A Big STEP Forward in Student Success

As a first-year electrical engineering major, Bright Dose felt like he was falling behind in his classes.

Looking for a way to regain his footing, he joined the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Training and Excellence Program, or STEP, offered by the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Rising 360° initiative.

“I wanted something that could keep me accountable,” says Dose, who saw immediate results after attending study sessions and working with mentors as a member of the inaugural STEP cohort. “It ended up being my best semester.”

Now a sophomore, Dose serves as a peer leader for STEP, which has seen its membership grow from 35 to 195 undergraduate students this year. The Worcester native was also accepted into the new STEP Research Initiative, which pairs students with faculty mentors to conduct research, provides skill-building workshops and includes a $2,500 award.

Dose was among a half dozen students from STEP presenting their work at a recent research showcase at the Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center. The event, which also included students from the River Hawk Scholars Academy’s Roads to Research program, featured brief talks and a poster session.

“This is what can happen when our students have the opportunity to explore, to ask big questions and to step into the role of a researcher,” says Dean of Equity and Inclusion Leslie Wong. “Expanding access to research is about representation, belonging, support, community and making sure that our students see themselves in their future in spaces of discovery, innovation and opportunity.”

Junior biology major Amanda Lodi says STEP is giving her the research experience she needs as she prepares for medical school.

“Breaking into these spaces isn’t easy, but this program gave me a way in,” says Lodi, an Honors College student from Acton. “It’s been a dream come true.”

Lodi is working with Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor and Department Chair Walfre Franco to develop synthetic skin models that allow researchers to more accurately test biomedical imaging technologies under controlled conditions. The work aims to address gaps in how medical tools perform across diverse patient populations, where visual cues can be harder to detect.

“Before this, I didn’t know if I could get into medical school,” Lodi says. “Now, I feel like it’s possible.”  

Anika Ziobro, a sophomore chemical engineering major from Marlborough, says STEP has helped her find focus and a sense of community.

“The workshops helped me communicate my ideas better and gain confidence in research,” she says.

That’s precisely the goal of the applicant-based program, says Alisa Michel, a coordinator in the Office of Multicultural Affairs who oversees STEP.

“We’re continuing to expand how we connect students with opportunities on campus, build community, have fun and create a sense of belonging in STEM,” she says.

Maria Velazquez, an associate teaching professor of mechanical engineering, leads many of the STEP workshops. She says the transformation she sees in students is one of the most rewarding aspects of the program.

“Students come in not knowing what research is, and over time, they learn to ask questions and become comfortable with uncertainty,” Velazquez says.  

That growth is evident in students like Dose, who has gone from struggling in his first year to looking ahead to graduate study.

“UMass Lowell is known for its research, so I wanted to get ahead before going into a master’s or doctoral program,” he says.

Working in the PIERS (People, Intelligence, Environments, Robots and Society) Lab with faculty mentor Samantha Reig, an assistant professor of computer science, Dose has contributed to a project developing a web-based repository to help researchers study how humans interact with robots.

“I’ve learned much more about robotics than I expected,” he says. “I’ve also learned how research is conducted and how research papers work. It’s been a wonderful experience.”