Students have front-row access to scientific discovery at University of Richmond
Research & Innovation
This spring, students in biology professor Isaac Skromne’s Developmental Biology class took hands-on research to a new level — carefully handling sea urchins as part of a laboratory lesson on embryonic development.
During the lab, students collected sea urchin gametes (an organism’s reproductive cells) and fertilized eggs under the microscope to observe the earliest stages of embryonic development.
“Sea urchins are a model organism for developmental biology research because their embryos are transparent and they produce a large quantity of eggs,” Skromne said. “Students can then watch fertilization and cell division in real time under a microscope.”
Over the next 48 hours, students tracked the development of the embryos into larvae, gaining experience with microscopy techniques while observing how living organisms grow and divide at the cellular level.
Student for the day
One student in the course stood out from the rest — Joan Saab, executive vice president and provost.
As the University’s chief academic officer, Saab, a scholar of art history, visual culture, and cultural studies, oversees the institution’s academic mission, including curriculum, research initiatives, academic budgeting, and faculty development.
Invited by Skromne to participate as a student, Saab followed the same process as the undergraduates — collecting eggs, preparing samples, and examining fertilized embryos under the microscope alongside her classmates.
“Faculty have asked me to speak to their classes as a guest lecturer, and I have also hosted academic field trips to public art spaces or accompanied students on visits to art museums and other locations in Richmond and New York City,” said Saab. “I had never been asked to observe a class as a student before. It was such a great experience to learn right alongside students, and it was also a lot of fun.”