Biological Sciences
Amira Lee
2026 Awardee
AMIRA LEE
Major & Year
Genetics and Minor in Arabic, Class of 2026
DLS Student Support Award:
$350
Conference Attended:
67th Annual Drosophila Research Conference
March 4- 8, 2026
Chicago, Illinois
How did your conference experience add to your academic journey at Rutgers?
Attending the 67th Annual Drosophila Research Conference in Chicago this spring was a valuable experience for my development as a researcher. Throughout the conference, I attended talks and poster presentations, which helped me better understand what makes an engaging and effective scientific presentation. Seeing how experts in the field communicate complex ideas will be especially helpful as I prepare for my own senior thesis defense. I also learned about new research topics and I was surprised by how widely Drosophila are used to study diverse pathways and systems across the body. It broadened my perspective on the versatility of this model organism and the range of questions that can be addressed using it. A highlight of the conference was having the opportunity to present a poster on my thesis project. During my poster presentation, several attendees asked thoughtful questions about my project that I hadn't considered before, which has helped me develop the next steps of my project. Overall, the conference strengthened my scientific communication skills and understanding of Drosophila research.
Souhail Hajjam
2026 Awardee
SOUHAIL HAJJAM
Major & Year
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Major, Class of 2026
DLS Student Support Award:
$350
Conference Attended:
2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
March 7- 10, 2026
National Harbor, Metro DC Area
How did your conference experience add to your academic journey at Rutgers?
This year’s ASBMB annual conference was a really good experience for me as an undergraduate student who plans on pursuing molecular biology research in the future. I learned a lot by attending the mini symposia held by various PIs as well as speaking to a lot of graduate students about their own projects and how I could possibly use their information to further advance my own research. I also surprisingly really enjoyed making and presenting my own poster in the undergraduate poster competition. The judges were very nice and I felt very accomplished when explaining my poster to them and having them ask me questions about my work. The exhibition booths that were there were also very fun. I got a lot of cool things from various companies and I also managed to find some jobs that I am interested in applying to. Overall, even though this was my first ever conference, I enjoyed my time greatly and I would recommend it to any other molecular biology student.
Andrew Privalov
2026 Awardee
ANDREW PRIVALOV
Major & Year
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Major, Class of 2026
DLS Student Support Award:
$350
Conference Attended:
2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
March 7- 10, 2026
National Harbor, Metro DC Area
How did your conference experience add to your academic journey at Rutgers?
At the conference, I had the chance to meet a lot of researchers from research areas I had never known about. I was able to apply a lot of knowledge that I had learned from my classes to understanding some of their research, but a lot of information was also new to me. In particular, the presentations focusing on biophysical research caught my interest because I knew little about the field, and the exposure to this research made me develop an interest for it. As I continue through my academic career, I plan on enrolling in a PhD program so that I can immerse myself in biophysics more. Being able to attend the conference as a result of working in the Carman Lab at Rutgers has helped me decide on the academic path I plan on pursuing in graduate school. I am thankful for Dr. George Carman and Rutgers for granting me the opportunity to explore so many interesting fields of research at the annual ASBMB conference.
Kam Shan Hu
2024 Awardee
KAM SHAN HU
Major & Year
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Class of 2024
DLS Student Support Award:
$350
Conference Attended:
Discover BMB - American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Conference
March 23-26, 2024
San Antonio, Texas
How did your conference experience add to your academic journey at Rutgers?
I am deeply grateful to the Division of Life Sciences for granting me the Division of Life Sciences Student Support Award, which enabled me to showcase my research at the annual American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology conference this spring. Attending the ASBMB Annual Meeting proved to be an enriching experience, affording me the chance to learn from esteemed speakers and gain valuable networking opportunities. Participating in the Undergraduate Poster Competition allowed me to present my findings to a diverse audience of professors, scientists, and fellow students, and I was pleased to receive an honorable mention in my competition group. Furthermore, the conference's lineup of talks by leading experts and interactive workshops tailored for undergraduates and graduate students provided invaluable guidance, particularly on matters such as graduate school admissions. This experience is one of the pivotal and exciting experiences in my undergraduate career.
Diya Surray
2025 Awardee
DIYA SURRAY
Major & Year
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry and Minor in Psychology, Class of 2025
DLS Student Support Award:
$350
Conference Attended:
Genetics Society of America Drosophila Conference
March 19-23, 2025
San Diego, CA
How did your conference experience add to your academic journey at Rutgers?
I had an incredible time attending GSA's Drosophila conference. Firstly, I was able to listen to many different talks, many of which touched upon my research in new and unique ways, which opened up new possibilities for my work. Secondly, presenting my work was very helpful since it bolstered my presentation skills, and I received a lot of valuable feedback on my presentation. Finally, I was able to talk to other scientists in the field, and have generated potential collaboration projects. Thank you!
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