January 2007

Advancement Report: Professors Support Student Research and Faculty Initiatives

By Catherine Clarke Fox

One day, while digging through fragments of old music scores in the basement of the National Library of Medicine, undergraduate music student Emily Robertson made a discovery. For many years, an important piece of music had been attributed to a composer named Johannes Sarton.

In fact, Robertson realized through her painstaking research that Sarton was,
in all likelihood, a fiction— the product of a simple misspelling. Most probably, his composition for two voices was the work of a well-known Renaissance composer named Pierre Certon.

Robertson’s thorough research led to a successful modern production of the Certon work and won her a distinguished award from the American Musicological Society. One of just three undergraduates to ever receive the honor, she had the rare opportunity to complete this research—with the guidance of Professor of Music Laura Youens—in part because of GW professors Carol and Lee Sigelman.
Since the Sigelmans arrived at GW in the early 1990s, they have regularly contributed to the fund that supports the George Gamow Undergraduate Research
Fellowships, established in 2003 by the Offices of the Deans and Academic Affairs. “Giving opportunities are a chance for us to help achieve goals we have for advancing the institution,” says Carol, currently associate vice president for graduate studies and academic affairs and professor of psychology.

Lee, a professor of political science in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and editor of The American Political Review, believes department administrators need unrestricted funds for key needs that don’t fit into specific budgets. When budgets increase, he notes, new money often goes to new functions instead of toward shoring up existing initiatives, such as faculty travel and research materials. Just as important is the morale factor. When professors make a request for funds, being able to say “yes” boosts faculty morale and productivity.
For instance, Lee explains, a faculty member might want a data resource that costs several thousand dollars that would enable her to publish articles or even a book. But she needs financial help to reach her goal. “That’s why I started giving to the Department of Political Science,” he says.

Carol has focused on funding for student research. “Throughout my career, I’ve always involved graduate and undergraduate students in my research. It makes great sense in developmental psychology,” she says. “I like the concept of integrating education and research, and giving students a chance to get their hands dirty with real data collection projects.”

In her current role, Carol collaborated with the University Honors Program in 2003 to launch the George Gamow Undergraduate Research Fellowships. The name is meant to inspire young researchers: Gamow, a distinguished theoretical nuclear physicist, was a GW faculty member known for the development of the “Big Bang” theory of the expanding universe.

Since then, a dozen students each year have earned Gamow fellowships. Fellows propose a project in collaboration with a faculty mentor, complete the work, and
present their findings at the annual spring symposium. The chance for undergraduates to participate in this kind of potentially life-altering research is extraordinary; such research projects are often for graduate students only.

“We’ve had Gamow winners go on to other triumphs, which is part of our rationale for doing this,” Carol says.

Lee considers his commitment a way to assist “bright, enthusiastic students” and
to “bestow small favors on colleagues.” All of this leads to the greater good of the University and “that is where the gratification comes in.”

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu