Graduate College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Illinois Summer Research Symposium

Illinois Summer Research Symposium

Student presenting research

July 21, 2025, at the Illinois Conference Center

The Illinois Summer Research Symposium is the culminating program that features the cutting-edge research, achievement, and creativity by our summer scholars. Nearly 140 scholars will present research that has been developed through the mentorship and training of faculty members from across a variety of disciplines.

2024 Schedule of Events

8:30 – 9:00 Check-in & Continental Breakfast – Heritage Hall 2

9:00 – 9:15 Opening Remarks – Heritage Hall 2

9:30 – 10:30 Session 1: Poster Presentations – various

10:45 – 11:45 Session 2: Research Talks – various

12:00 – 1:15 Lunch for Registered Attendees – Heritage Hall 2

1:30 – 2:30 Session 3: Poster Presentations – various

2:45 – 3:45 Session 4: Research Talks – various

4:00 – 5:00 Session 5: Poster Presentations – various

5:00 – 6:00 Decompress Social Hour – Heritage Hall 3

6:00 – 6:45 Dinner for Registered Attendees

6:45 – 7:30 Awards Ceremony – Heritage Hall 2

2024 Participating Programs

FUTURE-MINDS-QB - Fisk-UIUC Training of Under-represented Minds in Data Science and Quantitative Biology

McNair - TRiO Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

MSI Alliance - Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Alliance

NSF START - National Science Foundation, Skill Training in Advanced Research & Technology

POETS - Power Optimization of Electro-Thermal Systems

PRI - Prairie Research Institute Internship

REACH Program - Research & Education for the Advancement of Compassionate Healthcare

SEB Scholars - St. Elmo Brady Summer Research Scholars Program

SPI - Summer Predoctoral Institute

SROP at Illinois - Summer Research Opportunities Program for Undergraduates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

SROP at UIC - Summer Research Opportunities Program for Undergraduates at the University of Illinois Chicago

SURE Tox - Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Toxicology at the University of Illinois

 

2024 ISRS Award Winners

Graduate Research Talks

  • 1st Place: Florence Adibu

    From Dependents to Providers: Exploring the Stories of African Immigrant Youth Navigating American Healthcare During COVID-19 and Beyond

  • 2nd Place: Kass Gonzalez

    Is Your Trust Weatherproof?: Disability Preparedness and Support Before and After Disasters

  • 3rd Place: Cade Boggan

    Experimental Battery Cell Characterization Validation for Electric Aircraft Simulation

Undergraduate Research Talks

  • 1st Place: Athena Thai

    Challenges to Implementing Trauma-Informed Practices: Serving Students of Color in School-Based Settings

  • 2nd Place: Esmerelda Lopez

    Examining the Association between Mentorship and University Belonging among Latinx First-Generation College Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

  • 3rd Place: Janel Dawson

    To Speak or to Die: The Resurrection of Robert Charles

Undergraduate Poster Presentations

  • 1st Place: Jaiden Curlin

    Quantifying Exposure of Neonicotinoid Imidacloprid on Striatal and Hippocampal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in CD-1 Mice

  • 2nd Place: Nathan Batres

    Utilizing a Lean Management Approach to Influence Production in a Multilingual, High-Growth Food Company

  • 3rd Place: Shanon Jordan

    Understanding the Benefits of Black Educators for Black Students

Highlights from ISRS 2024

Keynote speaker Christopher Span
Students interacting at the poster presentation session
Student hanging a poster
students looking at research poster
Student presenting research at podium
Student presenting research at podium
Participant explaining research
Attendee taking photo of poster presenter
participants group photo