Students Tackle Timely Problems in Research Symposiums

MEDIA CONTACT: Damita Chambers, dchambers@bowiestate.edu, 301-832-2628 mobile 

(BOWIE, Md.) – From exploring digital media’s role in intimate partner violence to using data to understand how COVID-19 impacts minority communities, hundreds of student researchers at Bowie State University are exploring timely topics and societal problems this semester and will have their work presented this week in virtual symposiums.

Twenty students participating in the Semester-based Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI) have worked with faculty mentors to conduct original research in an intensive program that prepares them to publish their findings in scholarly journals or present them at academic conferences. The fall 2020 SURI Fellows represent a diverse mix of disciplines that include psychology, computer science, business administration and biology. The SURI Research Symposium will take place virtually on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 3-5 p.m.

• Project Title: Identification of the CYVaV Encapsidation Sequence
  SURI Fellow(s): Maame Ackon & Victor Amadu
  Mentor(s): Kari Debbink
• Project Title: Intimate Partner Violence on an HBCU Community: The Role of Digital Media
  SURI Fellow(s): Amahni Harris, Jennifer Merzier & Maoli Sanchez
  Mentor(s): Emory Perkins, Dr. Birthale Archie, Dr. Tina Jordan & Dr. Sharon Wilks
• Project Title: Elucidate Functions of Uncharacterized Proteins from Staphylococcus Aureus
  SURI Fellow(s): Johnny Chowoe, Daniel Ogunmiloro & Dainese Smothers
  Mentor(s): Supriyo Ray
• Project Title: Building Predictive Model of Student Success
  SURI Fellow(s): Johneese Ferguson
  Mentor(s): Katrina Kardiasmenos
• Project Title: Security Tools to Combat Challenges with the use of Internet of Things in the Business Environment
  SURI Fellow(s): Glory Ezeogu, Devinn Gleaton & Elesha Jackson
  Mentor(s): Haydar Teymourlouei & Dr. Lethia Jackson
• Project Title: The Impact of a Global Pandemic on an Institution of Higher Education: What Are Minority Students Saying
  SURI Fellow(s): Lucy Bent, Jeanelle Ford & Aaron Jackson
  Mentor(s): Dayo Oyeleye
• Project Title: The Effects of Social Media on College Students’ Self-Esteem and Body Image
  SURI Fellow(s): Shakira Miles, Sudan Smith & Leia Wedge
  Mentor(s): Uchenna Onuzulike
• Project Title: Using Analytics for Discovery of Insight on COVID-19 on Communities of Color
  SURI Fellow(s): Xyrra Asuncion & Kirk Williams II
  Mentor(s): Azene Zenebe

More than 300 natural sciences students, participating in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) this semester, will have the results of their work presented in a virtual research symposium on Friday, Dec. 4 from 1-3 p.m. CURE is an innovative approach to incorporate research within courses to enable all students to participate scientific exploration. Students representing the following research streams will present their projects in the symposium:

• Applied Biotechnology (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Supriyo Ray)
• Antibiotic Resistance (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kari Debbink)
• Bioinformatics (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Konda Reddy Karnati)
• DNA Barcoding (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mary Glover)
• Drug Discovery (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Smith)
• Genetic Engineering (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Supriyo Ray)
• Genetics (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tyesha Burks)
• Metabolomics (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anne Osano)
• Metagenomics (Faculty Mentor: Dr. George Ude)

###

About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.