7/24/2019 The Catalyst Feature Article

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BioE Undergrads Give Back to their Department by Founding The Catalyst

Departments first undergraduate research journal highlights student research.

By Emilie Berman

While countless undergraduate students in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BioE) log long

hours participating in innovative research under the tutelage of university faculty and professionals in thefield, one student decided it was time for his peers to gain recognition for their work.

Kevin Pineault, a transfer student in BioE and a memer of !ssistant "rofessor Christopher Jeell!s

research la, felt the need to give ack to his department y pulishing student research in what is now

the department#s first$ever undergraduate research %ournal, The Catalyst.

&! lot of students don#t know a lot aout undergraduate research, and they don#t know how eneficial it

can e,' "ineault said to eplain why starting the %ournal was etremely important for him.

!fter coming to the niversity of *aryland (*D) the summer efore his sophomore year, "ineault

contacted Dr" #racy Chung, Director of !cademic and +tudent !ffairs for the department, to discuss his

vision for a research %ournal specifically focused on ioengineering. aving little knowledge of how toassemle a research %ournal at the time, "ineault decided to speak with students at the niversity of

-irginia who had helped to estalish their own research %ournal, The Spectra.

By founding The Catalystwith a group of fellow ioengineering students, "ineault hoped not only tocreate a professional %ournal that would highlight the work of his peers and BioE faculty, ut also to

galvanie interest and involvement within the /lark +chool.

The Catalyst, pulished each semester, highlights two to three papers that BioE students sumit to an

editorial team, who then work one$on$one with the students to record ongoing and completed research

involving undergraduate students.

! goal of the pulication#s editorial team is to encourage all students to pulish their research, whethercompleted or not, and to uild confidence in specific fields of study, "ineault said. 0he editorial oard

also hopes the pulication creates interest in the research currently eing conducted at the university and

helps oost attendance at various events held y the department and the /lark +chool.

With the help of BioE lecturer $ngela Jones, an advisor to The Catalysteditorial team, eight to ten

ioengineering students work throughout the semester to compile interviews with fellow ioengineeringstudents, follow up with research paper sumissions, and find upcoming events to pulish in the net

edition in order to create a more connected community among students and researchers.

The Catalystteam is always looking for new research to pulish, and students who would like to ecomemore involved with the /lark +chool. With the help of future *D students, "ineault and The Catalyst

editorial team hope that their %ournal continues to grow and recognie the talent and drive for innovationpresent in oth the /lark +chool and across the *D community.

0he third edition of The Catalystis slated for pulication this spring.