were “highly commended.” and in november 2018, rhea stark ’18.5 was awarded a rhodes scholarship, one of only 32 in the country. she was a dual concentrator in archaeology and the ancient world and middle east stud-