Welcome to the 2021 Summer Scholars Poster Symposium!
For the past 11 weeks, our Scholars and their Mentors have been working on research projects spanning a range of health-related topics. Summer Scholars encourages students to participate in the entire process of conducting research: learning about a broad field of study, identifying a specific gap in knowledge, formulating a hypothesis and research goals, conducting studies, analyzing results and communicating the outcomes of a research project.
The Poster Symposium represents an important component of the overall learning experience – communicating research findings to colleagues and the public.
This year presented unique challenges. Planning for Summer 2021 began in November 2020, before anyone knew if COVID vaccines would become widely available or if they would be effective. For the first time, we reached out to Mentors with the request for virtual research projects. They responded in large numbers and with excellent projects.
By January 2021, with more optimism regarding vaccines and movement towards more in person learning, some projects were converted to in person or hybrid research opportunities. This blend of virtual, hybrid, and in person research projects allowed Summer Scholars to continue its mission of involving exceptional undergraduates in research while also including current EVMS students who were unable to remain in the Hampton Roads area.
By June, in-person poster presentations, in addition to the virtual format, became possible.
During this unusual summer session, 49 EVMS medical students and two EVMS Health Professions students, as well as 10 undergraduate and two graduate students from other universities, have participated in the program.
Our heartfelt thanks to EVMS Instructional Design, Media Services, Office of Research and Marketing and Communiations. These very professional and always-helpful groups have facilitated and supported the virtual platforms that made Summer Scholars possible this year. Finally, Summer Scholars is not possible without our dedicated Mentors – thank you for all you do to make Summer Scholars a success!
- The Summer Scholars Team