During the 2024–2025 academic year, four Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) students took part in a transformative experience rarely available at the community college level: a year-long undergraduate math research project. Led by PVCC Mathematics Professor Dr. Raquel Lopez, the project was part of the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURM), an NSF-funded initiative that provides students across the country with authentic, hands-on research opportunities.
Bringing together PVCC students – Alexis Duron, Becca Hecht, Maggie Boyd, and Aidan Hammer – with a handful of Arizona State University (ASU) seniors and faculty mentor Dr. Malena Español, together, the two cohorts collaborated on a full academic year of research, problem-solving, and team-building. The culmination, a formal manuscript, a conference presentation at SunMARC, and a recorded presentation now archived in the PVCC Library.
Building Community Through Research
More than just crunching numbers, the project fostered a strong sense of community.
“Between the planning, the problem solving, and the time spent together, they formed a close-knit group that shared a unique experience,” said Lopez. From tackling challenging math problems to bonding over an escape room outing, the students built resilience, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit that carried them through the year.
“What stood out most was the students’ resilience and willingness to lean into the challenge,” Lopez reflected. “They didn’t have prior research experience, but they showed up week after week ready to stretch themselves. When the math got hard or the feedback felt tough, they kept going. We weren’t just doing math; we were building a research team.”
Dr. Español, the ASU partner on the project, echoed this sentiment, saying, “This collaboration exemplified the power of cross-institutional partnerships. By bringing together students from ASU and PVCC, we created a community of young researchers who learned to exchange ideas, present their work, and support one another’s academic growth. The PVCC students brought fresh perspectives and energy, and their contributions were crucial to the program’s success.”
For the PVCC students, the experience was nothing short of life-changing. Alexis Duron, who began classes at ASU this fall, said, “I feel very confident in my continued education in STEM going forward. I learned technical skills such as coding and new ways to look at mathematics, and also life skills like teamwork, resume building, and writing a paper. Even though my career goals don’t directly go into mathematics, I use these skills constantly and will continue to do so.”
Offering advice to fellow Pumas, Duron added, “Do your research! If an opportunity comes your way, research it and see if it’s a good fit. Chances are you’ll work on something you enjoy, meet great colleagues, and pick up invaluable skills. Research in STEM is important not only for job opportunities down the road, but for your personal and academic growth.”
Becca Hecht, who joined the project as a high school senior and PVCC dual enrollment student, called the experience both unique and rewarding. “The most rewarding part was being able to be a part of something of such a large scale at the community college level. It stood out on a college resume and also taught me professional hard and soft skills. I learned that engineering will be an exciting and rewarding career path for me, and this project gave me the confidence to pursue it.”
Hecht is now headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California with plans to apply her math and coding skills toward engineering.
A Game-Changing Opportunity at PVCC
Through CURM, PVCC students received research stipends, developed skills in coding, problem solving, and professional communication, and saw firsthand what it means to do research at the university level.
“Opportunities like CURM are game-changers,” said Lopez. “They allow community college students, especially those from underrepresented groups, to see themselves as mathematicians, scientists, and researchers now, not someday. I don’t just want to train students to pass exams. I want to train them to ask questions, explore ideas, and build the confidence to create knowledge. Research at this level opens doors to future internships, transfer success, and a mindset that says: I belong here. I can do this.”
Special thanks went to PVCC Librarian John Chavez, who supported students’ research development and published their project on PVCC’s STEAM Research LibGuide and Math Research LibGuide.
As PVCC continues to expand opportunities like CURM, this project stands as a powerful reminder that community college students are not only capable of research at the highest levels—they thrive in it.
To learn more about PVCC and STEM programs, visit the website