A Summer Experience That Aims to Train the Next Generation of Researchers

The Summer Research Showcase featured work that ranged from advancing cancer treatments to improving health care access.

More than 120 students from Duke and institutions nationwide shared their research at a showcase at Duke this summer – each presenting on projects that spanned the sciences, engineering, social sciences and health policy.

The Summer Research Showcase, which took place in July, was a culmination for those students who spent their summer on Duke’s campus immersed in their research.

The work was not just about finished projects, said Mohamed Noor, executive vice provost and professor of biology at Duke. “It’s about the process. It’s about the stumbles. It’s about the revisions, the unexpected results, and the persistence and perseverance to keep going,” he said.

The students’ projects featured a range of disciplines and perspectives across 11 programs – contributing to research that improves and saves lives. Examples of work, which were presented on posters, ranged from advancing cancer immunotherapy to refining technologies for Alzheimer’s care. Public policy students tackled issues such as access to health care in rural areas. Genomics and biotechnology students presented on CRISPR, genetic pathways and drug discovery.

The diversity of projects reflected Duke’s interdisciplinary research culture, said Tiffany Chan Justice of the Duke-Margolis Health Policy Institute. “In order to solve questions and problems in the world, there are different ways that people can come together to answer those questions,” said Chan Justice.

For students, the experience brought different benefits. Grace Richardson, who worked with Duke’s Psychology and Neuroscience Department in the Summer Neuroscience Program, said collaborating with mentors built her confidence. She said it helped her “think like a scientist … designing experiments, troubleshooting them when they go wrong, and really immersing yourself in the research process.”

Learn more about how federally-funded Duke Research Saves Lives in the full story from the Duke Summer Experiences website.

Summer Research Showcase

The projects featured in the Summer Research Showcase were possible because of Duke-sponsored summer opportunities. Current students can learn about how to apply to these opportunities at the Duke Summer Experiences Fair on October 28th, 1–4 p.m. in Penn Pavilion.