The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, alumna Giselle Reyes has been published in the esteemed journal of the Botanical Society of America. A senior majoring in therapeutic recreation at the time of publishing, she received support from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URF) in the Division of Student Success
Found in Applications in Plant Sciences, an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal, Reyes’s research “Serial Section Videography (SSV): A Low-Cost Protocol for Generating 3D Reconstructions of Internal Plant Structure” represents a small, yet accomplished component of her involvement in undergraduate research at UT.
Reyes, of Canton, Georgia, who graduated in the fall of 2025, plans to attend graduate school with the goal of becoming an anesthesiologist assistant.
As a new college student, Reyes enjoyed the hands-on aspect of her course labs, seeking to find that same challenge outside the classroom. With support from URF, she began to explore the myriad of undergraduate research opportunities at the university, seeking to find research that aligned with her interests.
“[URF] helped guide me toward available projects and gave me the resources to get started through the DRA program,” Reyes said. “I was later awarded an AURA grant, which allowed me to continue my project over the summer. The Suissa Lab fit my interest perfectly, and when I saw that they study ferns, it immediately caught my attention. I grew up in a family that had a personal garden, where I would help my mom water and harvest the crops. This lab felt like a piece of home.”
Reyes was a recipient of the Advanced Undergraduate Research Activity, and she worked with her faculty mentor through the Departmental Research Assistantship and Faculty Research Assistants Funding grants. These awards support undergraduate students receiving mentorship of UT faculty as they pursue their own research/creative project or support original faculty-led research.
With this specialty funding, students and faculty are encouraged to engage in a collaborative relationship to help the student grow their involvement and experience in undergraduate research.
“The Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships is delighted to support undergraduate research that makes a difference in the lives of our scholars, in the research conducted by our faculty, and in our communities,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of URF. “We are so excited to celebrate Giselle and her faculty mentor, Dr. Suissa, who demonstrate what is possible when focused curiosity, intentional mentorship, and scholar development coalesce.”
With events such as Discovery Day and the Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA), URF cultivates environments for students to learn how to communicate and engage professionally with the scientific community. These presentation opportunities have shaped Reyes into a confident scholar, equipped with the analytical and scientific skills to achieve her career goals.
Beyond her involvement in undergraduate research, Reyes serves as secretary of Phi Chi Pre-Medical fraternity and is a full-time intern with the FUTURE Program, UT’s postsecondary program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the Knoxville community, she is a Medical Assistant at Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance and a volunteer with the Koinonia Foundation, supporting inclusive camps and programs for individuals with disabilities.
The Office of Undergraduate Research offers Advanced Undergraduate Research Activity (AURA) as a spring and summer program to promote advanced research and creative activities among UT undergraduate students.
The Departmental Research Assistantship (DRA) Program and the Faculty Research Assistants Funding (FRAF), offered through Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, are programs that aim to increase paid research/creative activity opportunities for undergraduate students, strengthen relationships between URF and academic departments, and recognize the role of undergraduate research faculty mentors.