Symposium shines spotlight on student research
From detecting fake imagery online to igniting hydrogen and methane fuels in automotive engines, the 28 students who recently shared their work at the annual Citrus College STEM Summer Research Symposium are searching for solutions to modern challenges.
Hosted in the Campus Center on Sept. 21, the symposium showcased research Citrus College STEM students conducted throughout the summer. Members of the campus community had the opportunity to learn more about these innovative projects as the participating students discussed their work, explained their posters and shared their findings during the event.
"It's common for researchers to discuss their process and findings at conference presentations," explained Victoria Dominguez, dean of mathematics and business and interim STEM grants director. "Our STEM students who present at symposiums, including the college's Summer Research Symposium, are learning how professional researchers prepare for and present information."
Twenty-one of the students who presented at the symposium were participants in the college's Summer Research Experience (SRE). As such, they were each placed in positions at one of a variety of research sites, including California Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State University, Fullerton; Scripps College; Chapman University; Azusa Pacific University; University of Southern California; Oak Crest Institute of Science; and California Botanic Garden. The other seven students secured research opportunities independently or through other STEM programs.
As part of the SRE, students conducted research anywhere from eight to 10 weeks. Throughout their participation, they also answered questions in the SRE Canvas shell, which allowed them to discuss how their project was going and enabled them to lend support to their peers.
"This year's research posters feature student projects spanning various STEM fields, from computer science and environmental science to physics, biology and engineering," Dominguez said. "We are grateful to all of the faculty and staff who stopped by to see our students in their amazing roles as STEM scientists and researchers. Many thanks to Grant Project Specialist Monica Hernandez, who executes this event each fall."
This article originally appeared in the October 2023 edition of the Citrus View.