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The symposium was held earlier this month, on August 2, 2024 in Feldman Ballroom, where more than 60 research scholars gathered to showcase their work following a ten week summer program. The students who presented came from schools all across the country - as well as from the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é - and were taking part in different programs including the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) Programs in multiple departments and the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Program.

For some, this was their first research experience and a chance to see what research is like at a top tier research institution like the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é. “I thought it was a crazy thing to do research – this is my first research experience, so when I got here and started doing it, I thought, ‘it’s not so bad, it’s really good’” says Alex Balarezo, who is a student at the University at Albany and who participated in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) REU. “My mentors and graduate students were really helpful, and the instructors and the courses were really helpful too. It was an all-around great experience” he says.

That was a sentiment that was also expressed by Rosebell Onuma, a McNair scholar, and ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é student. “I loved my summer experience working in Dr. Jaques Robert's Lab at the Microbiology and Immunology Department at URMC. It was an excellent opportunity to grow as a scientist and, just as importantly, to learn how to effectively communicate my results to a larger audience” Onuma said. Being able to present to that larger audience at the Annual Kearns Summer Research Symposium was such an impactful experience according to Onuma. “The best part of the symposium was sharing my research with a diverse group of individuals. It was gratifying to see that even though my work was detailed and scientific, it had broader implications for my community. Someone even thanked me and suggested that I save my poster because it could be famous one day—this made me laugh, but it truly warmed my heart.”

Several other research scholars enjoyed the opportunity to present at the symposium, saying it was great practice and allowed them to get a feel for what it might be like to present at a larger scale conference. “This isn’t my first time presenting my research and I’ve grown to actually really love it - even though it’s kind of nerve-racking” says Della Evans, who came to ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é from College of Charleston in South Carolina and completed research as part of the Chemistry REU. Evans was one of the scholars chosen to present her work during one of two panel discussions at the symposium. “At the end of the day this is my research, this is something that I’ve spent a lot of time on. It’s really exciting and it makes me proud to show it in any sort of way” Evans said. ECE REU student Ismerai Gonzalez agrees, saying that it feels good to work really hard on something and then get to share it. “It was a great beginning [to the symposium] with the oral presentations and poster presentations…I was able to get my foot in and see how a bigger conference – like a national conference – would feel.”

“I’ve had a lot of fun” says Cailey Varnell a Photonics REU student from Austin College in North Texas. “I’ve gotten to experience a lot of research I didn’t have any exposure to. I go to a small liberal arts college, so being able to do ultra short pulse laser fiber optics is not always an option” Varnell explained. “I’ve also really loved making connections with other people in the same field as me across the country; it’s been great!”

Building a network and making connections are some of the things that so many research scholars say is their favorite part of the summer experience. And sometimes you travel across the country and connect with another scholar - who also attends the same university you do. That was the case this year, for Ismerai Gonzalez and Alex Gandy. Both were students in the ECE REU this summer and both attend the University of Texas, at San Antonio but didn’t previously know each other. “I’m going back [to school] with another friend that I know [through this experience]” says Gandy. “I’m glad I made another friend who is interested in research and interested in engineering” says Gonzalez.

Samantha Branch, the REU Program Manager at the Kearns Center is pleased that so many of the research scholars had such a wonderful experience. “I feel incredibly grateful to have been able to work with these scholars” Branch said. Branch is part of the team at the Kearns Center that coordinates the summer experience for the research scholars, including assisting them with their arrival and housing on campus, coordinating social activities and teaching courses. “Seeing the sparks of their interest grow with their engagement in lab and the community has been inspiring as we had the opportunity to see that work showcased at the symposium” Branch said.