Draper Announces Speakers, Format and Sessions for the Draper Scholar Research Symposium 2024, a Showcase of New Research from Leading STEM Universities

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Draper today announced the speakers, format and sessions for the Draper Scholar Research Symposium 2024, an annual event in which graduate students from leading STEM universities present thesis research in addressing and solving some of the nation’s most challenging engineering, technological and scientific problems.

The annual symposium will take place on Monday, April 8, at Draper’s corporate campus in Cambridge. Since launching the Draper Scholars Program in 1973, Draper has annually organized a forum for scholars to showcase their research for attendees from academia, industry and government.

“The Draper Scholar Research Symposium is a must-attend event for engineers, scientists, university leaders and students who are serious about staying on top of the latest research performed by our scholars,” said Margaret Duff, Ph.D., co-lead of the Draper Scholar Research Symposium and a program manager at Draper.

Featured speakers at this year’s event include graduate students and undergraduate students, with a keynote planned by a former NASA astronaut. A full list of the participants, along with their profiles and the agenda, will be posted on Draper’s website closer to the event.

Hermann Kaptui Sipowa, Ph.D., who co-leads the event with Duff, said, “Attendees will gain valuable insights that will help them stay ahead of important research while providing excellent networking opportunities.” Sipowa is a senior systems engineer at Draper.

There are many challenges in the engineering, technological and scientific fields that are being addressed by the latest research studies, such as gene editing, hypersonics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous systems and space science. This year’s program is focused on developing new capabilities that can be fielded in a range of sectors, including biotechnology, space exploration and national security.

In addition to the graduate students participating in the Draper Scholars Program, the Draper Scholar Research Symposium will host undergraduate students. Undergraduate students representing select universities will be invited to present research posters and presentations as part of the Undergraduate Senior Capstone Student Projects.

Highlights of the day include a keynote address, poster sessions, awards ceremony, lunch and networking. Registration is available to Draper Scholars, their universities, Draper employees and invited guests.

The 2024 Draper Scholars Program partners with leading STEM research universities, such as Boston University, Brown University, George Mason University, Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, Purdue University, Rice University, Tufts University, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Michigan, University of South Florida and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Students participating in the Undergraduate Senior Capstone Student Projects include three student teams from Boston University and one team each from Tufts University and the University of Connecticut. Corin Williams, Ph.D., a principal member of the technical staff at Draper, leads the undergraduate capstone projects.

Since 1973, the Draper Scholars Program, formerly known as the Draper Fellow Program, has supported more than 1,300 graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in engineering and the sciences. Draper Scholars are from both civilian and military backgrounds and Draper Scholar alumni excel worldwide in the technical, corporate, government, academic and entrepreneurship sectors.