Sonoran Center Trainee Presentations 2026
During Spring 2026, Sonoran Center trainees participated in several campus-wide research and presentation events that highlighted their work in disability, global health, and interdisciplinary research. The events provided opportunities for students to share their research and outreach activities, engage with faculty and community members, and contribute to conversations surrounding disability and public health. Representing multiple projects and teams, trainees demonstrated the depth and diversity of student research and community-engaged work taking place at the Sonoran Center.
Research Day 2026
An annual event featuring more than 150 research posters from trainees and students across the College of Medicine – Tucson.
Trainees: Karlie Smith, Nick Amjadi, and Srishti Rajeev
Srishti Rajeev with her poster detailing her project, "Developing a Disability Navigation Program for Refugees in Pima County” which she co-created with Dora Le, Skylar Persio, Bailey Lockwood, Sommer Aldulaimi, Suzanne Teeple, Jacy Farkas and Julie Armin.
Nicholas Amjadi and Karlie Smith with their poster detailing their project, “Developing Accessible Cancer Clinical Trial Education Tools for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” which they co-created along with Jeciana Rivera, Dr. Yumi Shirai, Dr. Monica Yellowhair, Bailey Lockwood and Julie Armin.
VIP Poster Session 2026
A public poster session showcasing work from VIP teams and CURE courses across campus, highlighting undergraduate research, design, and creative inquiry projects.
Trainees: DISCAPAZ VIP Team
Chloe Thompson, Sara Valderrama, and Yuritza Velazquez with the poster for their project, “Centering the Lived Experiences of People with Disabilities Along the Arizona-Sonora Border” which they co-created along with Jema Hernandez, Celina Urquidez, and Jacy Farkas.
Chloe, Sara and Yuritza discuss their poster with attendees.
Global and Border Health Research Day 2026
An event focused on promoting global health research, strengthening networking opportunities, and encouraging interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration within the global health community.
Trainees: DISCAPAZ VIP Team and Srishti Rajeev
Srishti Rajeev with her poster detailing her project, "Developing a Disability Navigation Program for Refugees in Pima County” which she co-created with Dora Le, Skylar Persio, Bailey Lockwood, Sommer Aldulaimi, Suzanne Teeple, Jacy Farkas and Julie Armin
Srishti discussing her poster with an attendee.
Sara Valderrama, Becca Heinze, and Celina Urquidez with the poster for their project, “Centering the Lived Experiences of People with Disabilities Along the Arizona-Sonora Border”, which they created with Yuritza Velazquez, Chloe Thompson, Gema Hernandez, and Jacy Farkas
Becca, Sara, and Gema Hernandez discussing their poster with attendees.
Sonoran Center Trainee Symposium 2026
An annual symposium featuring presentations and poster exhibits from Sonoran Center trainees, highlighting disability research, outreach activities, and collaborative projects completed throughout the academic year.
Trainees: Sonoran Center student trainees
You can access the presenters’ posters and symposium recordings at
https://bit.ly/TraineeSymposiumPosters
Sonoran Center trainees at the 2026 symposium
Bella Ortega and Natalie Reif with the poster for their project, “From Silence to Safety: A Coordinated Approach to Sexual Violence Prevention for People with I/DD”.
Trainees discuss their posters with Symposium attendees.
Katherine Boesen with the poster for her project, “Understanding Me: Healthy Relationships Pilot Program for Young Adults with Disabilities”
Trainees in the AdvoCats program present their project findings.
Mohammed Naabo presenting his project, “Trauma-Informed Care Curriculum for Disability-Focused Healthcare Training”.