������ undergraduates are getting their moment to shine this spring, presenting original research and creative work to peers, faculty and the broader campus community across a series of symposia and showcase events running through the end of the semester.

“For a researcher, learning how to effectively present their work is a crucial part of the research process. Whether a student is sharing a completed project with conclusions, or a work-in-progress still in development, the dialogue and conversation with a broader audience is always clarifying,” says Kate Hanson, director of the (SOURCE). “Our undergraduates do incredible research, guided by dedicated faculty mentors, and our campus community is warmly welcomed to engage with and celebrate this work.”

The SOURCE Spring Showcase includes the following:

Thursday, March 26

Lundgren Room, 106 Life Sciences Complex, 4-6 p.m.
The event will feature four “TED-style” student research talks and a presentation of SOURCE and Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) awards.

Friday, March 27

Life Sciences Complex Atrium, 2-4 p.m.
This interdisciplinary event will feature more than 100 students presenting research and creative activity.

The entire campus community is invited to attend the events.

A complete list of programs in March, April and May with event and registration details can be found on (check back for updated information).

Other symposia and research-related events this spring include:

• , Wednesday, March 25, 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m., Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center
• , Saturday, March 28, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Life Sciences Complex Atrium
• , Friday, April 3, 9:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m., 608 Bird Library
• , Friday, April 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Collegian Hotel and Suites, 1060 E. Genesee St.
• , Thursday, April 16, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Nancy Cantor Warehouse, Auditorium, Room 100A
• , Friday, April 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Milton Atrium, Life Sciences Complex
• , Friday, April 17, 10 a.m., 101 Newhouse 1
• , Tuesday, April 28, 3-5 p.m., 220 Eggers Hall
• , Wednesday, April 29, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Hall of Languages, multiple locations (complete schedule will be available on the after April 8)

On Aug. 8, 2023, the town of , in West Maui, Hawaii, was consumed by one of the in U.S. history. The result: more than 2,000 acres burned, 12,000 residents displaced and 102 people killed. Despite the devastation and ongoing community grief, Hawaii’s governor West Maui to tourists just two months later.

That decision sparked significant controversy and spurred thousands of residents and Native Hawaiians to political action. They wanted fire victims to have more time to grieve their loved ones, secure new housing and heal as a community.

For Sophia Hiatt, a senior in the , the disaster was the catalyst for a year of scholarly inquiry and the subject of her political science distinction thesis. As a multiracial person of Native Hawaiian heritage, Hiatt has long been interested in Hawaiian politics and perspectives—an interest solidified through a Tufts University summer high school program to develop leadership skills for social change. She focused on the Native Hawaiian community and , she says.

“This [thesis] project was far more than simply another academic requirement. It was a meaningful and introspective experience that allowed me to reconnect with the history, culture and people who mean so much to me. Local and Native voices are too often absent from public discourse, and I felt a responsibility to ensure that the voices of community members are recognized and credited for their work,” Hiatt says.

Her research included analyzing the grassroots organization ’s Instagram posts, critically comparing its strategies to two other Hawaiian land-based movements, determining how it amassed 21,000 followers and assessing how it conducted voter education and registration drives. She examined how the group helped pass land-use regulation bills that opened housing for displaced fire victims, aiding community members to maintain island residency. She also interviewed group founder Jordan Ruidas.

SOURCE Support

Supported by the (SOURCE), Hiatt took her research further. She traveled to Maui to gauge the destruction and witness the organization’s impact firsthand, and attended the , a community holiday market held at the site of a Buddhist temple destroyed by the fires.

The opportunity to conduct on-the-ground inquiry in Maui and to see the impact of the fires was transformative, Hiatt says. “Being present at the market—the actual site of so much loss and resilience—gave the research a depth and texture that no amount of reading could provide.”

Mentors and Guides

Hiatt says she approached the project “with deep humility, mindful of the lives lost and the real people who are not only living with the consequences of this disaster but are also using this moment to reshape the political and social dynamics of their community.”

She credits thesis advisor , professor of political science; , assistant professor of political science; and , who leads the school’s Political Science Distinction Thesis Seminar with helping her hone analytical and critical thinking skills, build confidence in academic spaces and develop stronger scholarly writing practices. “Their mentorship has been invaluable,” Hiatt says. “It has pushed me to approach complex questions with more rigor and more care.”

Hiatt would like to see her research published in an undergraduate research journal in hopes of inspiring other students to learn of ����󲹾�����’s post-fire political landscape and perhaps continue the research.

She also believes the lessons she’s learned this past year will carry forward into her career. After Commencement, she plans to work full time in compliance at Fidelity Investments before applying to law school in the future. “My commitment to institutional accountability and transparency ultimately connects both my thesis research and my future professional goals,” she says.

The role of entrepreneurship driving economic development in Kenya. Education systems and the propaganda machines behind them in Eastern European socialist states. The preservation of Polish castles and their use for telling the country’s history.

Those are just three of the independent research projects seven Syracuse students pursued internationally last year as Tyler Center Fellows, supported by a $20,000 grant to and the (SOURCE) by the .

For the students who participated, it was a life-changing experience.

“This fellowship changed who I am,” says Mason Burley ’27, a double major in adolescent education and history in the School of Education and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The University has once again received an award from the Tyler Center for 2026 and is currently accepting applications for fall 2026 fellowships based in Santiago and Strasbourg. Below, three students who received the fellowship in 2025 share their experiences.

‘Research Something You Love’

Burley, whose research project was focused on the education systems during the era of socialist republics in Poland, Romania and Moldova, says the Tyler Center Fellowship was his first substantial experience with research.

“I am fascinated by Joseph Stalin and his cult of personality and, more specifically, how his sheer influence on the region consumed every single aspect of life,” Burley says. “From school, jobs, social life, government and interpersonal connections. Stalin was lurking in all of these, and it has been a goal of mine to see its effects firsthand.”

The Tyler Center grant and research opportunity opened the gates for him to study the topic in-depth and in-person.

“It is my academic goal to be a well-rounded educator who is exceptionally knowledgeable in my content area,” he says. “I felt that this type of deep immersive, experiential type of research would benefit not only me academically but my students in my future classroom.”

The experience made Burley fall in love with research and “experiencing” history, and has since inspired two additional research projects.

He says visiting Poland, Romania and Moldova, speaking with people and learning their stories was an experience he’d repeat in a “heartbeat.”

“Do whatever your heart says,” Burley says. “Go to a new place and touch the earth. Eat food from a street cart. Put everything that you’ve ever learned away for a second and just experience life as it passes by. Be you, unapologetically. Then come back to campus and show everyone just how cool it is that you got to research something you love.”

‘Be Creative’

For Ella Roerden ’27, the fellowship also allowed the pursuit of a passion project.

A student in the Maxwell School studying anthropology and international relations, Roerden visited five medieval castles around Poland with the goal of analyzing and comparing how they’ve been preserved and restored, as well as how they’re being used as museums in the present day.

“The narratives all differ, and they each tell a different part of the story of Poland,” says Roerden. “I was drawn to castles because of my childhood love of fairytales, all of the magic, dragons and princesses. When I learned that Poland had over 500 castles, I knew I had to find a way to visit some and incorporate them into my studies.”

Like Burley, she says the experience opened her eyes to research, which previously she thought had to be “formulaic and physical.” Gaining the experience of pursuing a topic in the humanities has her looking forward to an international relations capstone.

“If you’re already going to be in a different country, take advantage of the opportunities and resources there that we don’t have here in Syracuse (like medieval castles) and be creative!” Roerden says.

‘Put in All Your Effort’

Mary Begley ’26, a Whitman School finance and entrepreneurship major graduating in December, traveled to Kenya in May 2025 with a professor and fellow students, supported by her grant.

“I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and experience how businesses operate within an emerging economy,” she says. “Because of this opportunity, I decided to conduct independent research where I spoke one-on-one with small business owners to learn about their experiences running a business in Kenya.”

The best part, she says, was speaking with entrepreneurs and learning about their work, their passions and the challenges they face as business owners.

She encourages other students to consider the Tyler grants.

“Put in all your effort,” she says. “For me, I was very new to research and had no idea how to conduct it at first. But having the right people around you and consistently asking questions or seeking feedback really helped me throughout the process.”

How to Apply

Fall 2026 Tyler Fellows—supported by awards up to $3,000—will design projects in Santiago or Strasbourg with guidance from a home campus faculty mentor, as well as Syracuse Abroad and SOURCE staff. Students must first be accepted into one of those programs.

As part of the fellowship, they will take a “Research in Community” seminar and participate in cohort activities with Tyler Fellows from other institutions.

“The Tyler Center for Global Studies Fellowship not only provides essential funding to support students’ international undergraduate research activities but also facilitates a community of scholars engaging with cross-cultural research both here at ������ and in the larger, multi-institution Tyler Center program,” says Kate Hanson, director of SOURCE. “Students navigate the complexities of research with another culture alongside fellow students and mentors in a program that facilitates discussion and reflection.”

Interested students should first email ugresearch@syr.edu to express their interest in the Tyler Fellows Program and then prepare a project proposal and apply through . Applications are due by April 2 or July 9.

An information session for interested students will be held Thursday, March 19, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the sixth floor of 100 Sims Drive.

SOURCE can also help students develop research ideas, find faculty mentors and prepare application materials. Contact the SOURCE team at ugresearch@syr.edu or 315.443.2091.

For ������ senior , research isn’t confined to a laboratory. She’s taking her work directly into the community—hosting events, screening participants and listening closely to people who have long been underserved by the health care system.

Weltman, a dual major in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) and neuroscience with a minor in psychology in the (A&S), is conducting research in the under the mentorship of , A&S assistant professor of CSD.

Pei, a certified speech-language pathologist, researches ways to maximize cognitive-communication rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and how health communication discrimination affects their health care access and recovery.

Pei and Weltman are working in the project, “Integrating Culturally Adapted Principles in Cognitive Communication Rehabilitation,” which addresses a critical gap in speech-language pathology: the absence of culturally tailored care.

“The long-term goal of this research study is to improve speech-language pathologist therapy participation and outcomes for all clients, regardless of their backgrounds, thereby ensuring consistent healthcare delivery to all,” Weltman says.

Community Research Model

To gather insights, the research team uses a community-based model, hosting engagement events at locations such as the Westcott Community Center, Mckinley- Brighton Elementary School, Cicero Community Center, Interfaith Works of CNY and the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. Participants come from local nursing homes, YMCAs, elementary school programs and other local groups that support community centers and senior companion programs. The events include presentations on healthy aging that feature games and prizes, free cognitive screenings and opportunities to participate in surveys and interviews. Weltman then analyzes those findings and connects them to the psychotherapy adaptation and modification framework—a systematic guide used to customize standard psychological treatments to fit a client’s specific personal background.

Learning New Skills

The work has pushed Weltman to develop skills that span clinical science, data analysis and community organizing. She has learned to code interviews, extract and analyze data, develop surveys and create clinical manuals, and says these technical competencies will serve her well in her future career as a speech-language pathologist specializing in neurogenic communication disorders.

Just as important, she has learned to see the broader landscape of how health care reaches and serves all patients. She says that work has allowed her to identify specific barriers to health care and learn how to recognize how personal nuances affect speech-language therapy.

Weltman’s research is already reaching beyond Syracuse’s campus. She is preparing to submit a proposal to , a significant milestone for an undergraduate researcher.

She credits her faculty mentor with making that trajectory possible. Weltman has worked with Pei since her sophomore year and says the relationship fundamentally shaped her academic and professional path.

“From my very first assigned task, Dr. Pei has believed in my potential and supported me every step of the way,” Weltman says. “Without her and the lab, I would have never concentrated on the field of cognitive communication, which has inspired my future career.”

The (SOURCE) has also been instrumental in her work, Weltman says. SOURCE is where she first learned about the range of available to undergraduates.  The office provided research project components, including a received this past year. In addition, SOURCE support such as and programming including orientations, workshops and check-in meetings, have underpinned her ongoing success, she says.

For Weltman, the research is ultimately about more than data or frameworks—it is about making sure every patient, regardless of background, has a real chance at recovery.

������ has been selected as a 2026 awardee by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, one of just 14 institutions nationwide to earn the prestigious recognition. The award provides funding to support six scholar-mentor pairs over three years, with two undergraduate Beckman Scholars named each year beginning this spring.

The Beckman Scholars Program provides 15-month mentored research experiences for exceptional undergraduate students in chemistry and life sciences. Each scholar receives comprehensive support during two full summers and an academic year of intensive research engagement, professional development opportunities and preparation for graduate or medical school.

, professor of physics  in the and interim dean of the , is principal investigator. “The Beckman Scholars Program will provide transformative research experiences for students who demonstrate exceptional promise in science and engineering working with our outstanding faculty from the ,” she says. “This award recognizes the University’s deep commitment to undergraduate research and our proven track record of offering experiential training in interdisciplinary fields.”

Fourteen faculty members, all of whom are affiliated with BioInspired, will serve as Beckman Mentors. They are (chemistry and biology), (chemistry), (physics), (biomedical and chemical engineering), (biology), (biomedical and chemical engineering), (biology), (chemistry), (biomedical and chemical engineering), (biology), Ross (physics), (physics), (chemistry) and (biomedical and chemical engineering).

Scholars will participate in BioInspired’s annual symposium, present at national conferences and receive mentoring support from the .

Application Process

The will handle student recruitment and selection, onboarding and ongoing support.

The Beckman Scholars Program is open to sophomores working on research in one of the Beckman Mentor labs. Scholars must commit to 15 months of continuous research and be interested in pursuing a graduate degree and leadership roles in their field of study. The 2026 cohort of Beckman Scholars will be funded through summer 2027.

Applications will be handled through the process. Interested students should submit an intent to apply form by Thursday, Feb. 12, with final applications due Thursday, Feb. 26.

Information sessions for first-year students interested in future Beckman Scholar opportunities will be held in February and March.

For more information about eligibility and the application process, visit the SOURCE website at or contact SOURCE Director Kate Hanson at 315.443.2091 or khanso01@syr.edu.

The (CSE), launched last fall, brought together the University’s student support programs into a single administrative structure in order to build synergies and better serve students.

As of last week, those programs are now together in a single physical space as well, at .

“This move truly creates a centralized hub for student success, academic support, engagement and persistence,” Assistant Provost for Academic Programs and CSE Director Tommy Powell says. “It brings together multiple high-impact student support offices with a shared mission: helping students thrive academically, personally and professionally from their first day on campus through graduation.”

CSE serves all undergraduate students, with a focus on student transition and adjustment to college; academic skill-building and coaching; retention and persistence; engagement, belonging and experiential learning; and clear communication and coordination across support services.

CSE comprises multiple programs working closely together:

• First Year Seminar
• Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS)
• Retention and Student Success
• SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement)
• Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising
• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
• McNair Scholars Program
• Our Time Has Come Scholars
• Remembrance Scholars
• STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) and CSTEP (College Science and Technology Entry Program)
• Shaw Center for Public and Community Service
• Living Learning Communities

Student-Athlete Academic Services, located in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, is also a core part of the CSE.

The building is located at the corner of Sims Drive and College Place, adjacent to Sims Hall. Drop-ins are welcome.

For more information, call 315.443.2005.

Each year, five undergraduate students from ������ join students from the 14 other Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) institutions to showcase their research or creative work at the . This year’s conference is the 16th annual and will be held from Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 12, at Florida State University.

Students interested in attending this year’s conference need to apply by Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. All travel, lodging and meal expenses are funded for student presenters.

“Meeting of the Minds is a valuable opportunity for outstanding students to present and receive feedback on their intellectually engaging research and creative work,” says Odette Marie Rodriguez, assistant director of the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) who will accompany the students to MoM. “They’ll get the chance to meet students from across the country and enjoy sunny Florida weather in April at our host institution for this year, Florida State University. Meeting of the Minds allows us to showcase the very best of undergraduate student researchers at SU, and the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) MoM committee enjoys preparing the students to share an effective and professional presentation of their work.”

A panel of faculty members and staff select the presenters based on the academic quality of the project, clarity of expression in the proposal, completeness of research/creative project, independence of the project and potential impact of the conference participation to help the student achieve their goals. The students selected will work with the MoM committee to prepare their oral or poster presentations.

Last year, Ayla Ray ’27, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, presented on the stability of common mycorrhizal networks (underground fungal networks that connect plants) under warming and drought. Other students presented a multimedia journalism project on the Erie Canal, a creative project exploring reuse and sustainable fashion, an architecture exhibition on spatial storytelling in horror film and an anthropology study of U.S. peacemaking efforts in Bosnia.

“During the Meeting of the Minds you become extremely close with your fellow SU presenters, but also with students from up and down the East Coast,” says Ray.  “Breaks were filled with collaboration and networking. I met incredibly intelligent individuals and exchanged ideas regarding graduate school opportunities, scientific techniques, Fulbright programs and more. Leaving the conference, I felt that I had not only developed my presentation abilities but had also gained a cohort of peers and connections. I strongly encourage students to apply for this opportunity.”

For more information about the 2026 MoM Conference, contact Kate Hanson, director of the SOURCE, at khanso01@syr.edu���ǰ� .

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagements (SOURCE) six different research experiences for undergraduate first- and second-year students on Fridays from January through February 2026 called SOURCE Explore.

SOURCE Explore programs are hands-on, interactive workshops designed to introduce students to research through short-term research activities led by a faculty member or research staff member. SOURCE Explore programs are for students in their first or second year with no prior research experience but who are curious to learn more. Students from all majors (or undeclared) are encouraged to apply, and participants will receive a $250 stipend upon completion of the program.

The program takes place on Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Feb. 13 and Feb. 20, with the final presentation on Feb. 27 from 2–4 p.m.

Space is limited to 8-12 participants per cohort.

Cohorts this year represent the fields of nutrition, fashion design, communications and more. The six SOURCE Explore programs being offered are:

• How Our Lives Became Plastic: Researching Material Culture in the Archives, offered through the Special Collections Research Center at the University Libraries
• Analyzing Media & Popular Culture through a Social Justice Lens with Newhouse’s CODE^SHIFT Lab
• Material as Method: Research through Textile Experimentation
• Capturing Veteran Stories: Oral History Planning for the Modern Tenth Mountain Division Resource Center
• The Impact of Hydration Status on Body Composition
• InferredMe: Data-driven Self-Reflection on AI Interactions

Interested students .

Filmmaker and cinematographer , a graduate of the ’ (VPA) , has been nominated for a prestigious student award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

Edelson is one of six nominees for the George Spiro Dibie ASC Award—Undergraduate Category—one of the society’s , which champions rising talent at the formative stages of filmmakers’ careers. She was nominated for the narrative short student film “,” on which she served as director of photography. The ASC will announce the winner on Oct. 12.

“My experience working on this film forever changed me as a cinematographer, thanks to my collaboration with the writer and director of ‘The Wren in the Wood,’ [fellow Class of 2025 film major] Emma Baker,” says Edelson. “An important inspiration for the film came from Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ I studied the visual style of that film and noted techniques that suited the story Emma and I hoped to tell. I was struck by how it felt as if the camera knew more than the characters it was following. We wanted to incorporate this feeling to hint at the presence of something supernatural. By using soft, fluid camera movement, we gently guided the audience into the world of the film.”

As a film major in VPA’s Department of Film and Media Arts, Edelson was introduced to the art of cinematography and developed a strong technical and aesthetic foundation, which she continues to build on through practice and exploration. She polished her skills while studying abroad for a semester through Syracuse Abroad’s in Prague, Czech Republic, and completed her education with the , part of the ������ Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, which enabled her to connect with the film industry during her senior year.

Edelson also received a  (SOURCE) Fellowship to fund her senior thesis film “.” The SOURCE supports undergraduate research and creative inquiry. It provides financial assistance for original and innovative work, fostering student-driven exploration and development.

“I am proud to have begun my journey as a cinematographer at ������,” says Edelson. “I was able to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that deepened my appreciation for the art of filmmaking and prepared me for a professional career in the industry. I was especially fortunate to learn from professors such as , whose encouragement and support strengthened my love for cinematography and motivated me to pursue the art form with confidence.”

“The American Society of Cinematographers is one of the most prestigious and globally recognized associations in the film industry,” says Méndez, associate professor and program coordinator of film in the Department of Film and Media Arts. “Having one of our students receive such an honor is a clear confirmation that our film education effectively prepares students to compete on an international stage.”

Edelson’s cinematography has been awarded Best Cinematography by the Indian Independent Film Festival. Her work was also selected for the Kookai International Film Festival, Indie Shorts Mag Film Festival and ������’s New Filmmakers Showcase. Now based in Los Angeles, she works as a freelance filmmaker in the camera department.

When junior , an environmental engineering major in the , was growing up, her parents taught her the sensibility of re-using goods, thrifting what she needed and making the best use of everything she had. Around her Bentonville, Virginia, home, she picked up things at auctions, thrift stores and even out of the garbage. “Dumpster diving,” something she had wanted to try, became part of her routine once she arrived at ������.

One day, a Department of Public Safety officer stopped Lubkemann at a campus dumpster and asked for identification.  After confirming her student status, the officer recounted how the night before, he’d ejected a man who wasn’t a student for doing the same thing Lubkemann was doing.

“That was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had, not only at the University but in my life,” Lubkemann explains. “To me, it was so unjust that a piece of plastic set me apart from others who might need things.” She says she recognized that removing the person from the scene “might have been the difference between a man and his dinner.”

After that incident, Lubkemann began to reflect on her privileged student status and the injustice that she could access found objects on campus while others were barred from obtaining those throwaway goods. “I grew up very privileged, but I was instilled with the value of not taking more than you need. There are things in the garbage that aren’t actually garbage. A lot of stuff is thrown away before its expiration date,” Lubkemann says. “I found my calling in environmental engineering due to the critical shortage of professionals in the field and by a passion for sustainability, which I see as not just an environmental issue but also a social and economic imperative.”

A ‘Revamped’ Idea

After observing high levels of textile waste on campus and how those without a vehicle have limited access to donate clothing or buy affordable used things,  Lubkemann devised the idea for her business, “.”

Her company is a research-based, pioneering, sustainability-driven mobile enterprise redefining textile waste management through a mobile thrift store and donation hub, currently operating from a repurposed minibus. It takes in discarded yet valuable textiles from their point of disposal and offers an accessible, community-centered solution that diverts waste from landfills while ensuring that high-quality secondhand goods remain in the local economy.

Lubkemann spoke about her idea with ,  ������ Libraries strategic initiatives advisor and a faculty member in the . She encouraged Lubkemann to submit her idea for a mobile donation center/thrift store/re-distribution hub in the competition. Lubkemann then developed a 10-page business plan, entered the competition and won $5,000.

“I never thought anyone would find interest in this; I thought it was a pipe dream. Who would think a top U.S. university would invest in such a small idea? But Linda gave me the confidence to pursue it, and that was one of the things that totally launched me into this initiative. I like to say Revamped was born from a dumpster, which gives me hope any idea or dream can take shape if you work towards it. It’s really taken off from there,” she says.

Adding Funds, Growth

Lubkemann has continued to refine and grow her company and gain funding. She has won $25,000  from campus competitions since November 2024, including the at the , a award, the and research monies. Her achievements include the following:

• Obtaining a DBA (“doing business as”) certificate and starting a limited liability corporation (Ava Lubkemann LLC).
• Acquiring a minibus and outfitting it to serve as mobile thrift shop/donation center.

  

• Establishing a account for potential investors.
• Hosting pop-up sales, cross-campus co-branding events and creating a to distribute on campus.
• Researching textile waste distribution to define more community re-distribution channels.
• Contacting local businesses seeking storage space for additional collected items.
• Ideating two podcasts about Revamped and sustainable living.
• Asking the Sustainability Management group to add sustainable entrepreneurship student ambassadors.
• Contacting George Washington University and Lewis and Clark College to gauge their interest in replicating the Revamped program.

That’s hardly Lubkemann’s limit. From finding goods, to reworking and repairing them, to setting up the mobile store and planning distribution points, she does most of Revamped’s work herself, helped by , the company’s marketer, a student in the Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Ava is also a resident advisor, entrepreneur-in-residence at the  student business incubator, a part-time Orange Innovation Scholar worker and a research fellow on the ’s Carbon Capture Team. She continues to enter competitions such as and present at the . She’s also taking 17 course credits.

The Long View

The busy student has no shortage of vision, either. Lubkemann envisions expanding the company and hopes its success lets her form a 501C3 nonprofit organization to funnel a mass accumulation of textile waste to people who really need it.

“That’s what matters to me, trying to make a positive impact in the community. I was raised on the principle, ‘Wherever you go leave it a better place than you found it,” Lubkemann says. “I think that’s the core of making Revamped what I want it to be—a community-oriented program that connects universities with their communities and advocates for the little guy and people who are in need.”

Goods can be purchased from Revamped’s Instagram page, listing, or soon-to-launch website, revampedthrift.com. Lubkemann also plans to announce future campus sales and events via those avenues.

An alumna and a student have received awards from , the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Charlotte Ebel ’25, who received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the and in women’s and gender studies and German from the , has been awarded a fellowship worth $8,500 by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She is one of 48 recipients nationwide to receive a PKP fellowship.

Ayla Ray, a junior majoring in biology in Arts and Sciences and in environment, sustainability and policy in the , was awarded a Phi Kappa Phi Pioneer Award, which recognizes outstanding undergraduates for their research and leadership.

Phi Kappa Phi has a long history at ������. A chapter was established on campus in 1916, the 16th chapter in the nation at the time. In 2014, reorganizations left the Syracuse chapter without a leader. The chapter was relaunched in the spring of 2024 by the (CFSA). Adam Crowley, scholarship advisor with CFSA, serves as chapter president.

More than 150 members were inducted into Phi Kappa Phi this spring, bringing the total to more than 350 new members in the first two years of the restarted chapter.

Charlotte Ebel

At Syracuse, Ebel was a member of the , a University Scholar, Remembrance Scholar, Newhouse Scholar and Newhouse Marshal. She was also a research assistant in Professor Nick Bowman’s Extended Reality lab and a member of Newhouse’s student-run public relations firm, Hill Communications. She was inducted into the Syracuse PKP chapter in 2024.

Ebel was also a member of the University’s Division I rowing team. As such, she trained 20 hours a week and helped the team win the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship in 2024. She was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for two years and served as vice president in 2024-25.

As a Phi Kappa Phi fellow, she will pursue a master’s degree in politics and international studies at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom beginning in September. She also plans to try out for the Cambridge University Boat Club in hopes of winning a seat in one of their crews in the historic Boat Race between Cambridge and Oxford. The race, held on the Thames River, is a major sporting event in the U.K.

At Cambridge, Ebel plans to study sportswashing—the practice of using sports to improve the reputation of a country, organization or individual—within the context of women’s sports. She plans to explore why some countries with extensive recorded histories of women’s rights abuses participate in global women’s sporting events, which are typically associated with progressive ideology and women’s liberation.

“In many cases, these countries are also trying to normalize their extremist governments and establish diplomatic relations,” Ebel says. “I hope to illuminate these connections between global politics, women’s rights and women’s sport through my research, connections that have become more prominent in recent years with the heightened popularity and visibility of women in sport.”

As for the future, Ebel has several avenues she is interested in pursuing, from working for an international sporting organization to the Peace Corps to law school. “I’m hoping that my year at Cambridge will help clarify my passions into a career that best utilizes them,” she says.

Ayla Ray

Ray, who has a minor in Earth sciences, is a member of the Renée Crown University Honors program and the recipient of the 1870 Scholarship. She was inducted into the Syracuse PKP chapter this past spring. In her first semester, she joined the fungal ecology lab of Christopher Fernandez, assistant professor of biology. In the lab, she has designed, received SOURCE () funding for and is actively running an experiment investigating the effects of warming and drought on the productivity and stability of plants and mycorrhizal fungi.

Fungal ecology is a field Ray is deeply passionate about. “I am able to investigate below ground organisms that provide a strong foundation to their ecosystems and host plants,” she says. “The ecological perspective my lab pursues allows me to connect my research with a strong variety of fields. Understanding how our forests are responding to climate change conditions on a microbial level is crucial as we work to support ecosystem resilience and pursue effective restoration efforts.”

Ray is a recipient of the H. Richard Levy Biology Research Award. As a researcher for Fernandez this summer, she has investigated the impacts of pH, soil organic matter and inoculum source on plant productivity and leaf litter decomposition.

A member of the Outing Club, Ray enjoys hiking, backpacking, caving and rock climbing. She is a volunteer for the South Campus Food Pantry and will be a peer mentor for SOURCE this year.

Following graduation, Ray plans to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology and continue research investigating the below ground impacts of climate change as they relate to host plant and forest productivity

“Receiving the PKP Pioneer Award is an honor, I am proud to be recognized by such a prestigious organization, which prides itself on its value of knowledge,” Ray says. “Beyond this recognition, this award provides meaningful support of my undergraduate research journey, allowing me to focus more fully on my academic and research goals.”

Through a research project funded by the (SOURCE), School of Education (SOE) seniors Denaysha Macklin ’25 and Emma Wareing ’25 are continuing research to investigate barriers women of color face in advancing from K-12 teachers to school leaders.

The project—called “Pipeline to Educational Leadership Positions for Women of Color,” now in its fifth year—utilizes qualitative interviews with minority women who serve or have served as district-level administrators, examining the adversities they have overcome in obtaining their positions.

Timely Research

Both Macklin and Wareing earned a SOURCE fellowship after Professor encouraged them to apply. The pair started their research over the summer of 2024 with guidance from Theoharis, who has been a SOURCE advisor since the project began.

SOURCE offers a range of programs to foster and support undergraduate participation in faculty-guided scholarly research. Since summer 2021, 12 SOE faculty have mentored undergraduates through SOURCE grants and programs. Director Kate Hanson says student participants build research skills, learn to design and revise projects, present their work and produce timely contributions to their discipline.

“They are able to connect their knowledge from their own education to innovative and cutting-edge research,” Hanson says, noting that SOE students can use their new understanding of the broader landscape in both their future classrooms and educational leadership roles.

Macklin and Wareing began their portion of the project by reviewing previous years’ transcripts before connecting with educational leaders to request and conduct interviews over the spring 2025 semester. “Using qualitative methods allows us to fill the gap of literature that highlights these shifts to leadership roles,” Theoharis says.

Each year, students have sought to speak with at least two women, conducting two-part interviews to inquire about career experiences, paths and transitions to administration, as well as any racial and gender barriers they faced. As the project continues, with future undergraduate researchers adding more first-person accounts, Theoharis says at some point all the interviews will be combined and published.

Inspirational Women

Wareing and Macklin will join Theoharis to present their findings at the American Education Research Association (AERA) conference, April 23-27 in Denver, Colorado.

“AERA is the biggest, most prestigious education research conference,” Theoharis says. “Since Emma and Denaysha are focused on school leaders, they will present in the division on administration and leadership, sharing the project with researchers, faculty and doctoral students.”

At past conferences, student research has been well received. “It’s typically not a space for undergraduates, so when attendees hear from them, they’ve been very impressed,” Theoharis says. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised several times how gender and racially affirming the space has been for our students.”

Theoharis notes that the presentations overwhelmingly attract women of color whose own experiences resonate with students’ findings, which, Theoharis says, helps the young researchers see a potential future in such spaces, affirming that they belong.

“I don’t remember having a Black woman as a teacher, let alone [in] leadership,” Macklin says, “Getting to talk to people who were in these positions and still are, it makes me able to see myself there, whereas before I couldn’t really see myself doing anything more than being a teacher.”

A goal of the project is to document the stories and experiences of women of color because, Theoharis says, too often teachers don’t reflect the diversity represented in the student body. Within school administration, he adds, there is an even more disproportionate lack of minority women.

“Part of the research is to understand their experiences,” says Theoharis, who notes students use a critical race theory framework and incorporate the idea of counter narratives, listening to the voices of marginalized processionals. Those interviewed are specifically asked about barriers they’ve faced around sexism and racism.

A surprising theme Macklin discovered in her interviews is resilience: “They are such inspirational women and have so many lessons to share. Hearing their stories and hearing how positive they still are is motivating,” Macklin says.

Intergenerational Sharing

Wareing, who is Asian, says the project also has helped her imagine herself in such roles: “I can finally see myself there—in actuality, not just in theory,” says Wareing, who, like Macklin, had little exposure to non-white teachers or administrators.

For her interviews, Wareing chose to focus on Asian women, who reported that their experiences with forms of oppression were often less explicit than what past interviewees shared. “But racism did play a factor and impacted how they carried themselves in these positions because of Asian stereotypes and expectations placed onto them,” says Wareing, whose subjects spoke about being immigrants and growing up and being educated with different cultural norms and how each impacted their leadership styles.

The students’ personal and professional realizations are a key benefit of the SOURCE fellowship, according to Theoharis. “It connects them with people in the field and helps sets their sights on potential leadership roles. The intergenerational sharing is a really nice part of this.”

In addition to introducing undergraduates to research, SOURCE pays an hourly rate for the work and funds conference travel. “It raises the profile of our students and the school,” Theoharis says. “Because our students consistently get these grants, it says the School of Education has undergraduates who are engaging in serious research. … Our School can do research at the highest level.”

The project’s original premise developed from a proposal made to Theoharis by Jenny Gines ’21, now an eighth-grade teacher. Previous student researchers included SOE alumnae Ashanti Hunter ’22, Michelle Ho ’22, Savannah Stocker ’23, Emily Peterson ’23, Amanda Feliz ’24 and Kamille Montgomery ’24.

Theoharis says SOURCE applications were submitted this winter by juniors Vera Wang ’26 and Eliani Jimenez Merino ’26, who will start their part of the research endeavor this summer.

Thinking of the time when all the “Pipeline to Educational Leadership” interviews are curated into a publication, Macklin says she hopes such a collection can widely inform about barriers to professional growth and help remove them: “I feel the project’s goal is to identify the problems. Then we can expose those problems and attack them before they become a problem for the next generation,” Macklin says.

Story by Ashley Kang ’04, G’11

In front of an audience of fellow undergraduates and History Department faculty, Maxwell School junior Jorge Morales recently shared his research findings on the 2016 Rio Olympics—specifically, the intersection of race and infrastructure in the event’s planning and legacy.

Morales’ interest in the topic was sparked by childhood memories of watching the competitions for hours on television. Referring to a well-crafted PowerPoint, he shared his argument that the marginalization of Rio’s urban poor by infrastructure projects supporting the Olympics was part of a century-long pattern by the Brazilian elite to project an image of modernity to the world.

His was one of six student presentations during the 4th Annual CHRONOS Undergraduate Research Conference. The day-long event in Bird Library was held in early April in support of the undergraduate history research publication .

In addition to student presentations, it featured a panel discussion exploring the theme, “What Does it Mean To Be a Historian?”

The conference was also a celebration. CHRONOS was revived in 2024 after a few years’ hiatus following the COVID pandemic. In addition, the publication recently marked the 20th anniversary of its founding and received a major honor: The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Research Support.

The SOURCE award, presented at the Spring Showcase Orange Talks and Award Ceremony on March 27, honored CHRONOS for building new opportunities for undergraduate research and creative activity.

“CHRONOS is a long-established student-led journal providing opportunities for students to learn about academic publishing and share their work,” writes SOURCE Director Kate Hanson in a letter informing the eight-member student editorial board of the award. “The revival of CHRONOS in 2024 with a rich new volume and engaging day-long conference event, activities which are continuing in 2025, builds a vibrant community around historical research.”

Robert Terrell, assistant professor of history, serves as CHRONOS’ faculty advisor. He says the publication and related research conference is “meaningful and important” for students for the hands-on learning experience it provides and because undergraduates are not often provided opportunities to publish their work.

“This experience is something they can look back on and remember,” says Terrell. “It’s really the fruit of their own labor.”

Though Terrell provides mentorship, the publication is entirely student-run. Students have the freedom to pursue research on the topics they care about most and build the skills to share it with others.

“In general, history students do most of their work independently, but on CHRONOS they learn the fine art of teamwork,” says Norman Kutcher, professor of history and Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence. “Together they produce a product that they can be proud of. For our faculty, and especially for our CHRONOS faculty advisors, it is exciting to watch.”

Kutcher and Samantha Herrick, associate professor of history, founded CHRONOS as a way for students to engage with faculty research. It evolved into a platform for undergraduates to publish original work, complete with a peer-review process–a hallmark of the journal publication process.

Morales attended his first CHRONOS meeting last year. He was taking a class with Albrecht Diem, professor of history, who helped revive CHRONOS after its COVID hiatus.

“I loved everything about it,” says Morales of the publication and its editorial board. “It’s a community of people who are dedicated to having tough conversations about the world because we each have very different backgrounds and very different perspectives.”

Abbey Fitzpatrick, a junior studying political science and history, serves on the editorial board and likewise appreciates the sense of community.

“There are spaces for undergraduate research, but I feel like sometimes it can be very daunting. With CHRONOS, we really try to help guide people, even if they’re not a history major,” says Fitzpatrick.

Gillian Reed, a junior studying history and psychology, emphasized how rare it is for undergraduates to have this opportunity. “Not a lot of universities have places for history students to publish their work,” she says, noting that fewer than 10 active journals exist for undergraduate history research across the country.

This year, a student traveled from SUNY Binghamton to present her research—the first non-������ student to participate in a CHRONOS conference. Isabelle Aiken’s talk, “A Movement Divided: How the 1977 IWY Conference Exposed Intra-Movement Conflict and Fueled STOP ERA,” dealt with the fragmentation of the women’s movement in the U.S.

Other topics at the conference included Ronald Reagan’s ties to the FBI during the Iran-Contra Affair, legal responses to the opioid crisis in Onondaga County, New York, and an exploration of how children’s entertainment served as propaganda in Nazi Germany.

The panel discussion was moderated by Morales and included Fitzpatrick and fellow undergraduate Sara Park along with Terrell, Associate Dean Gladys McCormick and graduate student Cameron Kline. Their focus on the diverse roles of historians built on concepts raised by last year’s theme, “History Under Attack,” and aimed to reflect on the responsibilities of studying history today.

“The idea was to try to continue that conversation about the stakes of doing historical work, especially at a moment when there’s so many claims to different kinds of histories,” says Terrell.

Volume 16 of CHRONOS will be printed this fall.

“It’s a legitimate publication, complete with DOI and ISSN numbers,” says Terrell. “It’s something that will last and continue to have impact beyond the moment of its publication, and it testifies to the strength of the history program and history students at Syracuse.”

Story by Mikayla Melo

������ Libraries is accepting spring applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the  grant now through Friday, March 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. Interested applicants can access the  online or e-mail OrangeInnovation@syr.edu to request an application package.

Grants up to $5,000 per award will be made, with a total of up to $50,000 per academic year based on the merit of applications. The Orange Innovation Fund supports student research initiatives emerging from campus innovation programs. The grant ‘concept to commercialization’ fund is designed to help move student research or scholarly projects from ideation to proof of concept to commercialization. Initial funding from the program came from a gift to the Libraries from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill ’98, a member of the University Board of Trustees.

The program is administered through ������ Libraries, in collaboration with the University’s research and commercialization programs such as the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), the Blackstone LaunchPad, Couri Hatchery, Invent@SU, NEXIS, the Innovation Law Center, the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program at Syracuse, Intelligence ++, Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental Energy Systems, the Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering at ������ (NYSTAR designated Center for Advanced Technology), the Startup Garage at the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship, and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Applicants can also come directly through research classes, labs or independent study programs across the University.

Student applicants must identify specific tangible needs related to the product, service or technology they are developing. Grants will support defined projects over a clear period with identified outcomes that will help move a research project or innovative venture toward proof of concept toward commercialization.

Linda Dickerson Hartsock, advisor, Strategic Initiatives, is available to help coach applicants through the process and can be scheduled for sessions on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons by emailing ldhart01@syr.edu.

An interdisciplinary team of research faculty and alumni experts will review applications. Following the review process, announcements and award letters will be made in mid-April.

Seven students teams were the Fall 2024 winners of Orange Innovation Fund awards. Nine student teams were the