Muhlenberg football player Alexander Gardner, a rising junior physics major and mathematics minor, writes about his summer research experience:
This summer I was fortunate enough to receive a chance to do summer research with one of my professors, Dr. Charles Collett.
Dr. Collett's research focuses on quantum mechanics, which is a relatively new field of physics that deals with interactions between objects on a very small scale. The study of quantum physics will hopefully lead to huge developments in our lifetimes, such as quantum computing, quantum communications and cryptography, and even possibly in artificial intelligence.
Originally, my plans were to stay at school over the summer and do my research. Unfortunately, like everyone else, my plans were changed due to Covid-19. Fortunately for me, I was able to do my research at home. Dr. Collett specializes in quantum computing and does his work with something called electron spin resonance (ESR). Over the summer, I was able to simulate a small part of a quantum computer, and my results could be useful in the ESR lab when we return to school.
I was very lucky I was able to do my research from home, and that I was able to continue my work without major disruptions. On the other hand, I live in Brooklyn, New York, where one of the first and worst outbreaks of Covid-19 happened. I saw firsthand how it changed peoples' lives, and it really put things in perspective for me how lucky I was that my family and I were not suffering from Covid.
One of the most powerful experiences I had in my quarantine summer was when I decided to do volunteer work. I found New York Cares, a great volunteer network in New York City, and ended up signing up to give out packed lunches for the homeless at a church near Greenwich Village, on 14th Street and 8th Avenue. My job when I was there was to take the packed lunches in plastic bags - they received chicken, beans and rice as well as apple sauce, two oranges and a few other snacks and drinks - up the elevator to the front door where people were lined up down the block for food. I would hand out the lunches I brought up, then go back to get more. That day, we ended up giving out around 250 packed lunches.
What amazed me most was how grateful and kind each person was, and how they still found a way to come together as a community in tough times.
Although this summer is different from any in the past, that has not stopped Mule athletes from enjoying fantastic experiences. If you would like to tell the story of your summer, please fill out our Summer Check-In form!
Previous Summer Check-In stories:
Zachary Cooper, men's lacrosse, U.S. Chamber of Commerce internship
Lindsay Press, women's track and field, physical therapy shadowing
Pat Smurla, men's cross country/track and field, information security intern at Nasdaq
Rebecca Shear, volleyball, memory research
Dominic Palumbo, football, political consulting firm internship
Trevor Virno, baseball, organized food drives
Lindsay Scott, women's soccer, genetics research
Alexander Giaquinto, men's lacrosse, cybersecurity internship
