2023 CUNY CREST HIRES Alumnus, Sumama Haque began his B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the Cornell College of Engineering this Fall. Sumama received acceptance from Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, and Cornell University. He chose Cornell College of Engineering as it resonated the most with him. Sumama’s goal at the institution is to receive knowledge and education in Chemical Engineering that will enable him to pursue further studies in the subject. He is excited about meeting his amazing professors, participating in research, and learning through project teams.
During his HIRES internship, Sumama conducted research on Biogenetics and Bioinformatics with team members; Amanda Chen, Angelina Ashie, Adib Ummy and CCNY mentor, Mykel Barrett. On August 10, 2023, the team presented its poster at the Summer Research Symposium in New York City College of Technology.
Sumama’s HIRES mentor, Mykel, is appreciative of his dedication and go-getter attitude. He is excited to see what Sumama will use his gifts to do in the future.
Sumama with his research team at the symposium in CityTech, CUNY
Sumama is passionate about Chemical Engineering. Commenting on what inspired his interest in the subject, he said, “At the age of seven, I boarded my first flight to Bangladesh, a nation grappling with unique, unmet needs that can be solved using the power of chemistry. Problems ranging from the arsenic concentration in water, to genetic disorders like thalassemia, alongside an overdependence on non-biodegradable plastics, led me to realize the transformative impact that chemical and biomolecular engineering could make.”
Sumama also faced challenges in his journey of preparing for college applications that he overcame with determination, faith, hard work, and support from his parents. Sumama is grateful to the CUNY CREST HIRES program for giving him an opportunity to conduct advanced research in STEM and develop as well hone his skill set. He said, “The program introduced me to the wonderful world of research, so much so that I see it as a legitimate career path instead of the parallel corporate world. It helped me realize that in academia there are still a lot of discoveries to be made, especially in the field of biotechnology and medicine, covered in fields such as Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering.”
Sumama conducting research at CCNY lab
Sumama advises future HIRES students to make the most out of this opportunity to learn. He said, “Build a relationship with your mentor and tie your learnings back with your longer life term goals. I was able to interconnect my research during HIRES with my interest in STEM. Also, apply to as many colleges as you can because you never know what school you might get accepted to!”
Sumama has proven that with dedication, right mentorship, support, and hard work, all goals are achievable. CUNY HIRES celebrates his achievements and wishes him the best- way to go!
