STEM

Research Beyond the Silos: Discovery Symposium Showcases a Year of Interdisciplinary Ideas

May 9, 2026
Mia Rauer

On May 8, 2026, Undergraduate Scholars and Graduate Fellows from 58 unique departments convened to showcase their research at the Discovery Hubs Symposium. The event served as the conclusion to the 2025-26 Discovery Hubs, an initiative designed to connect undergraduates with mentored research opportunities. For each of the 37 projects on display, students had the option to share their findings as an oral, table top, or poster presentation.

Early Access to High-Impact Research

For Smriti Rajan, a poster presentation was the...

Interdisciplinary design and entrepreneurship

nilafur smiling

Adam started a company merging design, sustainability, linguistic science, and accessibility.

The evolutionary dance of insects and plants

Elizabeth Ordeman Screenshot

Elizabeth investigates the coevolution of milkweed feeding butterflies and their toxic milkweed plant hosts.

Data visualization for climate science

Yueyi helped build a data visualization tool to track ocean sound levels.

From class project to start-up idea

Janaki and Revekka posing for a picture

Janaki and Revekka created Vibrato, an augmented music experience for Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals.

Innovations in cancer treatment

A picture of Jesus.

A first gen student majoring in Nuclear Engineering, Jesus' seeks to improve chemotherapy treatments.

Pursuing research for policy change

Laura Rambo studies the economic impact of 1980s-90s rural prison construction.

Uncovering the geological history of North America

Leyla Namazie Screenshot

Leyla studies the West Coast's geologic and tectonic history using paleomagnetism.

Launching a portable karaoke business

Luofei Chen and fellow students launched a company with their first product, the Oki Karaoke booth!

Documenting COVID-19's varied impacts

Riya and Era created a documentary highlighting the coronavirus's impact on different communities.