Over 54 interns (30 HIRES, 5 summer bridge, and 19 NSF REU/IUSE) got the opportunity to participate in the CUNY CREST High School Initiative in Remote Sensing of the Earth Systems Engineering and Sciences (HIRES), Summer Bridge, and National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate & Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (NSF REU & IUSE) programs. Our motivated interns immersed themselves in advanced Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) research, interactive workshops & seminars, educational technical courses in geographic information systems, remote sensing, python, and mathematica, and exciting field trips. After preparing for seven weeks, which included training in research as well as developing interpersonal and professional skills, the interns presented their research posters at the 2nd Annual Celebrating Research Excellence Symposium at City Tech, CUNY on August 8, 2024 and the NYCSRM Consortium’s Student Research Symposium at AmNH, NY on August 15, 2024. They confidently shared their research with a diverse group of students, STEM and non-STEM professionals, faculty and others attendees. Watch the video that encapsulates the 2024 summer programs.
CUNY HIRES & Summer Bridge Director, Dr. Shakila Merchant’s Note
In its 10th year, CUNY CREST HIRES and Summer Outreach was successfully launched on June 27, 2024 and ended on August 15, 2024. The mission of the CREST outreach has always been since the inception, to build robust and inclusive pathways for secondary and post secondary students traditionally underserved in the STEM field. With a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the program brings science, social science, technology, research and professional development through structured and holistic training opportunities. Each year, students learn, engage and end the program with a strong sense of belonging, and create their own STEM identity that helps them bridge through their next phase of professional careers – be it applying to college, transferring to senior colleges or preparing for graduate school or workforce.
What was New?
This year, the HIRES program launched a new course as part of its curriculum; Environmental Engineering: Principles, Data, and Analysis (ENGR 30200), partnered with the Columbia Climate School to host a two-day workshop on emerging risks from concurrent, compounding and record-breaking extreme heat across sectors, and increased the recruitment through additional funding that was awarded by American Nuclear Society for the research project titled Asset-Based Collaboration for Effective Engagement of Nuclear Wastes in Consent-Based Siting.
The workshop was led by Deepti Singh (Washington State University), Veeshan Narinesingh (NOAA GFDL and CREST/NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST Alumnus), Valentina Castaneda Amaya (Purdue University), Sanketa Sunil Kadam (Columbia University), and Tyler Janoski ( NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST II). It included an early career scientist panel where Carlos Ordaz (NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST II), Richard Rivera (CUNY CREST & CESSRST II), Yianna Bekris (Columbia University), Valentina Castaneda Amaya, Veeshan Narinesingh served as panelists and shared their journey and learnings along the way!
Interns learnt about heat waves and ways to find as well as understand weather forecasts. They also explored how to use satellites to map urban heat islands through GIS and gauge how heatwaves are projected to change through python. The two day workshop ended with networking over ice-cream!
