Undergraduate Research Stories

Ho Lun had the initial idea of creating a multi-function protective coating that could be used for high temperature fuel cell in aircraft engines. Learning from his previous ASP mentor (Alex Jalbuena) that Dr. Ravi is an open-minded person who recruits students based on their dedication, he decided to start sitting-in in Dr. Ravi’s weekly research meetings and eventually showcase his idea to him.

The SURE Profiles features undergraduate students from the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), talking about their STEM research and experiences over the 8-week program. We are so lucky to have these students participate in SURE and hope that their experiences make a lasting impact on their research journey.

Academic research is the backbone of the university. Though universities are increasingly acting like businesses with hyper-fixations on profit and the bottom line, research is still the most vital function of any academic institution

When the university shifted mid–spring semester to fully remote learning in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Roadrunners conducting and supporting undergraduate research efforts pivoted quickly to continue their scholarly work.

“You have to not be afraid to fail,” said undergraduate researcher Abbigayle Cuomo ’21. “I had to keep an open mind and be willing to try and work for it.”

More than 70 St. Thomas undergraduate students spent their summer doing research on a diverse range of subjects through St. Thomas’ Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Research rarely rests. All year long, Illinois State University student and faculty researchers alike delve into their research with passion. Despite many Redbirds being away from campus over the summer, research at Illinois State continues to thrive—even during the pandemic.

Flip through a brochure for practically any institution of higher learning and you’re sure to see a familiar photo: goggled student, pipette in one gloved hand, petri dish in the other, beaming amid Bunsen burners and beakers in a brightly lit laboratory.

It has been a summer of firsts for Georgia State University Perimeter College student Devin Jordan: his first time on a boat, his first time to see dolphins and sharks in the wild and his first onsite research experience.

Research by Embry-Riddle senior Haleema Irfan will help create a sensor for detection of a serious problem encountered by astronauts on long-term spaceflights: hydrocephalus, or an accumulation of fluid in the brain.