Eight undergraduate scholars from disciplines across Simmons have been selected to join the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at Simmons (SURPASs). From May 19 to June 27, 2025, students will receive the necessary funding and mentorship to execute an independent research project of their own design. The six-week program includes multiple workshops and research presentations and culminates in a student showcase in June.
SURPASs is sponsored by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, in collaboration with Associate Professor Arpita Saha, from the Department of Chemistry and Physics.
SURPASs is made possible by generous gifts from many alumnae/i and friends, including Trustee Regina Pisa and Trustee Pamela Toulopoulos ’73, as well as support from the Division of Student Engagement, Success, and Diversity.
The 2025 SURPASs Scholars
Lily Bryant ’26 (Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies), Project: Female or Woman, Male or Man: The Impact of Gendered Language. Mentor: Associate Professor Megan McCarty (Psychology)
Kadyn Donovan ’27 (Nursing) Project: Identifying Gaps in Pharmacological Nursing Education on Interactions Between Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Metabolism of SSRIs. Mentor: Assistant Professor Katherine Ladetto (Nursing)
Malak Issa ’26 (Neuroscience and Behavior) Project: Effects of Alpha-linolenic acid on Scratch Wound Healing of Skeletal Muscle Cells. Mentor: Assistant Professor Ling Xin (Biology)
Asha Kulp ’26 (Computer Science, Spanish) Project: Evaluating AI Translations of Medical Data from English to Spanish. Mentor: Professor and Director of the Data Science Program Nanette Veilleux
Mia Mahoney ’26 (Biochemistry) Project: Investigation of TACCs Role in Localized Translation at Post-Synapse of the Neuromuscular Junction in Fruit Flies. Mentor: Assistant Professor Seth Johnson (Biology)
Abby Rish ’27 (Neuroscience and Behavior) Project: Impact of Neonatal Microglia Depletion on Morphological Changes in the Brain Following Early Life Adversity. Mentor: Assistant Professor Kelsea Gildawie (Psychology)
Madd Witaconis ’26 (3+1 Political Science & Public Policy) Project: Writing on the Wall: The Linguistic and Social Dimensions of Boston Graffiti. Mentor: Associate Professor Abel Djassi Amado (Politics and Policy)
Terry Wu ’27 (Biology) Project: Early Developmental Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Xenopus Laevis. Mentor: Assistant Professor, and Elizabeth Backofen Endowed Professor John Young