Jefferson Noel delivers an engaging presentation during the 2025 McNair Scholars Research Conference at FIU.
Imagine walking into a room where every student is standing at the edge of their future ready to discover, and to step into the world of research with confidence.
That is exactly what the 2025 McNair Scholars Research Conference felt like at FIU.
Over three days, the conference brought together undergraduate researchers, faculty, graduate school representatives, and national programs in a celebration of dedication, curiosity, and academic possibility. More than an event, it is a conference where students learn that they belong in the world of advanced scholarship.
The FIU McNair Scholars Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and housed within FIU Student Access & Success. Scholars must meet strict federal eligibility requirements being first-generation and limited income. With only a select number of students admitted each year, the program offers individualized mentoring, research opportunities, and graduate school preparation across majors such as Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Computer & Information Sciences, Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Dietetics/Nutrition, Health Sciences Administration, and Criminal Justice.
Throughout the academic year, McNair Scholars engage in faculty-mentored research, writing development workshops, and monthly graduate school-preparation meetings. They also share their work on national stages this cycle, students attended the University of New Mexico McNair Conference and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County McNair Conference, expanding their networks and strengthening their identities as emerging researchers.
All this progress culminated in last week's FIU’s 2025 McNair Scholars Research Conference. The event opened with a FIU Graduate program Meet & Greet where students met one on one with FIU graduate recruiters to discuss the programs in detail. Throughout the conference, students were encouraged to continue conversations about their research presentations and continue to make peer connections. Scholars shared not just their research findings, but the stories behind their curiosity and the questions that drive them.
Matty Sey, a master’s student in FIU’s Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering program and an NSF Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow, proudly holds a certificate of recognition during the 2025 McNair Scholars Research Conference.
A key highlight was FIU’s Graduate School Fair, featuring over 21 institutions including Cornell University, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Boston University School of Public Health, Rice University, University of Miami, University of Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt University. The conference also welcomed students from 19 external universities, such as Boston College, University of Georgia, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, UT Arlington, and Xavier University of Louisiana each offering insight into graduate pathways nationwide.
By the end of the week, one message echoed clearly, when students are given opportunities, time for preparation, and a community that believes in them, they rise to the challenge. The FIU McNair Scholars Research Conference stands as a powerful reminder of the promise, resilience, and potential of our scholars and of FIU’s commitment to ensuring that the next generation of researchers has every opportunity to succeed.
The 2025 McNair Scholars Research Conference committee gathers to celebrate another successful conference.