Stony Brook University’s Black Graduate Student Organization (BGSO) and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) held a research symposium on Monday, April 28 at 4:30 p.m. in the Stony Brook Union Ballroom that showcased the posters of 23 student research groups. Each presented original scientific research that was evaluated by a panel of judges.
Their projects covered a range of topics, from the effects of contaminated soil on earthworms to the healing properties of the passiflora caerulea plant. The symposium was funded by the Division of Student Affairs, the Undergraduate Biology program and the Renaissance School of Medicine.
Isaiah Taylor, the president of BGSO and a fifth-year Ph.D. student studying molecular and cellular pharmacology, opened the event with welcoming remarks.
“We’re celebrating the incredible creativity and research that thrives across disciplines on our campus,” Taylor said. “This event is a unique opportunity to bring together scholars from all corners of the university — across the sciences, engineering, the social sciences, humanities and the arts — to share ideas, inspire one another and spark new collaborations.”
Sixto Taveras Lopez, the president of SACNAS and a fourth-year Ph.D. student studying coastal ecology, explained how this event reflects BGSO’s and SACNAS’ shared mission of fostering a diverse academic research community.
“Tonight’s symposium reflects that mission by centering interdisciplinary work and amplifying the contributions of students from historically underrepresented communities and backgrounds in [science, technology, engineering and mathematics],” Lopez said.
Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, the vice president for Equity and Inclusion, chief health equity officer and chief diversity officer, then began her keynote address.
“There is so much information [and] a bazillion questions that most people don’t have the time or resources to figure out,” Clarke said. “So we need an army of researchers [and] a group of people [from different disciplines] because how you answer a complex question is by rotating it one click and using a different skill set.”
Clarke then shifted the focus of her speech to address federal attacks on research and higher education by President Donald J. Trump’s administration, emphasizing the need for clearer communication and stronger public engagement.
“We have to be better storytellers. Sometimes we’re speaking in our technological and scientific jargon in a way that is absolutely appropriate until you are competing against quality of life issues,” she said.
Clarke urged researchers to “dumb down” the presentation of their work to avert potential budget cuts.
After her address concluded, the judging session began. 11 judges evaluated the different posters and interviewed various student researchers.
David Rubenstein, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and a judge at the event, praised the quality of the symposium and the researchers’ work.
“Many students brought a personal lens to their work, which made the presentations not only scientifically rigorous, but also deeply meaningful and socially relevant,” Rubenstein said. “Events like this provide critical visibility and validation for students from all backgrounds. They create space for new voices, perspectives and methodologies.”
David Komatsu, a professor in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences and a judge at the symposium, expressed his admiration for the event’s diversity and impacts.
“I think not only students, but also faculty, can get caught up in their own little silos and not see the wonderful breadth of scholarship that exists at Stony Brook,” Komatsu said. “Having the opportunity to see so many different disciplines represented and to try and learn about them makes us all grow as individuals.”
After the evaluation session concluded, the prizes were announced: first place would receive a $75 Wolfie Wallet gift card, second place would be gifted a $50 Wolfie Wallet gift card, third place would receive a $25 Wolfie Wallet gift card and all three winners would take home a certificate.
Christian Jefferson, a sophomore majoring in biology and the event’s first place winner, shared details about his personal connection to his research on lupus nephritis and that many of Jefferson’s family members have suffered from the condition.
He then explained the broader significance of his work and expressed hope that his research could motivate others to work on projects that are significant to them.
“I hope my work inspires others to pursue research that resonates with them personally,” Jefferson said. “I want others to see that meaningful research can come from a place of personal connection and that this authenticity can lead to impactful contributions.”
The second place winner at the symposium was Chelsea Kirkland, a second-year Ph.D. student studying molecular and cellular pharmacology. Her poster focused on how certain genetic changes might affect colorectal cancer, as well as her use of the tool called DNABERT that she used to analyze her research.
Sarushna Seerangan, the third place winner and a freshman majoring in biochemistry, expressed her excitement and pride in the recognition her team received for their work. Her group conducted its research on the effects of polyethylene terephthalate, a common plastic and pollutant in landfills, on soybean plants to gain insights into sustainable agriculture.
“It felt incredibly rewarding to be recognized by the judges,” Seerangan said. “Meaningful research doesn’t always require complex language or overly technical terms. You can communicate important ideas clearly and effectively without making them inaccessible. Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best.”
