Paid Summer Research Opportunities at Siena College
ABOUT SPIn
Summer Project Incubator (SPIn) is an intensive experiential learning program that connects faculty, students, and community organizations in multi-year interdisciplinary community-engaged research projects.
Our three-year model allows for projects to grow over time, but students can choose to commit to just one summer. In year one, we explore issues, develop relationships, and celebrate small wins; in year two, we develop and support student and community leadership to implement a targeted intervention; and in year three, we work collaboratively to ensure sustainable action.
Projects run for about 8-10 weeks during the summer, but the projects continue throughout the rest of the year as members, faculty, and community partners publish results, develop research, and plan for the following summer. This year-round work is fueled by our summer program! Faculty who are interested in proposing a SPIn project should reach out to aceinfo@siena.edu.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Paid Part-Time Summer Research
Interdisciplinary community engaged research with faculty and local nonprofit organizations
We are no longer accepting applications for summer 2024. To have your name and email recorded for summer 2025 recruitment, please email aceinfo@siena.edu.
Project spotlights
Our Little's Lake Water Quality Improvement and Community Engagement project made a big impact in the summer of 2025 - check out their work here!
Check out the hands-on research that our Medicinal Plants and Community Well-Being team did during the summer of 2024!
Summer 2025 Projects
Floating Wetland and Community Engagement (Year 1)
Goals and Accomplishments: In Summer 2025, the team partnered with Little’s Lake to gather baseline information on water quality and begin Phase I of working to improve water quality and enhance the educational opportunities at the organization. The team also constructed and installed a floating wetland at the site designed to remove excess nutrients from nutrient-rich water bodies.
Next Steps: Next summer, the team will continue work on the floating wetland, implement additional water quality initiatives, and support their education and outreach initiatives. Faculty Lead: Dr. Mary Beth Kolozsvary
Flood Resiliency in Albany (Year 1)
Goals and Accomplishments: This summer, we conducted an herbarium workshop to the community on the benefits of lemon
Goals and Accomplishments: Students researched potential nature-based solutions to build flood resiliency in Albany. Additionally, students developed primers that translated their research to a general audience. Lastly, we developed partnerships and research questions with those partners.
Next Steps: Students will conduct a GIS-based green infrastructure feasibility study in the Krumkill watershed. We will also work with the City of Albany Water Department and other stakeholders to gather data about historic flooding in the City of Albany and develop information primers about the flooding. Faculty Lead: Dr. Kate Meierdiercks
Urban Ecosystem Justice at Radix (Year 2)
Goals and Accomplishments: This summer, members maintained multiple gardening sites at Radix and in the South End and supported the summer employment youth program. Next Steps: We will continue supporting our urban farm and connecting with the community as environment stewards, and we look forward to a potential partnership on climate resiliency and flooding in Albany.
Inter-Agency Collaboration for Summer Meals with the United Way of the Greater Capital Region (Year 3)
Goals and Accomplishments: We had a productive summer! We visited 28 meal sites and collected more than 200 surveys from children, parents, and program staff, completed a basic nutrition analysis of sponsor menus and provided recommendations for improving nutrition, and a draft of a toolkit for sponsors. Next Steps: We will continue to conduct a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with program leadership, analyze the nutritional quality of meals served, and continue developing the toolkit.
