Guided by first-class faculty, students take the initiative to immerse themselves in intensive research guided by their passions and curiosities.
Through research in a collaborative environment with faculty mentors, Gettysburg College provides students like Michael Fellman ’25 the opportunity to explore their curiosities and share their findings with the world. In the summer of 2024, the psychology and mathematics double major and varsity tennis player was one of only a select few undergraduates globally to present research at the International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Under the mentorship of Psychology Prof. Daniel McCall, Fellman discussed how different sensory cues can modify someone’s perception of taste and smell. Due to its narrow research focus, the conference has a small number of research presentations from an extremely experienced and diverse set of researchers from across the globe, including researchers and faculty from France, Germany, Japan, and other countries. Fellman presented his topic during a poster session, during which individuals could ask him directly about his research.
“Presenting at the conference was thrilling because I was surrounded by researchers who have spent many years looking at olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) systems,” said Fellman, a graduate of Thomas S. Wooton High School in Rockville, Maryland. “Many people at these poster sessions would ask you questions about your study, the implications of your work, and other future directions. The coolest aspect of my research was seeing other research results on the perception of taste qualities and applying my own results.”
Fellman’s research and travel were funded through the generosity of the Juann Hess Grayson ’70 Endowed Student Project Fund in Psychology, Provost Funds for Student Professional Papers and Conferences, and the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG).
McCall, according to Fellman, was a significant mentor throughout the research process, teaching him everything from technical skills such as data manipulation and statistical analysis to enduring skills in communication and teamwork. Serving as Fellman’s faculty advisor for the X-SIG Summer Research Program in 2023, McCall inspired Fellman to continue his work as an independent study. For Fellman, learning from an expert in olfactory and flavor perception was incredibly beneficial in the development of his research process.
“Prof. McCall has always been able to fuel my desire to work, grow, and learn as a researcher, which has been directly important to my growth,” Fellman noted. “Moreover, Prof. McCall is a mentor who wants his students to actively work and contribute to projects that he is working on.”
Fellman attributes a large part of his success to his three years of experience on the Gettysburg’s men’s tennis team. He obtained a strong work ethic to be disciplined in the game of tennis and throughout his research.
“Tennis has taught me strong discipline and resilience because the process is never linear,” said Fellman, a three-time All-Centennial Conference selection. “You’re always going to be taking a couple steps forward on one day and a step back the next day. You just have to keep trusting the process and realize that you’re going to get to the end goal.”
Playing tennis and conducting research have taught him creativity and problem-solving skills. When Fellman faces a challenge in the lab, he’s learned to pivot and come up with new methods to continue reaching toward his goals.
“You’re always trying to assess not only what’s been done, but also what hasn’t been done, all in a creative way,” Fellman said. “You’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead you’re trying to change different aspects. I really appreciate and enjoy that approach to research.”
He plans to build on the presentation he gave in Iceland as part of his senior capstone in psychology, focusing on how attention affects taste perception. This advanced research further cultivates the knowledge and enduring skills he has gained at Gettysburg College and will continue to use as he seeks professional opportunities and applies for graduate schools.
“A Gettysburg education makes you well-rounded and gives you the opportunity to take initiative of your passions and curiosities,” said Fellman. “You’re learning a lot of different information while being given challenges that strengthen your skills. Being able to explore two different areas—mathematics and psychology—has facilitated my growth and individual choices to pursue even more opportunities.”
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By Katie Lauriello ’25
Photos provided by Michael Fellman ’25 and David Sinclair Photography
Posted: 11/15/24