News
Research posters cap summer program
Twenty undergraduates capped their participation in the seven-week Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)/Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Summer Research Program by presenting the results of their work at a special symposium and luncheon held yesterday in the Center for Tomorrow, North Campus.
The students, all from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines, presented posters on projects ranging from “Synthesis of Nanoparticles Using a Hot Wall Reactor” and “Assessing the Prognostic Value of Insulin Resistance Biomarkers in Diabetics with Breast Cancer” to “Neuro-Cognitive Disorders in Patients with HIV Infection” and “Seismic Response of Unreinforced Masonry in New York City.”
In addition to presenting their research, students heard a keynote address from Quinton Bullock, president of Schenectady County Community College, who talked about the importance of summer research programs—like UB’s CSTEP/AMP program—as essential pipelines for graduate study among underrepresented students pursuing study in the STEM fields.
The CSTEP/LSAMP Summer Research Program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of talented underrepresented students pursuing majors in the allied health and STEM fields. The program, funded by grants from the New York State Department of Education and the National Science Foundation, aims to strengthen participants’ research skills while exposing them to the rigors of graduate study.
The student research interns were matched with faculty members in their respective fields. To compliment their research, students took part in a research methods seminar, community service, seminars and field trips to broaden their perspectives and produce a well-rounded experience.
Shanna Crump-Owens, director of CSTEP, explains that one of the best ways to increase enrollment of underrepresented students in graduate programs is to provide them with opportunities to conduct research early in their undergraduate careers.
“Our research interns have broadened their knowledge and gained insight into critical issues, while developing analytic, leadership and problem solving skills,” Crump-Owens says. “In addition, this summer experience allows them to gain a better perspective of research and its central role in society. They also learn the value of teamwork and collaboration—both essential in today’s research environment.
“I am confident that our program has deepened their understanding of research and how much their respective fields will gain from their knowledge, skills and experiences,” she says.
For further information about the summer research program, contact Crump-Owens at 645-2234 or at sicrump@buffalo.edu.
Reader Comments