Posters showcasing investigations into artificial intelligence, chronic pain treatments, ceramics instruction, non-opioid therapeutics, antibiotic resistance, homelessness and esports lined the Titan Student Union Pavilion on Aug. 7, marking the largest Summer Symposium cohort in Cal State Fullerton’s history.
Co-hosted by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center and Project RAISE, the event included nearly 200 undergraduate and graduate students who presented original research and creative projects developed under faculty mentorship over the summer. Together, their work offered a wide-ranging glimpse into the depth and diversity of student inquiry across campus programs.
Participants came from three key programs: Summer Undergraduate Research Academy; Engaging Graduate Students in Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities; and Undergraduate Research Experience for community college students, hosted through Project RAISE.
“Programs like these allow students to start engaging in meaningful academic projects, which helps them realize that they belong in scholarly spaces,” said Nicole Bonuso, director of UROC. “Many students come in unsure if they’re ready, but they leave with the confidence that they can ask important questions and contribute meaningfully to their field.”
Research That Connects to Community and Identity
For SUReA participant Alina Lippiatt, that meant exploring the role of public libraries in supporting unhoused individuals in Orange County. In her project, “Humanizing the Unhoused in Orange County,” she interviewed library staff to better understand the services available and how they are used.
“The most utilized resources were public computers and simply having a place to sit indoors,” said Lippiatt.
Her research also revealed the challenges libraries face in balancing available resources with growing community needs. She now plans to create a zine featuring artwork and stories from unhoused individuals to help shift public narratives.
“This work is such a good example of how research can help us reframe public conversations with empathy,” said Michaela Bettez, senior associate librarian and Lippiatt’s mentor.
Lippiatt’s community-focused inquiry was one of several that brought personal or cultural identity into academic spaces.
Taylor Moreno, a transfer student from Mt. San Antonio College, explored how to adapt visual arts instruction for different age groups in her project, “Children With Ceramic Arts.” Working under the mentorship of Marsha Judd, an art faculty member, Moreno taught ceramics to young learners while observing how learning styles varied across ages.
“The most surprising thing I learned was how much I had to change my language depending on the age or how each student learned,” Moreno said. “Explaining the same technique in three or four different ways became part of the creative process.”
Judd praised Moreno’s ability to meet each student where they were.
“Taylor really managed the age ranges well,” she said. “She was able to communicate complex ideas and mechanics in ways that helped the students produce wonderful works of art.”
Another SUReA student, Sumiayah Etchison, explored identity and media in her project, “The Oversexualization of Black Women in Hip Hop.” Working with Shanara Reid-Brinkley, assistant professor of human communication studies, Etchison examined how Black women are portrayed in the genre and how those portrayals have shifted over time.
“At first, hip hop was used as a way to fit in,” she said. “Now, it often focuses on the sexualization of women’s bodies, sometimes even by the women themselves.”
Her research included her own stories and experiences of how these stereotypes affected her view of herself. “I was surprised to find that many others have gone through the same thing and feel the same way,” said Etchison.
Innovation in Science and Technology
Other students used the summer to tackle technical challenges with broad societal impact. Graduate student Akshat Desai explored early detection of Alzheimer’s disease through AI in his project, “Artificial Intelligence in Neuroimaging for Early Diagnosis and Disease Progression in Alzheimer’s Disease.”
“Getting the model to work was not straightforward,” Desai said. “I had to rethink my approach multiple times and develop new strategies to translate the data effectively. It tested my problem-solving skills and patience as a researcher.”
Desai’s project stood out not only for its technical complexity, but also for its alignment with real-world health care challenges. His experience highlighted how research can be both intellectually rigorous and socially significant.
Mathematics graduate student Ann Kim, a participant in EG-RSCA, conducted a time series analysis of COVID-19 deaths across rural U.S. counties in her project, “COVID-19 Mortality in Rural Areas: A Time Series Analysis of Demographic and Geographic Factors.” Her research highlighted disparities in health care access, especially for older adults and retirees in remote areas.
“This program and doing this research was amazing because it was my first time putting my work together from start to finish,” Kim said. “I learned how the knowledge from different classes I have taken all came together and made sense in a real-world context.”
Project RAISE student Nguyen Tri Duc Le, who attends Cypress College, applied machine learning to wildfire risk prediction. In his project, “Geospatial Analysis and Contributing Factors of Wildfire Outbreaks: A Machine Learning Approach,” he worked with Sagil James, chair and professor of mechanical engineering, to identify patterns in environmental data.
“I thought research would take over my life, like it had to be 24/7,” Le said. “But once I got into it, I realized it was manageable and actually really exciting. The support from my mentor helped me grow into the work.”
Mentorship, Access and Possibility
Beyond the presentations and posters, the symposium emphasized the importance of access to research opportunities and community-based mentorship. For many students, this was their first time stepping into a scholarly role.
“Research can feel intimidating if you do not know where to start,” said Megan Drangstveit, director of Project RAISE. “But programs like these are designed to remove those barriers. When students are supported by mentors and surrounded by a community, they are more willing to take that first step. From there, it opens up entirely new opportunities.”
Whether continuing ongoing work or beginning their first project, students described the summer as transformational. Some plan to submit their work for publication or apply to graduate programs. Others are exploring how their research can lead to real-world impact.
“The Summer Symposium is about more than showcasing what students learned,” said Bonuso. “It is about sparking what comes next. When students are given the opportunity to explore, they grow into researchers, creators and leaders.”
For more information, please visit the UROC or Project Raise websites.