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Eight Russell Sage College students pursued research related to their Biology, Psychology and Nursing degrees during Sage’s 2022 CSTEP summer research program.
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 in science majors or professional programs.
During the eight-week, paid summer research program, students work closely with a faculty member or other mentor from the sciences, health sciences or other professional discipline.
On July 8, the students presented their work and fielded questions about their methods and potential future research directions at Sage’s sixth annual CSTEP Summer Research Symposium, held on the Troy campus.
“I am proud of what the 2022 summer research class achieved, and what they will continue to do to represent Russell Sage College,” said CSTEP Director Felicia Collins.
She said that students frequently continue their CSTEP-supported research during the academic year, and have presented at the Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference and CSTEP Statewide Student Conference as well as at Sage’s Undergraduate Research Day.
The following students and mentors collaborated on CSTEP-supported summer research in 2022:
Nursing major Rachael S. Odame ’24 presented “Understanding how Psychological Disorders Manifest in Females Who Have Undergone Female Genital Mutilation: A Literature Review”
Mentors: Robert Martiniano, DrPH, MPA and Anh Le, Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center
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Nursing majors Cherifa Chekaraou ‘24 and Ana Lilia Hernandez-Merino ‘23 presented “Centennial Oral History Project: Russell Sage College Nursing Alumni.
Mentors: Nursing Chairperson Glenda Kelman, Ph.D., and Trudy Hutchinson, DNS, Assistant Professor of Nursing
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Nursing major Samantha Santos ’23 presented “Postpartum Depression Risk Factors and Racial Disparities Within Postpartum Depression:.
Mentors: Robert Martiniano, DrPH, MPA and Anh Le, Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center
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Nursing major Farkhondeh Tajik ’23 presented “What are the Maternal Factors Associated with Autism?”
Mentors: Robert Martiniano, DrPH, MPA and Anh Le, Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center
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Biology majors and pre-med students Mena Abdelmeged and Danielle Williams presented “The Effect of Skin Pigmentation on Pulse Oximeter Readings”
Mentor: Mary Rea, Ph.D., Professor of Biology and Pre-Med Advisor
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Psychology major Tabarek Alhelli presented “What Challenges Do Refugee and Immigrant Students Face While Pursuing Higher Education, Especially in STEM Fields?”
Mentor: Ali Schaeffing, Ph.D., Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement and Assistant Professor of Geography