Earth sciences faculty member Diana Boyer, director of the Office of Research and Individualized Student Experiences, or RISE, can speak from experience on encouraging and enabling student research, creative work, internships and conference travel. “When I was in high school, I was given an amazing opportunity to work with a faculty member at Penn State, where I’m from,” said Boyer, who wanted to explore her interest in paleontology. “I did a research project. I went out into the field, collected fossils, did the lab work, presented at a regional conference — and from that moment on I was hooked.”