Recruited to play tennis at Pfeiffer, Laurin Rauer ’26 enrolled as an undergraduate student from Westerhausen, Germany, who wasn’t exactly sure what his academic focus should be. He knew he was passionate about Biology and, after taking some general biology classes taught by Dr. Laura Reichenberg, chair of the Department of Natural and Health Sciences and professor of biology, realized he couldn’t imagine majoring in anything else.

“After my first year here, I remember thinking, ‘I just really enjoy waking up and doing that,’” he said recently during a break in his busy schedule. “I like to learn about animals, about what life is, and, maybe, how to use those things to advance medical care.”

Rauer’s enthusiasm for biology has manifested itself in a knack for research, which was highlighted at this year’s George Pfeiffer Research Symposium, a campus event showcasing the innovative research being conducted by Pfeiffer’s undergraduate science students in collaboration with faculty mentors.

Named in honor of George R. Pfeiffer, former university trustee and past president of the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation, the 2026 event was expanded to include what Reichenberg called “outstanding research from across the university,” including Honors Program, Nursing, and Psychology students. All told, 60 students presented posters at the event.

“This was the largest symposium we have ever hosted and a true reflection of the breadth and quality of research at Pfeiffer University,” she said. “It is also now part of our new Week of Falcon Achievement initiative.”

The keynote address was provided by Dr. Ryan Girts, assistant professor of health & exercise science. He spoke on “Lessons Learned as a Researcher: The Real Important Discoveries.” The keynote also featured guest alumni speakers, including Josh Turner ’25, Kaylee Ollis ’25, and Julia Barbato ’24, who shared how their undergraduate research experiences helped shape their careers.

Rauer is both a Milton Rose Research Fellow at Pfeiffer and a member of its Honors Program.

Broadly speaking, Rauer’s research has reflected his interest in learning more about how microplastics affect terrestrial invertebrates, as opposed to how they affect their aquatic counterparts, which has attracted more attention from researchers. Microplastics emerge from several sources, including tire runoff, synthetic fabric, and, of course, plastic waste.

Rauer’s symposium poster was titled “Microplastic Exposure Reduces Innate Immune Function in Pill Bugs: A Phenol Oxidase Biomarker Study.” It illuminated his development of a phenol oxidase enzyme assay in an Armadillidum vulgare (a terrestrial isopod more commonly known as the pill bug) to determine its immune and stress responses to microplastics in the environment. He explained that a pill bug is a detritivore, meaning it obtains nutrients by consuming detritus. It then excretes these nutrients, aiding processes such as plant or fungi growth.

“Essentially, we need these detritivores to do well,” Rauer said. “We need them to not be stressed so that the ecosystem can thrive, because all ecosystems are like a connective web basically. If you have parts of this web missing, that affects the whole system. When certain animals are not really healthy or if they are really stressed because of factors that are human-induced, like microplastics, that can have tremendous effects on all the other organisms.”

As Rauer prepares to graduate and return to Europe, where he hopes to study bioengineering in a graduate program, he looks back on his time at Pfeiffer with gratitude for several reasons.

Scientific communication in English (including classroom instruction) is universal, posing challenges for fledgling scientists who are not native speakers of that language. Studying at Pfeiffer has given Rauer a leg up: “My English has improved so much. I feel very comfortable reading and writing scientific papers. I’m not scared anymore.”

Rauer also notes how much he benefitted from the one-on-one attention he received from Reichenberg and others; such mentoring not only enhanced his learning but also equipped him with skills he’ll need to conduct research at the graduate level (e.g., making an oral presentation, writing a paper, and creating an effective poster).

Reichenberg isn’t surprised by Rauer’s success, noting that he “has a genuine passion for science and a curiosity that drives him to explore new questions and challenges.”

“He began his research career as a freshman working with nematodes and has since expanded his work to investigate microplastics, demonstrating impressive growth and adaptability. It has been a true pleasure watching him grow and adapt as a scientist.”