SUNY Oneonta Students Present Research at SUNY Research Symposium

This summer, SUNY Oneonta students Ammara Sarwar ('28), Aisha Conde ('29) and Leo Gunset ('27) completed an undergraduate research program and presented their findings at the second annual SUNY Arthur O. Eve Education Opportunity Program (EOP) research symposium. Sarwar, Conde and Gunset were among the 62 SUNY students who conducted research with faculty, students and research staff from 10 SUNY campuses. The research symposium was held at the SUNY System Administration Building in Albany on Aug. 5.

Students conducted research in one of two groups, the STEM Summer Research Program and the EOP Liberal Arts Summer Research Program. The STEM group allowed EOP students interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math to work side by side with future colleagues, and the EOP Liberal Arts group gave students interested in the humanities and social sciences to do the same. Sarwar, Conde and Gunset were part of three separate five-student research groups in the EOP STEM program.

The STEM Summer Research Program targets students pursuing or exploring careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. This year's program involved 42 students, up from 19 students last summer, 17 faculty and eight different SUNY campuses, including the State University of New York at Albany, the State University of New York at Binghamton, SUNY Brockport, the State University of New York at Buffalo, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

The program consists of three different areas, including a six-week STEM research program in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and psychology a nine-week STEM research program in computer science, information technology, and imaging, and a 10-week STEM research program for students interested in pre-med. Students enrolled in the STEM research programs participated in daily lab or field work with faculty and research staff, as well as community building and professional development activities.

Sarwar conducted and presented research on a project titled "Clean Green High Impact Machines." Dr. Michael Coleman, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Brockport, led the students in research and provided faculty mentorship.

Conde conducted and presented research on a project titled "Using Behavior to Mitigate the Spread of Invasive Round Gobies." Dr. Elizabeth Lange, Assistant Professor of Biology at SUNY Oswego, led the students in research and provided faculty mentorship.

Gunset conducted and presented research on a project titled "Effects on Chemical Communication in the Social Bees." Dr. Margarita Orlova, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, led the students in research and provided faculty mentorship.

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. highlighted the undergraduate summer Education Opportunity Programs during the research symposium.

"SUNY is committed to expanding access to internships that empower our students to explore career paths that interest them," said SUNY Chancellor King. "The Educational Opportunity Program has made higher education more accessible for thousands of New Yorkers, and we are proud to continue to open the doors to upward mobility and success through initiatives like our undergraduate summer research programs. These programs provide our EOP students with vital opportunities to work with SUNY's outstanding faculty to advance our research excellence while also preparing them for their future careers."

To view these students click here: https://oneonta.meritpages.com/achievements/SUNY-Oneonta-Students-Present-Research-at-SUNY-Research-Symposium/205615