By: Mohini Gobin, Associate Director, Honors College
Questions by Kelly Filipczuk, Editor-in-Chief of The Honors Herald
If you are a Dyson student, you might have heard the term Society of Fellows (SOF) from students, faculty and staff, but perhaps you are not sure what it is. In this post, you’ll learn more about the Society of Fellows, how to get involved, and get a reflection of students’ who have recently taken part in its 42nd Annual Conference on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Personal Story
When I joined the Society of Fellows community, I was an undergraduate student who started doing research with a professor in the Department of Biology at Pace. I did not know much about what I was getting involved with, but knew I would be presenting at their annual conference. I entered a large room (which was the Student Union at the time) and saw students with large posters with lots of words, graphs, and data. Some looked like high school science posters, others looked like professional conference posters. There were people of all different ages and backgrounds who came to hear more about my research. During these interactions, many people did not know much about research related to genetics using an organism called C. elegans. This pushed me to go out of my comfort zone and get to know my research on another level; I wanted to translate the information for anyone to understand. I walked away from the experience proud to be able to share my work and to have been involved in the Society of Fellows since.
What is the Society of Fellows?
The Society of Fellows is an honors organization in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences. In the society, the goal is to foster “dialogue and scholarship across the fields of the arts and sciences through enriching experiences for students with exceptional academic and artistic abilities.” Through an annual conference (spring), annual weekend seminar (fall), publication Transactions, and the Initiation Ceremony (spring), students and faculty can become involved in a community that shares academic and artistic achievement and research. One reason I appreciate Society of Fellows is that they invite their alumni to each conference and weekend seminar, allowing us to connect and learn about topics that we are not always exposed to. In recent meetings, I have met students and faculty from both Pace campuses and learned more about their research interests and post-graduate passions. It has been difficult to connect to colleagues during the work week, but through Society of Fellows, I have been able to do so.
How to Get Involved
Students in the Honors College and in Dyson College of Arts & Science are perfect candidates for Society of Fellows. The technical side of becoming a fellow involves having a 3.3 QGPA, participating in at least two Society of Fellows events(with one being a presentation of your own work), submitting a work to Transactions, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member (likely someone who you have done research with), and attending the initiation ceremony, which is usually in the spring. Research and artistic projects can come from courses or research experiences such as the Honors thesis or Undergraduate Research Programs. At the Initiation Ceremony, each class of initiated and added fellows are named after a faculty/staff member. They are added to the growing, over 700-member organization, and awards are given out to seniors; this includes the Charles H. Dyson Award, which I was honored to receive in 2018, as well as the Distinguished Graduating Fellow Award. For students looking to continue research in post graduate degrees, joining the Society of Fellows provides a unique student experience that you can add to your resume. The way to get involved is to ask your faculty mentor and check out the Society of Fellows Pace Website: https://www.pace.edu/dyson/life-dyson/society-of-fellows.
We asked a few recent students who presented at the Society of Fellows 42nd Annual Conference 2023 to tell us about their experience.
KF: Kelly Filipczuk, Editor-in-Chief of the Honors Herald Blog
MT: Madison Turunen, Class of 2023, BA Peace & Justice Studies, BA History
EG: Ethan Grimes, Class of 2023, BS Biochemistry
CS: Carly Sullivan, Class of 2023, BS Forensic Science
KF: How did you start the process of going to the Society of Fellows? Who did you communicate with/what are things that students interested should know or plan to do?
MT: I presented as a final aspect of the Dyson Student-Faculty summer research grant. This grant gave me the opportunity to further develop my project outside of the academic year and connections to amplify my work by presenting. I received this grant through Pace’s Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE).
EG: SOF is an assumed part of being in Elmer’s [Mojica] research group, something I wish other professors pushed for as well, as to grow the presence of science students at the event. It’s pretty simple to get into. As long as you have a faculty sponsor, the application process is straightforward.
CS: This is actually my second time presenting at the Society of Fellows, so I was lucky enough to be familiar with the process. While that doesn’t completely eliminate nerves, it did help. I presented a poster and attended multiple panels, so I was there practically the whole day. My favorite thing about it all was seeing the community get involved. Everyone was genuinely excited to present and interested to learn. I was able to attend panels about subjects that I otherwise would have never been introduced to.
KF: How did you prepare to present at the Society of Fellows? What do you make sure to do/bring with you when you are watching others, as well as for when you present?
EG: Know your project well, and try to think of any potential questions people might come up with. The most important thing is to understand WHY you did the research you did, as that is what most people are interested in. Knowing your methods is something you should already know, but sometimes the purpose slips through the cracks.
KF: How big was the audience when you presented? How did you manage any stress/nerves?
EG: As a poster presenter, it’s very relaxed. People approach your poster because they are inherently interested in the topic, otherwise they would be looking at a different poster. Try to involve them personally and get them excited about what you’re talking about – share the excitement.
CS: For me, this was not just a Society of Fellows presentation but also my Honors thesis presentation. I didn’t do anything differently, but it did add a level of nerves. Luckily, Mohini made the whole process very casual and straightforward, like I was talking to a friend! Additionally, the posters went through a judging process in which various professors would come up to assess our work. That ended up being the real scary part. Some professors were nicer than others (no name dropping here) but all in all everything went very well.
KF: What was your favorite memory from the day/your biggest take away? What did you learn from this experience?
EG: Biggest takeaway is the ability to expose yourself to the amazing work that is happening at Pace between all the majors. There’s so much to learn within and without your discipline, it’s truly a privilege to be at an event where you can learn so much and share your own hard work.
KF: Would you recommend this experience to others?
MT: Absolutely! Not only is the Society of Fellows a great academic opportunity, but having presentation experiences will help you develop your professional skills. Especially if you are interested in attending graduate school, this is a great opportunity to get started in research.
CS: I think the Society of Fellows is a great opportunity that everyone should participate in, even if it is just by attending. It gives you a chance to network, expand your horizons, and meet some fun people. For those looking to present, connect with a professor sooner rather than later. Find a topic that you’re interested in and see where it goes!
KF: Any advice for students that are looking to potentially present at the next Society of Fellows?
MT: If you have a research project you are passionate about, just go for it! You can use a paper written for a course, a personal project, a thesis, or joint student-faculty work. Research opportunities are available to everyone; despite how intimidating starting may feel, you and your work are worthy of being recognized.
EG: Don’t be afraid to ask faculty for a sponsorship. You never know until you ask.
NYC Honors Students who presented at the 42nd Annual Conference
Spectroscopic Determination of Caffeine Levels in Red Bull Samples
Tamara Duval; Faculty Sponsor: Elmer Mojica, PhD
Caffeine Determination of Pre-Workout Supplements [Honors Thesis]
Ethan Grimes; Faculty Sponsor: Elmer Mojica, PhD
Antioxidant Capacity of Various Bee Pollen Samples [Honors Thesis]
Carly Sullivan; Faculty Sponsor: Elmer Mojica, PhD
Morality, Racism, and Kant
Kenady Brown; Faculty Sponsor: Eddis Miller, PhD
My Body of Water
Mary Justin; Faculty Sponsor: Helane Levine-Keating, PhD
Ivy League Perceptions
McKenna Moore; Faculty Sponsor: Todd Yarbrough, PhD
Hurricane Sandy’s Effect on Tourism Employment in New Jersey
Caterina Messina [Honors Alum]; Faculty Sponsor: Todd Yarbrough, PhD
How Long do Movie-Watchers Want to Stay in Their Seats: Runtime of a Film and its Reviews
Cecelia Pruitt; Faculty Sponsor: Mark Weinstock, CBE
Bitcoin: Emergence of Global Investment Asset
Huy Nguyen; Faculty Sponsor: Todd Yarbrough, PhD
The Effect of Wildfires on Housing Market Outcomes: Evidence from California
Maria Andrukhiv [Honors Alum]; Faculty Sponsor: Todd Yarbrough, PhD
Zoning and City Revenues: Does Euclidean Zoning Impact Cities’ Tax Revenues?
Jett Robert Meek; Faculty Sponsor: Todd Yarbrough, PhD
We Sleep, We Dream: Adapting A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Alexandria Grigsby; Faculty Sponsor: Sid Ray, PhD
Happy Holidays: A Theatrical Exploration of Reconciliation
Dante Dallago; Faculty Sponsor: Emily Welty, PhD
Happy Holidays: A Theatrical Exploration of Reconciliation
Kalina Walaski; Faculty Sponsor: Emily Welty, PhD
Hotspur and the Death of Honor: Exchanging Masculinities in Henry IV Pt 1
Cayla Quinn; Faculty Sponsor: Sid Ray, PhD
COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter Oral History Project
Madison Turunen; Faculty Sponsor: Maria Iacullo-Bird, PhD
The Effect of Covid-19 on the Gender Wage Gap in the Finance Industry [Honors Thesis]
Kate Fong; Faculty Sponsor: Gregory Colman, PhD
The Role of Internet Access and Financial Literacy on Entrepreneurial Growth in Egypt
Ryan Shehata; Faculty Sponsor: Mary Kaltenberg, PhD