Scholarship Stories from 2025
Part 1: Natural Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies
Colby faculty members engaged in groundbreaking work in 2025. We’ve compiled a selection of stories to showcase their scholarship. This story features work from the Natural Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies divisions. A second post highlights the social sciences and humanities.
Natural Sciences
Christina Cota: The Science of Sea Squirts
A gathering of scientists and students on Allen Island allows for the close study of a distant human relative, the tunicate
Bess Koffman: The Hazards of Dust from a Drying Lake
The National Science Foundation will fund a grant to study the effects of dust from the Great Salt Lake
Dale Kocevski: Webb Telescope Sharpens Understanding of ‘Little Red Dots’
Astronomer Dale Kocevski leads efforts to explain new class of previously unseen objects in the early universe
Greg Drozd: On the Forefront of Microplastic Research
A Colby professor and his students are part of a cutting-edge project to measure microplastics in human tissue
Robert Augustine and Yee Mon Thu: A Rare Coincidence of Science
Unlikely as it is, two Colby biology professors share a specialization in SUMO protein research
Interdisciplinary Studies
Aleja Ortiz: Discovering New Ways to Understand the World
The coastal geomorphologist has received a prestigious grant to study atolls
Justin Becknell: Advancing Maine’s Forest Economy
Using its expertise in environmental studies and AI capabilities, Colby will help create an online map so landowners can better understand their forest resources
Cait Cleaver: Woven Through Time and Place
A research project on sweetgrass resilience offers an opportunity for a broad collaboration
Philip Nyhus: Learning to Coexist
Philip Nyhus has dedicated his scholarship to understanding interactions between humans and wildlife
Ashton Wesner: The Human Element
The Department of Science, Technology, and Society is poised to play a key role in the College’s new science initiative
