“Community, Friends, and Future Connections” | REU 2025 Recap

by Danny Giancioppo, Photos by Kelly Peña

Every summer, the Photonics Center hosts undergraduates from around the country to participate in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. While the students gain invaluable experience in state-of-the-art laboratories across Boston University’s campus, they also get to live in the heart of the city, carving out an unforgettable summer experience for themselves––and leaving an indelible impression on BU’s community. From cardiovascular research to soft robotics motion capture, these REUs showcased professionalism and rising expertise in an ecosystem hungry for the next generation of STEM leaders.

But don’t take it from us. Below is a summation of the REUs experience, in some of their own words. For them, the summer could be broken down into a few areas: Research, Community, and Impact.

RESEARCH:

Some of BU’s prestige research equipment can feel daunting at an undergraduate level. Yet our students rose to the challenge, each one excited for what they could produce in their laboratories.

Here’s what some of them had to say about what they were most looking forward to in the lab:

Armando Roman: “I am in the Chen Lab, and I am most looking forward to culturing my own cells in a scaffold of my own design and observing it over time to see its progress.”

Ayomide Olagundoye: “This summer I will be in the Grinstaff Lab, investigating whether the hormone, Relaxin-2 would be a good therapeutic candidate for fibrotic uterine cells. Overall, I am thrilled to be able to get exposure to tissue engineering and biomaterials.”

Xiaoran (Modric) Yue: “I’m in Professor Sander’s Ultrafast Optics lab. I look forward to learning how to use the photo-thermal setup and use it to do some innovative experiments.”

Penelope Llibre: “I’m in the Soft Robotics Control Lab with Dr. Sabelhaus, and I am most looking forward to integrating motion capture for a soft robot that moves in three dimensions.”

Futchi Yang: “I’m in the Frumkin Lab this summer, and I’m looking forward to 3D printing and learning how my project can contribute to the lab’s research.”

Like many of the students before them, these REUs weren’t just hoping to experience new research methods and opportunities, but to expand on their existing knowledge and interests to become better scientists themselves.

Oftentimes, undergraduate researchers are faced with a daunting question: should they jump straight into industry, or continue their higher education? For this year’s cohort, they were prepared to tackle the big questions, as well as the minutiae of research.

Benjamin Wolking: “The lab I wanted to work in did exactly the research I [may want] to do for a career and care passionately about. Additionally, the program is prestigious and promises lots of learning.”

Natalia Sagolla: “I really hope that by the end of the summer, I have a confident and grounded understanding of what I enjoy about engineering and where I want to take my career.”

Dwight Paniagua: “I hope to gain a deeper understanding of computer hardware and architecture as well as an answer to whether I should go to graduate school or not. I’m very excited to see how much I learn and progress throughout my time here and to see how far all of the other REU students progress too!”

Ricardo Gonzales: “I want to gain research experience in photonics so I can apply for a Master’s or even a PhD in the future.”

Josie Tetzlaff: “I hope to conduct research that contributes to the [laboratory’s] goals and assists in making progress towards wearable thermoelectric generators. I also hope to gain a sense of what a graduate/PhD program involves and whether that would be a good fit for me.”

REU students are exposed to state-of-the-art research facilities and laboratories across Boston University’s campus, technical trainings including photolithrography and cleanroom procedures, and a variety of dedicated seminars featuring speakers across the STEM fields.

These seminars serve to ground the REUs in their research. By asking questions like: “what are the ethics of research practices,” “what does graduate school look like for me,” and “how do I communicate my expertise,” this summer elevated the REU’s to think more critically and collaboratively about their work.

One such highlight remains the annual graduate student panel, in which previous REU students, tutors, and mentors come to answer the REUs questions about life as a Boston University grad student.

COMMUNITY:

Beyond their seminars, the 2025 REU cohort capitalized on their time at BU in the lab and out. For many, it was their first time in Boston, for some the first time in the northeast. Each of our students made sure they made the most of all our city had to offer.

Sloane Kinely: “Boston is amazing! My favorite thing to do was go to Red Sox games––the vibes are immaculate! It was also incredible to make such amazing friends in this program!”

Vanessa Moran: “I got to experience what it was like to possibly be a student in a major city, and I enjoyed how everything was very accessible in Boston. My favorite thing to do in the city was watch the sunset at night with the REUs.”

Kylie Bray: “Boston has been a great city. I loved kayaking the Charles River (the duck tour was also cool).”

Nathan Cao: “I love Boston, and I would totally return to BU too! Honestly I like a lot of things in the city; although it’s not something to do, I just appreciate the convenience of having a reliable public transportation system that can get me to my favorite places.”

Ella Brown: “I loved the Fine Arts Museum.”

Roberto Haubold: “My highlight was definitely renting sailboats at the BU sailing pavilion. I rarely get a chance to sail, so it was amazing to have that facility in the middle of a major city.”

Despite all Boston has to offer, it wouldn’t have had the same impact on this year’s cohort were it not for each other. From duck tours to weekends in New York City, the 2025 REUs made sure to capitalize on the time they had together and make a summer full of memories.

Ricardo Gonzales: “It was my best summer experience so far. The research project I got was aligned with my interests and everyone from the REU program was so friendly. At first, I thought I was only going for work but I found a community, friends, and future connections.”

Dwight Paniagua: “After the first day, I could tell that this experience was going to be nothing but fun and that’s exactly what it has been. Everyone was so helpful and nice, and I would recommend this program to anyone.”

Ayomide Olagundoye: “I really enjoyed spending time with the other REU students, trying new foods, going to see a jazz orchestra, museums, movie nights, and sunsets by the river.”

As the summer progressed, the REUs culminated their social and research efforts for a final research poster presentation, among fellow REUs in the Physics program, and the Photonics Center’s Research Experiences and Mentoring (REM) program members.

IMPACT:

Over the course of ten weeks, these undergraduate students not only produce quality work in Boston University’s science and engineering laboratories, they also gain a sense of what they want to do following graduation. For some, the next stop is industry. For others, graduate school. Spending a summer among professionals of their passion craft, each REU is able to determine what works best for them, and the skills they’ll need to tackle the future.

Sloane Kinley: “I learned a ton about different instruments and how they can help me get the data I need. I also learned a great deal about poster design and confidently giving presentations. I feel very grateful that I got to participate in this program, and it was better than I anticipated!”

Vanessa Moran: “[One] goal I had was to finalize my decision of what to do after I graduate, if research was for me, and would I want to spend a good chunk of my time still going to school. In the end, I have a much better idea, and landed on the idea of applying to grad school.”

Armando Roman: “10 out of 10 it didn’t go how I was anticipating it went better than that. I definitely accomplished some of my goals such as gaining insight if I think research is for me or not. Spoiler it is! I also learned a lot about tissue engineering which was a major interest for me and I will probably pursue a career in it!”

Natalia Sagolla: “After hearing from other graduate students and working in a lab setting every day, I decided that going into the industry after graduation was the best decision for my future. I believe I would thrive in an industry setting, and I’m excited to apply to industry positions with the experience I’ve gained from this program.”

Ayomide Olagundoye: “This experience has been both academically and professionally enriching for me, and has helped to inform the direction I may head in the future. I also feel like I achieved a lot of my personal goals, like book reading, cooking new recipes, and checking activities off of my Boston Bucket List!”

The BU Photonics Center strives to provide an optimal learning opportunity for REU participants. Every summer provides a different group of students, learning opportunities, and relationships to be made. Take it from them:

Penelope Llibre: “I really did daydream a lot about this program, before I even got accepted. I would think about it every single day, and when I got the email that I was accepted, I finally felt like I could see my dreams being put into motion. I’ve tried my absolute hardest in making the most of it, and I really feel like it’s paid off. I can’t wait to see where I go in my professional career, and I know wherever I go, it will be in no small part thanks to this program.”

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