Inside Student Research: Opportunities, Mentoring, and Rats, Oh My!

The Berry Journey is the most recent program branding to come out of Berry College to better explain what is at a student’s fingertips and design their college experience. Part of that journey is Signature Learning Experiences, which include things like studying abroad, Lifeworks jobs, and student research. 

Student research at Berry College has a long history and many varied opportunities. There are national conservation efforts that Berry contributes to, like the American Chestnut tree rehabilitation that started in 2010, and the LongLeaf Pine Restoration Initiative that started in 1999. Student-led research in various fields often leads to published papers and conference invitations, and, of course, the ever-present student honors thesis that engages the student’s  four-year journey as an academic. 

Bryan with a corn snake while doing stream sampling, Photo courtesy of Chris Bryan

Berry is unique in the fact that we focus on undergraduate research and opportunities, whereas most other universities and state schools gravitate towards graduate research. If undergrads are involved in larger university research, often they are doing the more rudimentary tasks, not leading the research itself. Berry is also unique in that our research programs are meant to grow a mentor relationship between faculty and students. Thom Ratkos, professor of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), said, “As an undergraduate, I had zero relationship with any of my professors. I often tell students that I got a bachelor's degree, having never had a conversation with a professor.” Dominic Qualley, professor of  biochemistry, shared Ratkos’s sentiment, “If you’re at a bigger state university, you, as the professor, are always tied up in writing grants and proposals. You never get any time with students or in the lab. Graduate students are the ones to train new students. That never really interested me.” But these understandings are not only shared among faculty but students, as well. Senior biology and environmental science and studies double major, Chris Bryan said, “Berry is good for this because it is very hard at other institutions to get the kind of relationship with professors that you do here.”

Crummey and Qualley at Student Research Symposium 2025, Photo courtesy of Nikki Crummey

This relationship between research faculty and students, between mentors and mentees, seems to be a large driving force for many professors. Nadeem Abdul Hamid, professor of computer science, said, “I like helping students through those experiences, problem-solving, and real-world skills. I like having that impact on students.” Ratkos said that he wants to give students a mentor relationship that he never had as an undergraduate, “Being able to provide for  students what I didn’t get is really rewarding.” He goes on to say, “Getting to see young people grow in their skills, knowledge, and confidence, it’s been so nice.” Qualley said, “At every level I have been at, I’ve always had somebody there to show me the ropes and techniques. Those are people I have never forgotten, and I want other people to have that experience.”

Students share the love and appreciation for their faculty, as well. Senior computer science and chemistry double major, Savannah Laudicina, says that Hamid bakes for his research students, but more importantly, “He pushes us to learn things. He  wants to see us succeed. Plus, he’s really funny.” Senior biochemistry major, Nikki Crummey, said of Qualley, “Our sense of humor is similar, and I think he would help me outside the research setting if I needed it because I know how much he cares about us as students. He wants to see us grow and prosper.” Bryan said of DeLacy Rhodes, professor of biology, “We’ve been learning together, and she’s been helpful all along the way.”

Research at Berry is a mutual symbiotic relationship. Professors like Ratkos and Hamid  noted that doing research with students motivated them to actually do the research, and Hamid and Qualley both said that doing active research with students helped them teach their subjects better and master the knowledge for themselves.

Qualley with students in 2012, Photo courtesy of Bailey Casey

For many professors and students alike, research can lead to published papers and conference attendance. Attending the American Chemistry Society conference and presenting, as well as visiting places like the San Diego Zoo, was a highlight for Qualley. Both Bryan and Crummey have been able to present at the yearly student symposium on their research about nitrifying bacteria and cat leukemia gag protein, respectively, and Crummey said that she’d been able to network with visiting professionals and researchers because of her work with Qualley.

All three students have been given Teaching Assistant opportunities, and stated that they feel as though their problem-solving skills have grown during their time researching. Laudicina said, of her research with formalizing algorithms, “Research has taught me to think evilly.  How can I break this program? How can I break it, then make it more bulletproof? Hamid tells us to think diabolically to help us think outside the box.” Christy Snider, professor of history, loves finding ways and grants to send her students on trips to do archival work and research. This past year, Ratkos was able to create an ABA rat lab on campus to help students research and apply their skills of behavioral intervention.

The students use Skinner boxes to train the rats to respond to certain behavioral expectations, like turning on a light to receive food. Ratkos has found the student response to be great and their lab skills to be growing  through these experiences.

Ratkos with lab rats, Photo courtesy of Sydney Martinez

When asked why they want and like doing research, faculty and students alike answered, “Because it’s fun.” They like the solutions and new knowledge they find, they like the challenge, and they like the community they’ve built for themselves. And with any pursuit of answers and being  challenged, there are roadblocks and times you have to switch things up. Hamid said, “The key to success is being comfortable with, not only not knowing the answer, but not knowing the question too.” Sometimes you are unsure of what the next step is to the solution. This is something the students made clear in their funny stories, that sometimes things just happen in your research, and you have to correct and move forward. Laudicina noted a time the research team spent a semester trying to figure out a specific program, but ultimately ditched it because they couldn’t figure it out. Crummey recounted a time when she was making gels to  prep for her experiment, and she added too much of a certain chemical, and the gels came out bright red, and she had to redo them. Bryan explained that nitrifying bacteria are extremely hard to grow, so you can actually conduct your experiment. He had tried various attempts before landing on a working method, “That day was a good day.”

Laudicina in the Computer Science student space, Photo Courtesy of Savannah Laudicina

Finally, they each wanted to share a nugget of knowledge  with you. Snider wants more students to know about the SURF program, which allows students to be paid during the summer to do research, and can be student or faculty-led. Qualley urges students that if they are interested in research, coming into college, or at any point, don’t wait. It is never too early to start. Bryan has had opportunities to help others’ research projects, to help professors, and to visit conferences, all because he said yes. That's what he encourages others to do, “Say yes.”