N.C. A&T Hosts Undergraduate Research Symposium, Graduate College Information Session

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 15, 2025) – More than 200 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University undergraduates participated in this year’s Undergraduate Research Symposium and Graduate College information session. 

Sponsored by N.C. A&T’s Office of Undergraduate Research, the symposium welcomed 204 student presenters spanning 59 academic degree disciplines who presented their research project findings, vied for cash prizes and represented their colleges with excellence.

For the first time in the annual event, students from non-STEM disciplines participated within their own category.

“We are delighted with the increased interest in undergraduate research opportunities and thrilled to see such a fantastic turnout this year,” said Nakeshia N. Williams, Ph.D., vice provost for Undergraduate Education and symposium organizer. “This symposium showcases the breadth and depth of scholarship taking place across all of our undergraduate colleges. We hope to break 300 presenters next year.”

More than 75 faculty research mentors, graduate students and staff members served as judges who selected the top three projects in the following categories: Agriculture, Business and Economics; Creative Arts and Humanities; Engineering, Science and Technology; and Health, Human Sciences and Social Sciences. Cash prizes were awarded to the top three projects: first place, $300; second place, $200, third place, $100. Funding for the awards was provided by a generous donation from Dr. James L. Sherley, president and CEO of Asymmetrex, LLC, a biotechnology company located in Boston.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Tonya Smith-Jackson, Ph.D., delivered welcome remarks to the students, challenging them to continue knowledge creation and scholarship.

“You can be that next great discoverer because the world needs knowledge producers,” she said. “You can create new knowledge that reflects your lens. You hold something critical in your hands — your research.

“Remember the intellectual projects you were part of and know your intellect is your liberation in this world. It is so powerful. Knowledge creation lies at the intersection of disciplines and I encourage you to keep pushing those interdisciplinary boundaries.”

Geleana D. Alston, Ph.D., associate dean for Research and Community Engagement in the College of Education, served as a judge and noted she was extremely impressed with the students’ professionalism and preparedness. “I am always excited to see our students challenge themselves, especially when it comes to research,” she said. “Projects like these build critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, and also promote lifelong learning and independent inquiry. These students will truly make an impact in our communities and beyond.”

This year’s winners, listed with their years, majors and project titles, are:

College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

First place, Tia Ingram, junior, animal science, Comparative antimicrobial activity of a unique blend of essential oils against Bacillus subtilis ; second place, Ariana Duval, senior, family and consumer science, Home Interior Textiles of Older, Low-income Homeowners Aging in Place; third place, Talea Rivera, senior, environmental studies, Assessment of Surface Water Quality of Two Urbanized Watersheds and a Reference Site in Durham County, N.C., Using Nonparametric Analysis

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences/Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics/College of Education

First place, Tamara Daye, senior, management and entrepreneurship, Scaling Black Entrepreneurship: The Missing Link of Mentorship; second place, Kamerin McDuffie, senior, biology, Examining the Relationship Between ADHD-like Behaviors and the P300 Cognitive Event-Related Brain Potential; third place, William Evans, senior, political science, Sports Betting and Social Media Advertising

John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences

First place, Sheila Mungai, senior, biology, Does Place Hold Weight? Assessing Low Birth Weight among U.S.- and African-born Black Birthing People; second place, Autymn Briggs, senior, psychology, The Effects of High-Frequency Tones on the Generation of the Mismatch Negativity Event-Related Brain Potential; third place, Kai Johnson, junior, psychology, Impacts of Colorism and related stressors on Mental Health of African American Women

College of Engineering

First place, Brandon Bell, senior, bioengineering, NutriNectar: A Sustainable Cellulose-to-Food Tabletop Bioreactor System; second place, Stirling Thomas, senior, mechanical engineering, Turbine Based Combine Cycle Exoskeleton Engine (TBCC-ESE) Compressor Blade design, FEA and Material Selection; third place, Rebekah Robinson, senior, computer science, Autonomous Drone Navigation

College of Science and Technology

First place, Julian McPherson, sophomore, chemistry, Implementation of Photoswitching Hydrazone and Azo Compounds in Sunscreens; second place, Josephine Katta, sophomore, biology, What Is the Relationship Between Marijuana Use and Sexual Behavior in African American Adolescent Girls?; third place, Jessica Solomon, senior, biology, Adaptation of Streptococcus mutans