SURP + Symposium Brings Together Students from Across the Central Coast
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Students and faculty from across the Central Coast presented nearly
75 summer research projects at the Summer Undergraduate Research Plus (SURP +) Symposium
hosted by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Oct. 14.
Students from the Cal Poly College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Orfalea College of Business and the LSAMP B2B California Central Coast Community College Collaborative that includes Allan Hancock College, Cabrillo College, Cuesta College, Monterey Peninsula College, Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Santa Barbara City College and Ventura College worked on a variety of projects either individually or in interdisciplinary teams studying topics from mental health services to consumer patterns, to sports biomechanics, and everything in between.
“The SURP + Symposium is a wonderful example of the successes that can happen when students are able to collaborate with each other and with faculty members,” said Cal Poly Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore. “Seeing the research projects and findings on display and hearing the conversations happening around these projects, I am inspired by the students’ commitment to addressing our communities’ and state’s issues in collaborative, innovative ways.”
The California Central Coast Community College Collaborative (C6) helps STEM students across the Central Coast to excel in their academics and develop professional networks designed to assist them in entering into the STEM careers of their dreams.
“The alliance is committed to building a network between Central Coast colleges, local industry, neighboring universities and alumni to provide support and resources for our STEM students,” said LSAMP grant co-principal investigator Dominic Dal Bello, a professor of engineering and chair of mathematical sciences at Allan Hancock College. “The symposium provided an opportunity for our students to participate in hands-on learning while meeting with their peers and mentors.”
Undergraduate students Ansh Pandey and Manasa Srikanth wanted to apply what they learned in their classes at Cal Poly to revolutionize the transportation system. They teamed up with Shams Tanvir and Mugizi Rwebangira, who were leading the research of using a digital twin to replicate real-world traffic systems and worked closely with them throughout the summer.
“Through SURP, I gained valuable experience exploring the world of research and computer science,” said computer science student Pandey. “We tried, tested and failed but then tried again. It was valuable learning about the academic research world and how it relates to computer science.”
Psychology student Hector Reyes found his involvement in SURP to be beneficial to both his professional and personal life.
“Throughout this project, I felt empowered to share my thoughts and opinions and, ultimately, felt like I was an important contribution to the project,” Reyes said. “SURP gave me the opportunity to work on my research skills and gain experience that will make me a strong candidate for graduate school.”
In addition to academic benefits, students found value in collaborating with their classmates and bringing unique perspectives to their research.
“It was nice being able to investigate a real-world problem and assist in the further understanding of it alongside a team,” said mechanical engineering student Jose Gonzalez, whose research focused on temperature modeling of the Cal Poly Gold Tree solar panels.
This year, Cal Poly’s SURP + Symposium was jointly organized by the Cal Poly College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts, Orfalea College of Business and Office of Student Research in collaboration with LSAMP B2B California Central Coast Community College Collaborative. Additional support is provided by the Division of Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education and CSU Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in STEM Program at Cal Poly.
“Allan Hancock College is proud to participate in collaborative efforts like the symposium, which showcases the talent and diversity of students pursuing degrees and careers in STEM fields,” said Hancock superintendent/president Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “This is how we change the odds for our STEM students.”
