For Highschoolers

Research Opportunities for High School Students

From left to right: Gabrielle Daggett, Greta Limberger, Abigail Taylor, Emmett Appel, and George Taylor

Gabrielle Daggett (Erskine Academy)

George Taylor (Waterville Senior High School)

Abigail Taylor (Lawrence High School)

Emmett Appel (Erskine Academy)

Greta Limberger (Waterville Senior High School)

Greta Limberger (left) and Gabrielle Daggett (right)

From left to right: Emmett Appel, George Taylor, Greta Limberger, Abigail Taylor, and Gabrielle Daggett.

Over the past several years, the Thamattoor lab has hosted a number of students from area high schools, and sometimes from out of state, as summer research scholars. These opportunities are made possible thanks to funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students (MERITS) program administered by the Maine Space Grant Consortium. The high school students typically spend a few weeks in lab mentored by Colby undergraduates and Das Thamattoor on original research projects in organic chemistry.

In the summer of 2024, Emmett Appel and Gabrielle Dagget (both from Erskine Academey, South China, ME), Greta Limberger and George Taylor (both from Waterville Senior High School, Waterville, ME), and Abigail Taylor (from Lawrence High School, Fairfield, ME) performed organic chemistry research work in the DasLab. The complete list of students who have taken part in this program since its inception is given below.

Cony High School, Augusta, Maine: Robert Swain, Morgan Nelson, and Nick Cameron.

Edward Little High School, Auburn, Maine: Colby Souders.

Erskine Academy, South China, Maine: Willam S. Dow II, Jessi Elliot, Adam Childs, Patrick Meunier, Joseph Gould, Ryley Thompson, Noel Proctor, Madison Michaud, Emma Wilkinson, Emmett Appel and Gabrielle Daggett.

Hebron Academy, Hebron, Maine: Victor Klinkerch, Louisa Ellis and Hadwin Belcher.

Kents Hill School, Kents Hill, ME: Amita Nanda.

Governor Livingston High school, Berkeley Heights, NJ: Ayush Kayal.

Lawrence High School, Fairfield, Maine:  Shaun Hallee, Caitlin LaPorte, Jacob MacFarland, Dana Vigue, and Abigail Taylor.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Limestone, Maine: Varsha Adabala, Keith Languet, Katherine Taddeo and Lijia Wang.

Madison Area Memorial High School, Madison, Maine: Jacob Girgis.

Messalonskee High School, Oakland, Maine: Leilani Jones, Anna Heath, McKenzie Brunelle, and MollyAn Killingbeck.

Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, New Jersey: Noah Bronowich.

Skowhegan Area High School, Skowhegan, Maine: Sarah Enman, Timothy Gastonguay, Chelsea Hoskins, Margaret Williams, Sarah Finnemore, Kaetlyn Stinson, Mackenzie Warren, Megan Hooper, Sadie Libby, and Madeline Aubry.

Snow Pond Arts Academy: Trinity Hutchins

Waterville Senior High School, Waterville, Maine: Connor B. Hughes, Zach Caruso, Ryan Tozier, Sophie Boardman, Carter Jones, Madeleine Hallen, Surya Amundsen, Andrew Turlo, Keya Amundsen, Alexa DeWitt, Karin Zimba, Cole Bazakas, Leo Koch, Greta Limberger, and George Taylor. 

Winslow High School, Winslow, Maine: Emily Farrell, Cody Lambert, Rachel Sirois, Ross Poulin, Edilene McCaslin, Kirstie Rogers, and Andrew Cormier.

Winthrop High School, Winthrop, Maine: Cody Dennett and Selma Adam.