This summer, Jayden Leung of Dedham, Massachusetts, took part in the University of Iowa Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP), a research mentorship program for high-achieving high school students. He had the opportunity to work in the lab of Fatima Toor, professor of electrical and computer engineering, whose lab focuses on photonics research and designing photonic devices that detect, generate, or manipulate light. 

“The research experience was amazing,” Leung said. “Dr. Toor taught us that research doesn't need to be large-scale—that you can do effective research in an economical manner, without spending a lot of money.” Leung also found a lot of value in learning how researchers do literature reviews as they approach new projects. 

For their summer project, he and fellow teammates Matteo Yu and Mihika Kamat designed and built a solar thermophotovoltaic system, a technology similar to a solar panel that captures both light and heat energy. The team designed and 3D printed their own rigs, reviewed the literature, and simulated the efficiencies of their system. 

But the most transformative part for him? “I really connected with the community at Iowa, and it felt like a home, working with the other students and everyone there.”

When considering summer programs, Leung was initially drawn to the Toor Lab by his early interest in holograms and was seeking mentorship in the field. In junior high, he was initially drawn to coding and software development. But in high school, he became more interested in physics, sparking an interest in electrical engineering and the hardware systems that make the technology possible. Outside the classroom, Leung has been exploring how to improve the design of holograms to make them more practical and cost-effective. 

He’s now applying to several universities, but you can count on the University of Iowa being on his list.

Summer research programs

This summer, the Toor Lab mentored five students from three summer research programs. So what’s the difference between the programs?

Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP): for high school students

Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP): for undergraduate students from any university or college 

Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Fellowships: for current University of Iowa undergraduates