NLC Students Participate in Virtual Summer Research Program
August 21, 2020
Seven NLC students attended 10 weeks of online workshops and conducted summer research with the CIMA-LSAMP grant. Research professors held online workshops each week where students learned about research techniques in a variety of STEM programs, such as engineering, nanotechnology, biology, and computer science. The students were also responsible for their own STEM projects and conducted research from their homes while having guidance from a faculty mentor. Students built solar panels and aquaponics systems, they studied masks used to stop the spread of COVID-19 and used satellite data from NASA to complete their projects. Some professors did the reactions for students at their campuses while zooming with students to provide data and results. The students received a $3000 stipend for completing the program and presenting their research in the 7th annual but 1st virtual CIMA-LSAMP summer research symposium held on Friday, August 7th.
Many summer research programs throughout the United States were cancelled because of COVID-19 but we thought it was important for our community college students to get this unique experience. It was very challenging for our students because most of them were in summer school and had outside jobs to help support their families.
“During our weekly workshops, students were exposed to more STEM areas of research than a normal summer research program would have provided which the students really enjoyed,” says Marsha Adrian, assistant professor of chemistry and CIME-LSAMP program lead at NLC. “Since students were responsible for their own projects, I really saw how students took ownership of their research and many of the students are going to continue their work during the Fall.”
The NLC students who participated during Summer 2020 include: Samin Alikhani, Hannah Fanning, Amethyst Lewis, Laura Olguin, Haylie Rachelle, Victoria Register, Lyann Serrano. The full story will be linked in next week’s Monday Minutes. The program is open to all students at the Alamo Colleges District and a total of 56 students from across the district’s five colleges participated.
Photo Cutline: NLC CIMA-LSAMP participants presenting the results of their Summer research projects at the 1st Research Symposium held on August 7.
Read more about the CIMA-LSAMP Project online