Researching resilience: Future global health nurse starts locally in Broome County

The Binghamton University Projects for New Undergraduate Researchers (BUPNUR) program continues to expand access to hands-on research by supporting students who are just beginning their academic journeys. 

Designed specifically for undergraduates with no prior research experience, BUPNUR lowers traditional barriers to research opportunities by pairing students with faculty mentors, providing funding, and creating pathways for them to contribute to meaningful scholarly work.

This summer, Rosell Hernandez, a rising junior majoring in global public health, will receive BUPNUR funding to join Divya Gupta, assistant professor of environmental studies, researching community crisis response and resilience in Broome County.

For Hernandez, the accessibility and support built into BUPNUR made the opportunity feel possible. The BUPNUR funding will allow Hernandez to live locally over the summer and participate in field research in a hybrid role, something that likely would not have been possible without financial assistance.

“With the BUPNUR experience, you get stipends to help with transportation, food, housing, and even extra scholarship funding for the fall semester,” Hernandez said. “It’s allowed me to focus on the research without having to worry about other things.”

Hernandez’s path to the BUPNUR program was shaped in part by the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which helped him discover research pathways and build the confidence to pursue opportunities like this one. 

“EOP has led me to so many programs and summer opportunities,” Hernandez said. “I learned about this research through my EOP connections, and then I connected with Dr. Gupta. Her research values aligned with mine, and I wanted to be part of the impact she’s making.” 

Through EOP, Hernandez also developed skills in public speaking, interviewing, and navigating professional opportunities, all of which helped him step into undergraduate research with a sense of readiness.

Hernandez, a Honduran-American immigrant, has aspirations of becoming a global health nurse working with agencies such as the World Health Organization to support marginalized communities around the world. 

“I want to work in different countries helping with patient care, securing resources like food and shelter, everything communities need to build themselves up,” Hernandez said. “Health is one of the first things affected in a crisis. I want to help people reach a point where they can help themselves, through education, sanitation, and support.” 

The BUPNUR program has provided Hernandez with an opportunity to enhance his own student experience and launch a global journey of helping others. 

“This experience gives me the chance to understand communities, resilience, and crisis response,” Hernandez said. “It’s a small start, but it’s the beginning of the work I want to do around the world.”