LSAMP Scholars: 2023 Cohort

Student Spotlight

Bryant Pena

Hometown: Freeport, NY
Doubler Major: Chemistry and Biology

Expected Gradution: Spring 2026

What sparked your interest in your field of study? Why did you chose your major? I've been interested in chemistry since elementary school, and my interest in chemistry has only grown since I first learned about the basics. I ultimately chose chemistry as my first major due to this huge and persisting interest, with biology soon following as a second major to help my understanding of chemistry research, which is what I hope to continue doing in the future.

How has being a part of the LSAMP program impacted your undergraduate experience? Being a part of LSAMP has helped me explore more in the realm of research, especially since I only recently got into research, starting in my current research group here at Stony Brook over Summer 2023. With LSAMP, I have been given suggestions on conferences that I should attend, as well as given advice on how I should approach future research applications. 

What are your career goals or aspirations post-graduation? Post-graduation, I am looking at going to graduate school to continue on to at least my PhD in chemistry, in which I hope to continue doing research in the chemical sciences. I am unsure of where exactly I want to continue doing research post-PhD, however, I do know that doing research is the ultimate goal for me.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen who are interested in studying a STEM fields at Stony Brook University? The best advice I can give is get to know the faculty in your specific field. Not only would this help them recognize you and potentially get letters of recommendation, this can also help get your name out throughout the department for potential research opportunities.