From deep-sea discoveries to public well being options to most cancers cell investigations, the 2026 Research and Leadership Symposium celebrated the variety of undergraduate pupil research at Temple’s College of Science and Technology.
The foyer of the Science Education and Research Center buzzed with exercise all through this full-day occasion as 120 college students offered their work throughout one in every of 4 poster periods. Each pupil developed their research underneath the steering of a college mentor, gaining hands-on expertise in actual lab environments throughout the college, together with the Aging + Cardiovascular Discovery Center, Center for Substance Abuse Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Ambler Field Station and extra.
Research matters spanned a spread of disciplines — from neuroscience and cognitive modeling to DNA restore in melanoma cells; from Alzheimer’s therapy to creating non-habit-forming opioids for ache therapy; from pandemic response preparedness to a glacial retreat in Alaska to the properties of stellar clusters. The symposium additionally featured the work of scholars within the STEM Leadership Fellows program, an experiential studying program during which present college students function mentors, tutors and classroom help to enhance peer pupil success.
“We create opportunities for students to gain early and authentic research experience in their academic careers and connect to supportive mentors, which improves student retention. They get to see the relevance of what they’re learning in class in an actual project,” stated Sue Jansen Varnum, senior affiliate dean of Undergraduate Affairs and Science Education. “I think one of the most important things you can do as an R1 university is to create access to research opportunities and pathways for students to succeed.”
Varnum emphasised that early entry can even join college students with profession alternatives and networks after commencement.
Temple senior Nina Pelletier says that mentorship from a college member has been foundational to her educational expertise. In the lab of Erik Cordes, professor and chair of the Department of Biology and recently named AAAS fellow, Pelletier labored carefully with April Stabbins, assistant professor of research within the Department of Biology, to check beforehand unidentified deep-sea marine species. Pelletier pursued research throughout all 4 of her undergraduate years at Temple, and she or he says that the chance has been important to shaping her future profession.
“Getting to do research since my sophomore year at Temple has been such an amazing undergraduate experience,” stated Pelletier. “Through this project, I discovered my passion for this work, and now I am planning to pursue a master’s degree in invertebrate biology after I graduate.”
For college students like Pelletier, occasions like this present the chance to not solely showcase their research however observe find out how to current themselves and interact an viewers. Beyond making ready an summary to current their work, college students had been coached by college members on important skilled expertise, reminiscent of find out how to gown, find out how to communicate with confidence and find out how to shake fingers. Developing these expertise alongside their research expertise prepares college students for achievement all through their educational {and professional} futures.
For many, the College of Science and Technology’s Leadership and Research Symposium was the primary time they’d ever shared their work with a big viewers, like present sophomore Shiza Moghal. She performed research into the habits of most cancers cells within the Snyder Lab within the Aging + Cardiovascular Discovery Center at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and says it was her first time in a hands-on research lab.
“I am interested in pursuing a career in medicine, so it’s great to be able to participate in research related to the human body this early on,” stated Moghal. “It was a lot of work, but now that I am here, I am feeling confident. It’s nice to be around other people who are also sharing their work.”