Roanoke faculty leading new research and championing student success

Roanoke College faculty and staff are advancing new ideas and expanding student opportunities across campus. Check out some of the latest news: 
 
Dean Karin Saoub (School of Health, Science, and Sustainability) and Assistant Professor Michael Weselcouch (Mathematics) co-authored new research alongside students in The Fibonacci Quarterly. Publishing as an undergraduate is rare in research, but many Roanoke students have been able to do so thanks to dedicated faculty mentorship, part of the college’s commitment to real-world learning and academic growth. Jackson Wills ’26, a math major, and Trey Wilhoit ’25, a math major now in graduate school at UNC Charlotte, were able to contribute to an examination of flood polynomials — a mathematical tool inspired by the video game Minecraft and used to study properties of graphs — and their connections to Fibonacci and Lucas polynomials. The work yielded insights that could inform graph theory and computational methods. 

Lecturer Md Tajuddin Khan (Economics) published three new papers exploring how access to resources — whether it be electricity, digital infrastructure or flexible pricing tools — can create opportunity and improve outcomes for communities. His research appeared in the journals Energy Economics, Discover Sustainability, and The Journal of Consumer Marketing. The articles highlighted how flexible pricing affects access to food in India, how the electrical grid shapes work patterns and household roles in rural Bangladesh, and how reliable internet service contributes to reduced gender gaps in employment. 

Associate Professors Christopher Buchholz, Travis Carter and Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand (Psychology) were each invited to present unique research at the Society for Southeastern Social Psychologists Conference in Florida. Buchholz shared work on integrating mindfulness into the college classroom, with results showing increased mindfulness and life satisfaction among students. Carter presented research that was conducted alongside student Lukasz Stasiuk ’24, examining whether political identity plays a role in how people react to unfair offers in an ultimatum game experiment. Findley-Van Nostrand explored factors that influence how parents form goals for their children’s popularity, and how these in turn drive positive and aggressive behaviors among peers. 

Center for Civic Engagement Director Jesse Griffin appeared on WFXR to highlight the vital work of the campus food pantry. RC Pantry recently received a state grant to expand its mission and ensure all students have access to the resources and support needed to succeed. The program is part of Roanoke’s commitment to serving all aspects of student well-being.   

Professor Len Pysh (Biology, Biotechnology) joined with Virginia Western Community College STEM Dean Amy White to share how our institutions built a successful, forward-thinking biotechnology degree partnership. Speaking at the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ annual meeting in Washington, D.C., they led a session that showcased how innovative collaborations can strengthen student success and workforce development.