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Students Mercy Akande, Raziya Coleman, Nassira Cisse, Abdullah Sanaullah, and Mary Minala (pictured, left to right) presented their summer research at the ninth annual CSTEP Summer Research Symposium, held on the Troy campus on July 3.
Five Russell Sage College students pursued research related to their nutrition and nursing degrees during Sage’s eight-week CSTEP summer research program and research methods class.
CSTEP — an acronym for Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program — is a grant-funded program sponsored by the New York State Department of Education.
It provides mentoring and academic support, paid internship and research experiences, prep for standardized exams like the Medical College Admission Test or the NCLEX nursing licensing exam, and more to underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students. Participating students are pursuing professional licensure or careers in mathematics, science, technology and health-related fields.
On July 3, the following students presented their work and fielded questions about their methods and potential future research directions at Sage’s annual CSTEP Summer Research Symposium, held on the college’s Troy campus:
— Nutrition major Abdullah Sanaullah presented “Assessing Nutrition Knowledge and Self-Efficacy in Future Healthcare Professionals.” His research analyzed surveys from a small group of second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students to evaluate their general nutrition knowledge and how likely they are to apply that knowledge in future consultations.
Faculty mentor: Mary Rea, Ph.D., professor of biology
— Nursing major Nassira Cisse presented “Building Trust, Improving Care: The Role of Cultural Brokers and Understanding in Refugee Healthcare Access.” Her research investigated barriers that refugees face when trying to access healthcare and how “cultural brokers,” who can explain and contextualize the US healthcare system, help new immigrants access more effective and holistic care.
Faculty mentor: Ali Schaeffing, Ph.D., assistant professor of geography and director of service learning and community engagement
— Nursing majors Mary Minala and Mercy Akande presented “Revising CHM 103: Engaging Health Majors Through Relevant Labs.” The research team presented their ongoing work to review current lab offerings and propose new labs that will integrate the health-related applications of chemistry.
Faculty mentor: Tom Gray, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry
— Nursing major Raziya Coleman presented “Enhancing STEM Engagement: Evaluating the Impact of Peer Mentor Programs for Young Girls.” Her research assesses the effectiveness of the STEM education programs created by Techbridge Girls.
Faculty mentor: Emilly Obuya, Ph.D., professor of chemistry