This summer the BSEG lab is hosting two new undergraduate students in the cusp end of their freshman year. Amos Zou and Lamia Begum who are both a part of the STAR Scholars Program offered by the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel will be participating in our i-Hear project experiment set to begin later in the summer. When asked to introduce themselves and their goals with their involvement in the project, below are their responses.

Amos: “My name is Amos Zou, and I am an undergrad student studying civil engineering. In fall 2023, I will be a sophomore. I learned about the project through Drexel’s STAR Scholars program and found it very interesting, so I reached out to Dr. Wen. Being in the project, I hope to learn about some current topics in the field of occupant comfort, as well as gain some hands-on experience performing experimental work. In my free time, I like to play and follow sports.“

Lamia: “Hello, my name is Lamia Begum. I am a rising sophomore and in the First Year Exploratory Studies (FYES) program, hoping to soon declare my major in either Civil or Mechanical Engineering. I became involved in the project through the STARS program and Dr. Hoque. Dr. Hoque introduced me to the i-Hear project, and I was fascinated by the study because I haven’t heard much about the topic of buildings and comfort together, so I was thrilled to be a part of it. Through this project, I want to gain knowledge in the research aspect of civil engineering and hope to learn about the importance of the environment for our comfort. When I am free, I like to paint and draw.“

We extend our warmest welcome to both of them and hope to provide enriching and fun-filled experience with some building science and engineering work.

The Star Scholars Program provides highly motivated first-year students with an opportunity to engage in an early faculty-mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, or creative experience during the summer after their freshman year. The program is highly competitive and seeks to identify and encourage students to take a hands-on approach to their education through undergraduate research. Students who participate in the STAR Scholars Program earn a stipend and live in free on-campus housing for the summer term while completing 350 hours of faculty-mentored activity, and their summer experience culminates with a poster presentation at the annual STAR Scholars Summer Showcase.