Rice University’s 2026 class of summer undergraduate researchers gathered at the BioScience Research Collaborative last week for the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry.
This summer, over 180 student researchers from a variety of institutions spent 10 weeks working with Rice faculty mentors and research teams. Many of those students were also supported in their research efforts through workshops and social events provided by OURI and other departments as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Support Program at Rice. During the symposium students presented posters sharing their summer projects to a bustling crowd of cross-disciplinary colleagues.
“After a summer of learning and troubleshooting in the lab, it was really good to present to so many people who were interested in my work,” said Sia Ayra, a rising junior studying civil engineering at Rice.
Ayra spent her summer developing a broad host range plasmid in her first research experience. Her lab mates came to the presentation to support her.
Confidence Chiwere, a rising junior at University of Houston-Downtown, spent his summer differentiating neurons in microwells in Jessica Butts’ lab. His lab mates also came to the symposium to support his presentation.
“I was trying not to panic, but then I think I did well,” said Chikwere, who won an award for his presentation. “This was my first time presenting and being judged.”
“Confidence was such a joy, and he learned so much complex science over the past eight weeks,” said Butts, an assistant professor of bioengineering. “I’m always encouraging my undergrads to share their work, and I’m very grateful for Rice for giving this opportunity to the students.”
While STEM projects were well represented, students also presented research in policy, humanities and social sciences. Jesse Romero, an English and cognitive science double major and rising junior, shared his research on Latinx history at Rice.
“Learning about Latinx history at Rice and early Latin alumni made me feel like I have more of a place here,” said Romero, who will be turning his research into an exhibit at the Houston Public Library this fall. “Educating people on Latinx history, my history, is important.”
Mhyank Sekhar, a rising junior, presented a poster on his research into the ethics and policy of organoid intelligence, a cell-based alternative to artificial intelligence.
“This project perfectly encapsulates my interests,” said Sekhar, who is majoring in biosciences and philosophy. “It’s at the intersection of science, philosophy, ethics and policy.”
“The Summer Research Symposium is a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate their research and showcase everything they have accomplished over the summer with the broader Rice community,” said Mirna Wilson, a research and evaluation specialist in the Office of STEM Engagement. “It makes me incredibly proud to see students present their research with confidence and enthusiasm after so many weeks of hard work.”
Student Awards
Top Presenter: Jennifer Han, for The Effect of Salinity on Crude Oil Emulsion Droplet Size and Asphaltene Deposition.
Program Level Winners
BioNetworks: Confidence Chikwere, for Recapturing V2a Interneurons Population in Vitro in Customizable Microwells
Biosciences Undergraduate Research: Sahil Veeravalli, for Quantification of Flavonoids in Three Different Varieties of Kale (Brassica oleracea) Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Engineering and Medicine: Joseph Wright, for Flat to Flexible: A New Way to Make Stretchable Electronics
RSTEM Nanomaterials REU for Community College Students: Alp Kiziltas, for The Effectiveness of a Boron Nitride Coated Metal Electrode on PFAS Degradation
Rice Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship: Tomas Tellez, for How Quantum Annealing Can Improve Current Statistical Sampling Methods in Protein Engineering
Summer Undergraduate Research for Foreign Nationals: Sara Fracassi, for Investigating the Impact of Matrix Stiffness on Tip-stalk Switching and Their Bioenergetics During Angiogenesis
Vertically Integrated Projects: Eugenia Sung and Annie Chen, for EMG-Driven Closed-Loop taVNS for Stroke Rehabilitation