Widener’s Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) program offers undergraduate students hands-on, faculty-mentored research experience over the summer. The work culminates in the annual SURCA Symposium where students present their work and are scored by a panel of faculty and staff judges. 

The 2025 SURCA Symposium winners are:

Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Biomedical Engineering A
"The Influence of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cell Number on MC F10A Cell
Proliferation"
Luke Bordarrampe (Advisor: Dr. Michael Toneff)

Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Biomedical Engineering B
"Sustainable Biomaterials from Food Waste"
Jacob Grossman and Matthew D'Angelo (Advisor: Dr. LiKang Chin)

Biology/Environmental Science A
"Mapping scent chemotypes of floral mimic Symplocarpus foetidus using GCMS and
PRIMER-e"
Jaheara Brown (Advisor: Dr. Kate Goodrich)

Biology/Environmental Science B
"Ecological consequences of post-tornado salvage logging in Ridley Creek State Park:
Invasive species outcompete native recovery"
Tyler Harper (Advisor: Dr. Bruce Grant)

Chemistry/Chemical Engineering
"Recovery of Electrochemical-Grade Graphite from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries"
David Young (Advisor: Dr. Dipendu Saha)

Humanities/Business
"Understanding Motivation in Creative Writing"
Jada Allen (Advisor: Prof. Jayne Thompson)

Engineering A
"In Situ Fused Deposition Model (FDM) Electroplating: An Expansion of 4D Printing"
Boston Blake (Advisor: Dr. Babak Eslami)

Engineering B
"Integrating Autonomous Driving Technology into Electric-Powered Wheelchairs for
Enhanced Mobility"
Makia Salient Fausta (Advisor: Dr. Xiaomu Song)

Math/Physics/Computer Science
"Exploring Glassy Relaxation with the Random Energy Model"
Amine Lotfi (Advisor: Dr. Xin Du)

Sociology/Social Science A
"The Power of Language and Influence Within U.S Politics: A Look into The Trump
Administration"
Jasmine Ayadi (Advisor: Dr. J. Wesley Leckrone)

Sociology/Social Science B
"Revisiting Trauma: COVID-19's Impact on LGBTQ+ Older Adults Who Survived the AIDS Epidemic"
Ryan Holland (Advisor: Dr. Robin Goldberg-Glen)

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