Undergraduate researcher has elevated impact

April 10, 2025

Andrew Fan, a senior researcher in my lab, approached me about research collaboration last spring. He saw my research presentation during my interview at Xavier, and when I was hired he took the initiative to contact me. He was interested in researching green roofs, an urban design strategy where plants are installed on a roof to improve the energy efficiency of the building they cover and to reduce stormwater runoff into city sewer systems. Andrew was particularly interested in this research as he was planning to attend a graduate program in urban planning after graduation.

Andrew was the first student in my research lab at Xavier, has made excellent contributions over the last year, and will be missed when he leaves to begin his master’s program in Community Planning at the University of Cincinnati. While in my lab, Andrew helped develop and install green roof research plots on the second story balcony of the Lindner Family Physics Building. Thanks to Andrew’s hard work, help from faculty and staff in Physics, and support from Dr. and Ms. John and Sarah Lechleiter, these green roof plots will be monitored over the next few years to evaluate the potential benefits provided by green roofs planted with native grasses and wildflowers. Several other Xavier students have started working on these green roofs, and Andrew has been instrumental in mentoring them.

A few weeks back, Andrew made another positive impact on the Xavier community through his participation in the annual Research Roundup event. This fun competition, organized by Dr. Crowe and Dr. Wetzel, involves short student research presentations and celebrity (the Associate Dean, Dean, and Provost) judges. The competition was fun and very well-attended, and all participants did an amazing job highlighting their in-depth research in an understandable way in three minutes or less! Andrew once again demonstrated his hard-work and enthusiasm for urban planning as he described the benefits of green roofs and how Xavier could benefit from green roof installations. In the coming weeks Andrew will also present his work at the Ohio Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting and Xavier’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity.

When Andrew graduates in a few weeks, we will miss seeing him on a regular basis but will continue to enjoy the major impacts he has had on our campus and community.
 
Dr. Mark Mitchell
Assistant Professor, Biology

(Photo: Andrew Fan, top, and Josh Kwasnik gather data.)