WELCOME
Welcome to the Miami Dade College School of Science
STEM Interdisciplinary Research Symposium 2025.
It is with great pride and excitement that we welcome you to the Miami Dade College (MDC) School of Science STEM Interdisciplinary Research Symposium. This Symposium celebrates our students’ exceptional accomplishments and the continuing growth of undergraduate research at Miami Dade College, with showcasing student achievement remaining central to our mission. Our students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have consistently demonstrated innovation, creativity, and determination.
The Symposium has grown to include disciplines beyond STEM, reflecting our commitment to interdisciplinary research across the humanities, social sciences, and applied fields. This integration highlights the power of inquiry-based learning to cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that prepare our MDC students for success in a complex and evolving world.
Throughout the event, you will witness students tackling real-world challenges, designing experiments, developing solutions, and presenting findings with confidence and rigor. Guided by our dedicated faculty mentors, these experiences empower students to advance knowledge while developing essential professional and personal skills.
Equally important is the dedication of our outstanding faculty, staff, and administrators. Their mentorship, creativity, and collaboration, both within MDC and across partner institutions ensure that students have the guidance and resources necessary to excel. Special recognition goes to the School of Science staff without whom this wonderful event would not be possible, the Bioscience Advisory Committee, and college units including Media, Communications, Learning Resources, and Campus Services. Your collective support is invaluable in making this Symposium a success.
We invite you to explore the innovative, interdisciplinary work presented by our students, celebrate their accomplishments, and be inspired by the next generation of researchers and thinkers. May this Symposium spark new ideas, collaborations, and opportunities that continue to drive our community forward.
Pablo R. Sacasa, PhD
Dean, School of Science Miami Dade College
Trinidad Argüelles, EdD
Trinidad Argüelles is an Associate Professor, Senior of Psychology at Miami Dade College’s West Campus, where she exemplifies excellence in teaching, research, and leadership. Since joining MDC in 2014, she has built a vibrant learning community through her mentorship of STEM students, her leadership as faculty advisor to the Psychology & Neuroscience Club and Psi Beta Honor Society, and her commitment to advancing equity in higher education.
Dr. Argüelles serves as lead Psychology faculty for the College Credit Certificate in Mental Health, Neuroscience, and Aging, a program created in response to the urgent workforce need for professionals who understand the aging process and can better serve one of the nation’s fastest-growing populations.
Her scholarship spans cognitive psychology, human factors, aging, and caregiving, with innovative contributions on how AI and telehealth can support older adults and caregivers. She has played key roles in multidisciplinary projects funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, NIOSH, the Veteran’s Administration, and the University of Miami, where she served for nearly 20 years as Senior Research Associate at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging.
A past Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and member of the NIH Network of Minority Research Investigators, Dr. Argüelles has been recognized with honors from the American Psychological Association, Psi Beta, Excelencia in Education, and the NISOD Excellence Award. She is a respected voice in applied gerontology whose teaching and research continue to inspire the next generation of changemakers in psychology and aging. In 2022, she was awarded the prestigious Honorable Jack Gordon Endowed Teaching Chair at Miami Dade College.
Thank you to the funding agencies that help to support our undergraduate research programs at Miami Dade College.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the research material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency. The original research represented at our MDC Undergraduate Symposium is funded in part by:
U.S. Department of Education
STEM AISLE (Advanced Institute for Scholastic Leadership Experience), PR# P120A200007
STEM PACTS (STEM Pathways for Acceleration, Completion, and Transfer Success), Award: P031C210035
STEM SMART (STEM Strategies for Maximizing Achievement, Retention, and Transfer), Award: P031C210028
Engine of Progress, PR# PO31A220012
National Science Foundation
S-STEM (Florida Pathways to Success), Award: UFDSP00011889
CUREs (Building Capacity Hispanic Student Success from 2 year to 4-year Institutions through CUREs), Award: 1832436
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Humanities Edge is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of a three-year Community College Pathway Partnership with Florida International University (FIU).
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