The Road to the Summer Research Institute

When I first arrived at Barnard, I knew I wanted to get involved in research, but I had no idea how to start. The thought of walking up to a professor after class to ask about their research felt intimidating. I thought I had to be the best in the class just to be considered. It wasn’t until I learned about Barnard’s Summer Research Institute (SRI) that research began to feel feasible.

SRI is a 10-week paid summer program that offers students the chance to conduct research with faculty mentors across a wide range of STEM disciplines. This program is meant to facilitate mentor-instructed research at Barnard, Columbia, and in the greater New York City area. 

Once I decided to participate in SRI at the beginning of my sophomore year, I began the intimidating search for a mentor. As a physics major, the obvious choice for my research would be in physics. However, as an aspiring 4+1 Engineering student, I decided to do my research in civil engineering. 

So, I turned to Columbia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) to find a mentor. I spent time reading about the current research projects in Columbia’s Civil Engineering department and found the ones that most excited me. Then I sent emails (lots of them) asking professors if they’d be open to meeting. To my surprise, many were. After a series of great conversations, I found a mentor whose work was very interesting to me. I asked if he’d be willing to work with me this summer, and he said yes. From there, I submitted my application to SRI.

This summer, I’ll be assisting with research on climate change-induced flooding in New York City, with a focus on how it affects critical infrastructure like the subway system. Using ArcGIS Pro, I’ll help analyze and visualize different flooding scenarios, from storm surge to extreme rainfall, to better understand how vulnerable infrastructure might be, and how we can make it more resilient. Our work will directly support the City of New York’s efforts to prepare for climate challenges ahead.

Not only is SRI an opportunity to partake in interesting research, but the program also offers other career development programming. This includes resume and CV workshops, alum career nights, and key note speakers. This summer I not only hope to gain hands–on work experience but also take full advantage of these opportunities!

If I could give advice to anyone interested in doing SRI (or any research at all) it would be to just reach out! The worst that can happen is that a professor doesn’t respond, and that’s really not the end of the world. Put yourself out there and it will work out! 

I’m incredibly excited to get started next week and deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of this research!