Harriot College Majors Present at ECU’s Inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Jessica Nwizu, a biology major, discusses research during ECU’s inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium on July 21. (Contributed photo)

ECU hosted the inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium (SURS) this summer. This signature event consolidated the efforts of undergraduate student researchers, faculty investigators and co-investigators on various summer grant programs. On July 21, 42 students — including 17 Harriot College majors — shared their research results in the Life Sciences and Technology Building.

“The Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium is a collective event that showcases the efforts put forth throughout the summer by undergraduates in research environments across campus,” said Dr. Tuan Tran, director of undergraduate research with the Office of Research, Economic Development and Engagement, Harriot College associate professor of psychology and director of the neuroscience studies concentration within the multidisciplinary studies degree program. “Mentored-research experience is a high-impact practice important for student education, professional development and confidence building. It opens doors for career opportunities.”

Harriot College majors who presented results from their faculty-led collaborative research included, from Biology: Stefan Boromisa, Delane Dixon, Cameron Grey, Dana Kohtz, Jessica Nwizu, Emma Rayfield (biology and chemistry, with a biomedical concentration), Jalen Walker, and Mary Wells; from Chemistry: Rodney Dediavoukana (chemistry and biochemistry), Elissa Fisher, Malak Hindi (chemistry and biochemistry), Haylea-Layne Miller, Rudy Sengelmann, and Hasitha Tatineni (chemistry and public health); from Geography, Planning and Environment: Julia Shukis and Sophia Yang (geography and applied atmospheric science); and from Physics: Sydney Grose.

Julia Shukis, a major in geography, planning and environment, describes her research to Dr. Jeff Popke, chair of the department. (Contributed photo)

Tran said the students’ efforts were led by ECU faculty who received various federally funded grants. Faculty engaged with their students through mentored research, demonstrations of skills within a field or lab setting, acquisition of specialized knowledge in the classroom and exposure to professional development activities.

“We are proud of the vibrancy of research activities that permeated the ECU campus this summer,” Tran said. “Students worked hard to understand more about their discipline and to convey their findings that cover a diverse array of topics.”

Six, federally funded programs supported the research presented at the symposium. They include the National Science Foundation (NSF) International Research Experiences for Students (IRES); NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP); NSF REU: Biomedical Engineering in Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling; NSF REU: Resilience and Adaptation to Coastal Change Across Communities; NSF REU: Experimental and Computational Research in Chemistry and Biochemistry; and NSF REU: Software and Data Analytics.

Click here to view more photos from the symposium.