Thirty-four students from four states arrived at Stony Brook University this summer as the newest members of the Simons STEM Scholars Program. On August 8, they celebrated the completion of the Summer Bridge Program and the beginning of their journey at Stony Brook.
Known as S4, the fourth cohort marks a milestone for the Simons STEM Scholars Program. With their arrival, the program now has its first complete four-class community of scholars, from first-year students through seniors.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the S4s to Stony Brook University and to our Scholars family,” said Erwin Cabrera, executive director of the Simons STEM Scholars Program. “These exceptional students have come to us from across the United States, and they have worked incredibly hard throughout the summer. With their arrival, we have completed the first generation of Scholars, bringing together a full four-class cohort: from first-year students through seniors. It is a wonderful milestone for our program.”
The S4 cohort includes two high school valedictorians, a former JROTC commander and a student who has already spent two years working in a clinical lab on Stony Brook’s campus. There is also a unique family connection among the Scholars this year: a senior from the original S1 cohort and a first-year S4 scholar are siblings.
The Simons STEM Scholars Program was launched in 2022 with a $56.6 million commitment from the Simons Foundation. The program provides full scholarships, housing, research opportunities, internship stipends, advising and mentoring to students in STEM fields, creating a support system that begins before their first semester at Stony Brook.
That introduction began with the Summer Bridge Program, which brought the students together on campus before the start of the academic year. The Scholars completed PSY 103, a mathematics course and a workshop in physics, chemistry or computer science corresponding to their area of study. They also attended weekly research lectures by Stony Brook faculty and participated in a research mixer with faculty and graduate students, giving them an opportunity to explore potential research directions.
The program also took the Scholars outside of the classroom to see research being conducted both on- and off-campus. On campus, they visited the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), Life Sciences facilities, Stony Brook Medicine and its MD/PhD program. Off campus, visits included the Simons Foundation and Flatiron Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and the American Museum of Natural History.
They made time for fun, as well. The Scholars visited Dave & Buster’s and Six Flags, held a talent show and took part in the Simons Summer Games before the August 8 closing ceremony.
Cabrera noted one characteristic of the new cohort that became apparent throughout the summer: curiosity. “What I love most about this class is their inquisitive nature,” he said. “Whether they are in the classroom or attending a research talk, the S4s ask thoughtful, dynamic questions.”
“They have shown an impressive ability to engage deeply with complex scientific ideas, absorb challenging material, and then push the conversation further with insightful questions,” Cabrera said. “Combined with their strong sense of self, that curiosity will serve them exceptionally well as they grow into the next generation of researchers.”
The newest Scholars also arrived with an awareness that they are joining a community shaped by the three cohorts that came before them. Their Summer Bridge T-shirts carried the words, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” a famous quotation attributed to Isaac Newton.
“The S4s are accomplished, driven, and deeply curious, and they have already begun to make their own mark on our program’s history,” said Cabrera. “They understand the legacy of the Scholars who came before them, while also recognizing that they have a legacy of their own to build.”
That idea of building on what came before while creating a foundation for those who follow is the basis of the cohort’s vision statement. “As the fourth cohort of the Simons STEM Scholars Program, we will honor the precedent set before us by uniting as one and pave the way for future scholars,” the students wrote.
Their vision emphasizes academic excellence through collaboration, leadership and mutual trust. It also recognizes the different skills and identities within the cohort and commits its members to supporting one another as they find their voices in STEM.
“We will advocate for and empower each other to use our voices to diversify the future of STEM research,” they wrote. “We will build upon this foundation of Summer Bridge and apply it not only to our time here at Stony Brook University, but serve as a pillar for the future cohorts to come.”
S4 begins its first year with three cohorts ahead of it, including the original S1 Scholars who are now seniors. “The S4s have embraced that spirit throughout the summer, not only building on the foundation created by the S1s, S2s, and S3s, but also thinking about how their contributions will pave the way for the Scholars who come after them,” Cabrera said.
The 34 newest Scholars now have the opportunity to start building that legacy. “I am so excited to see what the S4s accomplish over the next few years at Stony Brook and to watch the ideas, energy, and perspective they bring to our Scholars program and to the university,” Cabrera said. “They are already an important part of our community, and I have no doubt that their impact will extend well beyond their time here.”
— Beth Squire
Add comment