Rice Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry

And with that, my 10-week research experience has come to an end! I'm incredibly grateful to have spent this summer at Rice University as part of the Rice Center for STEM Engagement (R-STEM) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Over the past two months, I've had the opportunity to conduct research under PI Dr. Matteo Pasquali, where I've been investigating the rheological behavior of carbon nanotube solutions for wet-spun carbon nanotube fibers. I was then able to present my findings on a poster at the Rice Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry Summer Symposium and Smalley-Curl Institute at Rice University Research Colloquium. This summer has reinforced why I chose to pursue Chemical Engineering and gave me a glimpse of materials science research. It has been exciting to contribute to the advancement of next-generation materials such as carbon nanotubes. A huge thank you to Dr. Pasquali, my research mentor Tomasz Mazur , and everyone else contributing to the Pasquali Research Group for making this REU such a rewarding experience. A special thanks to Dr. Mirna Mendoza Wilson and Dr. Faiza Zafar for pulling the strings to make this REU possible for students like me. I'm excited to continue building on this experience as I begin the next chapter of my engineering journey. #ChemicalEngineering #MaterialsScience #Nanotechnology #CarbonNanotubes #Research #REU #RiceUniversity #Engineering #RSTEM

Whoever thinks higher education goes quiet in the summer clearly hasn't spent June and July at Rice University. ☀️ Summer is when some of our most intentional, high-impact work takes place. It’s a vital window for targeted interventions that ensure every single student, regardless of background, has the financial support, mentorship, and structured pathways to engage in high-impact learning. This week, we wrapped up two Rice University summer programs that showcase exactly what equitable access looks like in action: 🔹 Rice Emerging Scholars Program (RESP): Watching our incoming scholars master college-level rigor, build academic confidence, and cultivate a tight-knit community before their first official day of classes is inspiring. Transition programs like RESP ensure that students from under-resourced high schools enter college with a strong STEM foundation and a built-in network. 🔹 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF): Our SURF students concluded 10 weeks of faculty-mentored research. By providing funded fellowships, the Rice Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry makes full-time summer research accessible to students who might otherwise need to prioritize paid employment outside their field, ensuring all students can reap the rewards of original discovery. Transformative educational experiences don't happen by accident. They are the result of deliberate strategy, generous support, and relentless dedication from our faculty mentors, staff, RESP Fellows, OURI graduate advisors, and campus partners. To our RESP scholars and SURF students: Congratulations on an extraordinary summer. You've set the bar high for the upcoming academic year, and I can't wait to see where your curiosity takes you next! #HigherEd #RiceUniversity #EquitableAccess #StudentSuccess #UndergraduateResearch #RESP #SURF #ExperientialLearning