This past weekend, President Chris Eisgruber officially welcomed Princeton University's Class of 2022, encouraging them to explore "the miracle of beautiful ideas" and asking them to join him in reflecting on "how fortunate we are to be on a campus of this kind - a campus that values the fearless pursuit of truth, cherishes the importance of service, and celebrates the dazzling diversity of identities, cultures, faiths and backgrounds that form the rich tapestry of our community." This issue of @princeton.edu celebrates this diversity by looking back on a summer of programs hosted on campus designed to make higher education more accessible and prepare students for success. We also provide a taste of the ideas being explored by university researchers in laboratories across campus, and even in space. And we celebrate Governor Phil Murphy's visit to Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs to launch new programs to support innovative companies in NJ.

A SUMMER FOR MAKING A COLLEGE EDUCATION MORE ACCESSIBLE

Princeton program is a model for helping low-income students attend college
A new study by Educational Testing Service (ETS) concluded that few college access programs have succeeded as well as the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) in improving the likelihood that low-income students will go to college.  The ETS report called PUPP a national leader, noting that it has been a role model for similar programs supported by other universities.  Learn more.

 

 

PPPL: Inspiring students toward a career in STEM
The PPPL was buzzing over the summer from the research undertaken by the dedicated students participating in the summer internship programs targeted at undergraduates and high school students, from New Jersey and around the country, interested in learning more about plasma physic.  During the programs, the students were paired with mentor scientists and engineers and investigated topics ranging from artificial intelligence and mechanical engineering to visualizing earthquakes. 

 

 

High school students learn to ask the right questions at Princeton's Summer Journalism Program
Students in Princeton University's Summer Journalism Program stepped into the role of news reporters for 11 days this August, preparing themselves for the rigors of a career in journalism, as well as an important first step - the college application process.  Learn more.

 

 

 

LEDA Career Institute at Princeton guides high-achieving, low-income college students on path to professional leadership
A cohort of 152 rising sophomores from under-resourced backgrounds participated in the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) Career institute, a five-day intensive designed to hone interviewing, job search and leadership skills.  Princeton has supported the program since 2005 and in 2014 increased its support to expand participation from 60 to 100 Scholars a year, as part of the University's ongoing commitment to increase the socioeconomic diversity of college students.  Learn more.

 

Freshman Scholars Institute: Summer study leads to year-round success
Over the course of eight weeks this summe,r 73 incoming members of the Class of 2022 immersed themselves in Princeton's vibrant academic and social life through the University's Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI).  FSI provides a group of incoming students, primarily those who are first in their family to attend college and those coming from lower- to moderate-income backgrounds, with an early opportunity to experience the many academic and co-curricular resources that Princeton has to offer and prepare them to take their place as leaders on campus and in the larger world.  Learn more.

 

 

College students examine policy issues at Junior Summer Institute
This summer, 31 undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the United States attended the Junior Summer Institute (JSI) at Princeton.  The rigorous, seven-week program is designed to prepare students from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities for graduate study and careers in public policy and international affairs.  Learn more.

 

 

 

 

EXPLORING NEW IDEAS FROM DEEP UNDERGROUND UP INTO THE HEAVENS

At Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, Gov. Phil Murphy announces statewide innovation initiatives
Gov. Phil Murphy visited Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs on July 25 to announce two statewide programs aimed at supporting new and established innovation businesses in New Jersey.  Learn more.

 

 

 

 

Princeton in Space: ISʘIS launch lights up the sky
The Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying NASA's Parker Solar Probe lifted off at 3:31 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.  The mission, including the Princeton-led ISʘIS instrument suite, will perform the closest-ever observations of a star as it travels through the sun's atmosphere, called the corona.  Learn more. 

 

 

 

Foam could offer greener option for petroleum drillers

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, provides critical energy for society, but also uses large amounts of fresh water while producing corresponding amounts of wastewater.  Researchers led by Professor Howard Stone analyzed the use of water-based foams, which use about 90 percent less water than fracking fluids, as an alternative.  Learn more.

 

 

 

From 'sea of mutations,' two possible cancer links rise to the surface
By analyzing data from thousands of patients, Princeton researchers have identified genetic mutations that frequently  occur in people with uterine cancer, colorectal cancer or skin cancer - an important step toward using genome sequences to better understand cancer and guide new treatments.  Learn more.

 

 

 

 

MacMillan lab finds new way to bond molecules that could speed drug discovery
Bringing new drugs to market takes time.  Laboratory testing, clinical research and U.S. Food and Drug Administration review - and all the steps in between - add up to 17 years, on average, for research evidence to reach clinical practice.  Princeton researchers have found ways to bond molecules "like Legos," theoretically allowing new medicines to be assembled faster and with more flexibility.  Learn more.