HORIZONS Symposium Highlights Student Research and Creative Work

Knox College hosted its HORIZONS Research Symposium on Friday, May 15, showcasing the research and creative work of Knox students with the help of their faculty mentors. 

The symposium began with an opening reception in the Alumni Hall Atrium, continued with poster presentations in the Ford Center for the Fine Arts lobby, and concluded with oral presentations at various campus locations. The range of projects and presentations covered diverse research topics.

Director of the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study and Health Professions Advising Lisa Harris noted the program's expansion into a significant event with 50 poster presentations and 83 student presenters, including 15 seniors preparing to defend their Honors projects. 

“What I’m so privileged to do is see and hear and learn about all the different projects that you all are working on all year,” Harris said. “They really showcase the depth and breadth of a Knox education. I’m so excited for everyone to get to see what I see every day in the Vovis Center, students pushing the boundaries of what they know, testing the limits of what we typically do or even offer at Knox, and encouraging us all to work together better across disciplines and perspectives.”

The symposium, a Knox tradition since 2012, highlights students' achievements in advanced studies and Honors projects with faculty mentors. 

Integral to HORIZONS' success are Gerald Vovis ’65 and his wife, Carol Klail Vovis ’65, founders of the Gerald and Carol Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study. Their presence at this year's symposium highlighted the lasting impact of their support. 

“Fifteen years ago, we were very fortunate, we came to Knox, and we said we wanted to share some of our good fortune with the College,” Gerald Vovis said. “Our idea was to sponsor a faculty professorship, but former Knox president Teresa Amott said, ‘No, this building needs to reopen, and we’re going to start a Vovis Center for Science (eventually the Gerald and Carol Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study).’ We are now at a point where what’s happening here has grown way beyond our expectations. We’re ecstatic, let’s keep it going and growing.”

The size and scope of HORIZONS would not be what it is today without the generosity of the Richter Memorial Fund, which supports students’ scholarly and creative pursuits. In recent years, that support has ramped up, and since 2020, Knox has received $1.6 million in funds solely for student-advanced study. Tim Quinn of Bank of America represented the Richter Memorial Fund at HORIZONS, which is instrumental in funding students' creative pursuits. 

“The value and the impact of the commitment of both the Vovis Center and the Richter Memorial Fund to Knox can not be overstated,” said Provost and Dean of the Faculty Melissa Glenn. “The power of Knox to transform lives is rooted firmly in our ability to foster student scholarship and offer game-changing experiences. This event is the culmination of a lot of engagement, a lot of work, a lot of energy, and it is made possible by the generous support of a lot of people and groups.”

After gathering in the Alumni Hall Atrium for the opening reception, presenters moved to the Ford Center for the Fine Arts lobby for poster presentations. Two sessions of oral presentations were held across campus.

Students were paired with faculty members, who guided them through the process of creating a project.

“The work faculty does for students is really the lifeblood of this enterprise; it is everything,” Glenn said. “They spend all this one-on-one time with students helping them, guiding them, shaping their ideas, bringing them to reality, and this kind of experience is truly informative, and unlike one you can find at larger research schools. You get that really close attention that allows you to take an idea and turn it into something that is a reality; that kind of experience will make you into a different sort of scholar.”

One of the presenters, Ronak Jha ’27, expressed his gratitude for the faculty guidance he received from his mentor, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Jurdana Masuma Iqrah while preparing his poster, "Remote Flood Prediction in Jakarta Using Satellite Imagery." 

“I learned so many things,” he said. “It was very interesting to go through this and develop this project.”

Lea Martland ’28, whose faculty mentor was Visiting Assistant Professor of Art Linda Moses, also had similar feelings while presenting "A Visit to Earth: A Photo-Comic."

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to do a project like this and the resources I received,” Martland said.