Why Bing Honors College?
Former Participants Share Their Experiences
"Working through my thesis tore apart everything I know about my chosen subject and pushed me to take research from fields that I had no business being in, until I saw my subject in a whole new light. This is one reason the thesis is so hard: I felt like my ideas were bad because they were constantly falling apart, but they were actually just a first step on a journey that I never expected to take through writing."
Marie Hubbard on how her perspective on writing and research changed by writing an Honors thesis.
Sean Hiroshima, B.A. International Relations (2015)
Center for International Security and Cooperation Honors Cohort
Honors Thesis, "Divided Intentions: Iraqi Nuclear Weapons Policy Between the First and Second Gulf Wars"
Advisor: Dr. Scott Sagan
What did you learn about researching and writing by participating in Bing Honors College?
"[Don't] become obsessed with gathering all one's research before starting to write. Putting one's argument on paper is a powerful tool for organizing one's thoughts and discovering logical errors."
What was beneficial about writing an Honors thesis?
"I knew that writing and Honors thesis offered a special opportunity to expand my research skills while exploring my academic interests more freely and in greater depth than I could through undergraduate coursework."
Marie Hubbard, B.A. English, Literature and Philosophy track (2015)
English Honors Cohort
Honors Thesis, "Kincaid's Carnival: Performance, Identity, and the Reader in A Small Place"
Advisor: Dr. Saikat Majumdar
Why did you choose to participate in Bing Honors College?
"What really convinced me to join was how easy it was to enroll and that it wouldn't cost me anything to get this much-needed boost in my work."
What was beneficial about BHC?
"BHC gave me a comfortable space in which I could experiment with the goals of my thesis and the details of my argument."
How did you overcome the challenges of writing and researching your thesis?
"At the beginning of spring quarter, I had completely lost sight of my argument and had gotten bogged down in the ever-expanding details. I was already relying on my cohort friends, advisors and professors, and Hume tutors to help me clarify my idea, but now I relied heavily on them to get over this hurdle."
Laurie Rumker, B.A. Human Biology (2015); M.S. Biomedical Informatics (2016)
Human Biology/Biology Honors Cohort
Honors Thesis: "Before and After the Flood: Stability and Resilience of the Human Gut Microbiota"
Thesis Advisor: Dr. David Relman
Why did you choose to participate in Bing Honors College?
"BHC provide[s] a unique opportunity for students to share their discoveries with one another. Each participant in BHC [is] deeply passionate about their work and eager to share their curiosity and lessons learned."
What was your biggest conception about writing an Honors thesis?
"I was worried that research and writing would consume my senior year and prevent me from taking advantage of the many other resources and opportunities Stanford has to ofer. I was entirely mistaken! With careful self-management, a thesis can be a fantastic out for personal investigation, creativity, and expression...without overtaking your life."