Baruch College Students Stand Out at 2025 CUNY Research Symposium

July 24, 2025

Seven Baruch College students brought their research skills and project findings to the CUNY Research Scholars Program/CUNY Immersive Research Experience (CRSP/CIRE) 2025 Symposium, held on July 8 at LaGuardia Community College.

Launched in 2024, CIRE aims to engage juniors and seniors across CUNY senior colleges in enriching faculty-mentored research opportunities— across the STEM disciplines—including the social and behavioral sciences—to help students persist in these fields and prepare for graduate programs and professional careers.

This year, the Baruch students—six from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences and one from the Zicklin School of Business—were among the CIRE Scholars who each conducted 400 hours of research, attended specialized trainings and workshops, and received a $6,000 stipend to support their projects. Their year-long work was presented through posters and oral presentations to faculty, peers, and the wider academic community at the symposium, organized by the CUNY Office of Research.

Baruch’s CIRE Scholars and Their Projects:

• Liam Cooper (’25), “Investigating Potential Sugar-Related Uncertainties in a Proxy for Ancient CO2” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mindy Engle-Friedman, Psychology Department)
  • Note: Liam, Baruch’s Class of 2025 Valedictorian, was unable to attend as he is currently studying in Prague.
• Madelyne Dayan (’25), “Investigating the Role of Elongin B in Drosophila melanogaster Embryonic Somatic Muscle Development” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Krista Dobi, Natural Sciences Department)

• Alvi Khan (’26), “Nerve Gene Rearrangements May Shape Cranial Appendage Growth and Induce Brain Cancer Development in Mammals” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zachary Calamari, Natural Sciences Department)

• Jennifer Lai (’25), “Differences in Climate Concerns and Childbearing Decisions Among Emerging Adults” (Faculty Mentors: Dr. Mindy Engle-Friedman and Dr. Patrycja Sleboda-Sobolev, Psychology Department)

• Clamont Mack (’25), “Shifting Alliances: Are Black People Increasingly Identifying as Republican?” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Jones, Political Science Department
• Kaylen Su (’25), “Exploring Plastic Degradation through Computational Chemistry” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Baofu Qiao, Natural Sciences Department)
• Rachel (Zheyi) Xie (BBA ’26), “Investigating Potential “Hot Spots” for Litter Accumulation in New York City’s Constructed Living Shorelines” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Chester Zarnoch, Natural Sciences Department)

Watch: CUNY-TV’s Sustainability Matters features Baruch students Jennifer Lai and Liam Cooper who spoke as they reflect on their CIRE experience and what sparked their research interests.

Exceptional Year for Student Research

The CIRE Symposium is one of many platforms where Baruch students have been able to showcase their academic work.

Throughout the 2024–25 academic year, undergraduates embraced opportunities during their coursework to pursue research projects and collaborate with faculty. In May, more than 250 students participated in Baruch’s annual Research and Creative Inquiry Expo, presenting 155 original projects across disciplines including science, arts, finance, climate issues, and international affairs.

Later that month, a record 24 Baruch students were selected to present at CUNY’s Undergraduate Research Celebration Day on May 23, marking another milestone in Baruch’s expanding undergraduate research culture.

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