Gathers for the 2025 Norma Slepecky Memorial Lecture and Undergraduate Research Prize Awards, coordinated by WiSE
This spring, the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) hosted its annual Norma Slepecky Memorial Lecture and Award Ceremony. This year, they were privileged to have Joan-Emma Shea, a professorial powerhouse in chemistry, biochemistry, and physics at UC Santa Barbara, as their guest speaker. Shea's talk, "Self-Assembly of the Tau Protein: Computational Insights Into Neurodegeneration," shed light on her team's discoveries regarding Tau aggregation using computer simulations.
The event was not just about scholarly accolades; it equally celebrated student achievements through the presentation of the Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize. Tessa DiCicco '25, a biomedical engineering student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, was this year's recipient. Her paper, "Defining Anatomical Relationships of the Tibial Tubercle to Inform Execution of Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy in Revision of Total Knees," impressed the review committee with its innovative approach.
Tessa DiCicco '25, a tenacious researcher, has been working closely with Dr. Timothy Damron, an orthopedic physician and the David G. Murray Endowed Professor with Upstate Medical Center, for the past three years. Her winning paper, set to be presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the Orthopedic Research Society, aims to define critical anatomical relationships in the proximal tibia to inform fixation device design. The project, involving precise anatomical measurements, sought to develop a novel orthopedic fixation device, with Tessa DiCicco playing a pivotal role in identifying essential anatomical reference points.
Era Jain, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, and Dr. Timothy Damron both co-nominated Tessa DiCicco for her exceptional work. Jain, who has collaborated extensively with Tessa in her lab, describes her as a research whiz, impressing others with her quick comprehension of complex concepts and relentless pursuit of fresh challenges.
Established to honor the legacy of Syracuse University Professor Norma Slepecky, a distinguished auditory neuroanatomist and member of the Institute for Sensory Research, the Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize and Memorial Lecture celebrate undergraduate students who excel in research based on the full range of applied biological and engineering sciences. Since 1999, Syracuse University's Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) has been championing the success and advancement of women in STEM and their allies of any gender, sex, or identity through inclusive, research-based programming and mentorship.
To learn more about Tessa DiCicco '25's research or WiSE and Norma Slepecky, check out their website. Stay connected with WiSE on their Instagram and LinkedIn pages @TheSUwise.
- Tessa DiCicco's research focused on neurological disorders, as her winning paper aims to define critical anatomical relationships in the proximal tibia to inform fixation device design.
- The Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize, established to honor a distinguished auditory neuroanatomist, recognizes undergraduate students who excel in research across the full range of applied biological and engineering sciences.
- Tessa DiCicco's exceptional work in women's health and medical-conditions, particularly in orthopedics, has led to her being recognized by faculty in education-and-self-development programs like biomedical and chemical engineering.
