Emma Comer sat at study table in the Zeanah Engineering Complex discussing work with her fellow students. The 14-year-old was typing on her laptop and reviewing a notebook filled with written equations. The group was waiting for results of a research project taking place in a nearby lab.

Comer is from Tompkinsville, Kentucky, a city in Monroe County with a population of around 2,300. By comparison, the University of Tennessee boasted a record enrollment of nearly 35,000 students last spring, more than 15 times the size of Comer’s hometown. Being on the Knoxville campus gave Comer a glimpse into future possibilities.

Comer’s visit to UT came through her participation in the Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge. The all-expenses-paid, residential program in Oak Ridge, Tennessee is designed to provide hands-on STEM learning experiences for students and teachers located in the Appalachian region.

Cromer and six other Appalachian STEM students are participating in a two-week summer immersion program at UT to learn about how to detect foodborne pathogens and food safety. They are working with UT postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the lab of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Professor Michael Danquah.

The students were selected for the Appalachian STEM program after completing an application process that included essays and letters of recommendation. The program will culminate with a final group presentation where students will showcase their work.

“The experience has been absolutely tremendous,” Cromer said. “You get to see the campus, the rooms, the buildings, and you get to see the labs. That’s my favorite part. You get to work in the labs with some really awesome people.”

Foundational Learning Experience

During the first week of the session, the students were working on biosensors. They were split into two groups, with one using an electrochemical method and the other an optical method.

“It is very interesting because I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Michael Louis, a 13-year-old from Huntsville, Alabama. “I’ve never taken biology before. It is very fun because of all the mixing and the applications that you have to do. I might pursue this as a career.”

Jackie Liu and Dawson Myers, rising UT senior biomedical engineering majors, have been assisting the groups during their research.

“It’s fun seeing them enjoy STEM and want to learn more about what we do and what UTK has to offer as well,” Liu said. “It’s cool getting to influence the younger generations to be interested in STEM and engineering. They’re really smart. We haven’t had to help them much because they just know it and they’re always willing to learn and ask questions.”

Myers gained some perspective about his own educational path by interacting with the younger generation of students.

“A lot of time when you’re working with all these graduate students and postdocs, you see the big gulf in your knowledge. So having these kids come in, who some of them haven’t even experienced any biology, it lets you see how far you’ve come yourself,” Myers said. “It’s encouraging to see how focused everyone is and how in tune they are with what we are doing every day.”

Developing Future Scientists

Shokoufeh Soleimani, a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering Department, appreciated the young group’s diversity of backgrounds. Leading them through real-world experiments and teaching them scientific techniques gave her a greater appreciation for the value of giving back.

“The presence of these young scientists in our lab has been a source of immense joy and motivation for me. Their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives have invigorated our work environment and reminded us of the importance of fostering the next generation of researchers,” Soleimani said. “Watching their eyes light up as they make new discoveries and understand complex concepts has been incredibly rewarding. Hosting these high school students has reinforced my belief in the importance of mentorship and education in shaping the future of science.”

After the time she spent at UT, Comer was inspired by all she had experienced and grateful for the opportunity to expand her horizons.

“I highly suggest this opportunity to anyone looking to go to college, looking for a future job in STEM, or looking for the relationships and the passion to carry with you throughout your life,” she said. “This is a highly prestigious program that can help you achieve all of those major goals.”

Contact

Rhiannon Potkey (865-974-0683, rpotkey@utk.edu)