Our Crowdfunding Groups
Forever True Day is live!
Iowa State’s 24-hour online giving day launched at noon (CDT) and runs through noon on April 4. This is a great opportunity for Stupka Symposium to get a little extra support! Make a gift and then check out ForeverTrueDay.com to see matches, challenges, and all kinds of excitement all across campus.
You can encourage others to make a gift on social media! Use https://forevertrueday.com/giving-day/82903/donate?des=618354&dept=82913 and #ForeverTrueDay in your post for maximum impact.
Thank you for helping us get Stupka Symposium a little extra support on Forever True Day!
Hello Stupka Supporters,
We want to take a chance to thank everyone for their incredible support of this symposium. Thanks to you, we met our goal of $3000! The success of this campaign speaks volumes to the incredible community that supports this symposium and Rob’s vision. We pledge to use these funds wisely for Stupka 2024 and beyond.
Now is a great chance to mark your calendars for the 18th annual symposium. The 18th annual Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium will take place on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Our keynote speakers will be Dr. Thomas Pollard from the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, and Dr. Susan Marqusee from the Berkeley College of Chemistry in Berkeley, CA. See the graphic below for additional information about next year’s exciting keynote speakers!
Stupka 2024 Keynote Speakers Thomas Pollard, M.D. and Susan Marqusee, Ph.D.
As you may know, our campaign ends this Friday. There is still time to donate/share with your social networks to help us exceed our goal of $3000!
Please enjoy these last few photos from the 2023 Stupka Symposium. We look forward to seeing many of you at next year’s 18th annual Stupka Symposium on April 4, 2024!
-- Stupka ‘23 and ‘24 Planning Committees
Stupka 2023 Planning Committee at the close of the Symposium
Post-Stupka celebration dinner!
Dear Stupka Supporters,
This year’s symposium was a huge success! It was great seeing all the Stupka Symposium guests back at the Molecular Biology Building having the in-person interactions that make this day so special. One of the most impactful events to allow the students to share their research is through the Poster Session. We are excited to announce that we had four poster winners this year: Avani Laharia, Anna Schwake, Madeline Stadtmueller, and Ajla Muheljic. Congratulations to these students for their fantastic work!
Stupka 2023 Poster winners (from L): Madeline Stadtmueller, Ajla Muheljic, Anna Schwake, Avani Laharia
Stupka 2023 Poster Session bird's-eye view
Lauren Sichterman, senior in biochemistry, presents her poster
It's never too early to begin thinking about next year’s event. This campaign doesn’t close until April 14th so please help us reach 100% funding by sharing with your friends and networks!
For everyone that has donated and shared our campaign with your networks, THANK YOU! Please enjoy these photos from the Stupka poster sessions and awards. This incredible event is only possible thanks to your help and support!
Stupka ‘23 Planning Committee
Dear Stupka Supporters,
There is less than one day until Stupka, and the Committee is overflowing with excitement! We have all worked so hard and cannot wait to experience the many rewards of developing this symposium: the interacting of peers, sharing of ideas, and remembering of Rob Stupka will always drive our goals.
We want to take a moment to remember another special contributor to the Symposium. Adrienne Smith was an active member in the Stupka Symposium Planning Committee during her time at Iowa State until her graduation in 2016. She graduated summa cum laude and was a 2015-2016 Stupka Scholar. Unfortunately, Adrienne Smith passed away from complications of cancer in February of 2017. Since her passing, an Alumni-Student Interaction Dinner has been held in her honor each year the night before the Stupka Symposium. We are very much looking forward to this event as a way to connect with and learn from those who came before us.
In addition to the Adrienne Smith dinner, we have continued finalizing everything for the day of the Symposium. Shirts have arrived and posters are en route as we speak, and we are so excited for how they turned out!
The atrium will be transformed soon! In the meantime, Anna, Courtney, Tristan, Kevin, and Karsten show off the freshly-delivered 2023 shirts.
Tristan, Kevin, and Karsten model the 2023 Stupka Planning Committee shirts
2023-’24 Stupka Scholars Caroline, Braden, and Avani model the 2023 Stupka Symposium shirts
We hope that you can help us reach our goal! As always, please share this on your social networks or by email to anyone you feel may be interested.
-- Stupka 2023 Planning Committee
Hello Stupka Supporters,
Thanks to you, we have raised $500 toward our goal! We are extremely grateful for each and every one of you. This Symposium is made possible because of your continued support!
It is also finally Stupka Week!! The committee has been working hard the entire semester and can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Stupka at the Molecular Biology Building.
Earlier today, to kick off Stupka week, we enjoyed a virtual Alumni-Student Interaction that gave underclassman the chance to get to know department alumni and learn more about what life is like after Iowa State. Below are a few screenshots of the session.
Participants of the virtual Alumni-Student Interaction on Sun. 3/26
Various breakout rooms from 3/26 virtual interaction event
Until the next update, keep up the great work sharing with your social networks, and please consider donating to help with the remaining 85% of our goal. It would feel wonderful to reach 100% by the day of Stupka!
Thank you for your support,
Stupka ‘23 Planning Committee
Hello Stupka Supporters,
We feel so grateful seeing each and every donation come in! We are excited to share our preparations for the Stupka Symposium – only one week away!
Last night, our enthusiastic committee completed a run-through. We practiced introductions, found the best lighting, and our student speakers even rehearsed their research presentations. We cannot wait for our talented students to present along with our renowned keynotes and alumni!
Tim (right) practices speaker introduction
Committee members Braden, Tristan, Avani, and Kathryn review Poster Prizes
Co-Chairs Michelle (middle) and Kevin (right) open the final Committee meeting before the Symposium
There is still time to register to attend in person or virtually before the deadline tomorrow using the link: https://stupka.bb.iastate.edu/
As the committee works into overdrive during the one-week countdown, we are always appreciative. The Symposium will always benefit from donations, but it cannot thrive without the continued support of our community.
Thank you,
Stupka ‘23 Planning Committee
Hello Stupka Supporters!
It’s officially one week before the Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium! This week we gear up our preparation, and we will be doing a committee run-through, printing 2023 programs, and most exciting, confirming travel plans for our renowned speakers.
To get everyone ready for the event, we decided that it would be a great time to share details on our speakers. Our two keynote speakers this year are two scientists who conduct research in the biochemical sphere – Dr. McKinnon and Dr. Jez. Both study complex biomolecules, but they also use different model systems.
 |  |
| Dr. Peter McKinnon | Dr. Joseph Jez |
We cannot wait to learn about how their cutting-edge research advances and influences the research of others. To gain more information on their sessions or research, visit the flyer or our website.
Along with our keynote speakers, we are excited to welcome this year’s Alum Speaker: Natalie Whitis. A 2017 Biophysics graduate of Iowa State, former Stupka Committee member, and current Ph.D. candidate at University of California, San Francisco, Ms. Whitis will be presenting on her single-particle cryoEM research to characterize interactions between C. trachomatis effector IncE and the mammalian ESCPE-1 complex.
Natalie Whitis, 2023 Alum Speaker
We greatly appreciate your support and cannot wait to give an update on the excitement before Stupka!
Please continue to consider donating and sharing our FundISU link with social networks.
Stay tuned,
Stupka ‘23 Planning Committee
Hello Stupka Symposium Supporters!
With just under two weeks until our 17th annual Symposium, we are excited to announce our 2023 FundISU campaign. As the planning committee works hard to bring the best possible experience year after year, we focus on allocating our funds in a strategic yet enriching way. Ultimately, every donation has an impact on the Symposium as we consider purchasing supplies from bagels to plane tickets.
Fall 2022 Planning Meeting; Matt Shafer (center), Stupka Speaker Chair and 2023 Stupka Leader
To donate, or simply stay updated with our amazing team, visit our project link: https://fundisu.foundation.iastate.edu/Stupka23
Social network sharing is also greatly appreciated; use custom sharing links as shown below.
Custom sharing links are available for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
We are excited to provide updates throughout this whole process, and we hope to provide an exclusive glimpse of our behind-the-scenes work to plan the Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium. For a broader overview, explore our website at stupka.bb.iastate.edu.
Stay tuned,
Stupka ‘23 Planning Committee