YURC 2023

On April 15-16, 2023, YURC hosted its first Intercollegiate Research Symposium, inviting undergraduate populations from across the country to present their work and explore interdisciplinary as well as intercollegiate connections.

Explore our 2023 programming booklet here.

Keynote Speakers

  • Dr. Ruth Lehmann is a distinguished biologist and developmental geneticist who has made significant contributions to our understanding of germ cells and early embryonic development. She was the Director of the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and a Professor at New York University School of Medicine but currently serves as the director of the Whitehead Institute at MIT. Lehmann's groundbreaking research has shed light on the molecular mechanisms that govern the formation and differentiation of germ cells, and her discoveries have important implications for reproductive medicine and fertility treatments. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Gruber Genetic Prize and the Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. Lehmann is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts in her field.

  • Dr. Harold Varmus is a renowned scientist and public health advocate who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1989 for his work on the genetic basis of cancer, and has since gone on to serve as the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the President of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Varmus was later appointed by President Obama to be the Director of the National Cancer Institute. Currently, Varmus is the Lewis Thomas University Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a senior associate at the New York Genome Center. Varmus’s contributions to the field of cancer research and public health have made him one of the most influential scientists of his generation.

  • Dr. Stephen Latham is a prominent scholar and bioethicist who has made significant contributions to the field of health law and policy. He is currently the Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics and a Professor of Law at Yale University. Latham's research focuses on a wide range of ethical and legal issues related to healthcare and biomedical research, including genetic testing, reproductive technologies, and end-of-life care. In addition to his academic work, Latham has also served as a consultant for various organizations, including the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health. Latham's qualifications, achievements, and dedication to the field of bioethics have earned him a reputation as one of the leading voices in this critical area of inquiry.

  • Dr. Steven Pinker is a cognitive psychologist, linguist, and author whose work has had a profound impact on our understanding of human nature. He is currently a Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and has been named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" multiple times. Pinker is known for his groundbreaking research on language acquisition, cognition, and the nature of consciousness. He has authored numerous best- selling books, including "The Language Instinct", "How the Mind Works", and "The Better Angels of Our Nature." Pinker's qualifications, personal achievements, and dedication to advancing our understanding of the mind and human nature have established him as one of the most influential and important thinkers of our time.

2023 Poster Presentation

Acknowledgements

YURC Co-Chairs 2023: Zihan Yang, Deborah Arul

We would like to thank the Yale Science & Engineering Association, as well as the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, for supporting the 2023 Conference.