Sixteen students supported by the AC² (AMP & CSTEP Community) Program brought engaging scholarship across a wide range of topics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) during the program’s annual Summer Research Symposium on June 26. 

“Our students this year rose to the challenge of devoting a short amount of time to a topic and making it accessible to both the STEM community and general audiences,” said AC² Program Director Nancy Campos. 

For five weeks, this cohort of undergraduate SUNY New Paltz students worked with faculty mentors in intensive study on topics from green energy production to quantum computing, and in the process, gained new insights into how science is conducted in real-world settings.

“I feel like I understand a quantum computer better than ever now after realizing how much data it can store, which is more massive than what I had imagined,” said Di’Jonna Watson ’25 (Computer Science), who worked with peers and Associate Professor of Physics Catherine Herne to build this type of digital device from scratch. 

Some projects allowed for interdisciplinary collaboration, making the research experience more enriching for all. 

“I enjoyed seeing different perspectives come in as we worked on this study,” said Heaven Franklin ’25 (Organismal Biology) whose research on wind turbine noise was shaped through insights from Associate Professor of Engineering Heather Lai and Associate Professor of Communication Disorders Anne Balant.  “It definitely enhanced the project to have faculty from two separate but related fields.”  

As an organization, AC² makes it possible for students to further demonstrate their scholarship in prestigious showcases, and this is especially true for participants at the Summer Research Symposium. 

“Through AC², I’ve found a community where I can meet like-minded students and faculty, and explore ways to advance my academic career,” said Christopher Monvil ’26 (Mechanical Engineering), who is now applying to industry conferences where he can further demonstrate his analysis on 3D-printed designs.  

The Summer Research Symposium was made possible by SUNY New Paltz’s AC² Program, which combines the Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), to provide academic, financial, and professional supports to STEM students from underrepresented backgrounds. AC²  received additional funding this year from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence 3 grant, the Resnick Engineering Endowment, and The AC² Program Fund, which was established through various New Paltz alumni donations.

To learn more about AC², follow them on Instagram @ampcstepnp.   

Full list of AC² 2024 Summer Research Symposium Projects 

Performing a Quantum Computing Algorithm with Optics
Students: Di’Jonna Watson ’25 (Computer Science), Jonathan Mitchell ’25 (Computer Engineering) and Carlie Dore ’27 (Computer Science)
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor of Physics Catherine Herne 

Investigating the Effects of Alpha-pinene on E. coli Membranes
Students: Autumn Tanenbaum ’25 (Biology), Marcelis Wakely (SUNY Orange AC² program student) and Dean Fejes (SUNY Dutchess AC² program student)
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor of Chemistry Megan Ferguson 

Using Environmental Sensors to Visualize Changes in Lake Water Quality
Students: Cyrus Mika ’25 (Computer Science), Christopher Jamieson ’25 (Computer Science) and Waheed Saroyia (SUNY Dutchess AC² program student)
Faculty Mentor: Biology Professor David Richardson 

Exploring Weakness of 3D-printed Structures
Students: Marco Hermida ’24 (Mechanical Engineering), Tenmetey Tetteh-Nartey ’24 (Mechanical Engineering) and Christopher Monvil ’26 (Mechanical Engineering)
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor of Engineering Ping-Chuan Wang 

Enabling Capacitance Measurements in Supporting Semiconductor Characterization
Students: Kevin Lopez ’25 (Computer Engineering) and Edward Atristain ’25 (Computer Engineering)
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor of Engineering Jiun-Hsin (Vincent) Liao 

Human Perception of Wind Farm Noise
Students: Heaven Franklin ’25 (Organismal Biology) and Samantha Ramnarine (SUNY Orange AC² program student)
Faculty Mentors: Associate Professor of Engineering Heather Lai and Associate Professor of Communication Disorders Anne Balant 

Click here for more images of our 2024 Research Symposium