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Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Category: Features

Typically longer in length and relevancy than content in the news category. Features content is more likely to be republished over time.

91爆料 senior Abby Burtner selected to be 1 of 16 Churchill Scholars

Abby Burtner, 鈥�24, has been awarded the prestigious Churchill Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the field of biochemistry. As a Churchill Scholar, Burtner鈥檚 next step is to complete a fully-funded master鈥檚 degree in pathology at Cambridge University.

Photo of Abby Burtner in her lab.
Abby Burtner, ’24, is the 91爆料’s most recent Churchill Scholar.

The Churchill Foundation selected 16 exceptional students as Churchill Scholars from a pool of 121 candidates this academic year. This year鈥檚 competition highlights the dedication, talent and exceptional accomplishments of the scholars, setting the stage for an even brighter future in the STEM fields and scientific exploration.

Burtner came to the 91爆料 from her hometown of Olympia, WA, and will be graduating in spring 2024 with a B.S in biochemistry with Interdisciplinary and Departmental Honors, along with minors in data science and chemistry. She got her start in research in Professor Sharlene Santana鈥檚 lab in the Department of Biology her freshman year and fell in love with the power of evolution to fine-tune and function on a macroevolutionary scale. By the end of her sophomore year, Burtner realized that a research career was the right fit for her through her work on computational biology projects supervised by Dr. Chris Law and Dr. Kelly Diamond.

As Burtner advanced in her college coursework, she became increasingly drawn to the microscopic level of life, leading her to join Professor Neil King鈥檚 group at the Institute for Protein Design in the Department of Biochemistry. There, she works on a project designing de novo proteins to bind toll-like receptors, key receptors that activate the innate immune system, for groundbreaking applications in vaccine development.

鈥淭he Churchill scholarship,鈥� says Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, 鈥渋s a prestigious opportunity for Abby to continue expanding her biochemistry skills. This award reflects her capacity to draw from her research and the mentorship she鈥檚 experienced, to fuel her work toward a greater understanding of our world in critical ways. The 91爆料鈥檚 research community and campus-at-large are proud of Abby and encourage her as she continues to live out 91爆料鈥檚 mission at Cambridge.鈥�

Burtner is a past recipient of the , Goldwater Scholarship, Washington Research Foundation Fellowship, , and has been an undergraduate research leader at the Office of Undergraduate Research. Burtner intends to chart a career pathway investigating immunological systems through a biophysical lens as a principal investigator at an academic or industrial research lab.

鈥淧ursuing a master鈥檚 at the University of Cambridge,鈥� says Burtner, 鈥渨ill help me achieve my goal of obtaining a Ph.D. in biophysics. By learning foundational immunological techniques and techniques at Cambridge, along with the experimental and computational biophysical approaches I’ve learned here at 91爆料, I will be working toward solving medical issues with broad impacts such as vaccination and cancer immunotherapies.鈥� As she prepares for life in the UK, Burtner is excited about learning biomedical issues of global importance in an international context.

“I feel incredibly honored to receive the Churchill Scholarship鈥�, says Burtner. 鈥淚 could not have made it to this point without the stellar mentorship and support from the King Lab and Santana Lab at 91爆料, particularly from my mentors Chloe Adams, Dr. Chris Law, Dr. Kelly Diamond, Robin Heiringhoff, and PIs Dr. Neil King, Dr. Sharlene Santana, Dr. Murat Maga, and Dr. Dietmar Manstein from the various research labs I have had the pleasure to work in. I would also like to thank my excellent honors chemistry and biochemistry professors, particularly Dr. Andrea Wills, for inspiring me to love this field and see a future for myself here, and the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, particularly Robin Chang, for her excellent guidance and advice. Finally, I am so grateful for my family and friends, particularly those from the honors chemistry/biochemistry community here at 91爆料 鈥� it is truly a wonderful place to be learning how to be a scientist.”

Outside of the lab, Abby is an officer in the student club Biology Students for Equity. She can often be found embracing the beauty of Washington state, be it hiking and skiing in the majestic mountains, or running across the city with the Husky Running Club, of which she was president her junior year.

The Churchill Scholarship application process is supported by the , a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.

The (and other scholarships supporting studies in the UK) will open in spring 2024 for 2025-2026 awards.

Narrowing the education gap听

Transfer students play a crucial role in the research conducted by Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI), spurring advancement in higher education by addressing the gaps in access to a college degree and the societal mobility it offers. Through their focus on the transfer student experience at community colleges, CCRI is at the forefront of innovation, identifying strategies that enhance postsecondary outcomes for these students, enabling them to thrive in their chosen paths.

Photo of attendees of Raise the Bar Summit.
CCRI Director Lia Wetzstein, far right, participated in the U.S. Department of Education’s first-ever national summit focused on transfer.

Situated at the 91爆料 in Undergraduate Academic Affairs, CCRI leverages their research to improve educational outcomes locally and nationally, while serving as a valuable resource for community colleges and state systems. In this Q+A session, Dr. Lia Wetzstein, director of CCRI, delves into the critical work of narrowing the equity gap and creating lasting systems change.

Editor鈥檚 note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What are the issues surrounding transferring from a two-year to a four-year institution and how do they impact students and the broader community?

Transfer barriers are a major equity issue because access to an affordable bachelor’s degree is critical in creating economic mobility for individuals and vibrant communities. A major concern is the number of two-year students who intend to transfer and complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree, but do not (). The issue is exacerbated for low-income and minoritized students.

Reasons behind these rates include a lack of clear understanding of transfer pathways or access to the courses [students need] to be major-ready. This leads to credit loss once students transfer, impacting the cost and length of time to finish. In some cases, students run out of financial aid before they are able to finish their bachelor鈥檚 degree. In addition, most students at two-year schools must work to pay for college while also supporting themselves or dependents. Many institutions do not design their course schedules or student supports with this reality in mind, thereby setting up additional obstacles to academic success and degree completion.

What are specific ways CCRI鈥檚 research contributes toward educational equity?

We focus our research and the application of our research on improving the educational pathway that most first-generation, low-income and minoritized students take, namely the transfer pathway.听

Our research on transfer partnerships [between two-year and four-year institutions] led to an understanding of the multiple ways partnerships are enacted and maintained. That understanding is being put to use to build sustainable STEM partnerships in our state [that improve] the transfer process and outcomes for low-income STEM students.

What role do collaboration and partnerships play for CCRI?

Partnerships are central to all of our work. We could not conduct our research or help facilitate transformative change without the collaboration of individuals, institutions and state-level systems. Our current Stem Transfer Partnership project brings together teams of STEM faculty and staff from nine pairs of two-year and four-year partner institutions in Washington state, who are working to improve outcomes for low-income transfer students. CCRI鈥檚 role in this work is to assist them in building sustainable local partnerships, as well as a larger, statewide community of practice that can serve as a network where they can share resources and ideas about praxis.

CCRI doesn鈥檛 work with students the same way that faculty, advisers or others in the University might. Yet you talk about the importance of centering the student experience in your work. How do you do that?

In all of our research and evaluation endeavors, we are committed to deeply understanding the student experience and drawing upon it to shape practice and policy. Only students can provide us an understanding of how their lived experiences interact with the institutional context.

Some key insights learned from our STEM transfer partnership include many students crediting a faculty member for their successful transfer, prevailing misconceptions surrounding transfer and associate degree options, the diverse sources where students gather information about transfer, and the remarkable willingness and enthusiasm of transfer students to share their experiences.

You were one of 200 higher education leaders invited by the U.S. Department of Education to attend the first-ever national summit, , on improving the student transfer process. Can you share any details or key takeaways from this event?

It was exciting for me to see federal recognition of the notion that improving transfer can level the playing field for access and success in higher education, and of the need to fix the transfer process, rather than transfer students.

Representatives at the Transfer Summit recognized that this work will take collaboration, partnerships and relationships between institutions and systems to make transfer work at scale. Given the recent ruling on affirmative action, improving community college transfer remains one of the most powerful tools to increase widespread access to four-year degrees, particularly for marginalized populations.

听What are your hopes for the long-term impacts of CCRI鈥檚 work?

I hope CCRI continues to be a collaborator with community colleges, state systems and communities to engage in research to improve higher education access and completion for those farthest from educational justice. And that work is part of making educational equity gaps a thing of the past.

I hope our current work with STEM transfer partnerships leads to more two-year and four- year partnerships in the state and beyond, creating long-term sustainable and adaptable solutions for their shared transfer students.听

To learn more about CCRI, visit their website.

Black Studies through time, art and being

The Office of Undergraduate Research鈥檚 Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities (SIAH) offered the 2023 undergraduate cohort an immersion into interdisciplinary research with A Black Sense: Time, Art and Being.

This year鈥檚 theme was developed by accomplished 91爆料 faculty members, Habiba Ibrahim, Jasmine Mahmoud, Bianca Dang and Chari Glogovac-Smith. Under their mentorship, the 2023 cohort engaged in a collaborative journey of mutual learning, independent thinking and development of interdisciplinary research projects spanning across English, history, performance and experimental media.

Jai Lasker

Photo of Jai Lasker with her guitar

 

Participant Jai Lasker, ’25, was intrigued by the opportunity to engage in an academic space 鈥減rimarily created with Blackness in mind.鈥� Lasker, a guitarist, composer, improviser and visual artist in her fourth year at the 91爆料, said the theme “seemed like a path I could really resonate with. It aligned with the way I wanted to approach research and creative projects, which go hand in hand with that research.” Exploring ideas and questions around reality and existence, as well as the relationship between individual and collective experience, Lasker also highlighted the influential role of Black studies in shaping understanding and perception.

Lasker’s research centered on the resonator guitar as a tool to study the intersection of blues music and hip hop. Inspired by the instrument鈥檚 historical significance in Black folk and blues music, she sought to bridge the gap between these genres both lyrically and sonically.

鈥淭he feedback of this entire project was embodied knowledge,鈥� shared Lasker. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 know exactly what blues musicians were thinking in the early 1900s, but I can feel something that they felt 鈥� the exact way that guitar would rumble in your hands.鈥�

鈥淛ust those five weeks of thinking differently about what Blackness is, how performance is related to Blackness, and how sound has been used to protect us or help us find safer spaces,鈥� Lasker said, 鈥� changed the way I thought about every aspect of my performance, my writing and my role as a researcher.鈥�

Bitaniya Giday

Photo of Bitaniya Giday

 

Bitaniya Giday, ’25, is a political science major who was also drawn to the SIAH program鈥檚 focus. “It was the first time I realized there was an institute where you could do research in the home of the arts and humanities and also have an interdisciplinary Black studies focus.” She began the process seeking to 鈥渦nderstand what research is, what archives are and to ask what is worthy of being researched.鈥�

The program 鈥渙pened my mind on how much source material we have just from being human, learning to take from what is happening around us. How we feel, what we taste, how all of that can be an immersive research experience.鈥� Not only is Giday focused on pursuing American ethnic studies, but she recently served as the . Her background as a poet activist exposing issues of racial injustice informed her research project focus.

Giday learned of the , a prisoner-led collection of artifacts and documentation of the history and ongoing reality of mass incarceration in Washington state. She became particularly interested in a collection of Black anarchist/socialist and Black Power movement newspapers that were distributed among prisoners in the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s.

鈥淚 was diving into the history of how those newspapers were being made, what prison facilities were doing to intervene on the fact that prisoners were communicating across different areas, but also connecting to political things happening on the outside and trying to organize on the inside.鈥�

Giday’s research focused on currently incarcerated writers who produce online prison-led publications. Her objective was to analyze the changes between archived publications and the current ones, as well as to investigate the evolution of prison censorship policies, both in terms of internal communication and external political actions. She interviewed three incarcerated writers, engaging in dialogue while mapping how they think about freedom and life. Giday has continued on with her research, working with a SIAH mentor to develop a concrete paper as her research evolves.

Obse Dinsa

 

Transfer student Obse Dinsa, ’25, learned of the SIAH program in one of her first classes with Dr. Lynn Thomas. A painter pursuing a degree in social welfare with a minor in diversity, Dinsa immediately felt the program aligned with her many interests. Her summer research project focused on depictions of the Black Diaspora through visual art.

鈥淚 decided to come up with an analysis of specific paintings from the late 1800s to the late 1900s,鈥� shared Dinsa. 鈥淚 selected 10 paintings to serve as snapshots, creating a tour timeline of history to indicate what was going on at that period of time and why the artist decided to make the piece.鈥�

Dinsa was able to expand beyond the typical scope of academia, highlighting the importance and value of research and analysis that can be drawn directly from art.

SIAH changed the way Dinsa thought about research. 鈥淐oming in, I thought it was going to be just strictly this emphasis on traditional academic research.鈥� While the program was filled with a summer full of readings, the teaching team had placed 鈥済reat emphasis on the arts and how the arts can be used as a tool for research.鈥�

Dinsa intends to incorporate what she learned through the project and apply it to her role in social work. 鈥淚t has broadened my horizons as to what kind of social worker I want to be,鈥� said Dinsa. 鈥淢y biggest takeaway from SIAH is that there鈥檚 not just one lane to do something, there鈥檚 so many different approaches one can take.鈥�

About the Office of Undergraduate Research

The Office of Undergraduate Research provides resources and opportunities to support students, mentors and staff across all disciplines to support the creation of transformative research experiences. Through diverse forms of inquiry, creative work and practice, undergraduates interrogate existing ideas and ask critical questions to create new knowledge. To learn more about undergraduate research at the 91爆料, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Since 2002, the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Simpson Center for the Humanities have collaborated on the Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities (SIAH). Through providing intensive research opportunities for humanities and arts students, SIAH has increased the number of undergraduates doing research in the humanities, established a community of arts and humanities scholars and engaged faculty, and created an annual forum for presenting scholarly work.

Communities and campus converge at the Community Engagement and Leadership Education Center

The Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center at the 91爆料 recently published its annual report for the 2022-23 academic year. This report is a testament to the remarkable impact and extraordinary achievements made by over 2,000 undergraduate students in leadership development, civic engagement and public service throughout the greater community.

Belonging: My Husky experience through 91爆料 Honors

91爆料 undergraduate student Samantha-Lynn Martinez delves into the world of wildlife cinematography, science communications and belonging. In this commentary, Martinez discusses the importance of representation in the field and reflects on her growth and the support she received from the 91爆料 Honors Program and her community. Martinez emphasizes the power of belonging, recognizing the value of her voice and creative interests in academic and professional settings. She aspires to continue her journey in science communications and conservation filmmaking, inspiring others along the way.

Janice DeCosmo to retire from Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Janice DeCosmo, associate vice provost for undergraduate research and associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, will retire in October, capping off over 20 years of impact and leadership within Undergraduate Academic Affairs and 30 years at the 91爆料.

Photo of Janice DeCosmo
Janice DeCosmo, associate vice provost and associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Photo: Photo by Bryan Nakata

Along with her role at the Office of Undergraduate Research, formerly known as the Undergraduate Research Program, DeCosmo will step down as associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, a position she has held since 2006. As associate dean, DeCosmo stewarded the Undergraduate Academic Affairs鈥� , directed the and served as interim director of the .听

鈥淛anice DeCosmo has been a leading figure for not only undergraduate research, but for the entirety of the undergraduate academic experience,鈥� said Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. 鈥淯nder her guidance, Janice stewarded a nationally-renowned research program that has offered our undergraduates the opportunity to apply their learning to address society鈥檚 biggest challenges.鈥� In 2022, more than 7,000 undergraduates devoted over 1,200,000 hours engaged in research across the University鈥檚 colleges, schools, departments and research centers.听听

鈥淛anice has been both an inspiration and guiding light for the role of undergraduates in research,鈥� said Tom Daniel, president and CEO of Washington Research Foundation and professor emeritus of neuroscience at the 91爆料. 鈥淭he level of excellence that she and the staff of the Undergraduate Research Program have provided has made the 91爆料 one of the top programs nationally for undergraduate research experiences.鈥澨�

Celebrate Janice’s legacy with us!
As she retires, help us celebrate Janice and her legacy with a gift to the Undergraduate Research Gift Fund.Donations of all sizes will provide undergraduate researchers with the tools, experiences and funding to make the most of their research experience.Thank you for your support of Janice, our program and our students!

Through DeCosmo鈥檚 focus on highlighting the student experience, the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium has become one of the largest of its kind in the nation. This signature event for the 91爆料 celebrates scholarship and cutting-edge research and typically features over 1,000 undergraduate researchers presenting their work from all academic disciplines.听

DeCosmo鈥檚 journey at the 91爆料 began in 1991, when she earned a doctorate in atmospheric sciences in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences specializing in atmosphere-ocean interaction. She became a research faculty member in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences in 1994, serving as associate director, and later director, for the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium. In 2000, DeCosmo joined Undergraduate Academic Affairs as the first director of the Undergraduate Research Program (now named the Office of Undergraduate Research), a program she grew to connect thousands of undergraduates to faculty research annually.听

DeCosmo served as the 2019-20 president of the national-in-scope Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), where she was previously an issue editor for CUR鈥檚 journal, Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, for five years.听While serving as CUR president, DeCosmo represented undergraduate research at the White House Summit of the Joint Committee on the Research Environment. She has served as an elected member of the board of governors of the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). DeCosmo directed the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium in the College of Arts and Sciences from 1997 to 2006, leading the program to receive a Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence in 2005.听

Sophie Pierszalowski, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research since 2021, said DeCosmo is a constant champion of undergraduate student voices at the 91爆料. Even when she had the most responsibility and obligations in her career, 鈥�Janice made a point to continue serving on undergraduate research application review committees and to meet individually with students to offer feedback and career advising. This allowed her to keep a pulse on the undergraduate experience and develop important programming that meets students鈥� needs.鈥澨�

Photo of students presenting their posters
More than 1,000 undergraduates presented their research in the 26th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Scott Heimlich, president of the Amgen Foundation, said DeCosmo gave undergraduates ownership of their educational research experiences. From 鈥渞egularly meeting with students, giving them the agency to apply for opportunities and reach out to researchers, to just her thoughtfulness for taking that time to think and communicate, DeCosmo not only impacted those students but became a clear leader in the field.鈥� DeCosmo would go on to write the opening chapter for .听

Mary Gates Scholar Ruby Barone, 鈥�23, said that experiencing DeCosmo鈥檚 mentorship transformed her as an undergraduate researcher and as a young professional. 鈥�Janice鈥檚 tenacious spirit fueled my academic pursuits, while her unconditional kindness and unwavering support provided a foundation upon which my work and I could thrive.鈥澨�

鈥淲atching students develop as they encounter authentic questions, research that is relevant and important to them, is so inspiring,鈥� said DeCosmo of her experience over the decades working with undergraduates. 鈥淲hen students own the work they are doing, when they learn to develop and explore their curiosity and discover how that research can impact others 鈥� that is what drives me.鈥�

鈥�Whether a student continues the line of inquiry they began as undergraduates 鈥� and many do, with great success 鈥� or whether they take the curiosity and confidence they developed to a brand new field or activity, it is gratifying to see how they grow through these experiences,鈥� said DeCosmo.听

Barone reflected on DeCosmo鈥檚 legacy as one that 鈥渨ill forever remind us of the remarkable impact one person can make in fostering a culture of resilience and motivation across all fields of study.鈥�听

The Office of Undergraduate Research looks forward to honoring this important legacy of undergraduate research excellence while continuing to advance the role of the 91爆料 in the development of technology and discovery for the public good.听

The Undergraduate Research Program announces new name: Office of Undergraduate Research

The name of the Undergraduate Research Program has recently changed to the Office of Undergraduate Research. The updated name more accurately reflects the diverse range of research programs, scholarships, events, awards and essential resources the unit offers to support the success of all undergraduates at the 91爆料.听

Created over 25 years ago, the office has been pivotal to the growth of undergraduate research at the 91爆料. Recognized as one of the best undergraduate research programs in the nation, the Office of Undergraduate Research hosts the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Since it began, the Symposium has grown from 80 student presenters to more than 1,000 undergraduate presenters from all 91爆料 campuses, as well as local community and regional colleges.听听

Photo of the Undergraduate Research Symposium poster presentations
The Undergraduate Research Symposium takes over every available space in Mary Gates Hall.

A celebration of scholarship and cutting-edge research of undergraduate researchers from all disciplines, the Symposium brings together students, faculty members and the greater community to engage with a diverse showcase of research and academic achievement at a signature event for the University. The presenters represent just a slice of the students who participate in research across the three campuses.

In 2021-22, more than 7,000 undergraduates spent 1,286,468 hours engaged in research advancing technology and discovery for the public good.听

The Office of Undergraduate Research name change will further encompass the mission and direct goal of supporting equity, access and inclusion in undergraduate research. Director Sophie Pierszalowski said, 鈥淭he updated name leaves no question that we are here to support all 91爆料 undergraduate students across disciplines, class standing and level of research experience.鈥�

Explore the Office of Undergraduate Research鈥檚 mission, vision and values.

Undergraduates immersed in summer STEM research

When you think of summer as an undergraduate, you’re probably envisioning relaxing by the pool, catching up on much-needed sleep or working long hours at a summer job. But have you considered spending your summer in a STEM research lab?

The 91爆料’s Office of Undergraduate Research hosts a variety of programming and partner programs every summer to give students the chance to immerse themselves in STEM research opportunities. From SCAN Design Innovations in Pain Research听to the to the Molecular Engineering Materials Center, undergrads from the 91爆料 and beyond come together to explore a range of exciting STEM fields.

Photo of the STEM summer research symposium
Students presented their summer research at the Summer STEM Research Symposium. Photo: Photo by David Ryder

The Office of Undergraduate Research, formerly known as the Undergraduate Research Program, creates successful summer research experiences for each student by managing program logistics, providing undergrads with mentorship and supporting a thriving听 research community. Students participate in weekly seminars organized by staff and present their work in a final poster session open to the public.

Photo of Andres Ardon
Andres Ardon presents his poster at the Summer STEM Research Symposium.

Andres Ardon is a visiting senior from Guatemala majoring in biochemistry. A participant of the Institute for Protein Design, he spent his summer focusing on de novo design of DNA-binding proteins. 鈥淚 think these technologies will revolutionize medicine by making cheaper and more potent therapeutics and diagnostics,” said Ardon.听 A former biosecurity fellow at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and current Project Head at iGEM Community, Ardon was drawn to this project as it aligns with his goal to 鈥渉elp shape the world as it should be 鈥� more compassionate, more sustainable and more just.鈥�

Ardon shared that he gained a transformative shift in his perspective on science from the summer program, along with the added benefit of discovering the beauty of a Seattle summer. 鈥淭his internship provided me with the chance to work at a world-class research facility, where I had the privilege of meeting authors whose works I have admired for an extensive period.鈥� Ardon said his horizons have been broadened from seeing science through a new lens. 鈥淭he Institute for Protein Design proved to be a hub of innovation and collaboration, full of people who are not only inventive but also very kind. Witnessing their dedication to devising imaginative solutions for some of the world’s most pressing issues has been truly inspiring,鈥� he said.

Photo of Priya Christenesen
Priya Christenesen presents her poster at the Summer STEM Research Symposium. Photo: Photo by David Ryder

Priya Christenesen, 鈥�25, double majoring in global health and biochemistry, continued her vaccine research of the past academic year by working in the King Lab with the Institute for Protein Design. 鈥淏eing able to dedicate the full 40 hours a week to my project has not only taken the project so much further but has made me a more confident scientist by learning how to ask the questions necessary for innovation and polishing my wet lab skills,鈥� said Christenesen of her summer experience.

Through one-on-one mentorship and facilitated group meetings, undergraduates听not only gain independence but deeper insight into the scientific process. 鈥淭he IPD hosted multiple lab group meetings throughout the week allowing me to learn from graduate students and postdocs, as well as happy hours and lab lunches that allowed me to closely connect with grad students,鈥� shared Christenesen. 鈥淣ow I feel comfortable asking questions of people, and I now know who to ask because I’m more familiar with their work. It has been revolutionary for me personally.鈥�

Photo of Dylan Clark explaining his research
Dylan Clark explains his research at the STEM Summer Research Symposium. Photo: Photo by David Ryder

Sharing a similar impact听 from the summer seminars, Honors student double majoring in molecular biology and philosophy, Dylan Clark, said, 鈥淚鈥檝e loved the seminars. They鈥檙e really open to answering questions from 鈥�’what happens if you feel burned out,鈥� to 鈥榳hat happens if you’re worried about the pay as a graduate student?鈥欌�� Clark shared that the summer research experience taught him to trust himself, 鈥淚 think a lot of people can think that they don’t know enough or that they need to be an expert before they even start research,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the whole point of research is that you’re answering questions that no one knows.鈥�

Photo of Deser茅e Lai
Deser茅e Lai presents her summer research at the Summer STEM Research Symposium. Photo: Photo by David Ryder

Deser茅e Lai, a rising junior pursuing physics, will be transferring to the 91爆料 from North Seattle College. Lai used her time in the Clean Energy Bridge to Research (CEBR) to maximize understanding the different programs available at the 91爆料. Creating community connections was a vital component of the summer experience for her, 鈥淚t’s been a really great window into the research environment.鈥� From getting to learn about the graduate school experience, working alongside graduate students, and having the space to network and ask questions, Lai has been able to explore new pathways as she moves forward in pursuing research. “I have learned that a strong support network and community is central to my success. My summer research experience has allowed me to begin building these now.”

 

To learn more about undergraduate research at the 91爆料, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research.