Summer Symposium
The Summer Symposium marks the start of the academic year and showcases the spirit of inquiry and discovery at IMSA. Each year, it highlights research completed over the summer through IMSA’s experiential learning programs, including Student Inquiry and Research (SIR), IN2 Business Internships, and the Student Research and Experiential Learning Opportunity (SRELO) program. Projects span fields from biomedicine and chemistry to mathematics, social sciences, and entrepreneurship, guided by mentors from leading universities, research labs, businesses, and IMSA’s own faculty.
IMSAloquium
The spring symposium is IMSA’s annual public celebration of student exploration, innovation, and achievement. The event highlights the work of students across a wide range of experiential learning pathways. SIR students share their research findings, Business Internship participants reflect on their professional experiences, and students engaged in independent studies and other innovative projects are invited to present their work. The program also includes a keynote address and remarks from IMSA staff. Parents, mentors, students, and visitors from beyond campus join in celebrating students’ accomplishments. In 2025, over 225 students presented their research projects to students, staff, and mentors.
SAVE THE DATE
2026 IMSAloquium
A Symposium for Research & Inquiry
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
IMSA’s Aurora Campus
Keynote Speaker
Steven Gard, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center for Education and Research, an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Feinberg School of Medicine, and a Research Health Scientist with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
His research is concerned with the functional biomechanics of human movement, particularly gait, with emphasis on the evaluation and development of prosthetic and orthotic technologies. Dr. Gard is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics, and he hosts a monthly podcast called “O&P Research Insights.”