Hartwick College Student’s Spider Research Earns Prestigious Freedman Prize

Luna Sherlyn Lopez, a biology major at Hartwick College, has been recognized for her research on the mating behavior of the striped fishing spider, Dolomedes scriptus. Her work, supported by the Freedman Prize for Student-Faculty Research, involved fieldwork and laboratory analysis to understand sexual cannibalism and environmental influences on spider mating rituals.

Freedman Prize Research: Unveiling Spider Behavior

Lopez’s research, conducted in collaboration with Assistant Professor of Biology Alexander Sweger, focused on a locally found spider species about which relatively little is known [1]. The project involved observing spider pairs and examining the frequency of sexual cannibalism, as well as how factors like water flow and shoreline complexity impacted their behavior [1].

“Through experimentation, we gained a better understanding of their mating behavior, and this research will serve as a foundation for further studies using a similar environmental setup,” Lopez stated [1].

Award and Recognition

Lopez was named a 2025 recipient of the Freedman Prize, a competitive award established in 2002 by Allen and Judy Freedman. The prize provides grant funding of up to $4,000 for collaborative student-faculty research projects [3]. Lopez expressed her excitement about receiving the prize, noting that it allowed her and her professor to complete the research without budgetary constraints [1].

In addition to the Freedman Prize, Lopez is a Dean’s List student and a recipient of the Kenneth Golden Award and an Environment Research Scholarship [1]. She also served as president of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind club and as a senior resident advisor [1].

Future Aspirations

Lopez plans to pursue internships across the U.S. Before attending veterinary school [1]. Her research experience at Hartwick College has provided a strong foundation for her future career in veterinary science.

Hartwick College highlighted Lopez’s work on LinkedIn, noting her journey “from late-night creek research to conference presentations” [4].