Syracuse Sun

This past summer, several students participated in research and study programs in the United States and Canada. These opportunities were accessed through the University’s Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA).

Five students shared their experiences, detailing what they did and learned.

**Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship**

Five SU students received the Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship this year. The recipients were Sofia DaCruz ’25, Abi Greenfield ’25, Chloe Britton Naime ’25, Kerrin O’Grady ’25, and Kanya Shah ’25.

**Abi Greenfield**

Greenfield worked with Penny Bryden, a professor of history at the University of Victoria. She created a dataset of political cartoons about the Canadian Constitution from five historical periods. “I then analyzed the cartoons from the 1980-82 period to understand what major themes appeared in relation to the Constitution reform debates during this period,” Greenfield said. Her work will contribute to an upcoming collaborative article on editorial cartoons and Canadian constitutional culture.

“This experience has been invaluable in informing the topic and goals of my undergraduate thesis,” Greenfield noted. She hopes to return to the University of Victoria for a master’s degree under Bryden’s direction.

**Kanya Shah**

Shah interned at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi's Anti-Icing Materials Laboratory (LIMA-AMIL). She worked on evaluating passive protection systems for solar panels against snow and ice accumulations. “This program provided invaluable international research exposure,” Shah stated. She plans to pursue her passion further through a master’s program or an industry-related career.

**Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI)**

Corinne Motl ’25 engaged in an internship at Argonne National Laboratory through a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Motl worked on simulations to optimize nanophotonic cavity design parameters for quantum networks. “What this means on a larger scale is that we aim to develop quantum memories that are able to get an input, preserve that single then reemit it,” she explained.

Motl is currently helping organize a branch of the American Physical Society’s Conferences for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics 2025 conference at Syracuse University.

**Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (PPIA)**

Four students were selected as PPIA JSI Fellows: Linda Baguma ’25, Victoria Knight ’25, Caroline Ridge ’25, and Evelina Torres '25.

**Linda Baguma**

Baguma completed coursework on quantitative methods, economic analysis, and policy research aimed at addressing public policy challenges. “This experience directly complements my studies at Syracuse,” she said. Baguma also worked on projects analyzing social policies' impact on low-income communities and abandoned mine lands' effects on surrounding areas.

“I’m eager to incorporate this perspective into my academic and professional trajectory,” Baguma stated.

**Victoria Knight**

Knight attended UC-Berkeley's PPIA program focused on law and public policy. She took courses such as Law and Public Policy, Economics for Public Policy, Policy Analysis, and Quantitative Methods for Public Policy. “These experiences not only prepared me for law school but also for my final year at Syracuse,” Knight mentioned.

Knight serves as a task force coordinator for Skills Win! Coaching Program in Syracuse City School District. “Thanks to PPIA, I now have the skills to understand better the impact of New York State education laws,” she added.