Aleksandra Belugin of New Windsor, N.Y. works in the Mount Saint Mary College science labs on her SURE project, “Analysis of Microplastic Contamination in Hudson Valley Flora and Fauna.”
The annual Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at Mount Saint Mary College wrapped up with a series of compelling student presentations held on Thursday, July 10, and Friday, July 11.
For about two dozen dedicated scholars, the program offered an unparalleled opportunity to pursue their own diverse research projects, all while enjoying the serene Mount campus.
Coordinated by James Moran, associate Biology professor at the Mount, and Rebecca Berry, assistant professor of Psychology, SURE is an opportunity for students to work alongside Mount professors as they explore a research topic of interest to them. SURE students enjoy getting out of the classroom and experiencing scholarly work in their discipline, one-on-one with their professors.
This year, the students completed nearly a dozen research projects. Plans are already underway to continue the SURE program next summer.
SURE students presented their research to the Mount campus over the course of two sessions. These presentations are not limited to the Natural Sciences, and also feature research projects in areas such as Education, Information Technology, the Humanities, and more.
This year’s projects included:
- “Analysis of Microplastic Contamination in Hudson Valley Flora and Fauna” by Aleksandra Belugin of New Windsor, N.Y. and Jae Lembo of Suffern, N.Y., with faculty mentor Lynn Maelia, professor of Chemistry and chair of the Division of Natural Sciences;
- “One Drug, Three Species: A Hypothetical Analgesic Beyond Tylenol” by Shirley Quezada Mendia of Westbury, N.Y., with faculty mentor Jodie Fahey, associate professor of Chemistry.
