How Sweet It Is
Researching for an app testing watermelon sweetness
August 06, 2025
- Rachel ScottWhen I joined Dr. Kevin Cornelius’ watermelon research project in the summer of 2023, I had no idea how many watermelons I’d end up thumping, testing, tracking and tasting over the next few months. The project had already been in development for about seven years, and I was stepping into a study that many students had carefully built before me. My role was to help collect new data to support the final phase: the launch of an iPhone app called Dr. Thump.
The app, which is now available for download on the Apple App Store, helps users determine how sweet a watermelon is based on the sound it makes when thumped. My job that summer was to do the behind-the-scenes work: collect watermelons, record their thumping data, take measurements, evaluate sweetness and eat a lot of watermelon along the way. As you may assume, some were sweet and perfect, while others… not so much.
The hands-on nature of the research surprised me. I spent many hours at the grocery store, the lab and even roadside stands testing watermelons, refining techniques and making sure our data was reliable. The work was messy and repetitive, but it was also really fun. However, writing my thesis was a different kind of challenge. Turning all of the work I did over the summer into a well-organized, research-backed paper took focus and patience. There were times when I wondered whether or not I would be able to get the words to flow.
The Honors program definitely pushed me in ways different from my classes. Writing an Honors thesis isn’t easy. It takes time, energy and, in my case, more watermelon-related problem-solving than I ever expected when I first joined the program. But the process made me a stronger researcher and writer, and I’m genuinely proud of the final product. For me, the work was worth it.
Presenting the project at Scholars Day was a great way for me to wrap up my thesis and my time at Ouachita. It gave me a chance to share the background behind Dr. Thump and how years of research, teamwork and thump-tested fruit turned into a tangible tool that anyone can use. Even though I didn’t build the app itself, I got to contribute something meaningful to a long-term project that’s continuing to grow.
If you’re thinking about joining the Honors program, my advice is to say yes, even if you’re unsure at first. You don’t have to invent something groundbreaking to contribute to meaningful research. Sometimes, it’s about joining in, asking questions and seeing where a project takes you. And now, every time I see a watermelon (especially at the Hope Watermelon Festival), I can’t help but wonder how sweet it is. I’m glad to have a tool that can help me find out.
Rachel (New) Scott ’25 is an applied mathematics and biology graduate from Canton, Texas. She is currently studying at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Smith, Ark. To view the Dr. Thump app on the Apple App Store, click here.
Additional student researchers on the Dr. Thump project include JJ Askins ’19, Sebastian Bustillo ’22, Asaph Camillo ’21, Ben Carpenter ’22, Justin Gooseberry ’19, Bennett Hasley ’22, Jack Patterson ’22 and Kyla Williams ’23. The app’s student developers are Rafael Bustillo ’25, Jimmy Castro and Yu Chan Jeong ’24.
Lead photo by Lily Roddy
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