Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | August 15, 2022 11 UCONN Research | A Strong Partner in Connecticut's Future | research.uconn.edu THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS AND PROBLEM SOLVERS UConn Summer Programs Prep Students for New Challenges The students in the UConn TIP Innovation Fellowship and Health Research programs are ready to take on a new generation of challenges. The competitive summer programs offer students research and innovation opportunities alongside world-class faculty at UConn Health and expert entrepreneurs in the state's largest startup incubator program. "We're really excited to bring together these two different groups, because really developing research, life science, STEM, health careers, moving technology forward is the face of the 21st century," said Caroline Dealy, founder and director of the TIP Innovation Fellowship program. The Technology Incubation Program (TIP) invites its startups to host students as fellows. This year, the program had its largest cohort ever, participating with companies at UConn's three incubators in Storrs, Farmington, and Stamford. UConn's TIP companies span a multitude of areas, from medicine to digital technology to gadgetry and devices. The students' experiences represented the full gamut as well. Kashish Manchanda '23 (BUS), a business analytics and finance major from UConn Hartford, was a fellow at Storrs-based Aqualumos, working to make water safer by eliminating toxic, manmade chemicals called PFAS. In the social sciences, Claire Lee '24, a double major in ecology and evolutionary biology and political science, spent her summer with Social Labs at TIP Digital in Stamford. Her work – along with her peers Siddarth Pai '22 (BUS) and Nashwe Siddique '22 (BUS) – was dedicated to citizen journalism and providing a reliable platform for honest news. In Siddeque's case, the fellowship led to a career opportunity. After graduating with a degree in management information systems, she is staying on with Social Labs to help develop the platform. The Health Research program offers a pathway into undergraduate research for students with interests in health and biomedical sciences. "As a research university, it is it is absolutely UConn's mission to involve our students in research, creativity, innovation, and discovery from the moment they arrive," said Caroline McGuire, the director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and executive director of enrichment programs. "The Health Research program is a wonderful opportunity to connect undergraduate students at a variety of UConn campuses with amazing researchers here at UConn Health." Biomedical engineering major Erica Doyle '24 researched femoral phenotype of gene PRGG4 in mice, working with biomedical engineering professor Tannin Schmidt. "Prior to this program I had minimal research experience and had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation, but after spending the summer in the lab I definitely think I want to pursue higher education," Doyle says. "It was a really insightful experience and helped me figure out where I want to go in the future." UConn junior and molecular and cell biology major Daniyal Athar explains his summer work as a fellow at Nanoionix company. UConn Office of Undergraduate Research Director Caroline McGuire addresses attendees Summer Research Day at UConn Health in Farmington.

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