How Students Spent Their UAlbany Summer 2025

Gabriella Hinostroza, a sophomore majoring in biological sciences, volunteered abroad in Peru with Operation Smile.
Daniel Harkin, a senior majoring in atmospheric science, interned at the National Weather Service's Grand Forks office.
Alissa Moeller, a Master of Public Administration student, volunteered with the Save The Animals Rescue Foundation on Long Island.
George Spencer III, a senior majoring in biology, interned in the surgery research unit at Albany Medical College.
Vasuda Trehan, a PhD student in Information Science, interned at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Lavi Ben-Ari, a freshman majoring in atmospheric science, volunteered at his hometown's local history center, the Irvington Historical Society.
Hannah Tompkins, a public history master’s student, interned at the Seward House Museum in Auburn, N.Y.
Xianna Allen, a junior majoring in human biology, conducted research at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 29, 2025) – Even when classes are not in session, University at Albany students find ways to gain valuable experience through a variety of summer internships, research, volunteer, and other applied learning opportunities.

A few months ago, we asked our students to share how they are spending their UAlbany Summer 2025.

Here’s a small sample of the experiences shared with us:

Xianna Allen, a junior majoring in human biology at the College of Arts and Sciences, conducted health equity research in her hometown of Brooklyn as part of the Summer Program in Translational Disparities and Community Engaged Research (SPRINTER) offered by SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.

Sota Kojima smiles with children at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai. — Sota Kojima, a junior majoring in business administration at the Massry School of Business, served as a bilingual intern for the Dominican Republic’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai.

Alfred Navokhi Apaji, a PhD student in Environmental and Sustainable Engineering at the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, conducted research at ETEC on wastewater treatment and energy production solutions that he can eventually take home to his small town of Wukari in Nigeria, where the lack of regular electricity, clean water and waste disposal leads to frequent illness and missed school.
Emma Torkoff, a senior majoring in early childhood education at the School of Education, worked with Lacrossing Barriers, a program designed to make the sport accessible for all individuals, especially in marginalized communities.
Vasuda Trehan, a PhD student in Information Science at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, developed machine learning algorithms that can predict the habitability of exoplanets as an intern at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Daniel Harkin, a senior majoring in atmospheric science at the College of Arts and Sciences, created AI tools to support snow prediction as an intern at National Weather Service Grand Forks, a weather forecast office responsible for monitoring weather conditions for 35 counties in North Dakota and Minnesota.
George Spencer III, a senior majoring in biology at the College of Arts and Sciences, studied proteins involved in wound healing as part of an internship in the surgery research unit at Albany Medical College.
Hannah Tompkins, a master’s student in Public History at the College of Arts and Sciences, interned at the Seward House Museum in Auburn, N.Y.

Interested in finding your next experiential learning experience? Connect with UAlbany Career and Professional Development and Study Abroad.