NMH Seniors Showcase Fall Capstone Work

Northfield Mount Hermon’s capstone program, a semester-long independent study available to seniors, puts students in charge of their education from conception to presentation.

Working with faculty advisors, seniors in the capstone program conduct independent research on a topic of their choosing, produce a final presentation and reflection on both the process and their results, and create a tangible product that contributes to the greater Northfield Mount Hermon community.

Last semester’s capstones included:

Grace Huang: “Orientalism and Its Legacy: A New HUM II”

For her capstone project, Grace Huang created a website and lesson plan to incorporate post-colonial stories and experiences of Asian cultures into NMH’s Humanities II curriculum.

Huang drew from the work of one of NMH’s most celebrated alums, Palestinian American academic and activist Edward Said ’53, to examine how Eastern cultures have been studied and treated by Western academia throughout history.

“The capstone program always provides great opportunities for students to take their learning in relation to NMH,” Huang said. “I really appreciate how I not only got to learn more about world history but also NMH history by studying one of our most influential alumni in academia.”

Part of the challenge of her project was distilling the complex history behind Orientalism into an accessible format for 10th-graders while still providing a strong overview of the subject matter. “I had to consider how a sophomore would encounter it, what would confuse them, what would interest them, and how much background knowledge they would actually bring into the room,” Huang said. “Understanding a topic is only half the work; the other half is anticipating how others will understand it, which pushed me to be more thoughtful, intentional, and aware of my own learning process.”

Sam Zhong: “Sonic Recall: The Psychology of Music and Memory”

Inspired by her love of music and her experiences performing in retirement communities, Sam Zhong explored the nature of memory and its relationship to music.

Zhong was intrigued by the emotions and memories her audiences experienced when hearing her play music from their past, leading her to explore the connections between music, memory, and cognitive functions.

“The aim of my study was to explore whether being a trained musician affects the way we encode sounds during memory recall,” Zhong said. “It looks at how our experiences as musicians affect our cognitive processes and how these experiences change how we benefit from and interpret sound.”

Zhong’s time at NMH influenced every aspect of her capstone project, from using her peers as research subjects to test her theories and gather data to managing her workload throughout the semester and adding interdisciplinary depth to her final work.

“I think my capstone project reflects the greater mission of the school by exploring the intersections between our experiences and cognitive processes,” Zhong said. “This reflects the school’s mission of ‘educating the head, heart, and hand,’ which encompasses the idea of taking a holistic approach to education and learning from a multitude of perspectives and experiences.”

Mac Hargrove: “Comparative Analysis of Light Pollution using Astrophotography”

Mac Hargrove reached for the stars in his capstone project, seeking to capture the effects of light pollution through astrophotography.

“For me, looking up at the night sky has always inspired a sense of wonder,” Hargrove said. “I hoped that by showing light pollution’s impact on stunning deep-sky objects, I might be able to raise more awareness about the issue.”

Hargrove used moonlight to simulate the effects of man-made light pollution, gathering data throughout the lunar cycle. As he delved deeper into the topic, he uncovered a rich history of astronomical research at NMH.

“I found stunning photos of galaxies and nebulae taken by students years ago,” Hargrove said. “In fact, astronomy classes at NMH discovered asteroids in the 1990s. I also found out that the school still had several observatory-grade telescopes. Unfortunately, since they had not been used for nearly 20 years, no one really knew how to operate them, and they were in desperate need of repair.” Hargrove set to work repairing the equipment and learning how to use it, even using a 3D printer to manufacture adapters for outdated parts. 

“I was able to take beautiful photos, conduct real field science, and, most importantly, build an astrophotography setup that future NMH student astronomers can use long after my project is finished,” Hargrove said. “It is deeply fulfilling to know that what I am doing will positively impact future students and help sustain an academic program beyond my own time at NMH.”

Hisu Kang: “Personal Politics: Navigating the Power Struggle Between Individual Beliefs and Political Identity (or, Why Some Families Avoid Politics at Thanksgiving)”

Hisu Kang examined the complex interplay between political and personal identities, creating an NMH 360 lesson plan and an Instagram account that explored the psychology behind political polarization and outlined strategies for engaging in civil discourse.

“People tend to stigmatize how politics and political conversations are held, especially in academic settings,” Kang said. “I wanted to change this view and normalize connecting across differences.”

Kang’s research revealed insights about human nature, group dynamics, and their role in political discourse, while also deepening her understanding of the difficulties educators face when designing classroom lessons.

“I really appreciate NMH having an independent study as part of the curriculum, so I can push myself in different facets of academic engagement and really embody interdisciplinary learning,” Kang said. “I tried my best to really embody NMH’s commitments to learning through ‘head, heart, and hand.’”

Emily Sun: “Beyond the Discharge Point: Evaluating the Environmental Footprint of NMH Wastewater Discharge Under Variable Conditions”

Building on a project she began in class during her junior year, Emily Sun put her passion for environmental science into action for her capstone project, which measured the effects of discharge from NMH’s wastewater treatment plant on the water quality of the Connecticut River.

Using data from weekly water samples collected throughout the semester, Sun tracked multiple indicators to assess the impact of the discharge at the point where it entered the river watershed.

The project allowed her to gain experience conducting field research and deepened her appreciation for scientific inquiry. Sun credited NMH with encouraging her to step outside her comfort zone and explore new research methods she otherwise may not have attempted.

“From brainstorming research questions and experimental design to gathering resources, seeking expert feedback, and conducting physically demanding fieldwork, I was able to experience the full journey of the scientific process,” Sun said. “Even when results are unclear or lead to more questions than answers, the work itself remains valuable. I believe this mindset shift and resiliency with uncertainty will significantly benefit me for future research in college and beyond.”

Allen Chen: “In Silico Analysis of Programmable RNA Condensates”

In his capstone project, Allen Chen explored computational biomedical research by designing simulations to model and predict the properties and behaviors of artificial RNA condensates.

Chen used computer simulations to study the folding dynamics of an RNA aptamer, or molecule, named “broccoli,” so called because it glows green when correctly folded. He analyzed multiple RNA sequences to assess their feasibility for potential biomedical applications. 

The semester-long process taught him the value of perseverance, particularly in computational work. “Independent research is challenging, and troubleshooting takes up a large portion of the work. This [project] showed me that persistence and resilience are especially important to success.”

NMH’s advanced STEM courses helped prepare Chen for the demands of an extensive independent study. “The capstone program as a whole reflects the school’s values of participatory, experiential learning and deep exploration,” enabling students “to develop in a program that is the epitome of experimental and engaged learning.”

George Ning: “Scars of Memory: A Cross-Regional Comparison of Trauma Literature in the Sinophone Context”

George Ning conducted a comparative analysis of “scar literature” from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, examining differences in tone, recollection, and publication history across regions.

Coined in the 1970s, the scar literature genre consists of the personal recollections of individuals who lived through 20th-century political upheavals across the Sinophone world.

“It’s a literary response to historical rupture that takes different forms depending on local political conditions, publishing regimes, and cultural expectations,” Ning said. “The differences between those contexts reveal how literary memory is produced, limited, and circulated.”

As he immersed himself in the texts, Ning deepened his understanding of the interplay between perspective, memory, and politics in historical narration. The project helped him refine his thesis development, research methodology, writing, and presentation skills.

“I learned how to build a comparative argument without flattening difference, how to keep a consistent research question while allowing each region’s political and cultural conditions to reshape the answer,” Ning said. “The most personally meaningful success came during my capstone presentation, when I watched Chinese students from various places react to parts of history they had never been introduced to in detail. The fact that students from different Chinese communities could learn something about their own collective past — a history that was suppressed and overlooked — made all of the work feel worthwhile.”

—Max Hunt

Photography by Allen Liu '28, Aurora Song '26, John Adams '28, Michael Kim '29, and Anna Fleming.