William & Mary: New Grant Empowers Undergraduate Researchers with Travel Opportunities

More than 20 William & Mary students have received Research in Motion travel grants since the Charles Center launched the program last fall to expand the impact and reach of undergraduate research.

Undergraduate students of all disciplines and class years are eligible to apply for a Research in Motion grant to present at conferences in their area of study or to travel in support of their research.  Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through April 1.

According to Charles Center Director Elizabeth Harbron, the new initiative addresses a longstanding need.

“These grants make possible something that faculty have long desired — a way for their students to connect with ideas, colleagues and scholars through research beyond campus or conference presentations that introduce them and their work to the broader field,” Harbron said.  “There’s a real thirst among our students to plug their research into larger conversations and professional networks.”

As many as 30 grants will be awarded this year, and all signs point to a needed expansion of the program.

“There’s no doubt that more of our students will be looking for opportunities to take their research on the road in the years ahead,” Harbron said.  “We hope to help make that happen.”

Recipients of Research in Motion grants have attended a wide range of conferences, including the Linguistic Society of America conference in New York City, the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington D.C., the InTents Farmers Market conference in San Diego and the Anxiety and Depression conference in Boston.

Neuroscience major Jeffrey Gu ’25 presented his research on mechanisms for breathing control at the D.C. conference with his advisor, Applied Science Professor Christopher A. Del Negro. Gu’s work, which focuses on respiratory neurobiology, is integral to helping develop treatments for various respiratory disorders.

“Being the largest annual neuroscience conference, I have wanted to attend this conference since I was a high school student,” Gu said. “With the help of my research advisor, Professor Del Negro and support from the Charles Center, my aspirations to present my poster at SFN became a reality. The conference allowed me to meet many leading figures within the world of academia and has fueled my passion for scientific research.”

Fellow neuroscience major Maggie Kettelberger ’24 also attended the D.C. conference, where she presented her microbiology research on tadpole brain development. By altering different genes in their brains, Kettelberger hopes that long term, this work can help find better ways to treat developmental disorders in humans.

Kettelberger credited the experience of attending a national conference with giving her more exposure to a vast array of scientific work and networking opportunities with neuroscience students and scholars.

“It’s really cool to see experts in the field that have written the papers that I’ve used for my research. These are the people that have discovered the fundamentals of neuroscience,” Kettelberger said.

Much like Kettelberger, the experience of meeting other members of his field was a fundamental part of senior Ryan Hale’s involvement with the Linguistic Society of America conference in New York City.

“I, along with two peers and my advisor, presented research which was conducted last spring in our linguistics capstone course and subsequently expanded over the summer. I also got the opportunity to see a ton of interesting presentations, connect with other William & Mary professors and alumni and step into the world of linguistics research in an official capacity,” Hale said.

Not only was Hale able to make connections, but he has been able to use this experience to aid with graduate school applications.

“Professors I’ve spoken with at prospective grad programs have been impressed by and interested in the research I’ve done at William & Mary, and getting to present it at a major conference in my field has been an amazing experience,” Hale said.

Marketing major Lizzy Rekate ‘26 was similarly able to use her Research in Motion grant to connect with potential future colleagues at the InTents Farmers Market Conference in San Diego. She presented research on farmers market customer counting and survey techniques, which she conducted in an internship with the Williamsburg Farmers Market.

“The most meaningful aspect of traveling for my research was definitely being able to present at a national conference for the first time,” Rekate said. “I was able to hone my presentation skills while also learning from seasoned professionals in the food and beverage field.”

Though presenting research, traveling and applying for funding can be a daunting task, Hale, Rekate and Kettelberger urge students to take advantage of these opportunities to connect individual research with that of scholars and other students in the broader field.

“I would absolutely encourage interested students to apply to the Research in Motion grant! It was a smooth and easy process which has ended up being a huge contribution to one of the most important experiences I’ve had at W&M,” Hale said. “With factors like a hotel stay and travel adding up quickly, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to represent W&M at the conference without the assistance of the Research in Motion grant.”

For Rekate, her experience in conducting research with the Williamsburg Farmers Market and presenting that research in San Diego emphasized her love for community within and beyond Williamsburg.

“I am so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to engage with leaders and researchers from all over the country. I adore the community here and can’t wait to bring it with me after graduation and into the food business,” Rekate said.

To Kettelberger, her experience at the D.C. conference confirmed her interest in the field of neuroscience and expanded her overall worldview.

“It’s very helpful in finding out if you like that field and you want to continue and to find the opportunities that will be available to you,” Kettelberger said. “All of these professors and doctors all together in one place shows you that it’s more feasible than you think — you can make it. You can network and you can make connections. There’s nothing like it.”