Jul. 31, 2023
POSTED IN: RICE NEWS > Current News > 2023

IBB spotlights summer undergraduate research

10 students win top honors at Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Rice student Charisma Abolo speaking about her research to Dr. Siddarth Prakash

Undergraduate research was in the spotlight July 28 at Rice’s Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, where judges awarded best-poster honors to 10 students in eight categories. Rice’s Institute for Biosciences and Engineering sponsors and hosts the annual event at the BioScience Research Collaborative to give over 70 undergraduate summer interns the opportunity to present their work to some 200 visitors and judges.

The event highlighted research from multiple programs, including several sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by Rice’s Take Flight STEM Pathway, a partnership between Rice, San Jacinto College and Lone Star College to expand education access and increase the number of students who complete degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Charisma Abolo speaking about her research to Dr. Siddarth Prakash
Rice University undergraduate Charisma Abolo speaking about her research to Dr. Siddarth Prakash of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston during Rice’s Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium July 28. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)

The winning students, by program, were:

● NSF Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Multi-Scale Biomolecular Networks (BioNetworks): William Cade Sellers (Lone Star College) and Thomas Witherspoon (Rice University)

William Cade Sellers, a winner in the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium poster session July 28
William Cade Sellers, a winner in the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium poster session July 28, is a participant in Rice’s Take Flight STEM Pathway from Lone Star College who will be transferring to Rice this fall. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)

● NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates in Climate and Sustainability Research in Nanotechnology and Electrochemical Devices for Community College Students: Stefan Tabacaru (Lee College)

● Rice University Summer Research Institute and Biosciences 310: Isabelle Scherick (Rice University)

Thomas Witherspoon
Thomas Witherspoon (right), a Rice undergraduate, was a winner in the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium poster session July 28. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)

● BUILDing Scholars Undergraduate Scholarship Program: Jessica Garcia (University of Texas at El Paso)

● Houston Community College-Rice Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates: Yosan Embafrash (Houston Community College)

Yosan Embafrash
Yosan Embafrash of Houston Community College (center) was a poster session award winner at the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium July 28. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)

● NSF Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates: Vivek Chilakala (Rice University)

● NSF Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Planetary Habitability Over Space and Time: Emerson Long (Syracuse University) and Annadecia Huddleston (Houston Community College)

San Jacinto College’s Mohammed Meje (center) and Lone Star Community College undergraduate Mayeycruz Navarro (right)
San Jacinto College’s Mohammed Meje (center) looks on as Lone Star Community College undergraduate Mayeycruz Navarro (right) describes her research at the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium poster session July 28. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)

● American Heart Association Summer Cardiovascular Research Internship Program: Agnes Gunawan (Lone Star College)

● Other Rice Summer Research Experiences: Samuel Wu (Rice University)

Rice student Kelly Chee
Rice student Kelly Chee (left) describing her research at the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium poster session July 28. (Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)