September 5, 2024

2024 STAR Scholars Summer Showcase

STAR Scholars, mentors, UREP and Pennoni staff, family, friends, and more filled the first floor of Bentley Hall on Thursday, August 29 for the 2024 Summer Showcase. The mood was celebratory as Scholars shared the results of their summer of research over the course of two poster sessions.

The 2024 STAR cohort represented nine Drexel colleges and schools, with mentors from eleven Drexel colleges and schools as well as one external partner at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Congratulations to all of our STAR Scholars on a successful summer!

iSTAR Scholars

This summer marked another exciting step for STAR: the relaunch of iSTAR Scholars after a multi-year hiatus. Two students, Josiah Saddick, mechanical engineering ’28, and Zakir Jiwani, computer engineering ’28, worked with Dr. Swathi Sudhakar at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai, India. Their research focused on 3D printing bone scaffolding to treat severe bone defects. Many thanks to Dr. Sri Balasubramanian, Vice Provost Rogelio Miñana, and Drexel Global, who helped us relaunch this program and supported our students while they were abroad.

STAR Scholars Quick Pitch Competition

36 students participated in this year’s STAR Scholars Quick Pitch Competition, where they each had three minutes and one slide to present their research to a general audience. A panel of judges selected top presenters from preliminary rounds to advance to the finals. Congratulations to all of our participants, and especially our three winners!

1st Place: Riya Dhiman, biomedical engineering ’28, “Neuroergonomic Human-Robot Interaction”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hasan Ayaz, BIOMED

2nd Place: David Chuquillanqui Cuenca, biomedical engineering ’28, “Making PLGA Microparticles of Specific Size Ranges for Drug Delivery”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kara Spiller, BIOMED

3rd Place: Sam Simon, biological sciences ’28, “Patterns of multiple paternity in populations of urban and rural Mus musculus”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Megan Phifer-Rixey, CoAS

Read more about this year's Quick Pitch Competition

Teagle Civic Impact Award 

Two STAR Scholars were selected to receive the Teagle Civic Impact Award, offered for the first time this year thanks to funding from Pennoni’s Teagle grant. This award recognizes groundbreaking research that significantly benefits the public good. Congratulations to our two awardees!

Caitlin Betson, psychology ’28, “Reentry Programming for Justice-Involved Individuals: Comparing the Good Lives Model and the Risk-Need-Responsivity Model”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirk Heilbrun, College of Arts & Sciences

Chan Chung, biological sciences ’27, “The Transition to Ethanol Dependence Leads to Sex-Related Changes in Gene Expression of the PACAP Receptor Population”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jessica Barson, Drexel University College of Medicine

Read more about the 2024 Teagle awardees

2023-24 Outstanding Mentors of the Year

Each year, STAR Scholars have the opportunity to nominate mentors who have gone above and beyond for the Outstanding Mentor of the Year award. This year, two faculty mentors were selected from the nominees to receive recognition for their outstanding mentorship.

Jill Moses, MFA, is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Dept of English and Philosophy and the Assistant Director of the First-Year Writing Program. This summer, she mentored English major Khristina Cabrera. In her nomination letter, Khristina wrote, "As a poet herself, Professor Moses also understood my passion for the intersectionality of research and creativity. [...] As this program comes to an end, I can confidently say that Professor Moses helped me embrace my identity as a writer."

Edward Kim, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Drexel University. He mentored two STAR Scholars this summer, Shams Abrar and Bhavika Choudhary, both computer science majors. Shams wrote, “[Dr. Kim] has an exceptional talent for fostering independence, encouraging me to explore and solve problems on my own. [...] This approach not only boosted my self-reliance but also allowed me to develop critical thinking skills that will serve me well beyond my time as a STAR Scholar.” Bhavika added, "Dr. Kim has had a lasting impact on my academic journey, so much so that I now plan on remaining involved in research throughout my time at Drexel (and beyond). His mentorship was more than just guidance; it was a partnership in learning that equipped me with the skills, confidence, and inspiration to continue pursuing research.”

Congratulations to both of our Outstanding Mentors, and thank you for guiding and supporting our STAR Scholars!

Read more about our Outstanding Mentors