Ph.D. student and ARISE mentor Christopher Buglino empowers a new generation of STEM scholars

Over the summer, NYU's Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program invited local high school students to explore STEM alongside researchers and faculty across the Tandon School of Engineering and the College of Arts & Science. Now in its twelfth year, this 10-week summer initiative is supported by the Center for K12 STEM Education at NYU Tandon and is tuition-free thanks to the Pinkerton Foundation. Over 40 NYU faculty members, along with Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, participated in the latest edition, offering exposure to engineering, bioengineering, computer and data science, and life sciences.

Among the mentors was Christopher Buglino, a second-year mechanical engineering Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Urban Science Doctoral Track administered by the Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) at NYU Tandon. From June 2 to August 9, Buglino led all-day instructional sessions for a group of secondary students at CUSP, with colleagues stepping in occasionally to offer additional insights. Each ARISE student had the chance to work in one of Tandon’s well-equipped labs, dedicated to topics ranging from transportation systems to robotics.

“I have been fortunate that there are so many people at CUSP who are really knowledgeable and keen to make their time available,” said Buglino. “During the summer, I was able to have a lot of different people come in and talk about what they do or come in on a lesson and share a different perspective.”

Research driven by a desire for real-world impact and engagement

Buglino’s mentorship in the ARISE program reflects his commitment to community engagement, a key reason for his transition from a research role in the industry to pursuing a Ph.D. in academia in 2023. Although he acknowledges the many challenges to achieving effective community engagement, he believes that beginning with active listening is essential.

“I think one key step in doing research that is helpful for different communities is starting from the assumption that the community members know what they need,” said Buglino. “Starting from a place of listening is important.”

Buglino’s research interests are focused on policy evaluation methods and identifying data-driven solutions for societal issues. He has a strong interest in women’s rights, especially the challenges facing women's shelters. As a member of the Dynamical Systems Laboratory, his current research centers on gun violence. 

“I'm focused on how American interest in gun violence has changed over the last 10 years to evaluate whether the ways that we're talking about policy are effective in actually getting policy implemented,” said Buglino.

Although he has previous experience as an instructor and curriculum designer, ARISE marked Buglino’s first opportunity to teach young adult learners. Over the summer, he aimed to provide students with two key skills: a solid foundation in research, specifically distilling knowledge from data, and professional coding practices including version control.

“You don't often have an opportunity to learn how to work collaboratively, especially in programming, until you get into the industry,” said Buglino.

He found his role as a mentor in the ARISE program rewarding and noted that high school students today are more knowledgeable and tech-savvy than ever before. Buglino emphasized that the program’s success was due to a collective effort of the students, mentors, and staff, especially Luann Williams-Moore, Assistant Director of K12 STEM Education at NYU Tandon. 

"The individual drive of the students and the support from Luann made the program truly impactful," he said.