[1] Bolton has been a strong supporter of Dreamers, students who are undocumented but born in the United States,[2] Posse scholars, a program to "empower diverse groups of leaders who transform communities, this country and the world,"[3][4] and international students, especially when many could not return home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[6][7] Her doctoral thesis is titled "Dimensionality dependence of indium gallium arsenide nonlinear optical response."

[6] As dean of the college at Williams, Bolton supervised academic advising and supported programs such as off-campus study, international student services, and the registrar's office.

[8] In addition, she worked on projects addressing first-generation college students, and on efforts toward equity and inclusion on Williams’ campus.

Bolton's research and scholarship explores the properties of novel, nanostructured materials, which have features made up of only a few atomic layers.