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Dozens of research students and faculty line up for scoops of Loblolly ice cream in the courtyard of the Biomed 2 building.

UAMS Meet-and-Greet Event Celebrates Student Summer Researchers

Aug. 10, 2023 | On June 21, the longest day of the year and the summer solstice, about 200 student researchers over the course of two hours gathered in the grassy courtyard of the UAMS Biomedical Research II building to share Loblolly Ice Cream and socialize.

Mohamed Elasri, Ph.D., UAMS associate vice chancellor for research, attended and said the event was organized to celebrate the young researchers who come to the university for the summer to work with UAMS research scientists in their labs.

The participants of the summer research program roster include high school students, medical students, and undergraduate students from nearly 40 colleges nationwide.

“The summer students are in almost every research lab from biochemistry, microbiology, neurology, you name it,” Elasri said. “They train and do research and make discoveries. It’s a valuable, hands-on experience for them.”

According to a survey conducted by the Division of Research and Innovation, an overwhelming consensus emerged, with 100% of the students acknowledging the contributions of these programs to their personal and professional growth.

Having students and scientists come together informally also exposes them to peers in other labs and familiarizes them with the projects they are working on. Elasri said he has seen several instances of collaboration emerge from the conversations in relaxed settings like the gathering June 21.

UAMS offers the following summer research programs:

• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program.
• Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).
• Arkansas INBRE Outreach Core Programs.
• M1 Summer Programs and Research Opportunities.
• Summer Research Internship (SRI)

The climax of the summer research program occurs during the Arkansas Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium, providing a platform for young researchers to showcase their research findings. This year, the symposium was held on July 27, 2023.

Shuk-mei Ho, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor of Research said, “This year is the second year we are organizing this summer event, I hope the junior scholars outside UAMS feel welcome.  The ripple effects of these summer research programs extend beyond individual students. They actively work towards creating a more diverse and representative cohort of future researchers while concurrently elevating the institutional research output and reputation of UAMS.”