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2026 SOCKS Undergraduate Interns
Eleven summer interns are working with teams of faculty, postdocs, and other researchers on the transdisciplinary SOCKS research program. Read more about this year's interns below!
Snow Boyd Vigil
Team: Indigenous Narratives and Storytelling in Global Environmental Governance
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Snow Boyd Vigil is a senior in the Honors College at the University of Vermont studying neuroscience and music. Recently, she has been focused on animal conservation, spending a semester in Kimana, Kenya studying endangered species in the Amboseli ecosystem and the impact of conservation on the community. Her research in Kimana calculated the extinction risk of the African lion population of Amboseli and identified lion prides to monitor population density over time. Her research in the Vizzard lab at UVM compares postnatal bladder reflex function and somatic sensitivity of TRPV4 knockout vs. wildtype mice. With SOCKS, she is working with Dr. Kemi Fuentes-George, examining changes over time to the framework of biodiversity governance through analysis of major guiding documents such as reports from the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity. She is focusing on Ecuador's attempts to recenter indigenous perspectives, specifically in its 2008 constitution, in which rights are granted to nature as an entity. Snow is also an artist, musician, and songwriter. She is a keyboardist, guitarist, and singer in Burlington's premiere country band, SWAMPYTONK. You can also catch her DJing on 90.1 WRUV, Burlington's Better Alternative. She spends her free time biking, playing saxophone, and creating ceramic orbs.
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Snow Boyd Vigil is a senior in the Honors College at the University of Vermont studying neuroscience and music. Recently, she has been focused on animal conservation, spending a semester in Kimana, Kenya studying endangered species in the Amboseli ecosystem and the impact of conservation on the community. Her research in Kimana calculated the extinction risk of the African lion population of Amboseli and identified lion prides to monitor population density over time. Her research in the Vizzard lab at UVM compares postnatal bladder reflex function and somatic sensitivity of TRPV4 knockout vs. wildtype mice. With SOCKS, she is working with Dr. Kemi Fuentes-George, examining changes over time to the framework of biodiversity governance through analysis of major guiding documents such as reports from the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity. She is focusing on Ecuador's attempts to recenter indigenous perspectives, specifically in its 2008 constitution, in which rights are granted to nature as an entity. Snow is also an artist, musician, and songwriter. She is a keyboardist, guitarist, and singer in Burlington's premiere country band, SWAMPYTONK. You can also catch her DJing on 90.1 WRUV, Burlington's Better Alternative. She spends her free time biking, playing saxophone, and creating ceramic orbs.
Iris Buckley
Team: Mental Health Discourse through Media and Diagnostic Language
Mentor: Alice Patania
Iris is a senior at the University of Vermont currently pursuing their degree in mechanical engineering. They also have plans to obtain their master’s with a focus in biomechanics and biomaterials. When not working, Iris is typically either playing ultimate frisbee through the local Vermont programs or playing a variety of games with their friends.
Mentor: Alice Patania
Iris is a senior at the University of Vermont currently pursuing their degree in mechanical engineering. They also have plans to obtain their master’s with a focus in biomechanics and biomaterials. When not working, Iris is typically either playing ultimate frisbee through the local Vermont programs or playing a variety of games with their friends.
Simone Carmody
Team: Fine-grained Error Analysis in Machine Translation
Mentor: Brennan Dell
Simone is a rising junior at the University of Vermont studying Linguistics with minors in French and Communication Sciences & Disorders and will graduate with a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate and a Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLP-A) certificate. This past spring, Simone was a research assistant at UVM’s Second Language Acquisition Lab (SLUVM) researching the factors influencing Foreign Language Aptitude. She is a UVM Orientation Leader and a member of UVM’s University Concert Choir. In her free time, Simone likes to sew, go kayaking, and go to Zumba classes with her friends!
Mentor: Brennan Dell
Simone is a rising junior at the University of Vermont studying Linguistics with minors in French and Communication Sciences & Disorders and will graduate with a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate and a Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLP-A) certificate. This past spring, Simone was a research assistant at UVM’s Second Language Acquisition Lab (SLUVM) researching the factors influencing Foreign Language Aptitude. She is a UVM Orientation Leader and a member of UVM’s University Concert Choir. In her free time, Simone likes to sew, go kayaking, and go to Zumba classes with her friends!
Frank Gallo
Team: Social Impacts of Stories
Mentor: Pablo Bose
Frank is a member of the Dartmouth Class of 2027 majoring in Mathematics and Geography. Currently, his research goals include unifying his two academic disciplines by bringing beautiful math to the quantitative social sciences. His favorite field of math is algebra... though he wishes it was a bit more practical for his research! A leader in the Dartmouth Outing Club and Finance Chair of the Dartmouth Triathlon Team, Frank is a lover of nature and the outdoors, and enjoys hiking, running and cycling. He is also the chair of the Dartmouth DinerToure and a pancake afficionado.
Mentor: Pablo Bose
Frank is a member of the Dartmouth Class of 2027 majoring in Mathematics and Geography. Currently, his research goals include unifying his two academic disciplines by bringing beautiful math to the quantitative social sciences. His favorite field of math is algebra... though he wishes it was a bit more practical for his research! A leader in the Dartmouth Outing Club and Finance Chair of the Dartmouth Triathlon Team, Frank is a lover of nature and the outdoors, and enjoys hiking, running and cycling. He is also the chair of the Dartmouth DinerToure and a pancake afficionado.
Elena Gibbons
Team: Fine-grained Error Analysis in Machine Translation
Mentor: Brennan Dell
Elena is a rising senior at the University of Vermont majoring in Linguistics, with minors in Spanish, Writing, and Communication Sciences & Disorders. She is also enrolled in the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant program at UVM. Elena’s research interests include anything and everything related to language. During the academic year, she works as a tutor at the Undergraduate Writing Center on campus and is an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity. In her free time, Elena enjoys going to the lake, reading, and hunting for her next great BLT sandwich.
Mentor: Brennan Dell
Elena is a rising senior at the University of Vermont majoring in Linguistics, with minors in Spanish, Writing, and Communication Sciences & Disorders. She is also enrolled in the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant program at UVM. Elena’s research interests include anything and everything related to language. During the academic year, she works as a tutor at the Undergraduate Writing Center on campus and is an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity. In her free time, Elena enjoys going to the lake, reading, and hunting for her next great BLT sandwich.
Nathan Klonel
Team: Indigenous Narratives and Storytelling in Global Environmental Governance
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Nathan is a rising junior at Middlebury College, double-majoring in Psychology and Sociology. His academic interests include behavioral science in climate advocacy, German studies, and technology ethics. In his free time, he likes to Nordic ski, bike, and relax in his hammock.
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Nathan is a rising junior at Middlebury College, double-majoring in Psychology and Sociology. His academic interests include behavioral science in climate advocacy, German studies, and technology ethics. In his free time, he likes to Nordic ski, bike, and relax in his hammock.
Bella Olinger
Team: Local News Ecosystems and Civic Information Access
Mentor: Benjamin Cooley
Bella grew up in Vermont and currently attends Mount Holyoke College. She is a data science and politics double major and wants to use data to create policies that increase diversity especially of women and queer individuals. In her free time, Bella likes to bake, craft, and hang out with her three cats!
Mentor: Benjamin Cooley
Bella grew up in Vermont and currently attends Mount Holyoke College. She is a data science and politics double major and wants to use data to create policies that increase diversity especially of women and queer individuals. In her free time, Bella likes to bake, craft, and hang out with her three cats!
Adèle Ramírez Valcour
Team: Indigenous Narratives and Storytelling in Global Environmental Governance
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Adèle is a rising senior at Boston College studying Human-Centered Engineering. In her free time, she likes to go on walks and spend time with her family.
Mentor: Kemi Fuentes-George
Adèle is a rising senior at Boston College studying Human-Centered Engineering. In her free time, she likes to go on walks and spend time with her family.
Grayson Storer
Team: Estimating the impact of context on word meaning: Towards more fully leveraging LLMs in linguistics
Mentor: Julia Zimmerman
Grayson is a rising senior studying mathematics and computer science at the University of Vermont. His academic interests include data privacy and security, especially in deep learning and natural language processing. Outside of academics, he enjoys mountain biking, backcountry snowboarding, and anything else that involves being in nature.
Mentor: Julia Zimmerman
Grayson is a rising senior studying mathematics and computer science at the University of Vermont. His academic interests include data privacy and security, especially in deep learning and natural language processing. Outside of academics, he enjoys mountain biking, backcountry snowboarding, and anything else that involves being in nature.
Victoria Trainor
Team: Understanding and Promoting Human Connection in Serious Illness
Mentor: Bob Gramling
Victoria is a rising senior at the University of Vermont from Massachusetts. She is pursuing a B.S in Psychological Science with a minor in Pharmacology and is the president of UVM’s Psychology Club. Victoria is interested in the intersection of technology and mental health. For her project this summer, Victoria is harnessing qualitative analysis and machine learning methods to scale and predict human connection in clinical encounters. In her free time, she enjoys arts and crafts, thrifting, and seeing local bands in Burlington.
Mentor: Bob Gramling
Victoria is a rising senior at the University of Vermont from Massachusetts. She is pursuing a B.S in Psychological Science with a minor in Pharmacology and is the president of UVM’s Psychology Club. Victoria is interested in the intersection of technology and mental health. For her project this summer, Victoria is harnessing qualitative analysis and machine learning methods to scale and predict human connection in clinical encounters. In her free time, she enjoys arts and crafts, thrifting, and seeing local bands in Burlington.
Kallen Zhou
Team: Local News Ecosystems and Civic Information Access
Mentor: Benjamin Cooley
Kallen Zhou is a student at Mississippi State University pursuing a degree in Economics. Outside of SOCKS, he co-leads an undergraduate research group studying the social effects of AI, where he teaches research methods, leads projects, and has directed two publications and multiple presentations. In his free time, Kallen enjoys playing racquet sports (especially badminton), gaming, and exploring new places.
Mentor: Benjamin Cooley
Kallen Zhou is a student at Mississippi State University pursuing a degree in Economics. Outside of SOCKS, he co-leads an undergraduate research group studying the social effects of AI, where he teaches research methods, leads projects, and has directed two publications and multiple presentations. In his free time, Kallen enjoys playing racquet sports (especially badminton), gaming, and exploring new places.