Honors and WISE Seniors Share Research at Honors Symposium

More than 140 graduating seniors from Stony Brook University’s Honors College and WISE Honors Program presented their faculty-mentored senior projects and theses at the 2025 University Honors Senior Symposium on April 29.

Held in the Student Union Ballroom, the event highlighted the breadth and depth of undergraduate research and creative work from students representing 55 academic departments across campus.

“It’s a pleasure to be gathering with you all to recognize and celebrate the exceptional research and creative work of our graduating Honors College and WISE Honors seniors,” said Catherine Sherman, assistant dean for University Honors Programs. “These posters represent more than just the completion of research and creative projects, but serve as testaments to our Honor students’ intellect, curiosity, perseverance, and hard work.”

This year’s cohort was supported by 95 faculty mentors and explored topics ranging from marine animal rehabilitation and pulmonary disease research to machine learning in chemical physics. The symposium provided a forum not only for students to share their findings and to reflect on the academic journeys that brought them to this point.

Molly Rubin, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in marine sciences, alongside her research partners, Polina Bragina and Anna Koulakova, presented their project focused on designing a customized weighted vest for Chestnut, a disabled green sea turtle suffering from positive buoyancy disorder. “This project has given me experience working with and designing for marine animals, which is another application of engineering within marine sciences,” she said. “Being in an honors program increased my network … and I also found some of my closest friends through the mentorship groups during my freshman year.”

Biochemistry major Gabriella Vaccaro developed a bioinformatic pipeline to analyze RNA sequencing data related to pulmonary cryptococcosis, with a goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets for immunosuppressed patients. “The Honors College played a pivotal role in launching my undergraduate research career,” she said. “It set in motion a butterfly effect of opportunities that have completely shaped my academic and professional paths.” Vaccaro will attend Carnegie Mellon University to pursue a PhD in biological sciences.

Daniel Julian, a double major in physics and applied mathematics and statistics, shared his work on neural network models for predicting reaction probabilities in thermolecular chemical processes. “Each course I took in the Honors College was impactful,” said Julian, who plans to continue his research as a PhD student at Stony Brook. “The research I have conducted so far has greatly influenced my choice to continue my education.”