High school students Marissa Calderone, Gizela Maksym, Samantha Soevyn and Tristan Tran recently attended the the first Plum Island STEM Student Forum at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, the only federal laboratory in the nation that conducts research and diagnostics on high-consequence foreign animal diseases.

The students shared their independent research findings with staff members and scientists from Plum Island, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Mystic Aquarium, Stony Brook University, Suffolk Community College and the University of Connecticut. They ended the day with a tour of the island, which discussed the history and usage of buildings and grounds dating back to the 1800s.

“I found the feedback I gained from the scientists to be incredibly helpful and important for the future development of my research,” Calderone said.

“I am grateful for the overall experience and the opportunity to speak and network with scientists who I one day hope to work with,” Soevyn said.