On Monday, May 7, ARCS Northern California Chapter  hosted the 2018 ARCS Symposium at the Quadrus Conference Center in Menlo Park, featuring research posters from more than 60 graduate students in STEM disciplines. Dr. Jeremy Reiter of UCSF, who serves as ARCS NCC science advisor, moderated oral presentations by six scholars. 

“ARCS Scholars work on a diverse array of problems, from the origins of Parkinson’s disease, to the impacts of climate change on the ecology of the Bay Area, to the genesis of stars,” said Dr. Reiter, who expressed excitement about the event.

Professor Alex Filippenko of UC Berkeley, a world-renowned astronomer and 2017 symposium keynote speaker, noted that most government funding for STEM supports scientists at the later stages of research, after promising results have “de-risked” the project.  He endorses the ARCS philosophy of supporting young scientists who are often more likely to have the breakthrough ideas.

“Every ARCS Scholar I’ve met impressed me with their depth of knowledge and their determination to make the world a better place,” said Dr. Kim Polese in an April 2017 interview with Silicon Valley Business Times. Dr. Polese is a serial entrepreneur, chairman of CrowdSmart, and ARCS Northern California Scholar Alum.

“The 2018 ARCS Symposium is an interactive forum that introduces our scholars to leaders in science, technology and venture communities of Northern California,” said Chris Simpson Brent, ARCS NCC president. “It is a great opportunity to connect with these smart young scientists.”