STEM Event Underscores Importance of Co-Curricular Activities

By Dr. Patricia A. Rasmussen, Citrus College Governing Board Member

Some college students use their summer breaks to relax and recuperate. Glendora resident and Citrus College student Ibrahim Abboud, however, chose to spend his summer conducting research in an organic chemistry lab at California State Polytechnic Institute, Pomona. An aspiring doctor, the Citrus College biology major recently discussed his impressive work at the college's 2019 STEM Research Symposium.

I had the opportunity to learn more about Mr. Abboud's research, as well as the research of several other Citrus College students, when I attended the symposium earlier this fall. The annual event featured scientific posters highlighting the work of 29 participants in the Summer Research Experience (SRE), an innovative program that provides students with the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research at one of seven internationally respected institutions.

Every year, a select group of students receive firsthand experience in scientific investigations by participating in the SRE. As part of the program, they are placed at a research site, paired with a mentor and tasked with working full time for an average of eight weeks. SRE involvement includes, among other things, conducting lab research and field work, identifying and reading scientific articles, and public speaking.

This year's cohort conducted research at one of seven sites: Chapman University; City of Hope; California State University, Fullerton; Cal Poly Pomona; Keck Science Department; Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens; and Oak Crest Institute of Science. Projects included researching cosmetics and cancer risk; the relationship between weather and fire ignition; and the design of biodegradable polymer for packaging applications.

Also on display at the STEM Research Symposium was the work of 20 Citrus College students who participated in this year's Bridge to the Geosciences project. This unique opportunity exposes participants to the wide range of career possibilities the geosciences afford. Over the course of a year, students conduct research in the different subfields of the geosciences alongside scientists at the Oak Crest Institute of Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

As Glendora's representative on the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, I am incredibly proud that Citrus College provides students with innovative co-curricular activities like the SRE and Bridge to the Geosciences. Participants receive hands-on training, develop marketable skills and establish professional connections that will be valuable as they pursue their careers. These experiences also help students decide if a specific field is a good fit for them, allowing them to focus their goals.

Such is the case with Mr. Abboud. After conducting chemistry research at Cal Poly Pomona, he is thinking about changing his major from biology to biochemistry. Now in his final year at Citrus College, Mr. Abboud says his ultimate goal is to one day save lives.

"I would like to thank Citrus College for all of the opportunities they offer," he said. "My involvement in the Summer Research Experience will give me a huge advantage in the future as I pursue my dreams. This college is a powerful place that is producing a generation of successful citizens."

I would have to agree.