Research Opportunities

Center For Inquiry, Research & Scholarship

The Center for Inquiry, Research, and Scholarship (CIRAS) at Presbyterian College gives students meaningful undergraduate research opportunities from the start of their college experience. Through faculty mentorship, funding, and hands-on research across disciplines, students pursue original ideas, collaborate on scholarly projects, and gain real-world experience that prepares them for graduate school, professional programs, and future careers. CIRAS empowers students to think critically, solve complex problems, and contribute meaningful knowledge in their fields.

Curiosity at Work CIRAS Spotlight

Presbyterian College junior Alana White is a chemistry and biology minor and a 2026 recipient of a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.

PC students Sam Gearheart and Veby Youssef in Richardson Hall, where they are both conducting summer research through a NASA-funded program supporting student research.

Vanessa Palisin, a recent graduate of Presbyterian College, poses on the college entrance sign in a Green Bay Packers jersey in anticipation of her internship with the NFL franchise.

PC student Jeremiah Stichnoth '28 with a fossil find at the Tate Museum Conference in Casper, Wyo.

Biolgy and Public Health and Psychology major Hallie Cohen '26 is the college's Outstanding Senior.

Lydia Awadalla '26, a magna cum laude graduate of Presbyterian College, stands outside of Neville Hall following her presentation on the medieval poetry of Andalusia.

Rising senior Jaden Holder '27 presented his honors research in physics at Presbyterian College's 2026 Honors Day Symposium.

Kenedie Conaway Jones receives prestigious NSF research fellowship

Curiosity at Work CIRAS Spotlight

Prestigious Scholarship, Real Discovery

Chemistry major Alana White ’27 earned a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation’s top honors for undergraduate researchers, for her published work studying how carbon monoxide affects antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Turning Curiosity into Discovery

With NASA-backed research grants, physics students Veby Youssef and Sam Gearheart spent their summer investigating granular materials and metal growth on atom-thin surfaces, work with real applications in space exploration and energy storage.

From hockey analytics to the NFL

Co-valedictorian Vanessa Palisin ’26’s award-winning honors research, combining machine learning and sports data analytics, helped land her a coveted internship with one of the NFL’s most storied franchises.

A summer spent unearthing the past

One question in class sent biology major Jeremiah Stichnoth ’28 to a fossil excavation in Wyoming, where he spent his summer digging alongside paleontologists and uncovering 80-million-year-old evidence of ancient life.

Research across disciplines

Hallie Cohen ’26 came to PC wanting to be a big fish in a small pond. Four years, two honors research projects, and a lot of 21-hour semesters later, she graduated as the college’s 2026 Outstanding Senior.

Across languages and cultures

A native Arabic speaker who majored in Spanish, Lydia Awadalla ’26 traced how Arabic, Hebrew, and early Spanish merged in the poetry of medieval al-Andalus, then presented her honors research entirely in Spanish.

One atom at a time

A single conversation with a professor sent Jaden Holder ’27 down a research path studying materials thinner than a strand of DNA — work now shaping his goal of designing next-generation jet engines.

Small Bugs, Big Impact: From Fossils to Aphids

Kenedie Jones ’23 double majored in biology and English at PC. Both paid off when she won a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, one of just 1,000 awarded from more than 13,000 applicants.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH THAT STARTS EARLY

At Presbyterian College, undergraduate research opportunities begin with close faculty mentorship. Through CIRAS, students conduct original research, secure funding, present findings, and gain hands-on experience that prepares them for graduate school and careers.

Find Your Research Path

Every student’s journey is different. Explore the many ways you can conduct research, collaborate with faculty, and turn your curiosity into discovery.

Research in biology at Presbyterian College

Summer Research

Spend your summer working alongside faculty on original research projects. Open to students across a variety of disciplines, these immersive opportunities provide hands-on experience, professional mentorship, and the chance to present your work.

Students talking to Professor Harris in front of the Cornelson Center

Honors Research

Take your academic interests further through independent research guided by a faculty mentor. Honors students complete an in-depth project that culminates in a public presentation and prepares them for graduate study and future careers.

Presbyterian College student working in undergraduate research in a chemistry lab with a professor.

National Fellowships

Pursue nationally competitive scholarships, research experiences, and graduate opportunities with personalized support from PC faculty and staff. Students receive guidance throughout the application process to help them compete with confidence.

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Join the Conversation on Mentorship & Vocation

NetVUE Regional Gathering at PC

PC to host the 2026 NetVUE Regional Gathering to explore a vital question: How does mentorship in experiential learning foster genuine vocational formation in students? Join faculty, staff, and administrators discovering how meaningful relationships create space for purpose and calling.

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Center For Inquiry, Research & Scholarship

Curiosity at Work CIRAS Spotlight