Rising NCSSM seniors in both the residential and online programs that participated in the  Summer Research/Internship program presented their reports at the NCSSM Summer Research Symposium on Friday, July 26th. The symposium was the culmination of the 5-6 week programs that found students doing research at universities and businesses all over the triangle.

What started as a small student research program in the summer of 2008 has grown to 82 students, 8 from our NCSSM Online Program and 74 from our residential program, participating in both on-campus and off-campus research. The students in the programs are a combination of Glaxo Summer Research Fellows, students in the NCSSM Physical Science Program in Chemistry and Physics, the NCSSM Summer Research/Internship program, and external programs such as Duke Optics, NCCU Physical Science Department, SURPH (Summer Undergraduate Research in Pharmocology and Cancer Research), SWAMP (the Stream and Wetland Assessment Management Park), and ASSIST (Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies). Students in these programs work with mentors around the triangle at UNC-CH, Duke, and NC State, on-campus in NCSSM labs and the surrounding communities, and at businesses in RTP and in the local area.

Parth Thakker '14 says that his research this summer has allowed him to apply what he has learned in the classroom to real life situations.

"My research experience at the Duke "Thermodynamics and Sustainable Energy Laboratory" (T-SEL) was both challenging and rewarding.  As a rising senior at NCSSM, this experience of working in a hands-on lab helped provide context to several of the career paths that I am currently considering.  It will definitely help me make informed career decisions in the future and has already helped to reignite my interest in the fields of science and math.  After years of coursework, it feels great to be able to apply what I have learned to laboratory projects - projects which could soon lead to advancements in solar electricity generation using novel bio-compatible quantum dots", Parth said.

The Summer Research/Internship program also gave some of the students the opportunity to work with NCSSM alumni in their labs and offices; Tomi Lapido '14 was one of those students.

"My mentor was an NCSSM alumni, Mr. Zerrick Bynum. After NCSSM he attended Stanford University and Harvard Business School. The fact that we both went to Science and Math made it very easy and effortless to communicate with him. My internship was focused on marketing and his start up business, Viddlz. My experience with him was intriguing. He was very ambitious and had great goals and plans that he put into effect. He had several ways that he used to get honest feedback about his business. He taught me a lot about ambition, responsibility and perseverance, and gave me wonderful advice on my future college endeavors", Tomi said.

The student symposium included both poster and oral presentations on the student research. Students reported on everything from finding a method to diagnose cancer in one doctor's visit to the creation of Smart clothes to track patient rehabilitation.

With the addition of online students and growth in student participants the programs continue to grow stronger, and giving more opportunities for research to NCSSM students.

The Summer Research Symposium and the Summer Research/Internship program were funded in part by the Glaxo Endowment for Student Research and the NCSSM Foundation.