Guided by engineering faculty, the Summer Research Residency program at the School of Engineering and Computing offered undergraduates the chance to transform theoretical knowledge into real-world experience through a wide range of hands-on research projects.

“The Undergraduate Research Summer Residency is one of our critical school-wide initiatives that energizes our summer with a cohort of budding researchers paired with faculty in an immersive environment. This seeding program has resulted in a significant increase in federal funding and in the publication of scientific articles. We also see an increase in the interest of our undergraduate researchers towards pursuing graduate school and jobs in research and development,” said Dean Andres Leonardo Carrano, PhD.

Research conducted by Faizah Chowdhury '25 under Assistant Professor of Computer Science Danushka Bandara, PhD, explored how brain activity could reflect human trust in AI, using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure neural responses. Initial results suggest distinctions between trust and mistrust. Emily Alfonso Olmos ’27 under Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering David Shektman, PhD looked at “Flow Visualization: Schlieren Imaging,” a technique that has been used and refined since the 17th century. The method captures “shock waves from a bullet, convection from a candle, and evaporation off a human hand,” she explained.

"One of my favorite moments was being able to build a mini wind tunnel alongside my advisor, because as a mechanical engineer assembling parts is what brings me joy. Another favorite moment was experimenting with an Ultra Sonic Mist Maker, which my advisor purchased for the purpose of the research,” she said.

Other research projects conducted on campus this summer ranged from 3D ultrasound for musculoskeletal diagnostics, to acoustic localization, to a comparative study of color enhancement techniques for underwater images.

At the conclusion of the program, each student received a completion certificate and presented their posters at a summer symposium. 

Learn more about the School of Engineering and Computing at fairfield.edu/engineering.