From left to right: 鱨 student Goebbels Bien Aime and Westchester Community College student Diego Patino, pose with their winning poster at the AISES National Conference.
鱨 student Goebbels Bien Aime (Computer Information Systems) and Westchester Community College student Diego Patino (Cybersecurity) earned Best Undergraduate Poster honors at the 2025 AISES National Conference, held October 2–4 in Minneapolis. Their research project, “STEM Success Starts with Student Voices,” was selected as the top undergraduate presentation among 65 student research papers from across the country.
Each student received a $100 award and a commemorative AISES Indigenous Research Scholar coin in recognition of their achievement. Their travel and participation were supported by STEM Ready, a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant designed to strengthen retention and success among STEM students.
The award-winning poster originated in the Summer Research Institute (SRI)—a five-week, STEM Ready–funded program that pairs 鱨 and Westchester Community College students with faculty and peer mentors to conduct intensive, collaborative research.
Through the Summer Research Institute, students receive stipends and hands-on research experience in fields such as biology, psychology, mathematics, computer science, cybersecurity, and computer information systems—empowering the next generation of STEM leaders to turn classroom learning into real-world impact.
Guided by faculty mentor Dr. Pauline McClung Mosley, the student team, Bien Aime and Patino’s team, which included Oscar Hernandez and Alvaro Freddy Sanca, applied the triangulation method to study how mentorship, inclusion, and hands-on learning help students find their voices in STEM.
“What makes the Summer Research Institute especially meaningful is seeing students continue their work beyond the summer—presenting at conferences and earning national recognition,” said Dr. Stuart Sidle, psychology professor and special advisor to the Provost, who serves as the principal investigator for the STEM ready Grant. “Bien Aime and Patino are two perfect examples. Their success is a testament to their dedication, collaboration, and the outstanding mentorship of Dr. McClung Mosley.”
For Bien Aime, the experience marked both a professional milestone and a personal breakthrough.
“It was our first time attending a conference, and we had no idea what to expect,” said Bien Aime. “Being selected as one of the top undergraduate posters made me realize that all the hard work we put into the SRI paid off. This isn’t just a steppingstone—it’s a major achievement in my STEM journey.”
He credited the STEM Ready program and the SRI with broadening her perspective on the field.
“Before participating, I hadn’t given much thought to who is underrepresented in STEM,” he explained. “The program helped me think outside the box and develop confidence to present our research publicly. When it came time to present at AISES, I was nervous—but my partner reminded me, We did the research. We know what we’re talking about.’ That reassurance helped me stay grounded.”
For Patino, the recognition was both humbling and inspiring.
“It feels absolutely surreal,” he said. “We went to the conference hoping to share our findings and learn from others. Hearing our names called as one of the top posters was an incredible surprise. As someone from an underrepresented background, this project was deeply personal—I identified with the idea of finding your ‘STEM voice.’”
He noted that their presentation sparked interest from educators and researchers nationwide.
“Several professors and doctors told us they were inspired by our mentorship-based learning model and wanted to read our future publication,” he added. “That moment made me realize our research could make a real impact on how STEM is taught and experienced.”
Both students credited the STEM Ready program with giving them the mentorship, collaboration and presentation skills that prepared them for success on the national stage.
Learn more about STEM Ready at www.mercy.edu/stemready.