Summer housing fund fuels student’s research on rare landform

About 80% of undergraduate students at William & Mary participate in research and for many, the summer offers a valuable opportunity to pursue new work or advance long-term projects in the time between academic years.   

The Charles Center for Undergraduate Research provides opportunities that make summer research possible for William & Mary students across disciplines. Summer Research Grants allow students to pursue funded research – both on and off campus, while the Summer Research Scholars program, supported by the College of Arts & Sciences, serves as an on-campus housing fund for dozens of undergraduate students. The program guarantees summer housing for students conducting mentored research on campus at William & Mary, relieving the financial burden of housing and allowing students to focus on their research.  

“Summer research is often a transformative experience for our students, giving them the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors and develop skills that prepare them for future careers and graduate study,” said Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Suzanne Raitt. “By removing financial barriers to summer housing, the Summer Scholars Fund allows students to focus on learning and discovery, and to fully engage in the life-changing experience of research.”  

Gabriel Imholte ‘28, an environmental geology and data science double major and a recipient of a Summer Scholars grant, pursued research in geology this past summer. His project focuses on identifying landforms called water tracks in Alaska by using global satellite images. Water tracks are a type of flow path in permafrost that are not widely studied, even in the field of geology. They serve as vital drainage pathways for water leaving its environment. Imholte’s work advances understanding of the alarming rate of thaw of Arctic permafrost, a majot contributor to climate change.  

Utilizing data from high-resolution satellite images accessed through NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program at the University of Minnesota, Imholte is developing a machine learning model that can accurately identify and visualize water tracks from the existing satellite data. This algorithm, once perfected, can be used by geologists and other researchers to identify water tracks globally. As water tracks are impacted by climate change, this model will become a vital source to help scientists identify these landforms as they rapidly change.  

Water track identification is achieved through image segmentation: Imholte trains his model to select elements out of a given image. Imholte ensures his model is accurate by creating training images and then running validation tests so that the model slowly learns to better identify water tracks. His current work involves exploring how the model could perform better.  

Imholte first became involved with the project at the end of 2025. He was drawn to the Computational Geomorphology Lab, led by Joanmarie Del Vecchio, assistant professor of geology, due to its crossover with data science. “It evenly captures my geology and machine learning interests,” Imholte said.  

This past spring, he began to dive into the beginning stages of the research. Though he faced challenges initially setting up the program, called Segmentation Gym, with frequent trial and error with software, Imholte made progress on the project. He applied for the Summer Scholars program hoping to continue his work during the summer months.  

Due to the specialized software and hardware required, it was crucial for Imholte to be on campus to continue his work full time. The complimentary housing lets Imholte conduct his research, while also giving him the opportunity to collaborate with other student reseachers. In the geology department specifically, there is an abundance of undergraduate research due to its senior research thesis major requirement.  

The presence of other geology students over the summer created a collaborative research setting for Imholte. “It’s a very supportive environment, with everyone sharing their research and interests,” he said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie between the labs.”  

Staying on campus over the summer has also provided valuable mentorship opportunities. Del Vecchio, Imholte’s research advisor, gives research parameters, progress checks, and advice on the project. Del Vecchio, an expert on water tracks, also serves as a crucial source of information. 

She’s also taught Imholte research strategies and instilled in him a strong sense of project decision-making. “It’s rewarding to see students taking ownership and coming into their own as scientists,” Del Vecchio said. She enjoys seeing Imholte and his peers learning to rely on each other for ideas, techniques, and support. “It’s independent research in a community of researchers and scholars," she said.

As Imholte closes his research for the summer session, his work is far from over. He hopes to continue the project in the fall and potentially pursue the subject as a senior thesis.  

Beyond the research itself, Imholte is looking forward to conveying his data to the public. At the Fall Research Symposium on Sept. 25, Imholte will present a poster summarizing his work, which he will also share at one of the geology department's lunch & learns, casual events where students present their research to the W&M community. He will also present his research nationally at the Geological Society of America conference in Denver in October.  

As Imholte looks ahead, with his sights set on sharing his research at a conference, he finds newfound excitement for his future. “It's been rewarding to see something pan out,” Imholte said. “This research pushed me in the right direction for graduate school and a career in what I want to do.”