SURF Program Update – Summer 2021
RI-INBRE hosted the 2021 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program from May 24th through July 30th. Ninety-one undergraduate students participated in summer research experiences at our network institutions across the state including, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, and the University of Rhode Island.
The cohort included four SURF+ students participating in their second SURF, and two Bridge to Graduate School Fellows (BGSF), former SURF entering graduate school at URI or Brown University. Both programs offer paid summer research experiences. The BGSF program provides an opportunity for students to jump-start their graduate studies the summer after receiving their undergraduate degrees. Of our 2021 SURF participants, 71% were women, 29% were students underrepresented in the biomedical sciences, and 21% were first-generation college students.
The program culminated in the annual Rhode Island Summer Undergraduate Research Conference held on July 30th, where 140 students from RI-INBRE SURF, SURF+ and BGSF, RI NSF EPSCoR/C-AIM SURF, and URI MARC U*STAR programs presented their summer research in a poster symposium. Each year, RI-INBRE recognizes a select group of students during the application process as “Special Fellows” who are funded by the various colleges at URI in addition to URI’s Provost, and the Vice President of Research.
The 2022 SURF program will run from May 23rd to August 12th. Students are encouraged to apply on the RI-INBRE SURF website, and applications are due Friday, February 11, 2022.
SURF Highlights
Sarah Lyons
Chemical Engineering
University of Rhode Island
SURF 2021 Participant
“One of the many highlights from SURF was being able to present at the RI-INBRE Summer Conference. Before the presentation, I was able to use various instruments in the lab to generate data for my project. I used the SEM with my graduate student mentor [Md Golam Jakaria, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemical Engineering] and was able to visualize the nanoparticles and microparticles we synthesized, as well as to characterize the particles. The best part of the preparation for the conference was following the formulation of the nanoparticles from start to finish, from solid-state characterization to interpreting the data. Presenting at the conference provided me with a unique experience to discuss my findings with other students in various labs, as well as learning how to successfully communicate scientific findings!” Sarah said, “One of my recent achievements is becoming a co-author on a paper that my graduate student, Jakaria, is wrapping up. Also, I was recently offered a summer internship at Bristol Myers Squibb in the R&D department, which I would not have gotten without the incredible experience this summer with Dr. Meenach!”
Siena Negash
Biomedical Engineering
University of Rhode Island
SURF 2021 Participant
“During SURF 2021 Siena was introduced to what research truly is… I learned a lot from my lab-mates and am now interested in getting my Ph.D. Even though I am working in a chemical engineering lab, I find research very interesting.”
Siena is a University of Rhode Island Science and Engineering Fellow and has presented her research twice in 2021, at the RI Undergraduate Research Fellowship Conference and the Annual URI Undergraduate Research Fellows Symposium.
She will be a co-author on two research articles that her lab is currently working on!