Cornell University experts observe Black scholarship with second annual symposium

The second annual Black Excellence in Research Symposium brought together graduate and undergraduate students from across the university on May 2 to learn about their peers’ work.

“There are so many great people in our community, excellent Black researchers on this campus doing fantastic work, but we didn’t know each other or what anyone was doing,” said Jawuanna McAllister, a doctoral candidate in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, co-president of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (BGPSA) and symposium co-organizer, during the introductory remarks. “This symposium really seeks to uplift and highlight all of the amazing work our Black researchers are doing here at Cornell.”

The symposium, which was open to all graduate, professional and undergraduate students at Cornell, featured a keynote, six research presentations and one lightning talk, which spanned the disciplines and celebrated the work of all involved in support of this year’s theme, “We Out Here!”