This university-wide event is hosted by the University of Miami (UM) Graduate School in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association and the Postdoctoral Association, which will take place from 12 – 6:30 p.m. on March 7, 2019, in the Donna E. Shalala Student Center Third Floor Ballroom.
Emparanza and Mayo are two out of three students selected to conduct a 10-minute TED-like talk at the symposium. Emparanza will discuss leading the resiliency battle of civil infrastructure using composite materials. “The world belongs to all and to nobody at the same time. I have always believed that each of us should do whatever is in our power to be as respectful and take care of what we can,” said Emparanza. “This type of belief and action leads to a balanced and sustainable society. In civil engineering, new materials and construction techniques allow us to move in this green-direction. It is crucial for our research to focus on infrastructure to make it cost-effective and durable. This is the case of composite materials as an alternative to traditional steel reinforcement in concrete structures.”
Mayo will talk about breast cancer metastasis on a chip. “Once breast cancer metastasis occurs, the five-year survival rate plummets to only 27%, compared to 99% for localized cancer,” said Mayo. “The cells responsible for metastasis are constantly mutating and the current medical treatments seem to always be one step behind. We are building a microfluidic device, or a “chip,” which will replicate the metastatic environment in which these cells thrive. It will give us new insight into the metastatic process, allowing us to target the cells at metastatic sites in almost real time throughout the progression of the disease.”
The half-day research symposium will highlight scholarly research focused on “The Art of Communicating Across Disciplinary Lines” from more than 70 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows on a variety of topics across disciplines. The event will feature a keynote address from Mary Woolley, president of Research!America, the country’s largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority.
This event provides an excellent, multidisciplinary venue for graduate students in all disciplines to present their current research, celebrating creativity, innovation and scientific discovery in front of audiences ranging from students, faculty and administrators from across the university.
