Each fall, Valparaiso University students step into the spotlight to show how they put their education into action through hands-on research and real-world internship experiences. This year’s Fall Internship and Research Symposium (FIReS) – now in its 13th year – brought together 31 students across seven academic departments, who presented projects exploring everything from drug discovery to the physics of the universe.
Held on October 31, 2025, FIReS celebrated months of work completed by students largely over the summer. A strong theme of STEM research stood out as a highlight of the event, with many students involved in projects supporting organizations both locally and nationally.
Chemistry Students Advance Research to Improve Lives
For biochemistry student Micah Israel ’27 and chemistry alumna Brooke Nordin ’25, the lab became a place of discovery and purpose. They had a unique opportunity to work with an outside company, Pelagos Pharmaceuticals, on research to identify novel therapeutics for heart failure and skeletal muscle disorders. The project was made possible by the Valpo Collaboratory, which connects external organizations with Valpo students and faculty to support cutting-edge research and drive innovation.
“When I learned about this project, I immediately became interested in working on a possible therapeutic drug for heart failure,” says Micah. “While drug development is always a long and difficult process, I was very excited to have even a small impact on a project that could improve patients’ livelihoods in the future.”
Micah and Brooke’s research was guided by Professor Thomas Goyne, Ph.D., along with a Valpo alum, Keith Stayrook, who works with Pelagos Pharmaceuticals as vice president of pre-clinical development and translational medicine. Micah says working with a company gave her a real-world look into a career as a research scientist – an experience that’s built skills and confidence that she’ll carry forward.
Biology Research Examines Fighting Oral Diseases with Plants
As a pre-dental student studying biology, Daileen Serrano ’26 took research inspiration from her interest in microbiology and oral health. Using Valpo’s medicinal garden, she started researching how plant-based compounds could be used to treat oral diseases, with mentorship from Professor Danielle Orozco-Nunnelly, Ph.D. and Professor Jeffrey Pruet, Ph.D. This fall, biochemistry and pre-med student TJ Kirk ’27 also joined the project.
“Every time I’ve presented this research, I’ve gained more confidence in both my technical and presentation skills,” says Daileen. “Overall, research has helped me become more confident and independent, which I know will be very valuable as I work towards dental school.”
For TJ, the project has provided firsthand insight into the connection between science and medicine. “It’s fascinating to see what medicinal plants and herbs could kill harmful bacteria,” he says. “Just thinking that together we could find a plant that has positive effects on health is a big reason I wanted to participate in this research.”
Students Conduct Physics Research with National Laboratory
In the physics and astronomy department, a faculty connection opened the door to research opportunities for three Valpo students to work with Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Abby Proskurniak ’27 and Ezekiel Montemayor ’28 studied the spin structure of protons by analyzing data from Brookhaven Lab’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, while astronomy student Leah Shafer ’26 analyzed data for a separate project supporting research for the lab’s future Electron-Ion Collider.
“What I enjoyed most about this project was getting to work with a major national lab – especially as a freshman,” says Ezekiel. “It gave me invaluable early exposure to what real research looks like and helped me see how my interests might fit into the broader scientific landscape.”
Abby shares that a highlight was getting to attend the American Physical Society’s Division of Nuclear Physics conference in Chicago. “I am very thankful, since getting undergraduate research experience like this is not all that common. Being able to do this is more than I could ask for,” she says.
At Valpo, research and creative work are central to the student experience. Events like FIReS highlight how curiosity, mentorship, and innovation shine here – and give Beacons of all academic interests a platform to share their work with our community, from day one. Learn more about the many hands-on opportunities for Valparaiso University students at valpo.edu/academics/research-creative-work.
