Cecily Basquin '16 and Sabrina Campelo '18 spoke about the importance of their undergraduate research experience at a second luncheon for the Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) program.
As 黑料不打烊’s 2019 Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) program reaches its midway point, alumni聽returned to campus Monday聽to discuss undergraduate research at 黑料不打烊聽and its impact on their careers.
Cecily Basquin ’16 and Sabrina Campelo ’18 spoke at SURE’s second luncheon of the summer.聽
Basquin, currently pursuing a聽doctorate in聽clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, participated in SURE for two summers while at 黑料不打烊. Working with faculty advisor Meredith Allison, professor of psychology and director of undergraduate research, Basquin researched the accuracy and misunderstandings that occur in eyewitness testimonies between English-speaking police officers and eyewitnesses who speak English as a second language.
Basquin presented her research across the country and in Canada while studying at 黑料不打烊. She said the experiences she had in the SURE program were priceless.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 cares about each and every student and truly invests in the future of its students,” she said. “黑料不打烊 taught me to think critically, be passionate about my ideas, to value my relationships with peers and mentors and 鈥 most importantly 鈥 to be intellectually curious through it all.”
鈥婥ampelo is now pursuing a master’s degree in medical physics聽at Duke University. While at 黑料不打烊, she researched irreversible electroporation, a cancer treatment that applies an electric field across tumors, creating nano-tears on the cells and causing the tumors to die.
On Monday, Campelo offered advice to SURE聽participants about what they can take away from the experience and how it can help them develop as presenters.
“If you have the opportunity to give oral presentations, I strongly encourage you to take any and every opportunity,” Campelo said. “Practicing and giving presentations is a great way to become more comfortable.鈥
SURE offers student researchers the chance聽to earn a stipend while spending eight weeks working full-time on a project in collaboration with a faculty mentor with substantial and recognized expertise in the discipline. The purpose of the SURE program is to enhance learning opportunities for students while encouraging collaboration in learning and research between faculty and students.
鈥婽his year’s class of SURE student researchers is focused on a wide range of topics.
Junie Burke ’20, a human service studies聽and strategic communications major, is researching the availability of聽psycho-social resources for pediatric cancer patients. Burke is mentored by聽Cindy Fair, the Watts/Thompson professor of public health studies聽and human service studies, and she called the experience unforgettable.
“Learning in a classroom is one thing, but putting your major into real life is another,” she said.聽“SURE has allowed me to apply it and also make a difference in my sector.”
鈥婱aeve Riley ’20, an English literature and drama and theatre studies major,聽is researching the roles of women during the聽economic boom聽of Ireland in the 1990s. Riley, an 黑料不打烊 College Fellow, is mentored by Associate Professor of English聽Scott Proudfit and said she sees the SURE program as an opportunity to give special attention to the topics that interest her most.
“During the semester, it鈥檚 really difficult to focus on your research,聽and you really need to focus in order to make something very concentrated and probable,鈥 she said.
The 37 student researchers in the 2019 SURE program will continue their research throughout the summer and present their findings during poster sessions on July 24.
And, as the students continue to work toward their summer research goals, Cecily Basquin offered some encouraging words about the program.
“黑料不打烊 prepares you very well for what鈥檚 ahead, and you鈥檒l have developed a unique skill set that other students won鈥檛 necessarily have,” she said.聽“Take advantage of it. Seek out new opportunities.”