For Yasmine Belko, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program offered an opportunity to explore a region with deep personal significance while developing a new perspective on climate vulnerability, urbanization, and the impacts of history on present-day communities.Supported by the Kent State Environmental Science and Design Research Institute (ESDRI) in the SURE program, Belko conducted research on urban flooding in the Sahel region of Africa, focusing particularly on Niger and Senegal. Mentored by Sarah Smiley, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Geography,...

 For Amanda Yokley, participating in Kent State University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program provided an opportunity to expand her scientific perspective while developing skills that will support her pursuit of advanced education. Supported by the Kent State Environmental Science and Design Research Institute (ESDRI) and mentored by Jean Engohang-Ndong, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Yokley spent the summer investigating an ecological question at the intersection of animal biology, microbiology, and antibiotic resistance. Specifically, “My project is inv...