The Summer Research Institute Symposium was an opportunity for undergraduate scientists-in-training to get feedback on their work.
Zach McClellan ’25 comes from a long line of firefighters—and has seen first-hand the trauma these first responders can experience.
So as a participant in this year’s Summer Research Institute at Chaminade, the Psychology major decided to study how occupational stressors correlate to quality of life indicators for firefighters.
He presented his findings July 23 at the Summer Research Institute Symposium on campus, an annual showcase of cutting-edge undergraduate research at Chaminade conducted under the mentorship of professors.
“I sent out my first survey that comprised of demographics, the Firefighter Assessment of Stress Test (FAST), and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) back in March,” said McClellan, pointing out the number of respondents shown on his poster board.
“This was my capstone project with Dr. (Darren) Iwamoto, and I want to take it as far as I can take it. The end goal is to get the study published.”
Organizers say the symposium reflects Chaminade’s strong commitment to advancing academic excellence while fostering close collaborations between faculty and student researchers.
A two-time participant in the Summer Research Institute Symposium, Grace Helmke ’25 built on last year’s “Climate Monstrosities” with this year’s “Climate Tricksters in an Indigenous Future.”
Mentored by Assistant Professor of English Dr. Justin Wyble, Helmke said she chose the subject for a couple of reasons. “The no. 1 reason was that I believe Indigenous peoples to have an incredibly important perspective on society—one that’s largely dismissed and unseen by the masses,” the English major said.
“Their viewpoints surrounding the ways in which to combat colonialism, preserve culture and fight for a greater future, are all concepts that each of the texts I focused on examined. I believe that discussing these concepts, principles and cultural beliefs, from an Indigenous perspective, has the potential to lead society into a future that rejects the colonial systems, and instead seeks equity and healing of the people.”
Amber Noguchi, program director for Chaminade’s Undergraduate Research and Pre-Professional Programs Office, said the symposium allows Summer Research Institute participants to not only showcase their work—but get feedback and questions from attendees to expand their research inquiries.
The institute is funded by a joint federal Title III grant with Kapiolani Community College.
“We just completed our fourth SRI,” Noguchi said, adding that participants also present at Kapiolani Community College’s Student Undergraduate Research Fair each semester.
Participant Georgeanna Flook is a rising senior and double majoring in Historical and Political Studies, and Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research looked at the influence that education has on crime. Titled “Support Instead of Control: Education as a Unique Approach to Crime,” Flook’s study explored the possibility of reducing crime outside of traditional policing methods.
She credited her professors, Drs. Abby Halston and Kelly Treece, and lecturer Collin Lau, J.D., for their guidance as she conducted her research. Flook said she found that education, “acting as a means of formal social control and providing social support, can effectively reduce crime—regardless of the academic ability of the individual.”
“Future studies should focus on further articulating what effective social support means in the context of criminology and use working examples of social support to compare against crime trends,” concluded Flook, who aspires to go into criminal justice policy analysis.
Other Summer Research Institute participants at Chaminade this year included Ku‘ulei Koko ’26, who presented “Feeding Hawaii’s Future: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Culturally Tailored Programs for Native Hawaiians,” and LaVelle White ’26, who looked at “Student Food and Nutrition Security.”
For details on undergraduate research opportunities at Chaminade, click here.
