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GSA Award for Conferences Awardees for Spring 2018Danielle Lawson
Conference:24th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Salt Lake City, Utah

Danielle Lawson is a 3rd year Ph.D. Student in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management working under Dr. Kathryn Stevenson. She studies how climate literacy can “trickle up” from middle-school aged children to the adults in their lives. She will be presenting the first two chapters of her dissertation research at the International Symposium of Society and Resource Management in Salt Lake City, Utah, this summer.

 

Jennifer Christina Mitchell

Conference: Entomology Society of America 2018: Crossing Borders: Entomology in a Changing World, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Christina Mitchell is a Master’s student in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She has a broad background in ecology, with an emphasis on native species in urban environments. Currently, she is researching urban forests and the effects of nonnative plant species on community compositions of ground beetles, which are used as indicator taxa to monitor forest health. She aims to become an ecologist working towards the conservation of native species affected by changing ecosystems and to share management tools with habitat managers, wildlife managers, and urban designers.

 

Joshua Beri

Conference: American Society for Mass Spectrometry Annual Conference 2018, San Diego, CA
Joshua Beri is a PhD candidate in Analytical chemistry under the direction of Dr. Michael Bereman in the Biological Sciences program. Josh’s training is focused on proteomics, which he uses to understand the protein-level effects of cellular exposure to toxins linked to ALS and develop new strategies for toxin detection and quantificaiton in the environment. Through his research, Josh hopes to provide meaningful insight into the development of sporadic ALS by combining the fields of toxicology and analytical chemistry.

 

 

 

Kendall Johnson


Conference: International Congress of Plant Pathology 2018: Plant Health in a Global Economy
Kendall Johnson is a second-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Plant Pathology. Her research focuses on the species characterization and disease management of Glomerella leaf spot and fruit rot on apple in North Carolina by the fungal pathogens Colletotrichum spp. Currently, there is little to no research in the U.S. on this disease which makes this work imperative in the development of a sustainable fungicide program for Southeastern Apple Growers. Following completion of her degree, she hopes to work for an agrichemical company to continue research on optimizing fungicide delivery and resistance management.

 

Zhiyi Xu

 

Conference: Society of Labor Economists Conference, Toronto, Canada

Zhiyi Xu is PhD Graduand (i.e., awaiting the conferral of the degree) in Economics. Her research is about demand estimation of schools under manipulable school choice mechanisms and how the design of school choice mechanisms would influence the public-school assignments in practice. She hopes her research could help school districts better understand demand and improve the efficiency and fairness in the process of school assignment. Upon graduation, Zhiyi will work on antitrust practice using her expertise in demand estimation and devotes herself to ensuring the competitiveness of markets.

 

Travel Assistance Awards

Amie McElroy

Conference: 255th American Chemistry Society National Meeting & Exposition – Nexus of Food Energy & Water, New Orleans, LA

Amie McElroy is a PhD Student in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and a GAANN fellow in Molecular Biotechnology. Her research focuses on biological treatment of the emerging ether contaminant 1,4-dioxane. Her PhD research goal is the development of an engineered bio-filtration system capable of degrading 1,4-dioxane at drinking water-relevant concentrations.

 

 

Andrew Smolski


Conference: XXXVI International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Barcelona, Spain
Andrew R Smolski is a sociology doctoral candidate from Houston, Texas. His research on public markets for food distribution has appeared in Development in Practice and Agriculture. Currently, Andrew is working on integrating exile and social metabolism to study urban agriculture in Raleigh, North Carolina and Havana, Cuba. He is committed to research that aids in building a socially just and sustainable food system and looks forward to a career as a professor.

 

 

 

Catherine Wise

Conference: 49th Annual Meeting and Conference for the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, Long Beach, California

Catherine is a doctoral student in the Toxicology Program under the direction of Dr. Matthew Breen. Her research focuses on the environmental and genomic characteristics of urogenital malignancies conserved across multiple species. Her presentation specifically focuses on identifying similarities between naturally occurring cancers of the urogenital tract in pet dogs, California sea lions, and humans. Catherine plans to pursue a career in research determining how environmental pollutants affect wildlife and human health.

 

Danielle Mzyk


Conference: 14th International Congress of the European Association for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wroclaw, Poland
Danielle Mzyk is dual DVM/PhD candidate in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences Program (Pharmacology) in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on the effect of age and disease on drug distribution in food producing species. A better understanding of drug disposition and efficacy in neonatal animals may allow for development and approval of new drugs that are specifically for use in pediatric patients. She is a responder for the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD), where she answers calls and questions from veterinarians and producers regarding extra-label drug use and residue avoidance. She has clinical experience working with dairy practitioners and dairy farmers around the US. Additional interests include dairy calf health and welfare and residue avoidance in food producing species. Danielle plans to pursue a career in academia as a ruminant medicine clinician, where she hopes to continue her research as well as mentoring future large animal veterinarians.

 

Dishit P. Parekh


Conference: RAPID +TCT 2018 Conference, 23 – 26th April 2018, Fort Worth, Texas
Dishit P. Parekh is a 5th year PhD Candidate in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department working under the supervision of Dr. Michael D. Dickey at NC State University. He graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering back in April 2013 from Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai in India before joining NC State. His research focuses on 3D printing of gallium-based liquid metals at room temperature for the development of soft electronics and functional microfluidics. The future project goals involve rapid prototyping of such 3D printed electronic devices that can be used in low-cost, consumer-friendly wearable sensors and antennas to help the progress of Internet-of-Things (IoT) in healthcare and soft electronics. As I graduate in Summer 2018, I would like to work in a company focused on printed electronics R&D applying my hands-on experience and advanced analytical skills in additive manufacturing process design, technology and materials development.

 

Emilia Cordero Oceguero


Conference: LASA 2018, Latin American Studies in a Globalized World, Barcelona, Spain
Emilia is a second year PhD student in Sociology. She earned a BA in Latin American Studies from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a MA in the same discipline from the University of California at Berkeley. Her research interests focus on transborder agroecological systems and the food sovereignty of immigrant Latinx communities in the United States. Through her academic work, she is committed to contribute to the struggle for food sovereignty of immigrant Latinx communities in the US and campesino communities in Latin America.

 

Emily Lichtenberger


Conference: American Academy of Forensic Sciences 70th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington
Emily Lichtenberger is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Fiber and Polymer Science program in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science. Emily began her graduate studies in 2014 under the guidance of Dr. Nelson R. Vinueza after completing her B.S. in Polymer and Color Chemistry in the same department. Her research is focused in forensic science and mass spectrometry, specifically in improving evidence analysis techniques for drugs of abuse. Currently, she is investigating how commercial swab materials affect collection and extraction of drugs at crime scenes. While pursuing her doctoral degree, she also assists in teaching multiple courses, including Textile Chemical Analysis and Technology of Textile Wet Processing. Besides her research and teaching, she works part-time in the Forensic and Analytical Laboratory in the College of Textiles. After graduation, Emily plans to pursue an industry-related career in analytical instrumentation.

 

Emily Reed


Conference: 2018 Population, Evolutionary, and Quantitative Genetics Conference, Madison, WI
Emily Reed is a PhD student in the Biology Program working with Dr. Martha Burford Reiskind on landscape genomics of invasive species. She is interested in using genetic methods to understand how invading populations disperse and respond to new areas, particularly cities and urbanizing landscapes. Emily comes to NC State from Asheville NC, where she received her BA in French from UNCA. After completing her doctorate, she will pursue a research career within government in conservation genetics.

 

Hannah Levenson


Conference: Ecological Society of America 2018 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hannah Levenson is a master’s student in Entomology with a co-major in Biology: Ecology and Evolution working under David Tarpy. She is currently conducting a state-wide survey on native bee populations across North Carolina, particularly looking at impacts of conservation efforts as well as various pollinator interactions. Hannah hopes her project will help to fill the large knowledge gap on native bee populations and aid in making future conservation decisions. After graduation she plans to continue a career in bee research, including becoming more involved in international work.

 

Jared Balik


Conference: Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2018, Detroit, MI
Jared Balik is a PhD candidate in the department of Applied Ecology at NCSU. His dissertation broadly explores how environmental change modifies ecosystem functions, particularly nutrient cycling, in aquatic ecosystems. His work links climate change to ecological stoichiometry, species interactions, ecosystem phenology, primary productivity, and biogeochemical cycling in ponds, wetlands, and streams. After completing his degree, Balik would like to remain in academia by pursuing postdoctoral research opportunities, and ultimately faculty positions at liberal arts schools.

 

Jessica Liu


Conference: 2018 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit, Phoenix, Arizona
Jessica received her BS in Chemistry at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan in 2016. She has started her doctoral study in the group of Prof. Joseph Tracy in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NCSU since 2016. Her research is focused on photothermal triggering of magnetic actuation of shape memory polymers using bifunctional magnetic particles for applications in soft robotics. She wants to continue designing the materials for soft robots with more complex functions and having a role in mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

 

Jessica Haynie


Conference: International Society for Third Sector Research Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jessica is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public and International Affairs and Department of Public Administration. Her research focuses on nonprofit management including financial management and nonprofit effectiveness. She is currently working on research related to overhead ratios, efficiency, and revenue divarication. Jessica is also an instructor for the Department of Political Science and is currently teaching Introduction to Nonprofits. She plans to pursue an academic career path.

 

 

James Withrow


Conference: 2018 International Union for the Study of Social Insects, Guaruj√°, Brazil
James is a PhD student in the Biology and Entomology graduate programs working with Dr. David Tarpy to study social behavior and queen quality in honey bees. His current research is focused on creating colonies with multiple reproductive queens at a time as means to both answer basic behavioral and evolutionary questions and to address queen loss, one of the major problems facing the beekeeping industry responsible for pollinating ~1/3 of the food we eat. James is also highly engaged in politics and, after completing his PhD, plans to pursue a career in either science advocacy or academia.

Jennifer Lutz


Conference: Sunbelt Conference of the International Network for Social Network Analysis, Utrecht, Netherlands
Jennifer Lutz is a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology. Her several lines of research focus on quantitative methodologies in the social sciences, the sentencing of corporate criminals, and the effects of social network characteristics on mental health outcomes. Jennifer holds an M.S. in Sociology from North Carolina State University and a B.A. in Criminology from the State University of New York at Cortland. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in academia.

 

Katie Conway


Conference: World Congress of Biomechanics 2018, Dublin, Ireland
Katie Conway is a second-year PhD student in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC and NC State. She is working with Dr. Jason Franz on research which focuses on the biomechanics of elderly gait and investigation of mobility impairment in our aging population. Currently, she is developing and using novel approaches for the functional assessment for the functional assessment of neuromuscular capacity in walking. Ultimately, these approaches can elucidate underlying mechanisms and inform the tailored prescription of interventions for individuals with propulsive deficits due to aging, injury, or disease. She plans to pursue careers in industry, specifically in movement biomechanics in the US and her home in the UK.

 

Kylie Rock


Conference: Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington D.C.
Kylie Rock is a 4th year PhD candidate in the Toxicology program. After completing her B.S. at St. Lawrence University and working for two years as a research technician, she began her graduate studies at NCSU working with Dr. Heather Patisaul. Her doctoral research aims to understand how exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can impact the developing brain and sexually dimorphic behaviors. She was recently awarded an F31 training fellowship from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the placenta as a novel target tissue and mechanism by which EDCs can impact brain and behavior. After graduation, she intends to pursue a tenure-track faculty position in the field of neurotoxicology.

 

Kate Albrecht


Conference: 2018 Annual Meeting of Academy of Management, Chicago, IL
I am currently a PhD Candidate in Public Administration. My primary focus is as a nonprofit scholar specializing in networks and collaborative community governance. Also, my interests in understanding organizations as actors within broader institutional and community environments has led to a secondary focus on research methods, particularly methodologies capable of handling longitudinal, multi-level, dynamic, and inter-dependent data structures. My research agenda focuses on aspects of nonprofit and public agencies engaging in boundary management. To advance this area of interest, I pursue research questions for understanding collaborative governance, while advancing methods to inform and expand organizational and network theories. Throughout my graduate studies, I have also served as a team member and team leader for multiple projects, including examining public health collaborations over time, evaluating systems-change initiatives, and understanding the nature of networks of agencies and actors engaged in crisis response.

 

Kayelyn Simmons


Conference: The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Montreal, Canada
Kayelyn Simmons is a doctoral candidate in Marine Science. She is a native of Atlanta, GA and completed her undergraduate studies at Hampton University, BS Marine & Environmental Science and her MS degree in Marine Biology at Nova Southeastern University. Kayelyn has acted as the Vice President of Communications for NC State’s Black Graduate Student Association, Secretary of NC State’s Student Fisheries Society, and has been a certified American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Scientific Diver since 2012. Through her passion for conservation research, civic outreach, and science communication, Kayelyn actively shares ocean awareness initiatives with State’s higher education groups and the local Florida Keys community. Kayelyn is expected to complete her dissertation defenses in Spring 2019.

 

Madison Stahr


Conference: International Congress of Plant Pathology/ American Phytopathological Society annual meeting, Boston, Massachusetts
Originally from Pennsylvania, Madison came to NC state to study plant pathology as a PhD in Dr. Lina Quesada’s lab. Her background has always been in the biological sciences, with more recent focus on plants and the ailments that they accrue. Her future goals are to work towards an academic career, so she can continue to do research, instill a passion for science in the students she’ll mentor, and help the community through extension programs.

Olivia Caretti


Conference: World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Montreal, Canada
Olivia is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and third year PhD student in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. She is interested in understanding how organisms interact with their habitats, especially when these interactions can be mediated by climate change and anthropogenic activity. Her dissertation research investigates the use of marine soundscapes, or the collection of sounds in an environment, as a tool to monitor fish responses to oyster reef restoration in North Carolina. The results from her research will hopefully inform management efforts regarding the conservation and restoration of ecologically and economically valuable habitats.

 

Paige Nemec


Conference: Immunology-2018, Austin, Texas
Paige is a 4th year PhD student in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program with a concentration in Immunology. She works in Dr. Paul Hess’s lab and her main research area is the development of T-cell immunotherapies for canine round cell tumors, particularly histiocytic sarcoma and T-cell lymphoma. Her work focuses on the discovery of viral and cancer-testis antigens as targets of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. The goal of her research is to identify potential targets for use in canine cancer vaccine development. Her professional goal is to work in the biomedical industry where she can bring bench work to the bedside.

 

 

Renae Mantooth


Conference: International Association of People-Environment Studies 2018, Rome, Italy
Renae Mantooth is a first-year doctoral student in the Ph.D. in Design program at NCSU’s College of Design. As an interdisciplinary scholar with a background in Interior Architecture and Educational Psychology, she is committed to expanding the field of design research to better serve students, educators, and designers. Renae’s passion for design research and scholarship is centered around people. She works to expand the breadth of knowledge that explores human behavior in educational settings. Specifically, her research is rooted in the influence the built environment has on human behavior and motivation, utilizing a multidisciplinary and mixed methods approach. Upon graduation, Renae intends to pursue a career in teaching and research in academia

 

 

Stephanie Buhler (Enie Hensel)


Conference: Bahamas Natural History Conference, Nassau, New Providence
My name is Enie Hensel and I was born and raised in Florida. Currently, I am seeking a Ph. D. in the Department of Applied Ecology. My dissertation field work was conducted in The Bahamas investigating how human impacts affect the role of fishes as both predators and nutrient providers in nearshore ecosystems. Upon graduation, I will seek post-doctoral positions that allow me to apply novel ecological research to help mitigate human-driven disturbances, aiding in coastal and nearshore resiliency and conservation.

 

Stephanie Cone


Conference: Orthopaedic Research Society 201 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
Stephanie Cone is a PhD Candidate in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. Cone graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Arkansas and began working with Dr. Matthew Fisher in the 2014. Her research focuses on studying the structural and biomechanical changes in orthopaedic soft tissues in the knee throughout childhood growth. Following graduation, Cone plans to continue working in the field of pediatric orthopaedic research in the academic field.

 

 

 

Samantha Zottola


Conference: International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Conference, Antwerp, Belgium
Samantha Zottola is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Social and Community Psychology Program. Before coming to NCSU she received a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and spent time working as a Psychometrist for a Juvenile Court. Her research focuses on the intersection of mental health and criminal justice. Specifically, she is exploring the impact of poor mental health on criminal justice outcomes and whether outcomes can be improved via mental health treatment. Through her research she hopes to inform policy regarding the services provided to individuals with mental health problems in jails and prisons.

 

Bob & Seuster Sowell Travel Fellowship Winners

Amber Hubbard


Conference: Materials Research Society Spring 2018 Conference, Phoenix, AZ
My name is Amber Hubbard and I am a fourth-year PhD Candidate in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department here at NC State University. I graduated from Auburn University in May 2014 with my Bachelor of Chemical Engineering before joining the department here at NC State. I am currently working under the advisement of Drs. Michael Dickey and Jan Genzer studying stimuli-responsive polymers and their applications in areas such as remote deployment, functional grippers, and triple-state actuators. Ideally, upon my graduation next year I would like to work for a company in the research and development sector with a focus on polymer mechanics for real-world applications.

 

Brock Kamrath


Conference: Society of Wetland Scientists 2018 Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado
Brock Kamrath is a second-year Master’s student in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. After earning a BSE in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa, he worked as an engineer 1 for 14 months before beginning his graduate studies at NCSU under the direction of Dr. Michael Burchell. His research is focused on the creation and restoration of wetlands for current and future societal needs and in a changing climate. After defending his thesis in the summer of 2018, he will be continuing his graduate work under Dr. Burchell and begin his Ph.D. studies in the Fall of 2018.

 

 

Jack Kurki-Fox


Conference: 2018 Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting, Denver, CO
Jack Kurki-Fox is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department. His research involves assessing the condition and trends of natural wetlands in North Carolina and developing information to guide wetland management in the future. Jack received B.S. and M.E. degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. Prior to arriving at NC State, Jack worked for a water resources engineering consulting firm for two years. Upon graduation, Kurki-Fox hopes to eventually pursue a career in water resources research and management in the federal government.

 

Sarah Parsons


Conference: Ecological Society of America 2018, New Orleans, LA
Sarah Parsons is an entomologist and sustainable landscape consultant. Sarah is a PhD Candidate at NC State University, where she is evaluating the effects of landscape design principles on pest management of urban trees. Sarah has her Master of Environmental Management (MEM) from Duke University, and her B.A. in Environmental Studies from Emory University. Sarah has aspirations to teach ecology and continue her research on the effects of landscape design on urban ecosystems upon the completion of her PhD.

 

 

 

Fall 2018 GSA Award for Conferences Winners

 

Sahand Saberi Bosari

Conference: 2018 AIChe Annual Meeting

My name is Sahand Saberi Bosari and I am a 4th year Ph.D. Candidate in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department here at NCSU. I have done my undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at University of Tehran, Iran. I am currently working on developing novel tools to study aging in C. elegans. I have developed a microfluidic platform to perform high-resolution high-throughput imaging of subtle phenotypes in C. elegans as they age. My new project is focused on using machine learning techniques such as Convolutional Neuronal Network for quantitative image analysis. Following graduation, I am planning to join an industrial company where I can continue working on developing novel automated tools for various applications.

 

J.L. Stewart

Conference: 2018 Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Meeting

L. Stewart is a third year Ph.D. student in the Applied Social and Community Psychology program working under the advisement of Dr. Laura Widman. Broadly, her research applies a rights-based perspective to understanding positive sexuality development. She presented two conference talks at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality in November 2018 on her research on sexual rights among emerging adults and consensual non-monogamy among young gay and bisexual men. Following completion of her degree, she aims to work to apply psychological research to inform health policy and promotion efforts encompassing youth sexual health.

 

 

 

 

Arielle Parsons

Conference: The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting 2018

Arielle Parsons is a graduate student at North Carolina State University pursuing her PhD in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. She is also a researcher in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Biodiversity and Earth Observation Research Lab.  Arielle got her master’s degree in Zoology from North Carolina State University studying raccoon ecology on the Outer Banks.  She is interested in mammalian and avian ecology and human-wildlife interactions, in particular, the use of cutting-edge statistical techniques to characterize inter- and intra-population dynamics.  Her current research involves using citizen-science camera trapping to describe interactions between mammal species and how those interactions may be changed by factors such as urbanization.

 

 

 

Jennifer Moore

Conference: International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology 2018

Jennifer Moore is a PhD candidate studying under Dr. Shannon Pratt-Phillips in the Department of Animal Science.  Her research focuses on using exercise as a treatment for obesity in horses, particularly as it relates to improving insulin dysregulation.  Upon completion of her degree, Jennifer hopes to continue her research and have a strong teaching role in both equine and animal science.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marissa Kosnik

Conference: American Society of Human Genetics 2018

Marissa Kosnik is a PhD candidate in toxicology working with Dr. David Reif in the Bioinformatics Research Center. Marissa’s research focuses on database integration techniques to elucidate connections between environmental factors and human health outcomes. She works with a variety of datasets including high-throughput screening data, human epidemiological datasets, and gene-disease data. After completing her degree, Marissa hopes to build upon her varied skill set as a postdoc studying the role of chemicals and the environment in human disease development.

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2018 GSA Travel Assistance Award Winners

 

Andrea Brandt

Conference: Neuroscience 2018

Andrea (Andy) Brandt is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. She has a background in mathematics and a strong interest in rehabilitation engineering. She works in the Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Engineering Lab directed by Dr. He (Helen) Huang, and her research focuses on understanding the assistive capabilities of modern, powered prostheses for people with lower limb loss. As the prosthetics field advances, she hopes that people with limb loss are able to participate in the activities they love without developing secondary complications or pain.

 

 

 

 

Andrea Stewart Medenblik

Conference: 2018 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting

Andrea Stewart Medenblik is an M.S. Natural Resources student and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in Dr. Ryan Emanuel’s Ecohydrology and Watershed Science lab. Her research aims to characterize soil water and plant-water dynamics in forest ecosystems by using the stable isotopes of water. Following graduation, she plans to continue working at the U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center, where she contributes to water quality research projects.

 

 

 

 

 

Casey Bray

Conference: AGU 2018 Fall Meeting

Casey is a PhD Candidate studying atmospheric science with a focus on atmospheric chemistry and air quality in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Her research focuses on creating a global scale emissions inventory of reactive nitrogen emissions from biomass burning (i.e. wildfires, prescribed burns and agriculture burns) using a suite of satellite measurements and determining how climate change will impact these emissions. This work will not only help improve the accuracy of reactive nitrogen emissions inventory development and thus improve global scale modeling efforts, but it also will allow for a better understanding of how the changing climate will impact both human health and welfare.

 

Chandra Maldonaldo

Conference: National Communication Association 104th Annual Convention: Communication at Play

Chandra Maldonado is finishing her PhD in the Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Program (January 2019). Her research focuses on presidential memory and commemoration practices in contemporary culture. Currently, her work explores the rhetoric of Theodore Roosevelt and American national identity in visual culture. Other projects include the rhetorical function of contemporary advocacy documentary films, as well as gender and the labor movement. She aims to continue her research in academia with a tenure-track research position.

 

 

 

 

Charmaine Pedrozo

Conference: 24th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Salt Lake City, Utah

Charmaine Pedrozo is a Master’s student in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management working under Dr. Lincoln Larson and Dr. Caren Cooper. She received her bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, with a focus on human dimensions, from the University of Florida. Currently, she is exploring the broader impacts of citizen science participation through a wildlife camera trapping project called Candid Critters. Following completion of her degree, she hopes to work for a state or federal agency conducting research related to human-wildlife interactions

 

 

 

Dilara Sen

Conference: Neuroscience 2018

Dilara Sen is a 4th year PhD candidate in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department here at NC State University. She graduated from Bogazici University in Istanbul with her BS in Chemical Engineering degree in May 2015. She is currently working under the advisement of Dr. Albert Keung studying human neurodevelopmental imprinting using cerebral organoids. Her research is specifically focusing on a neurally imprinted gene that is involved in several different neurodevelopmental diseases such as Autism Spectrum Disorders and Angelman Syndrome. Dilara hopes that her research will help developing therapeutic approaches for these disorders. Her future professional goal is to pursue a career in biotechnology industry.

 

Eric Randall

Conference: Joint Mathematics Meeting 2019

Ben Randall is a Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Mathematics under the supervision of Dr. Mette Olufsen. His research focuses on developing and analyzing mechanistic mathematical models to describe neurological control of systemic circulation throughout the body. Ben’s collaboration with clinical physiologists has led to the development of software for potential use in clinical settings as patients undergo various orthostatic challenges. He hopes this research can provide more insight into these control mechanisms and aid in more effective diagnoses for patients suffering from autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

 

 

 

 

Fallon Fowler

Conference: 2018 Joint Annual Meeting Entomological Society of America

Fallon Fowler is a Ph.D. student researching how dung beetles affect greenhouse gases produced from cattle dung. In particular, she researches how the methods scientists use may influence the quantity and quality of data and phenomena observed. A budding veterinary entomologist, her research also demonstrates her expertise in statistical and scientific theory, climatology, and microbiology. She plans to pursue professorship following her graduation from the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at NC State.

 

 

Hanna Lee

Conference: International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference 2018, Cleveland, OH

Hanna Lee is a PhD student in the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University since 2017. Her research interests lie in the area of consumer behavior in Omni-channel. She plans to apply for a researching position at a leading research university to share her research experience and to contribute to the development of the fashion studies about innovative retailing through taking an interdisciplinary perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Barton

Conference: MOF2018 – 6th International Conference on Metal-Organic Frameworks & Open Framework Compounds, Auckland, New Zealand

Heather Barton is a 4th year PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department. After completing her B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University, she began studying metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) under Dr. Gregory Parsons at NCSU. Heather studies nucleation mechanisms on metal oxide films and resulting growth patterns. She has worked to develop MOF-functionalized fabrics capable of degrading chemical warfare agent simulants for use in lightweight, protective military uniforms. Following the completion of her PhD, Heather hopes to continue to work with highly porous materials in a research and development position in industry.

 

 

 

Mike Madden

Conference: 99th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting

I’m Mike Madden and I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Department. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the same field from the University of Missouri – Columbia and the University of Alaska – Fairbanks. I study numerical weather prediction and examine how global warming alters the climatology and morphology of extreme rain events. I have strong interests in research, education, and community work, and I plan to pursue a career at a liberal arts institution or a smaller state university. There, I’d continue my research and encourage undergraduate participation in my lab. I’d also love to instruct classes in Earth sciences, physics, and mathematics, and break students’ fears and inhibitions of those subjects. Lastly, I’d play a vital role in the community, whether it means serving on local boards or councils, volunteering for science fairs and Olympiads, or writing for the local newspaper.

 

Javier Huayta Ramirez

Conference: 2018 Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting

I am a 3rd year PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, working under Dr. Adriana San Miguel. My research focuses on using a systems biology approach to describe how various environmental factors affect both lifespan and health span of the nematode C. elegans. This will help understand the interplay between distinct genetic pathways to extend life expectancy. I am originally from Peru, where I received my BS in Chemical Engineering at UNMSM. After completing my doctorate degree, I plan to pursue a career in academia.

 

 

Jens Kosch

Conference: 78th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Albuquerque, NM

Jens Kosch is a PhD candidate in Zoology working under Dr. Lindsay Zanno in the Biological Sciences program. Jens’ research is focused on ecological signals and lessons that can be taken from the study of the teeth of sauropod dinosaurs. He presented on important groundwork in tooth formation and sampling techniques in animals with constant tooth replacement. Jens hopes to find a place in academia where he can continue his research to understand past ecosystems and their changes to add a deep time perspective to our understanding of life’s development.

 

 

 

 

Jeremy Slone

Conference: 2018 Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting

Jeremy Slone is a PhD candidate in the department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, under the direction of Hannah Burrack. He has worked with North Carolina farmers over the past several years to quantify the value of integrated pest management and to develop recommendations to improve pollinator health on the farm. He will finish his degree in the coming year and plans to use this background to develop a career that blends his passions for sustainability and agricultural entomology.

 

 

Kathleen Smith

Conference: 2018 Association for the Study of Higher Education

Katie Smith is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Higher Education in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development. Katie currently serves as a graduate assistant in the NCSU Office of Institutional Research and Planning and an intern at RTI International. A former career advisor for college students, Katie’s research interests center around students’ career-related experiences, decisions, and post-graduate outcomes. Katie is originally from upstate New York and holds an M.S. in Higher Education from the University of Rochester and a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo. Upon graduation, Katie hopes to pursue a career in education research.

 

 

 

Kristi Backe

Conference: Joint annual meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia; Vancouver, BC, Canada

Kristi Backe is a PhD candidate in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She studies how the features of cities (increased temperatures, hard surfaces, etc.) affect the insects that live on trees. At the joint annual meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Kristi presented the results of a project she conducted in Orléans, France, as part of a graduate research abroad trip about the effects of urbanization on an invasive caterpillar. After graduation, Kristi hopes to work as an urban ecologist at a museum or university.

 

 

 

Laura Kraft

Conference: Entomological Society of America 2018

Laura Kraft is a second year PhD student studying integrated pest management of spotted wing drosophila, an invasive vinegar fly infesting berry crops in the region. In addition to her research, she spends time considering better ways to communicate science to the public through writing and visual media. On top of this, she loves sharing the six-legged members of the insect zoo with youth in the Triangle through outreach

 

 

Mahmoud Ebrahim Mosa Shehata

Conference: 2018 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall meeting

Mahmoud Shehata is a Ph.D. student who works with Dr. Chadi Sayde in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department. Mahmoud’s research involves developing methods to monitor soil moisture content using the Fiber-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS) technology and investigate the new methods in precision agriculture applications. Mahmoud received his B.Sc. from Mansoura University in Egypt in Civil engineering. Mahmoud then worked for five years in two consultation firms in the fields of highway and construction engineering. After that, Mahmoud received a joint M.Sc. degree from five European countries (France, UK, Germany, Spain, and Hungary) in the field of Hydro-informatics and water management. Later he received another M.Sc. degree in civil engineering from Washington State University before he joined the NCSU doctoral program. After graduation, Mahmoud would like to pursue a position on academia on a top research institute.

 

 

Makenzie Pryor

Conference: 2018 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

Mak Pryor is a 3rd year PhD student in the Human Factors and Applied Cognition area of Psychology. She obtained her BA in Psychology from New College of Florida, where she studied visual perception and aging. She is currently studying instructional design, and how to present instructions to users to support performance on a new task. She is interested in using human factors to promote healthy aging and provide support for older adults in their daily lives.

 

 

Mary Regan

Conference: Biomedical Engineering Society Conference 2018, Atlanta, Ga

Mary Regan Adams is a 2nd year Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. student specializing in drug delivery. Her research focuses on noninvasive refill-able drug depots for repeated localized chemotherapy presentation to tumors, while reducing off target toxicities. She hopes her research will eventually be translated to the clinic as a targeted and well tolerated treatment for cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maude Dinan

Conference: A Community of Ecosystem Services (ACES) 2018

Maude Dinan is a Master student in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management working with Dr. Bethany Cutts. She has a background in conservation biology where experience revealed how conservation and environmental protection are contingent on human behavior. To explore the human-nature relationship further, she currently studies how changing environments impact the delivery of cultural ecosystem services, or the nonmaterial benefits people receive from nature, such as recreation, spiritual enlightenment, and cultural heritage. She aims to pursue a career facilitating and fostering people’s relationship with nature through a position with the National Park Service or other public lands agency.

 

Megan Johnson

Conference: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2018, Washington, D.C., Dec. 10-14, 2018

Megan Johnson is a second year PhD student in the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering department. Her research is focused on air quality and public health impacts from wildfire-attributable air pollution. Prior to coming to NC State, Megan worked at the South Carolina Bureau of Air Quality and she has also previously worked for the Airborne Observation Platform of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). She earned her MS in atmospheric science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and her BS in environmental engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. She hopes to have a career at the intersection of science, communication, and education.

 

 

 

Robert Epps

Conference: Material Research Society 2018 Fall Meeting, Boston, MA

Robert is a third-year doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering working under Professor Milad Abolhasani. In his research Robert designs and builds microfluidic systems towards the development and study of advanced semiconductor materials. He has created an automated, high-throughput reaction sampling platform and applied it towards the study of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals – i.e. quantum dots. These materials could help build the next generation of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic devices and light emitting diodes.

 

 

Sabina Bastias

Conference: ASPRS Annual Conference and International Lidar Mapping Forum 2019

From time spent hiking in the woods to studying the impacts of a changing climate, most of my personal and professional life has been spent exploring serene natural landscapes, learning about technologies to preserve them, and educating the next generation of environmental stewards.  While originally from Nashville, TN, I have lived in and traveled to many other places across the U.S. and abroad. I love traveling and exploring the diversity of all cultures and landscapes. I received my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Geography from the University of Colorado in 2013. Upon graduation, I served two year-long terms with AmeriCorps, as a K-12 Agriculture & Culinary Arts educator in Wisconsin and North Carolina. After finishing my second service term, I decided to tap roots in NC and career pivot into the GIS field. I completed the NC State University GIS graduate certificate Spring of 2016 and then continued into the Masters of Geospatial Information Science and Technology program where I served as a teaching assistant for two courses: Fundamentals of Geospatial Information Science and Technology (GIS 510) & Spatial Problem Solving (GIS 520). Throughout my career, I hope to leverage GIS technologies to tackle social and environmental concerns. I have always been fascinated by agricultural systems – from food production and waste reduction, to land conservation and sustainability. Post-graduation, I will be continuing on as a Noise and GIS Analyst for Gannett Fleming, a civil engineering firm.

 

Sibei Xia

Conference: 2018 International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference.

Sibei Xia received her Ph.D. degree in Textile Technology Management in December 2018, Master of Computer Science degree in Data Science Track in May 2017, and M.S. degree in Textiles in 2013 from NC State University. Her passion lies in designing customized apparel products and increasing consumer’s satisfaction through product development and innovation, emerging textile and apparel techniques, and artificial intelligence. Her career goal is to become a university faculty.

 

 

 

Thomas Rudibaugh

Conference: Neuroscience 2018- Society for Neuroscience

I’m currently in my second year of graduate school working towards a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. My research in Dr. Albert Keung’s group is focusing on developing in vitro models for studying the brain. Currently our work is focused on developing neurons that mimic the mesolimbic pathway as it is linked with several neurological disorders including addiction and schizophrenia. After receiving my Ph.D., I plan to continue working in a lab setting in either a national lab or in an R&D department.

 

 Yiming Wang

Conference: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Conference, Oct.28th – Nov.2nd 2018, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Yiming Wang is a PhD graduand (awaiting the conferral of degree) in Chemical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Carol K. Hall. His research involves using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the thermodynamics and kinetics of protein misfolding and aggregation, which is hypothesized to be the direct cause of the Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and prion diseases. His research is in collaboration with a number of experimental expertise in US and UK to characterize and elucidate the phase behavior of amyloidogenic peptides, protein aggregation pathways and amyloid structures. He will stay in the Hall group as a short-term postdoc while actively looking for a new postdoctoral position in other research institutions.

 

Fall 2018 Winner Bios

Jennifer Baltzegar

Conference: Entomology 2017: Ignite. Inspire. Innovate., Denver, Colorado

Jennifer Baltzegar is a PhD Candidate in the Genetics Program and an NSF IGERT Fellow in Genetic Pest Management. She has developed a broad background in population genetics, with an emphasis on species management of natural populations. Currently, she focuses on elucidating the fine-scale population structure and the evolution of insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti, the Yellow Fever Mosquito, to facilitate mathematical modeling of new control methods. She plans to pursue an academic career path.

 

 

Megan Ennes

Conference: 12th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland

Megan is a doctoral candidate and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in Science Education. She is working with Dr. Gail Jones to examine the effect of museum based family STEM programs on youths’ science interest, self-efficacy, and career aspirations. Her presentation in Ireland discussed science museum educators’ levels of self-efficacy in teaching. Megan’s goal is to work in academia developing and improving professional pathways for informal science educators.

 

Katie Green

Conference: American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY

Green is a third year PhD student in STEM Education.  Green’s main research focus is on how culture and science intersect in formal learning environments and is particularly focused on how students navigate cultural borders when learning about evolution.  Green intends to pursue a career as a professor at a research university, where she can assist future science teachers in considering culture as an integral influence on learning.

 

Rob Moore

Conference: Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2017 Annual Conference, Jacksonville, Florida

Rob is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences. After earning an MS in instructional technology from East Carolina University, Rob began his doctoral studies at NCSU under the direction of Dr. Kevin Oliver. His doctoral research examines the influence that pacing condition (instructor-paced versus self-paced) in three Harvard massive open online courses has on the demonstration of cognitive presence. His research analyzes data provided by Harvard’s Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL) Research Team. After graduation, Rob plans to pursue a tenure-track professor position in the field of instructional technology.

 

Yaewon Park

Conference: The Fiber Society 2017 Fall Meeting & Technical Conference, Athens, Georgia

Yaewon is from Seoul, South Korea. She graduated from Seoul National University with BS and MS in Textile Science. In 2014, Yaewon started her doctoral study in Fiber and Polymer Science at the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science with the provost doctoral recruitment fellowship. With guidance from her advisor, Dr. Ericka Ford, Yaewon is developing bioinspired mineral coating on nanofibers. She wants to continue creating polymeric nanofibers with desirable functionality as a professor at a research-intensive university, where she can continue her research and prepare students in fiber and polymer science.

 

Ryann Rossi

Conference: Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation 2017, Providence, RI

Ryann Rossi is a PhD candidate in the Department of Applied Ecology. Her research aims to understand the abiotic and biotic drivers of coastal ecosystems and how they interact. She is particularly interested in biotic drivers in these systems such as herbivory and disease and how they may influence coastal ecosystem function under climate change and in the presence of other abiotic stressors (e.g., drought). Through her research, she hopes to inform management and conservation practices of coastal ecosystems.

 

 

Katie Smith

Conference: 42nd Annual Association for the Study of Higher Education, Houston, Texas

Katie Smith is a third-year Ph.D. student in Higher Education in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development and a current graduate assistant in the NCSU Office of Institutional Research and Planning. A former career advisor at Duke and Elon Universities, Katie’s research interests center around college students’ career-related experiences, decisions, and post-graduate outcomes. Katie is originally from upstate New York and holds an M.S. in Higher Education from the University of Rochester and a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo. Upon graduation, Katie hopes to pursue a career in education research.

 

 

 

Spring 2018 Winner Bios

Danielle Lawson

Conference: 24th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Salt Lake City, Utah
Danielle Lawson is a 3rd year Ph.D. Student in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management working under Dr. Kathryn Stevenson. She studies how climate literacy can “trickle up” from middle-school aged children to the adults in their lives. She will be presenting the first two chapters of her dissertation research at the International Symposium of Society and Resource Management in Salt Lake City, Utah, this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Christina Mitchell

Conference: Entomology Society of America 2018: Crossing Borders: Entomology in a Changing World, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Christina Mitchell is a Master’s student in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She has a broad background in ecology, with an emphasis on native species in urban environments. Currently, she is researching urban forests and the effects of nonnative plant species on community compositions of ground beetles, which are used as indicator taxa to monitor forest health. She aims to become an ecologist working towards the conservation of native species affected by changing ecosystems and to share management tools with habitat managers, wildlife managers, and urban designers.

 

 

 

Joshua Beri

Conference: American Society for Mass Spectrometry Annual Conference 2018, San Diego, CA
Joshua Beri is a PhD candidate in Analytical chemistry under the direction of Dr. Michael Bereman in the Biological Sciences program. Josh’s training is focused on proteomics, which he uses to understand the protein-level effects of cellular exposure to toxins linked to ALS and develop new strategies for toxin detection and quantificaiton in the environment. Through his research, Josh hopes to provide meaningful insight into the development of sporadic ALS by combining the fields of toxicology and analytical chemistry.

 

 

 

 

 

Kendall Johnson


Conference: International Congress of Plant Pathology 2018: Plant Health in a Global Economy
Kendall Johnson is a second-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Plant Pathology. Her research focuses on the species characterization and disease management of Glomerella leaf spot and fruit rot on apple in North Carolina by the fungal pathogens Colletotrichum spp. Currently, there is little to no research in the U.S. on this disease which makes this work imperative in the development of a sustainable fungicide program for Southeastern Apple Growers. Following completion of her degree, she hopes to work for an agrichemical company to continue research on optimizing fungicide delivery and resistance management.

 

 

 

 

Zhiyi Xu

 

Conference: Society of Labor Economists Conference, Toronto, Canada

Zhiyi Xu is PhD Graduand (i.e., awaiting the conferral of the degree) in Economics. Her research is about demand estimation of schools under manipulable school choice mechanisms and how the design of school choice mechanisms would influence the public-school assignments in practice. She hopes her research could help school districts better understand demand and improve the efficiency and fairness in the process of school assignment. Upon graduation, Zhiyi will work on antitrust practice using her expertise in demand estimation and devotes herself to ensuring the competitiveness of markets.

 

 

Spring 2017 Winner Bios

Kristen Hopperstad

Conference: 6th International Forum for Sustainable Vector Management, Chongqing, P.R. China

Kristen Hopperstad is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. After completing her B.Sc. at the University of Texas-Pan American, she began her doctoral studies at NCSU under the supervision of Dr. Michael Reiskind. Her doctoral research investigates a possible recrudescence of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, in the United States. Kristen uses an integrative landscape ecology and population genetic approach to investigate the ongoing interplay between the two species. Upon graduation, she plans to work at the federal or state level in arthropod disease vector research and control.

 

Lisa Johnson

Conference: American Society for Horticultural Science 2017 Annual Conference, Waikoloa, Hawaii

Lisa is pursuing a Ph.D. in Horticultural Science at NC State, working towards understanding why edible fruit and vegetable crops are left behind on farms, never reaching our nation’s food supply. She is also developing protocols for measuring the volume of crops that are underutilized, producing videos to train growers in measurement, and designing a harvest aid intended to improve gleaning efficiency. Lisa holds a B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from the University of Georgia, and is looking forward to an academic career path focusing on applied research with fruit and vegetable growers.

 

Nathan Kotecki

Conference: Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Ripton, Vermont

Nathan Kotecki is a Master of Fine Arts candidate in the Creative Writing Program of the English Department, with a concentration on Fiction. As a novelist, he is interested in the romantic potential of nineteenth century authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Thomas Hardy to inform modern conventions of fiction writing. He is the author of two young adult novels and regularly works with middle and high school students on their creative and compositional writing skills.

 

James Withrow

Conference: Animal Behavior Society

James will graduate in May 2017 with his MS in Entomology, after which he will be continuing in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology as a PhD student in the Tarpy lab. He is broadly interested in the evolution of reproductive castes in social animals with research focused on the behavior and reproductive quality of honey bee queens, including how workers select larvae from particular “royal” patrilines to rear as new queens, queen-queen interactions, and queen mating behavior.

 

Kalysha Clark

Conference: International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Umeå, Sweden

Kalysha Clark is a second year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Her research includes varying aspects of the field, including studying family dynamics of wildlife value orientations, identifying the use of climate change to inform longleaf pine management planning, and evaluating environmental education programs. Following completion of her degree, she hopes to work at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences so that she may combine her love of conservation research with her passion for educating the public.

 

Laura Belica

Conference: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California

Laura Belica is a Doctoral Candidate in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology in the Center for Geospatial Analytics and Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.  Her transdisciplinary research integrates her interests and experience in ecology, hydrology, and geospatial modeling and is focused on developing and validating a high resolution, spatially explicit, process-based model of stream temperature to better understand stream temperature responses to landcover and climate changes at the spatial scales and timeframes of concern to natural resource managers.  With support from Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory and LTER, she is collecting data to validate her stream temperature model in the Southern Appalachians where the impacts of changing climatic patterns and landuse have the potential to impact stream thermal regimes and the diverse aquatic fauna the region is known for.  Using the most accurate, highest resolution, spatially continuous data available to estimate stream heat fluxes is a major component of her work which she actively pursues by developing and testing methods that employ new and emerging environmental sensing technologies (such as UAVs, LiDAR, and TIR) as well as using established techniques.  Laura’s career experience as an agency Biologist drives her interest in ensuring the stream temperature model will be useful for natural resource managers and landowners and she is collaborating with colleagues in the College of Natural Resources to integrate resource manager information needs into the model design and visualization of results so that it will facilitate “real-world” alternate scenario comparisons for specific places and situations in decision making discussions.

 

Fall 2017 Winner Bios

Jennifer Baltzegar

Conference: Entomology 2017: Ignite. Inspire. Innovate., Denver, Colorado

Jennifer Baltzegar is a PhD Candidate in the Genetics Program and an NSF IGERT Fellow in Genetic Pest Management. She has developed a broad background in population genetics, with an emphasis on species management of natural populations. Currently, she focuses on elucidating the fine-scale population structure and the evolution of insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti, the Yellow Fever Mosquito, to facilitate mathematical modeling of new control methods. She plans to pursue an academic career path.

 

 

Megan Ennes

Conference: 12th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland

Megan is a doctoral candidate and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in Science Education. She is working with Dr. Gail Jones to examine the effect of museum based family STEM programs on youths’ science interest, self-efficacy, and career aspirations. Her presentation in Ireland discussed science museum educators’ levels of self-efficacy in teaching. Megan’s goal is to work in academia developing and improving professional pathways for informal science educators.

 

Katie Green

Conference: American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY

Green is a third year PhD student in STEM Education.  Green’s main research focus is on how culture and science intersect in formal learning environments and is particularly focused on how students navigate cultural borders when learning about evolution.  Green intends to pursue a career as a professor at a research university, where she can assist future science teachers in considering culture as an integral influence on learning.

 

Rob Moore

Conference: Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2017 Annual Conference, Jacksonville, Florida

Rob is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences. After earning an MS in instructional technology from East Carolina University, Rob began his doctoral studies at NCSU under the direction of Dr. Kevin Oliver. His doctoral research examines the influence that pacing condition (instructor-paced versus self-paced) in three Harvard massive open online courses has on the demonstration of cognitive presence. His research analyzes data provided by Harvard’s Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL) Research Team. After graduation, Rob plans to pursue a tenure-track professor position in the field of instructional technology.

 

Yaewon Park

Conference: The Fiber Society 2017 Fall Meeting & Technical Conference, Athens, Georgia

Yaewon is from Seoul, South Korea. She graduated from Seoul National University with BS and MS in Textile Science. In 2014, Yaewon started her doctoral study in Fiber and Polymer Science at the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science with the provost doctoral recruitment fellowship. With guidance from her advisor, Dr. Ericka Ford, Yaewon is developing bioinspired mineral coating on nanofibers. She wants to continue creating polymeric nanofibers with desirable functionality as a professor at a research-intensive university, where she can continue her research and prepare students in fiber and polymer science.

 

Ryann Rossi

Conference: Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation 2017, Providence, RI

Ryann Rossi is a PhD candidate in the Department of Applied Ecology. Her research aims to understand the abiotic and biotic drivers of coastal ecosystems and how they interact. She is particularly interested in biotic drivers in these systems such as herbivory and disease and how they may influence coastal ecosystem function under climate change and in the presence of other abiotic stressors (e.g., drought). Through her research, she hopes to inform management and conservation practices of coastal ecosystems.

 

 

Katie Smith

Conference: 42nd Annual Association for the Study of Higher Education, Houston, Texas

Katie Smith is a third-year Ph.D. student in Higher Education in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development and a current graduate assistant in the NCSU Office of Institutional Research and Planning. A former career advisor at Duke and Elon Universities, Katie’s research interests center around college students’ career-related experiences, decisions, and post-graduate outcomes. Katie is originally from upstate New York and holds an M.S. in Higher Education from the University of Rochester and a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo. Upon graduation, Katie hopes to pursue a career in education research.

 

 

Spring 2016 Winner Bios

 

GSA Award for Conferences Awardees – Spring 2016

Thomas Gemmer
Conference: The 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel

Thomas is a doctoral student in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering working in the Engineering Mechanics and Space Systems Laboratory under Dr. Andre Mazzoleni. His doctoral research is broadly targeted to work on advanced, plasma based spacecraft propulsion systems: particularly systems that make use of the low-density plasma of the solar wind. Thomas’s long-term goal is to be a part of making the advancements necessary to allow humanity to explore and investigate the universe, or at least our small corner of it.

grad studentCasey Grieshaber
Conference: American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO

Casey Grieshaber is pursuing her Master’s degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Her research examines the relationship between contaminants and the health of riverine sport fishes. Specifically, she examines endocrine system disruptions and their subsequent impacts on fish reproduction. By understanding how contaminants alter the health of wild fishes, we can more effectively manage sustainable populations. We will also assess water and sediment quality to determine what improvements can create healthier river ecosystems. Upon completion of her Master’s degree, Casey plans to pursue a career as a fisheries biologist. 

grad studentMichelle Luo
Conference: 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA

Michelle Luo is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. After completing her B.S.E. at Princeton University, she began her doctoral studies at NCSU under the supervision of Dr. Chase Beisel. Her patent-pending work focuses on developing genetic tools based on CRISPR-Cas systems with applications in fundamental biological research as well as industrial strain development. Michelle intends to pursue a career in industry research and development where science and technology interface with healthcare solutions.

grad studentEmily Meineke
Conference: Ecological Society of America, Fort Lauderdale, Fl

Emily recently earned her Ph.D. in Entomology studying how heat created by urban development “the urban heat island effect” increases insect pest abundance on street trees. She will soon begin postdoctoral appointments at Harvard University and the University of Copenhagen studying how climate change has affected insect pest damage to plants worldwide.

grad student

 

Dishit P. Parekh
Conference: Printing Future Days (PFD) Conference, 3 – 11th October 2015, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany

Dishit P. Parekh is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department working under the supervision of Dr. Michael D. Dickey at NC State University. His research focuses on using liquid metals for 3D printing at room temperature for the development of flexible and stretchable electronics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql3pXn8-sHA). This work has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) along with 3D Systems (based in South Carolina). The future project goals involve rapid prototyping of such 3D printed electronic devices that can be used in low-cost, consumer-friendly wearable sensors and antennas that can help the progress of Internet-of-Things (IoT) in healthcare and soft electronics.

grad studentEli Typhina
Conference: (1) 9th International Conference on Interactive Mobile and Communication Technologies and Learning, Thessaloniki, Greece; (2) Consuming the Environment, Gavle, Sweden

Eli Typhina is a doctoral candidate in the Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Program. She researches ways to prompt environmentally friendly behavior through the design of physical and digital environments, such as the layout of urban parks and use of mobile applications for environmental public participation. Upon graduation, Typhina plans to launch her consulting agency, where she will work with environmental organizations and government agencies to research and construct sustainability initiatives addressing issues such as climate change and water pollution.

grad studentJiadeng Zhu
Conference: Materials Research Society, Phoenix, Arizona

Jiadeng Zhu is a third-year doctoral student in Fiber and Polymer Science under the direction of Dr. Xiangwu Zhang at North Carolina State University. His research interest spans from materials synthesis, electrochemistry, and cell design to advanced characterizations with the goal of understanding the synthesis-structure-performance relationship in energy-related materials and their underlying reaction mechanisms. His current research focuses on lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium/sodium-ion batteries, thin film, polymer synthesis, and carbon-based materials’ applications.

 

Fall 2016 Winner Bios

cruz_cropped

Angel Cruz

Conference: The 2016 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona

Angel is pursuing a PhD in Agroecology in the Crop and Soil Science Department. Here research examines the relationship between soil health and food security for smallholder farmers in rural El Salvador. By showing that farmers who have healthier soils also have higher yields and thus increased food security, we can improve funding and extension efforts throughout Central America.  Angel spends about half the year conducting field research in El Salvador, partnering with a local NGO and a University, and half the year at NCSU doing lab work, taking classes and writing. After graduating in 2017, Angel plans to pursue a position as a tenure track faculty continuing international and sustainable agriculture research.

Karen G. Jones

jones_smallConference: NodiCHI 2016: Game Changing Design, Gothenburg, Sweden

Karen is pursuing a Master in Art + Design with a concentration on Animation/Interactive Media in the College of Design. Building on her experience as an author, illustrator, and animator she is creating a multilingual storytelling platform for tablet that combines animated narration in American Sign Language (ASL) and static English text with illustrated picture support to offer an inclusive means of storytelling for those that wish to share reading activities in ASL, as well as support for foreign language curricula for non-native ASL users.

 

 

Michael Fisher

fisher_cropped

Conference: International Congress of Entomology & Entomological Society of America, Orlando Fl.

Michael Fisher is a 3rd year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology under the supervision of Drs. Wes Watson and Coby Schal studying bacterial species diversity of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius and the influence of their microbiome on their biology and life history. After completing his M.S. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2007, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and has been an Active Duty Navy Entomologist in the Medical Service Corps since. He has been studying insects and arthropods of public health for the past 15 years, and is a Board Certified Entomologist specializing in medical and veterinary pests. Upon graduation in 2017, he will continue service in the military at Navy Medical Research Unit 6 in Lima, Peru, assume duties as the director of the Vector Biology Department and conduct research on vector-borne diseases such as Zika, Yellow Fever, Dengue, Leishmaniasis and Chaga’s.

 

Karen Tharrington

View More: http://elizabethalicephotography.pass.us/karentharringtonportraits2016Conference: Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) , Austin, TX

Karen Tharrington is a doctoral Candidate in the TELS Learning, Design, and Technology program under the direction of Dr. Kevin Oliver.  Her research centers on Foreign Language pre-service teacher preparation and professional learning networks; specifically, to what extent pre-service teachers value connecting to a virtual community on Twitter, and how the experience shapes their perspectives on teaching practices. After graduation she plans to continue work in the Teacher Education field.

 

 

Yanqi Ye

Ye

Conference: 2016 AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Yanqi Ye received her BS degree in Textile Engineering in 2014. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate student in Prof. Zhen Gu’s laboratory in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina University. Her current research interests include controlled drug delivery, micro and nanotechnology for cancer immunotherapy.

 

 

Spring 2015 Winner Bios

Melissa Pickett
Conference:
Melissa earned her B.S. degree in biology at the College of Idaho in 2011. She joined the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Program at North Carolina State University that fall as a PhD student, and is working in Dr. Nanette Nascone-Yoder’s lab to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying vertebrate gut development. After graduating, Melissa hopes to pursue a career in academia.

grad studentShayan Safavizadeh
Conference: Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 11-15, 2015
Being interested in construction procedures and knowing that civil engineers play an important role in building, maintaining and expanding the societies, I have spent the past 14 years of my life studying civil engineering and doing research on the behavior and performance of construction materials such as cement and asphalt concrete. I received my B.S. degree in Civil Engineering (2005) and M.S. degree in Construction Engineering, and Management (2008) from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) in Iran. I am currently a PhD candidate in Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at NCSU and my research is focused on the fatigue and fracture characteristics of grid-reinforced asphalt pavements and effect of interlayer systems in mitigating the asphalt pavement distresses. After graduation I would like to put my knowledge of construction materials into practice and add to my experience and knowledge of construction materials and management by being involved in construction industry in a professional environment.
 

James Creager
Conference:
James (Jim) Creager, a Georgia-native, moved to North Carolina in 2012 to attend NC State. He has since received a B.S. in Computer Science from the Department of Engineering and is currently a Ph.D. student of Human Factors and Applied Cognition in the Department of Psychology. His focus is applying psychology to industry by considering human nature during product design and development. His current research is a) examining how software interface designers can maximize human-information processing capabilities, b) developing new usability methods, and c) integrating human factors methods into the design cycle. After completing his Ph.D., James wants to lead an industry team of talented user experience researchers.

Anna Miller

Katherine Kandalec

Meghan Rebuli

Matthew Morriss

 

Fall 2015 Winner Bios

 

xzhangXiao Zhang
Conference: IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium 2015, Taiwan

Xiao Zhang is from China and is in the 4th year of his Ph.D. program at NC State University. He is currently working on developing the next generation ultrasound technology under Dr. Omer Oralkan’s supervising in the department of Electrical Engineering. The goal of Xiao’s work is to enable the 4D ultrasound imaging system for the human health improvement.

 

 

cradeCandalyn Rade
Conference: 2015 International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Conference, Manchester, UK

Candalyn B. Rade is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Applied Social and Community Psychology program at North Carolina State University. She is teaching assistant and a graduate research assistant in the Forensic Psychology in the Public Interest lab. Candalyn is also a student representative for the Society of Community Research and Action (SCRA, division 27 of the APA) Southeast region and has worked as a Community Action Fellow with the North Carolina Community Action Association. Her research interests include stigma toward ex-offenders, access to community-based resources, and successful community reentry of justice-involved individuals with and without serious mental illness.

jmoeringJordan Moering
Conference: TMS 2016 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Nashville, TN

Jordan’s Ph.D. research focuses on gradient structured nanocrystalline metals which exhibit extraordinary strength and ductility and his work has begun shedding light on the mechanisms governing  their deformation behavior. In addition to research, he also owns and operates an internationally recognized fine art photography company with his amazing wife, and has recently co-founded a startup company that uses Navy technology to detect foodborne pathogens in real time. His goal is to use his understanding of science and technology to create innovative solutions to complex global problems.

Brittany Mertens
Conference: European Colloids and Interfaces Society 2015 Meeting, Bordeaux, France
Brittany is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering working under Prof. Orlin Velev.  Brittany studies the Norovirus and its interactions with different types of surfaces, surfactants, and metal ions.  Understanding these interactions allows the research group to develop novel cleaning and disinfection strategies to prevent the spread of Norovirus-related illness.

Sarah Evans
Conference: Digital Games Research Association Annual Conference, Lüneburg, Germany
Sarah Evans received her Master’s in Communication and Rhetorical Studies from Syracuse University in 2014 and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in NCSU’s Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media program. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on gaming and social networks through various critical, rhetorical, feminist, and ethnographic methods. Sarah intends to pursue a career in academia researching and teaching game studies from a critical feminist perspective.