Hong Lee ’23 Engages in Physics Research
Honors sophomore, Hong Beom Lee ’23 loves challenges, and with the physics research that he does, there are plenty of challenges to take on. Lee is a sophomore studying physics and mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University. He’s part of a team of 15 graduate and undergraduate students working on research projects with Professor Jennifer Ross. Lee is studying biophysics with a focus on the tactoid, an elongated particle that appears as a spindle-shaped body under a spinning disk confocal microscope. He is conducting experiments on how tactoids can form microtubules, seeking to understand how the cell organizes its interior without a manager. “Microtubules are like a highway that enables proteins and enzymes to move around the cell. I’m trying to see how the microtubules will react to the changes to their environment in hopes of learning more about the mitotic spindle,” Lee explains. He says his classes in mathematics complement and enhance his coursework in physics.
“I was anticipating that, at some point in my undergraduate career, I would participate in a research group. But I didn’t expect to start so early.”
—Hong Beom Lee
As a student in the Honors Program, Lee enjoys interacting with other students who want to excel. “It’s a community where I feel identified as someone who enjoying learning.” He also appreciates the support Honors students receive through grants and the small classes where they can debate different topics in depth.
