CONFERENCES
​Present and network at American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference
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We share the mission of STARS with professors, faculty, and industry leaders, showcasing the K-12th and undergraduate outreach we have been performing as well as the internal club branch programs we have been creating to teach students on how to grow macromolecular crystals, solve structures, and understand the importance of structural biology, especially as they relate to designing therapeutics.
Networking with corporations at the 2024 American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference, Susanna Huang (STARS Atlanta branch) and Selina Huang (STARS high school branch) speaking with Formulatrix representative about possible collaborations for outreach programs between STARS and Formulatrix
Purpose: Provide STARS members the opportunity to give oral and poster presentations at a national level conference, to see what the real realm of crystallography and structural biology research is like, to connect with academia and industry leaders and represent STARS, and to bring that invigorated energy from the conference back to the STARS branches to drive outreach and club branch programs for the subsequent school year.
2024 American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference, Lee Daniels of Rigaku (right) and Susanna Huang of STARS (middle) co-chair on the 2024 ACA Session 2.1.5. Tips & Tricks for Modern Structural Methods and have a photo with Tom Koetzle of Brookhaven National Laboratory (left)
Conference attended:
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2023 American Crystallographic Association conference
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Direct result from attending: creation of STARS Atlanta branch for undergraduate students
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2024 American Crystallographic Association conference
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Raised over $800 from corporations and conference attendees to support the 2025 high school crystallography workshop in the spring semester
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Networking with fellow undergraduate research students at the 2024 American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference, Selina Huang (left) of STARS high school branch, Joshua James (middle) of University of Alabama Huntsville, and Susanna Huang (right) of Georgia Tech and STARS Atlanta branch at the 2.2.6 Engaging Students Part 1 session at the 2024 ACA conference.
​STARS Travel Grant to the American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference
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We want to provide STARS members with the opportunity to attend and present at the ACA conference without being hindered by travel costs. Starting from the Spring 2025 semester, STARS members will be able to apply for the annual STARS Travel Grant. Requirements for applying students include:
(1) Active membership in their associated STARS branch (refer to bylaws for the definition of active membership),
(2) submitted presentation abstract to the ACA conference,
(3) submitted ACA Student Travel Grant application, and
(4) submitted STARS Travel Grant application.
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This travel grant is for supporting STARS members who are interested in crystallography and structural biology research and want to become more involved in STARS outreach programs, club meetings, and events.
For full applicant eligibility and application requirements, please reference the Travel Grant Policy.
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Purpose: Direct STARS members to applying for financial support through the ACA Student Travel Grant, and if necessary, additional support through the STARS Travel Grant, while giving students a chance to learn how to submit conference abstracts to present at conferences, submit travel grant applications, write personal statements pertinent to outreach or research projects, as well as make connections with academia and industry leaders and experience attending and presenting at a national structural biology and crystallography conference.
Opening keynote presentation by Prof. Catherine Drennan of MIT at the 2024 American Crystallographic Association (ACA) conference
ATTENTION: We are still in need of help funding the 2025 STARS Travel Grant. If you support the STARS mission and would like to help students attend and present at the 2025 ACA conference, please consider making a donation today: https://gofund.me/cb45fca6
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For more information about the Travel Grant, visit our Travel Grant policy page:
​Present at STEM teacher conferences
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We share the mission of STARS with the teachers and show them the outreach work that we had done so far, highlighting the importance of crystal-growing for spurring creativity in students and its simultaneous connection to crystallography research for structural biology and disease treatment.
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Purpose: Spread the word about STARS with teachers for increased local community involvement and provide STARS members an opportunity to practice presenting about STARS outreach work.
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Conferences attended:​
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2021 Cobb County STEM teacher conference (2021 STEMapalooza)
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2022 Cobb County STEM teacher conference (2022 STEMapalooza)
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2022 Cobb County STEM teacher conference, STARS high school team (Susanna Huang, Selina Huang, and Andrew Fang) presenting to teachers about the importance of crystal-growing for piquing students' interest in science and how crystal-growing activities can be applied in the classroom
​STARS annual meeting
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We want to provide STARS branches and their members the chance to share with each other the recent structural biology and crystal-growing outreach and research initiatives that they have been working on. Branches would take turns presenting about their initiatives and successes followed by open discussion. The meeting would take place once every calendar year (most likely at the end of each spring semester).
Purpose: These annual meetings will provide STARS leaders and members alike to prepare presentations, summarize their work, and share their project initiatives. Seeing the other STARS leaders’ and members’ involvement with their outreach and research projects will serve as encouragement and inspiration for STARS members and leaders in their own initiatives and branch projects. Additionally, the open discussion can help facilitate dialogue for considering creative ways to tackle challenges brought up for recent projects, discussing cross-branch collaborations, and fostering a community of research-focused students for future outreach and research projects inside and outside of STARS.