On Wednesday, May 20th, the Berkeley Carroll community gathered in the Marlene Clary Performance Space for the annual Science Research and Design Symposium, a capstone celebration honoring the work of the senior class who have spent three years developing as independent researchers.

The Science Research and Design program is one of Berkeley Carroll's most distinctive academic offerings. Rather than studying science from a distance, SRD students practice it, formulating original research questions, adapting methods from peer-reviewed literature, designing and executing their own experimental protocols, and presenting findings to authentic audiences. By the time they reach their senior year, these students have done the kind of work most won't encounter until college.

This year's cohort brought that standard to life across a remarkable range of disciplines. Their projects spanned environmental science, neurobiology, botany, materials science, and beyond, from investigating sweet basil as a tool for soil remediation to exploring how microplastics affect planarian regeneration to examining the spatial memory of slime mold. Taken together, the presentations reflected not just scientific breadth, but a genuine spirit of inquiry: each student had identified a problem, pursued it with rigor, and seen it through.

That last part, according to SRD Coordinator Dr. Mohammed, may be the most important part of all. This year's seniors navigated the guidance of three different research advisors across the span of the program, a significant challenge that required adaptability and resilience at every turn. They worked through experimental setbacks, revised their approaches, and kept going. 

"They demonstrated resilience in overcoming the setbacks and challenges that are an essential part of authentic scientific research," Dr. Mohammed noted. "The qualities of adaptability, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity will continue to serve them well."

The evening also featured a special moment of recognition: the presentation of the Dr. Carolina Henriques SRD Award. Dr. Henriques joined Berkeley Carroll in April 2024, and though her time with the community was cut short, the impression she left endures. Her curiosity, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for scientific discovery touched everyone who had the opportunity to work alongside her. The award, presented by Vanessa Prescott, was established in her memory, and honors a senior whose approach to research reflects those same values.

This year, the award was presented to Jason N. '26, recognized for the steadiness, humility, and quiet determination he brought to every stage of the research process. As Prescott noted in the presentation, what set Jason apart wasn't just his academic achievement, but the way he showed up for the community around him: offering feedback to peers, maintaining the lab space, and approaching every challenge with patience and grace.

In a celebratory tradition, each senior received their official lab coat, a symbol of their entry into the broader community of researchers, and a well-earned marker of everything they've built over three years.

Congratulations to the SRD Class of 2026.

View the Symposium Photo Gallery Here