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- Anzi Wang ’25 Recognized for Research on Psycholinguistic AnalysisAnzi Wang ’25 Recognized for Research on Psycholinguistic Analysis omiller1@colgate.edu Anzi Wang ’25 Confronted with election data that suggests 60% of counted ballots belong to the Democratic Party, would you say that the Democrats “will probably win the election,” or would you be more cautious and say they “might win the election”? Uncertainty expressions — words like “might” and “probably” — are spoken more or less cautiously in different contexts. So how do people’s beliefs affect their interpretation of uncertain data? Anzi Wang ’25 intends to find out. In her independent research project, “Studying Confirmation Bias through (Adaptation to) Uncertainty Expressions,” Wang uses experimental and computational analysis to help improve the computational model used for psycholinguistic analysis — which seeks to understand why people say what they say. Her research over the past three years at Colgate earned her an honorable mention from the Computing Research Association, an organization that supports researchers across industries and recognizes those “who demonstrate strong research capabilities and a commitment to advancing the field.” Wang’s project began in March 2024, when she was nominated by her academic and research adviser, Professor Grusha Prasad, and selected to be one of two Mind, Brain, and Behavior Scholars at Colgate. Wang’s experiment compared two probability scenarios and the language people used to describe them. The first depicted a gumball machine with orange and purple gumballs. Participants were asked whether the first gumball that came out would not be, might be, or would probably be a certain color. The second scenario offered a hypothetical election prediction from an unknown country. Based on the data, which was stated to be from a reliable source, participants were asked whether a certain (unidentified) party would not win, might win, or would probably win. When it’s as simple as gumballs, people’s language about uncertainty matches their literal meaning. Elections are not so straightforward. The word might suggests that there is some probability that an event will happen. When asked how they would relate election information to another person, participants only said that a party might win when the polls indicated a 50% chance. In the gumball scenario, participants were much more liberal with their use of the word might, attributing it frequently to probabilities below 50% — and staying true to the meaning of the word. Why the difference? Wang suggests that individuals go through an additional interpretative step when reasoning about complex events like elections. They think about the messy contexts of other elections and consider their beliefs and perceptions, rather than accepting the truth of the poll results. As she expands this study for her thesis project, Wang hopes to learn more about biases and preferences in the language used to describe uncertain events. She can use this data to develop an improved, more accurate language model for use by future researchers. Wang and Prasad have been collaborators since February 2023. Wang worked alongside another student to set up an eye-tracking lab and design an experiment using the new tech. During summer 2023, Prasad’s research team designed a new curriculum for language models. Now, Prasad is mentoring Wang as she applies to graduate schools. While at Colgate, Wang has made the most of her interdisciplinary interests. A computer science and philosophy double major, she has been both a computer science teaching assistant and a conversationalist at the “Ask-A-Philosopher” booth at the Hamilton Farmers Market. She worked at the ALANA Cultural Center and served as a core member of Lambda. After graduation, Wang plans to obtain her PhD in computational psycholinguistics. Academics Research News and Updates Student Department of Computer Science Department of Philosophy
- Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru Inspires at MLK CelebrationWanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru Inspires at MLK Celebration sliddell@colgate.edu Colgate University’s 17th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Week, Jan. 23–Feb. 1, kicked off with a keynote address by Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, a Rhodes Scholar and environmental justice activist. The event, organized by the ALANA Cultural Center and the Office of the Dean of the College, set the tone for a week of reflection, engagement, and exploration of the theme Shaping Equitable Communities and Sustainable, Just Environments. Gatheru, the founder of Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE), has spent the last decade advocating at the intersection of equity and sustainability. Her work highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on communities of color and women. In her keynote speech, Gatheru spoke to the principles of justice, action, and inclusivity that King championed. “Her leadership and vision have set the tone for 10 days of action, reflection, and community building,” said Esther Rosbrook, director of the ALANA Cultural Center. The evening concluded with a jazz performance from Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister Mark Shiner, Assistant Professor of Music Brian Stark, and jazz piano teacher Richard Montalbano. The following day, Gatheru led an Environmental Studies Brown Bag discussion, engaging a packed room of students, faculty, and staff in a conversation about systemic inequalities and environmental challenges. She emphasized the need for greater representation in the climate movement, explaining, “The climate crisis isn’t just an ecological issue — it’s also a leadership crisis, a narrative crisis, and a crisis of connection.” Gatheru pointed out that while people of color make up nearly 40% of the U.S. population, they account for only 12–16% of the green workforce. Even more concerning, she noted, is that Black women have the lowest retention rate of any demographic in this space. Gatheru shared the story behind BGE, an organization she founded in 2020 after hosting a Zoom call where more than 100 Black women environmentalists came together to share their experiences. “That was the birth of the idea for BGE,” she recalled. “I realized there were actually a lot of us, and we needed a space to connect and thrive.” Throughout her Brown Bag talk, Gatheru stressed the importance of community in addressing burnout and overcoming systemic barriers in the environmental sector. “Burnout is an issue in all social impact fields, but when you add racial disparities on top of that, it’s easy to see why Black women leave these spaces so often,” she explained. “That’s why community is crucial — community care is the answer.” Gatheru challenged attendees to reflect on what it truly means to shape equitable communities and sustainable, just environments. “It means placing people at the center of the climate movement. It means acknowledging that environmental justice is social justice.” She encouraged students to recognize their role in the movement and to understand that their voices matter. She left the audience with a thought-provoking question: What’s something giving you hope today? Her own answer: solar grazing — a practice where sheep help maintain vegetation in solar farms, benefiting both agriculture and renewable energy. “Solutions come from unexpected places when people just start talking,” she said, urging students to engage in environmental justice work with new energy, curiosity, and collaboration. The MLK Week Celebration continued with more events designed to engage the Colgate community in meaningful dialogue and action. These included gatherings like an interfaith dinner and dialogue and a Sense of Belonging Listening Session, a special Jummah service focused on King’s legacy, and mindfulness sessions to honor his teachings on peace and justice. One highlight was the Day of Service, where volunteers partnered with organizations in Utica to honor King’s vision of community action. Colgate community members came together to work on local service projects through Cornerstone Church and Hope Chapel. To conclude the week, Colgate hosted the fourth annual Social Justice Summit, led by student leaders from the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium. This daylong series of workshops helps students to explore the intersection of social justice and sustainability and provides them with the tools to create positive change in their communities. “The 2025 MLK Celebration is all about action and impact,” says Rosbrook. “With sustainability at the heart of our 10-day series, together we are shaping equitable communities and fostering sustainable environments — not just for today but for our future.” Campus Life Community Service News and Updates Faculty & Staff Student Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, a Rhodes Scholar, founder of Black Girl Environmentalist and advocate for environmental justice shares her insights on creating equitable and sustainable environments. (Photo by Mike Roy)
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- The thing is…Learn more about Colgate professors from the things they keep in — or on — their desks. The post The thing is… first appeared on The Colgate Scene.
- Down to a scienceTour National Institutes of Health labs with Colgate alumni and students on the 25th NIH study group. The post Down to a science first appeared on The Colgate Scene.
The Arts
- Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Carrolup Artworks Return to ColgateIn honor of Colgate’s Bicentennial year, the Picker Art Gallery is hosting a special traveling exhibition, Koolanga Boodja Neh Nidjuuk (Children Looking and Listening on Country), through June 30. The post Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Carrolup Artworks Return to Colgate first appeared on Colgate University News.
- Grafters X Change Builds Community ResiliencyGrafters X Change: Branches and Networks brought together Colgate and local community members, eco-artists, and activists to foster creative community resiliency. The post Grafters X Change Builds Community Resiliency first appeared on Colgate University News.
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- Anzi Wang ’25 Recognized for Research on Psycholinguistic AnalysisAnzi Wang ’25 Recognized for Research on Psycholinguistic Analysis omiller1@colgate.edu Anzi Wang ’25 Confronted with election data that suggests 60% of counted ballots belong to the Democratic Party, would you say that the Democrats “will probably win the election,” or would you be more cautious and say they “might win the election”? Uncertainty expressions — words like “might” and “probably” — are spoken more or less cautiously in different contexts. So how do people’s beliefs affect their interpretation of uncertain data? Anzi Wang ’25 intends to find out. In her independent research project, “Studying Confirmation Bias through (Adaptation to) Uncertainty Expressions,” Wang uses experimental and computational analysis to help improve the computational model used for psycholinguistic analysis — which seeks to understand why people say what they say. Her research over the past three years at Colgate earned her an honorable mention from the Computing Research Association, an organization that supports researchers across industries and recognizes those “who demonstrate strong research capabilities and a commitment to advancing the field.” Wang’s project began in March 2024, when she was nominated by her academic and research adviser, Professor Grusha Prasad, and selected to be one of two Mind, Brain, and Behavior Scholars at Colgate. Wang’s experiment compared two probability scenarios and the language people used to describe them. The first depicted a gumball machine with orange and purple gumballs. Participants were asked whether the first gumball that came out would not be, might be, or would probably be a certain color. The second scenario offered a hypothetical election prediction from an unknown country. Based on the data, which was stated to be from a reliable source, participants were asked whether a certain (unidentified) party would not win, might win, or would probably win. When it’s as simple as gumballs, people’s language about uncertainty matches their literal meaning. Elections are not so straightforward. The word might suggests that there is some probability that an event will happen. When asked how they would relate election information to another person, participants only said that a party might win when the polls indicated a 50% chance. In the gumball scenario, participants were much more liberal with their use of the word might, attributing it frequently to probabilities below 50% — and staying true to the meaning of the word. Why the difference? Wang suggests that individuals go through an additional interpretative step when reasoning about complex events like elections. They think about the messy contexts of other elections and consider their beliefs and perceptions, rather than accepting the truth of the poll results. As she expands this study for her thesis project, Wang hopes to learn more about biases and preferences in the language used to describe uncertain events. She can use this data to develop an improved, more accurate language model for use by future researchers. Wang and Prasad have been collaborators since February 2023. Wang worked alongside another student to set up an eye-tracking lab and design an experiment using the new tech. During summer 2023, Prasad’s research team designed a new curriculum for language models. Now, Prasad is mentoring Wang as she applies to graduate schools. While at Colgate, Wang has made the most of her interdisciplinary interests. A computer science and philosophy double major, she has been both a computer science teaching assistant and a conversationalist at the “Ask-A-Philosopher” booth at the Hamilton Farmers Market. She worked at the ALANA Cultural Center and served as a core member of Lambda. After graduation, Wang plans to obtain her PhD in computational psycholinguistics. Academics Research News and Updates Student Department of Computer Science Department of Philosophy
- Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru Inspires at MLK CelebrationWanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru Inspires at MLK Celebration sliddell@colgate.edu Colgate University’s 17th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Week, Jan. 23–Feb. 1, kicked off with a keynote address by Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, a Rhodes Scholar and environmental justice activist. The event, organized by the ALANA Cultural Center and the Office of the Dean of the College, set the tone for a week of reflection, engagement, and exploration of the theme Shaping Equitable Communities and Sustainable, Just Environments. Gatheru, the founder of Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE), has spent the last decade advocating at the intersection of equity and sustainability. Her work highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on communities of color and women. In her keynote speech, Gatheru spoke to the principles of justice, action, and inclusivity that King championed. “Her leadership and vision have set the tone for 10 days of action, reflection, and community building,” said Esther Rosbrook, director of the ALANA Cultural Center. The evening concluded with a jazz performance from Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister Mark Shiner, Assistant Professor of Music Brian Stark, and jazz piano teacher Richard Montalbano. The following day, Gatheru led an Environmental Studies Brown Bag discussion, engaging a packed room of students, faculty, and staff in a conversation about systemic inequalities and environmental challenges. She emphasized the need for greater representation in the climate movement, explaining, “The climate crisis isn’t just an ecological issue — it’s also a leadership crisis, a narrative crisis, and a crisis of connection.” Gatheru pointed out that while people of color make up nearly 40% of the U.S. population, they account for only 12–16% of the green workforce. Even more concerning, she noted, is that Black women have the lowest retention rate of any demographic in this space. Gatheru shared the story behind BGE, an organization she founded in 2020 after hosting a Zoom call where more than 100 Black women environmentalists came together to share their experiences. “That was the birth of the idea for BGE,” she recalled. “I realized there were actually a lot of us, and we needed a space to connect and thrive.” Throughout her Brown Bag talk, Gatheru stressed the importance of community in addressing burnout and overcoming systemic barriers in the environmental sector. “Burnout is an issue in all social impact fields, but when you add racial disparities on top of that, it’s easy to see why Black women leave these spaces so often,” she explained. “That’s why community is crucial — community care is the answer.” Gatheru challenged attendees to reflect on what it truly means to shape equitable communities and sustainable, just environments. “It means placing people at the center of the climate movement. It means acknowledging that environmental justice is social justice.” She encouraged students to recognize their role in the movement and to understand that their voices matter. She left the audience with a thought-provoking question: What’s something giving you hope today? Her own answer: solar grazing — a practice where sheep help maintain vegetation in solar farms, benefiting both agriculture and renewable energy. “Solutions come from unexpected places when people just start talking,” she said, urging students to engage in environmental justice work with new energy, curiosity, and collaboration. The MLK Week Celebration continued with more events designed to engage the Colgate community in meaningful dialogue and action. These included gatherings like an interfaith dinner and dialogue and a Sense of Belonging Listening Session, a special Jummah service focused on King’s legacy, and mindfulness sessions to honor his teachings on peace and justice. One highlight was the Day of Service, where volunteers partnered with organizations in Utica to honor King’s vision of community action. Colgate community members came together to work on local service projects through Cornerstone Church and Hope Chapel. To conclude the week, Colgate hosted the fourth annual Social Justice Summit, led by student leaders from the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium. This daylong series of workshops helps students to explore the intersection of social justice and sustainability and provides them with the tools to create positive change in their communities. “The 2025 MLK Celebration is all about action and impact,” says Rosbrook. “With sustainability at the heart of our 10-day series, together we are shaping equitable communities and fostering sustainable environments — not just for today but for our future.” Campus Life Community Service News and Updates Faculty & Staff Student Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru, a Rhodes Scholar, founder of Black Girl Environmentalist and advocate for environmental justice shares her insights on creating equitable and sustainable environments. (Photo by Mike Roy)