Honors Symposium Highlights Student Research and a Future Shaped by AI

The 2026 University Honors Senior Symposium brought together 135 seniors from the Honors College and WISE Honors Program. Photo by John Griffin.

The Stony Brook Union Ballroom was transformed into a bustling boardroom of ideas as Honors College and WISE Honors Program seniors filled the room with colorful research posters, data visualizations and endless conversation. The 2026 University Honors Senior Symposium brought together 135 students, each presenting projects marking the conclusion of their undergraduate research careers.

Catherine Sherman, assistant dean of the University Honors Programs, welcomed attendees and kicked off the evening by inviting them to celebrate the graduating seniors' work. She emphasized that the projects were about more than fulfilling Capstone requirements.

"They are tangible results of our students' intellect, curiosity, drive and sustained engagement with research and writing over the course of a year, sometimes longer," she said. "Seniors, we are immensely proud of what you have accomplished and the contributions you are making to your respective fields."

The event also reflected the scope of the Honors and WISE programs and the institutional support behind them. This year's cohort was mentored by 95 faculty members from 55 departments, ranging from physics, engineering and computer science to the humanities, social sciences and the arts.

Sherman used her remarks to spotlight that network of advocates.

"Thank you for your stewardship," she said. "You all have provided the intellectual scaffolding and the creative spark that allowed this high-caliber work to flourish."

She also acknowledged the Honors Programs' administrative staff. In particular, she recognized Kirshani Gunaratnam, honors thesis coordinator, for her "excellent coordination of this year's thesis process and symposium."

Students in the Social Analysis and Impact Capstone with Manuel London, distinguished professor of management in the College of Business.

While the symposium showcased projects across disciplines, Sherman noted that this year's event was momentous because it marked the debut of the Social Analysis and Impact Capstone, led by Manuel London, distinguished professor of management in the Stony Brook University College of Business.

"The Social Analysis Capstone affords students opportunities to articulate solutions to current societal challenges and themes," Sherman said.

This year, London's students tackled one of the most urgent and fast-moving issues in contemporary life: artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work.

"Thank you so much, Dr. London, for launching this new curricular offering," Sherman added, underscoring the program's role in connecting academic research to real-world questions about ethics and regulation surrounding technological change.

Among the students in the Social Analysis and Impact Capstone is Hannah Kirby, a senior physics major with a political science minor and a member of the WISE Honors Program. Kirby described her project, which sits at the crossroads of science, law and technology.

"I found it especially meaningful to investigate how patent law is evolving in response to advances in AI," she said. "My chosen hypothesis examined the extent to which AI has affected the time the United States Patent and Trademark Office takes to examine patent applications."

To answer that question, Kirby analyzed over 5 million patent applications from a public dataset, tracking shifts in examination rates over time. The scale of the data gave her a view of how a federal agency is adapting, slowly or quickly, to technological transformation.

"I look forward to revisiting this research in the future as I advance in my career and as AI technology continues to transform the field of patent law," she added.

For Kirby, the symposium is not just a showcase of a single project but the culmination of a community experience.

"My experience in the WISE Honors community has been truly transformative," she said. "Even when faced with the toughest semesters, when calculus and waves of every kind became too overwhelming, I could always count on my WISE courses to provide a place of confidence, encouragement and belonging."

She credits the program with shaping her academically and personally.

"The program offered lessons and mentorship that extended far beyond the traditional classroom, shaping me in ways I never expected and for which I am eternally grateful," she said.

Kirby also emphasized the faculty and staff who guided her along the way. "I am deeply thankful to Dr. London for his unwavering support and mentorship throughout my thesis work," she said. "I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to [Rachel Rodriguez], whom I had the privilege of [being a teacher's assistant] for; her kindness has greatly inspired me."

The event allowed students like Kirby to present the work that had taken place in labs and libraries over the course of a year, but it was also a launchpad for students to take what they learned into real careers in research, policy, medicine, engineering and beyond.

- Lily Miller