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For Francisco Orozco, a first-year student from Douglasville, the symposium offers an opportunity to demonstrate his hard work and dedication to university student professional development. Orozco鈥檚 project studies the effects of the pandemic on student internship outcomes and how the adjustment to remote work has impacted the lives of students.

鈥淏y analyzing these changes, we can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of remote work,鈥� said Orozco, a  major. 鈥淲ith this, we can forecast major changes in the workplace based on projected efficiency, effectiveness, and overall employee impact.鈥�

Schuyler Gentry (pictured), a graduate student in , and Will Clark, a senior  major, are conducting research on cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) that can effectively transport macromolecules across the cellular membrane and into the cell鈥檚 interior. CPPs are short chains of amino acids, which allow various molecules such as DNA or therapeutic proteins to enter cells to fight infection.

鈥淭he research utilizes a calcium dependent cell-penetrating peptide to enhance endosomal escape of its associated protein cargo,鈥� Gentry explained. 鈥淲e employ confocal microscopy to visualize the difference between our CPP technology and its covalently bound CPP-cargo counterpart. This CPP delivery system solves the main rate-limiting step of CPP-mediated cargo delivery, which is known as endosomal entrapment.鈥� 

Gentry said that his research experiences will play a vital role in his future career. 

鈥淭his experience has helped me to develop as a person and improve my skills in innovative problem solving and thinking clearly and critically about complex problems,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have grown into a well-rounded scientist, and I plan to utilize this experience in my future endeavors. I am interested in research in the biomedical field and clinical research coordination.鈥� 

Clark is excited for the opportunity to be a first-time presenter at the symposium. He also said that this research experience will help prepare him for his future career goals, which include medical school. 

鈥淭his research is extremely relevant to the design and delivery of various medications as it relates directly to the effective delivery of cargo into a cell,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he first time we imaged our product, I was in shock at the ability we have to watch cells move and absorb molecular-level cargo in real time. It really painted the processes of life in a new light.

The virtual format of the symposium has allowed students as far away as Europe the opportunity to present their research. Paola Rattu, an MBA student, originally from Sardinia, Italy, is currently living in Switzerland.

鈥淚 am delighted to be presenting at the virtual symposium,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 believe research should be spread out as much as possible, so I am glad to share my findings during the event.鈥�

Rattu, who also holds several master鈥檚 degrees and a Ph.D. in geography, is conducting research that involves the marketing of a mobile internet service known as i-mode, which was popular in Japan.

鈥淭he i-mode technology, which proved extremely successful in Japan between 1999 and the late 2000s, can be seen as an ancestor to the smart phone,鈥� Rattu said. 鈥淢y research tries to understand why the i-mode technology failed to succeed beyond Japan. This research can help society by enabling businesses to avoid making similar mistakes that doomed the export of i-mode in Western markets.鈥�

A team of undergraduate students has teamed with faculty mentor Katherine Ingram to analyze the impact of exercise on gestational diabetes and baby birthweight. The aim of their study was to determine how the frequency and intensity of exercise during pregnancy impact both gestational diabetes and baby birthweight using data collected via a self-reported survey from women who have given birth within the past two years.

Ami Eho, a biochemistry major from Dallas-Hiram, is happy to work toward a project that directly relates to her future career goals.

鈥淚n the future, I plan to pursue an M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. track as a career and become a pediatrician, but I hope to stay involved in research pertaining to maternal and neonatal health as well as hypertension in young people,鈥� Eho shared. 鈥淢y involvement with Dr. Ingram鈥檚 research team studying the impact of gestational diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity on maternal metabolic health is reinforcing that desire.鈥�

Haley Wright, a Dawsonville native and nursing interest major participating in the First-Year Scholars Program, is the co-presenter for this research project and agrees that their work will be beneficial for her long-term career plans.

鈥淚 strive to work in the neonatal care unit of a hospital in the future, and undergraduate research experiences will be extremely useful in my career,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淭here may be times when a patient has a special case that may require heavy research, and my experience will allow me to be successful in solving the issue.鈥�

Raine Morris, a recent biology graduate and aspiring dentist, assisted in creating the survey used for the study. She shared that she鈥檚 proud to see the work she completed continue to be used for other student projects.

Morris had already been involved in undergraduate research before joining the Ingram lab when she was searching for new opportunities. 

鈥淚 thoroughly enjoyed getting hands-on experience in the field, so I continued to search for more research experiences, that鈥檚 when I discovered Dr. Ingram鈥檚 team and I reached out,鈥� she said. 鈥淗er research intrigued me because it was using methods and other things I learned in class in real situations.鈥� 

As a first-time symposium participant, Adam Meacham could not wait to present his graduate research in social work.

鈥淭his is my first time presenting research in any format at all, so I am super excited. It feels like the big leagues,鈥� said Meacham, who is from Monterey, CA. 鈥淚 interviewed for the graduate research assistant position with Dr. Monica Nandan over the summer and am so grateful to have been selected. I wanted to immerse myself in the graduate school experience and working with Dr. Nandan has been an honor.鈥�

Meacham鈥檚 research involves the use of strategic prevention frameworks (SPF) in two local schools, North Cobb High School and Marietta Alternative School. The goal of these frameworks is to expand the implementation of substance abuse prevention measures within these schools.

Emily Velarde, a chemistry major from Cumming, conducted research involving the use of electrochemistry and spectroscopy techniques to detect the presence of cerium metal in nanoceria glass particles. The glass particles were then studied to determine if they can be used in conjunction with biomolecules. 

鈥淚 have a long-term goal of becoming a chemical engineer, with interests in working in the fields of agriculture, biomedicine, or even energy development,鈥� explained Velarde. 鈥淭his research project directly relates to the biomedical field, because the nanoceria glass particles can be used to create a new biochemical development.鈥�

Velarde remains excited for the opportunity to gain applicable experience in her field and shares that one of her favorite memories from her experience was learning how to use a potentiostat, the instrument she used to conduct her research.

鈥淎 piece of advice I would give to someone looking to do undergraduate research is to talk to any of your former or current professors who are in your major, specifically if you enjoyed their class. Many of them are working on some sort of project in addition to lecturing and would love for you to contribute to their work,鈥� Velarde encouraged.