Amisha Rastogi, Research Assistant at the AI Ethics Lab, had the incredible opportunity to attend the STEM in Academia Conference as a Governor’s STEM Scholar (GSS) Team Lead. The GSS Class of 2026 is comprised of 101 high school and college students from 19 New Jersey counties, each dedicated to exploring the intersection of STEM, research, professional development, and real-world engagement. This conference is the second of four and was hosted at the Edward C. Taylor Auditorium in the Frick Laboratory at Princeton University.
The day opened with welcome remarks from Alise Roderer, Director of the Governor’s Stem Scholars, followed by Princeton University’s welcome delivered by C. Jessica Metcalf, Ph.D., Professor of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology & Public Affairs. Scholars subsequently engaged with panelists during the STEM in Academia discussion, attended a presentation by Craig Arnold, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Innovation at Princeton University, and concluded the morning with a comprehensive Princeton Admissions session.
Later in the afternoon, scholars engaged in a keynote address by David MacMillan, Ph.D., 2021 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, followed by interactive STEM classes led by Nidhal Bouaynaya, Ph.D. (Rowan University), Senator Andrew Zwicker, Ph.D. (New Jersey Legislature & Princeton Plasma Physics Lab), and Princeton Women in Chemistry. The conference concluded with a conversation about Public Service & STEM featuring Senator Zwicker and closing remarks from Alise Roderer. This conference offered an immersive opportunity to explore the landscape of STEM in higher education amid difficult circumstances, connect with faculty and innovators across New Jersey, and gain insight into how academic research and public service intersect.
Panelists
Kauser Jahan, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor and Department Head, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Rowan University
Lauren Madden, Ph.D.
Professor of Elementary Science Education and Coordinator,
Environmental Sustainability Education Minor, Department of
Elementary and Early Childhood Education
The College of New Jersey
Eusebio (EZ) Pires, Ph.D, MBA
Sr. Manager, Technology Marketing & Business Development
Rutgers University
Lauren Seyler, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Stockton University