Group of Exemplary Undergrads Prepare for Summer of Intensive Research Projects

A group of nine bright and hard-working students will embark this summer on an intensive ten-week faculty-mentored research experience as part of the University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. The projects span a range of disciplines, including English, psychology, biology, chemical engineering, forensic science, and business.

Enthusiasm is high as these students prepare for their summer research. Melanie Rivera ’27, a marine biology major, is looking forward to advancing what she has learned in the classroom.

“There's only so much you can understand in theory, but the hands-on experience is simply unmatched,” she said.

Melanie’s project will surely afford her those hands-on experiences as she will be investigating the impact of microplastic contamination on Long Island black sea bass.

Justin Sosa Duarte ’27, an accounting major, is proud to be among the SURF 2025 recipients. “From my perspective, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program is more than a research fellowship—it is a platform to challenge conventional boundaries in education,” he said.

“As the first accounting student in my department to receive this award, I am honored to contribute a financial lens to the growing conversation around ethical AI,” continued Sosa Duarte. “I am especially eager to explore how consumer perceptions of trust, bias, and transparency in AI systems can inform more responsible financial practices and regulatory frameworks."

Achilles Beumel ’26, a second-time SURF participant, is especially aware of the benefits of SURF.

“The SURF program offers an opportunity to grow both as a researcher and as a person,” said Beumel. “My project this year dissects potential discriminatory practices in hiring educators, a complex topic many shy away from. Tackling this topic head on will be challenging but immensely valuable.”

Beumel is also the recipient of the 2024-25 Bucknall Family Award for Undergraduate Research, following in the footsteps of SURF alumni, and Bucknall Family Award recipients, Alice Yi ’22, Chelsea (Hang) Su ‘23, and Gianna Cologna ’25.

The 2025 SURF program marks the second year that faculty have funded student projects through their own research grants. This year, Dr. Huan Gu’s National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will enable two students (Bisher Lpizra ’26, chemical engineering, and Sneh Dagar ’27, chemical and biomolecular engineering) to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE).

Last year, Dr. Shue Wang’s NSF CAREER grant supported two students (Kahlea Hsu ’26, forensic science and Madison Marino ’25, forensic science). By encouraging faculty to “bring their own funding” to support SURF students, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) expands opportunities for students to participate in faculty-mentored research, with support from their SURF peers and mentors in a community of researchers.

Dagar expressed gratitude, saying “I am very thankful to SURF and Dr. Gu for providing me with the opportunity to conduct hands-on research. I look forward to deepening my understanding of how enzyme-responsive polyolefins can be programmed to resist fouling, which has fascinating implications in healthcare and environmental technology.”

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program was established in 2007 to provide students with support for dedicating ten weeks to summer research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Since then, SURF has been supported by the Carrubba Family Endowment.

In establishing the endowment, Frank Carrubba ’69, ’79 M.S. said he envisioned SURF as an experience that “provides students and faculty members with a chance to work together outside the classroom and to collaborate in areas of research that can benefit humankind.”

To this day, SURF projects have been providing innovative solutions to real-world problems.