This summer, four Texas ChE students participated in the department’s first-ever Summer Research Experience (SRE), an eight-week opportunity for students without previous research experience to rotate between specific department labs. The end goal: gain experience in the labs before their Ph.D. journey, and in some instances sus out which lab (and team) they might eventually join. The added bonus: experience Austin ahead of moving here.
The students went through two lab rotations each between the Milliron Research, Kumar Research, Rosales Research, and Truskett Research groups and the Lynd Laboratory and Belardi Lab. They expressed their thoughts about it before summer began, and now, as the new school year is underway, they share their results:
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AAYUSH BENDRE Hometown: Pune, India Undergrad: Vishwakarma Institute of Technology Master's: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
EXPECTATION: "Looking forward to gain research experience that can help me decide on my research topic for my Ph.D. program."
REALITY: “These rotations helped me get an inside look at the labs and learn how research is conducted. It also gave a peek into each group's culture.” |
COLLIN FARRELL Hometown: Nashville, TN Undergrad: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
EXPECTATION: "I am really most excited to get a chance to work in two of my top choice labs before classes start and get first-hand experience of their research and culture."
REALITY: “Meeting everyone, students and professors, and getting to spend enough time with them to really get an idea of what working with them would be like.” |
| PAOLA VIOLET MENDEZ GONZALEZ
Hometown: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Undergrad: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
EXPECTATION: "This summer I look forward to getting to know the city of Austin, my cohort, and the ChE labs at UT. Hook em!!"
REALITY: “I experienced firsthand how the group fosters collaboration, enhancing motivation, engagement, and innovation within the group. This experience highlighted UTs long-standing history in interdisciplinary research.” |
DANIEL RASER Hometown: Mountain Lakes, NJ Undergrad: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
EXPECTATION: "I want to use this opportunity to expose myself to research at UT and potential advisors. I am excited to do this before classes start so I can immerse myself fully in research."
REALITY: “I know what is expected of me if I choose to join either group and the mentality that each lab is looking for.” |
During their rotations some students experienced nanomaterials chemistry first-hand in the Milliron Research Group, focused on materials design in the Lynd Laboratory and tackled better diagnosing and treating disease in The Belardi Lab, among other interdisciplinary pursuits.
Professor Kent Zheng, whose lab looks at understanding electrochemical synthesis for crystalline materials for energy and sustainability, said, “The summer lab rotation experience went above and beyond my expectation. I was surprised by the strong motivation of the graduate students and by how much work was accomplished in a short period of time. I believe the SRE program will benefit both new students and faculty groups in that it potentially lays the foundation for a strong start of a Ph.D. program.”
“It was excellent, we had meaningful interactions with our student and they were enthusiastic and engaged,” offered Professor Manish Kumar, “This also helped us get to know them well and think about the projects we are offering in the fall.”
The SRE program will continue. More details will be provided to the Fall 2025 Cohort in the spring of 2025.
