September 9, 2025
Ferris State students share research on topics ranging from battling cancer to small town housing affordability in symposium
Housing affordability in small towns, artificial intelligence, and battling cancer are among the topics Ferris State University students researched this year, with plans to talk about their work and its impact at a Friday event.
Students will be presenting about their work in seven-minute “lightning talks” at the 2025 Celebration of Student Research and Creative Activities Symposium, highlighting the broad array of student research and creative works from the Big Rapids and Grand Rapids campuses over the past academic year.
The event is on Friday, Sept. 12 at the David Eisler Center, 805 Campus Drive. Students will discuss their projects between 9 and 11 a.m. in the Eisler Center’s Founder’s Room. The event will be streamed, with information provided on the event webpage.
The event is sponsored by the university’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
The presentations will be followed by a keynote address from Dr. Alan Arnold, founder and CEO of Dream Fit Solutions, a Virginia-based consulting firm focused on professional development, networking, and marketability for individuals and organizations.
Arnold earned a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Ferris State before earning a doctorate in Oncology and Cancer Biology from the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
More than 50 posters about the research projects will be available in the Eisler Center until 2 p.m. and are open to the campus and community.
Student researchers teamed up with faculty mentors, looking at topics including how early trauma shapes infant mental health and development, the link between cybersecurity and economics, and designing an impactful student study away program on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Arnold conducted student research while at Ferris State that resulted in two publications. He served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow and formed a company that works closely with many federal government agencies.
His company, Dream Fit Solutions, helps research institutions like Ferris State increase the clarity, impact, and funding success of their projects.
Through services such as plain-language translation of technical findings, strategic collaboration tools like the 4R platform, and support for early-stage proposal and team development, DFS enhances both internal capacity and external visibility.
The company helps faculty connect across disciplines, communicate more effectively, and align their research with strategic funding opportunities.