11th Annual CARS Symposium Offers Opportunity to Celebrate Student Innovation and Creativity
The ) will bring together student researchers, faculty mentors, and community members to celebrate original research, scholarly work, and creative projects.
Hosted by the , the Aug. 7 event, which will be held in the Bronco Student Center, is a summer tradition that provides undergraduate students from Cal Poly Pomona and local community colleges with a professional platform to present their work. CARS is non-competitive and welcomes projects across all disciplines.
“The Creative Activities and Research Symposium is a welcoming space for new and returning student researchers to practice presenting their work while developing essential skills for graduate school, job interviews, and future endeavors,” said Ever Barraza, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. “As a high impact educational experience, the annual summer research symposium highlights the work of Cal Poly Pomona students as well as visiting community college student scholars. We invite faculty, students, families, and supporters to attend, interact with students, and support their professional growth and research efforts.”
For many students, CARS marks more than just an academic achievement—it serves as a personal milestone in their research journey.
“At face value, CARS is an effective way for me to disseminate my research. However, its utility goes deeper than that,” said Jimmy Vo, student and biology major.
“CARS is also an opportunity to share and discuss potential applications of modern scientific advances, which is essential to scaling research development and understanding. Educating my peers about something I believe is important is vital to me, and CARS provides a platform to do so. In my experience presenting, I have always learned something new from the audience. Some individuals have particular knowledge on the subject and can provide an important insight into the work. Not only am I aiming to educate others, but also to learn through their varying perspectives. I strongly believe that presenting at the symposium will further enhance my ambition and curiosity, allowing me to uncover more about my topic. This will open more doors for me academically and professionally.”
To learn more about CARS, visit the or contact the team directly at our-cpp@cpp.edu.