Harper Academy All-Stars support NERS research
The Harper Academy 4 Future Engineers, with its focus on diversity and community engagement, is working closely with NERS to connect aspiring nuclear engineers with real-world research opportunities.
The first iteration of the Harper Academy 4 Future Engineers summer residency program may have concluded, but we are continuing to support several of the students through exciting research opportunities and ongoing mentorship. In partnership with Charles Harper Charities, Detroit Second Chance, and the U-M Office of Culture, Community, and Equity (OCCE), NERS is helping these students engage with cutting-edge nuclear research while developing valuable academic and professional skills.
Over the summer, Harper Academy students participated in design and community engagement workshops, gathering valuable data that will form the foundation of future academic publications. Harper Academy and NERS professors Aditi Verma and Katie Snyder recently invited three Harper Academy students to join their research team, where they will analyze and synthesize this data.
The students are among a group of standout participants from the academy who were named Harper Academy All-Stars for their exceptional performance during the program. In addition to their research positions, All-Stars Andy Pham, Aisha Jagne, Madison Henley, and Ashlyn Powe will benefit from mentorship by our faculty.
“We are very excited to work with these All-Stars,” said Snyder. “Their contributions during the workshops were impressive, and we are eager to see the insights they will bring to this next phase of the project.”
Snyder and Verma’s research team, which includes Pham, Jagne, and Henley, will draft a paper for submission to a peer-reviewed journal and present their findings at an upcoming nuclear engineering conference. This research position offers students a unique opportunity to contribute to the field of nuclear engineering while gaining hands-on experience that will shape their academic and professional trajectories. The selected students have also been officially recognized as University of Michigan employees—a significant achievement for high school seniors.
In addition, Powe has secured an opportunity to work on a nuclear medicine project with professor Martha Matuszak at the University of Michigan Medical School. Matuszak, who specializes in medical applications of nuclear technology, invited Ashlyn to collaborate on a project that will continue over the next school year. Todd Allen, Chair of NERS, praised Ashlyn’s initiative and encouraged her to explore both this opportunity and the research under Verma and Snyder. “I look forward to learning about your progress,” Allen remarked, emphasizing the department’s support for students pursuing interdisciplinary research interests.
Parents and educators also voiced their pride in the students. Tenecia Powe, an educator and parent of Ashlyn Powe, expressed, “I can’t express enough how proud I am of these students. They are going to change the world, and each of you has brought them one step closer to doing so.”
Jeff Harper, founder of Harper Academy, praised the students and their achievements, stating, “These All-Stars are way ahead compared to where I was at their age. This is truly a remarkable development.”
The combination of academic rigor, mentorship, and professional development will enable these students to refine their skills in research, data analysis, and academic writing. The hands-on experience these students gain today will empower them to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow’s nuclear energy landscape.
Joseph Ballard II, director of Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP) & OCCE Student Access, Belonging, Engagement and Success, captured the significance of this initiative, sharing, “Working with NERS and the Harper Academy team in serving this talented, dynamic, and exceptional group of All-Stars has truly been a highlight of my time here at the University of Michigan. To see them all find community, identify their purpose, and begin to develop a path towards accomplishing their goals during this year’s Academy was special and continues to bring a smile to my face. I, along with the OCCE and the Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP) teams, am looking forward to continuing to be a source of advocacy, encouragement, guidance, and support to these amazing All-Stars through this new and exciting endeavor and the ones to come.”