July 29, 2013

Summer Undergraduate Research STEM Program concludes, winners selected

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The NDSU Summer Undergraduate Research STEM Program wrapped up in July with awards for oral and poster presentations of projects.

The eight-week program, which began in summer 2008, provides a graduate-level research experience, matching each participant with a faculty mentor. The goal is to increase the number of graduate degrees awarded to under-represented U.S. students.

Participants attended weekly seminars and social activities in addition to conducting research.

This year’s research participants came from six historically black colleges and universities and a regional tribal college.

The top awards in each category are:

Oral presentations

  • First place – Shechinah Tinsley, Alabama A&M University
  • Second place – Ebony Sampson, Morgan State University
  • Third place – Maria Gwengi, Delaware State University

Poster presentations

  • First place – Christopher Wong, Prairie View A&M University
  • Second place – Imani Conery, Prairie View A&M University
  • Third place – Jaden Pfahl, Turtle Mountain Community College 

Volunteers judged the students’ presentation skills during each oral and poster presentation.

Participants and their mentors include:

  • Brandon Almestica, Virginia State University, mentored by Julia Bowsher, biology
  • Jamin Ashley, Prairie View A&M University, mentored by Samee Khan and Sudarshan Srinivasan, electrical and computer engineering
  • Adam Burns, Prairie View A&M University, mentored by Khan and Srinivasan
  • Imani Coney, Prairie View A&M University, mentored by Sreekala Bajwa, agriculture and biosystems engineering
  • Maria Gwengi, Delaware State University, mentored by Melissa O’Connor and Heather Fuller-Iglesias, human development and family science
  • Katie Lyons, Turtle Mountain Community College, mentored by Clifford Hall and Deland Myers, cereal and food science
  • Taylor McGowen, Prairie View A&M University, mentored by Bajwa
  • Ciamaka Okoroha, Bowie State University, mentored by Khan and Srinivasan
  • Jaden Pfahl, Turtle Mountain Community College, mentored by Hall and Myers
  • Ebony Sampson, Morgan State University, mentored by Hall and Myers
  • Shechinah Tinsley, Alabama A&M University, mentored by Steven Qian, pharmaceutical sciences
  • Chris Wong, Prairie View A&M University, mentored by Bajwa 

The STEM program was sponsored by the offices of the president; provost, vice president for agricultural affairs; vice president for equity, diversity and global outreach; vice president for information technology; multicultural programs; international programs; and the College of Engineering and Architecture; College of Human Development and Education; College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Sciences; College of Science and Mathematics; School of Food Systems; dean of student wellness; Department of Residence Life, and North Dakota Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation’s top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.

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