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Four Russell Sage College students pursued research related to their biology, nursing, and public health degrees during Sage’s eight-week CSTEP summer research program and research methods class.
CSTEP — an acronym for Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program — is a grant-funded program sponsored by the New York State Department of Education.
It provides mentoring and academic support, paid internship and research experiences, prep for standardized exams like the Medical College Admission Test or the NCLEX nursing licensing exam, and more to underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students. Participating students are pursuing professional licensure or careers in mathematics, science, technology, and health-related fields.
On July 11, students presented their work and fielded questions about their methods and potential future research directions at Sage’s annual CSTEP Summer Research Symposium, held on the college’s Troy campus.
The following students collaborated with faculty mentors during Sage’s paid and credit-bearing CSTEP summer research program in 2025:
— Biology major Samira Sefadine Ismail presented “Seasonal and Circadian Influences on Children’s Growth,” which investigated how factors such as temperature, outdoor activities, and daily light and dark rhythms affect children’s growth.
Faculty mentor: Mary Rea, Ph.D., professor of biology
— Biology major Dua Sadiq presented “CRISPR Gene Editing and the Current Political Climate,” which explored public perception of the DNA-altering technology, its ethical use, and its future potential.
Faculty mentor: Mary Rea, Ph.D., professor of biology
— Nursing major Jessica Korbieh presented “Unequal Access: Addressing Structural Barriers for Black Women in Healthcare.” Her project investigated how clearer career pathway information can help marginalized Black and immigrant women — overrepresented in entry-level healthcare positions — advance to higher-paying roles.
Faculty mentor: Emilly Obuya, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry
— Public health major Takia Scott presented “The Risk of Lung Cancer,” which studied how the age someone starts smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day impact their risk of developing lung cancer.
Faculty mentor: Stephanie Bennett-Knapp, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor and behavioral scientist
Students who participate in Russell Sage’s CSTEP summer research program frequently continue their research during the academic year and go on to present at the Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference, the CSTEP Statewide Student Conference, Sage’s Undergraduate Research Day, and other academic gatherings.