Past Symposia

The 13th Annual VA–NC Alliance Undergraduate Research Symposium: Engaging Tomorrow's STEM Innovators

April 1, 2022 from 12 PM - 4 PM EST and hosted virtually by Old Dominion University.

The symposium showcased a small portion of the STEM research being conducted by undergraduate students. In addition, the event provided networking and professional development activities for students, faculty, and staff.

Winners of the 13th Annual VA-NC Undergraduate Research Symposium combined oral and poster presentation competition are as follows: 1st Place: Yumna Rahman, Virginia Commonwealth University | View Yumna's poster 2nd Place: Kayla Scott, Piedmont Virginia Community College | View Kayla's poster 3rd Place: Elizabeth Yimer, Virginia Commonwealth University | View Elizabeth's poster Symposium E-Booklet: Learn about the student presenters, LSAMP alumni panelists, graduate school & industry panelists presenting by accessing the event's e-booklet. Download the Agenda: Download a copy of the agenda here. This information can also be found in the e-booklet. Download a VA–NC Alliance Virtual Background: Option 1 (circular logo) | Option 2 (non-circular logo)

The 11th Annual VA-NC Alliance Undergraduate Research Symposium Virginia Tech was held October 14 – October 15 in Blacksburg, VA on the campus of Virginia Tech.

Winners of the 11th Annual VA-NC Undergraduate Research Symposium in the oral and poster presentation categories are as follows:

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

1st Place: Sarai Alvarez, George Mason University
2nd Place: Sophia Upshaw, George Mason University
3rd Place: Taneva Bush, Johnson C. Smith University

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

1st Place: Constance Staley, Bennett College
2nd Place: Monica Gurung, Thomas Nelson Community College
3rd Place: La’Tricha Parks, Saint Augustine’s University

Keynote Speaker: Alicia Traughber

Cynthia “Alicia” Traughber is a PhD candidate in Molecular Medicine of Cleveland Clinic/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. Alicia earned her B.S. in Biology at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama in 2012. While at Oakwood, she worked on her undergraduate research project studying how environmental contaminants negatively impact aquatic organism development. Alicia knew that she wanted to be involved in research so she applied to and was accepted as a summer research intern into to the Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) at Virginia Tech in 2011.

Alicia worked on a project in Dr. Daniel Capelluto’s lab investigating how protein-protein interactions disrupt membrane trafficking and docking. This inspired Alicia to want to learn more about science and how research can be used to study diseases. After completing her undergraduate degree Alicia returned to Virginia Tech into the VT-PREP program where she could begin graduate training and gain more research experience. When she arrived, she was able to help finish the project she worked on during her 2011 summer internship that eventually led to a co-authored 2013 JBC publication. After completing her assignment with Dr. Capelluto, Alicia joined Dr. Isis Kanevsky’s lab in Dairy Science, where she studied immune responses to Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitis in dairy cows. The work and training that Alicia completed in the VT-PREP program endowed her with the research skills, knowledge, and competitive edge to gain acceptance into the Molecular Medicine PhD Program at Cleveland Clinic/Case Western Reserve University.

She is currently working on her thesis in the lab of Dr. Jonathan Smith in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department. Although the primary focus of the lab is to elucidate the mechanisms and pathways of lipid metabolism involvement in cardiovascular diseases, Alicia and her mentor have developed a project investigating the role of HDL lipid metabolism in the proliferation and progression of prostate cancer. HDL is known to be cardio protective, however there is much debate about its protective nature in prostate cancer. The focus of Alicia’s research is to investigate how HDL metabolism, through receptors SR-B1 and ABCA1, leads to pro- or anti-proliferative effects on prostate cancer cells. She is using cutting edge technology, such as CRISRP/Cas9 gene editing, to assist with her ongoing research. Since beginning her work, Alicia has been a recipient of the Carl Storm Under Represented Minority Fellowship for the 2015 Hormone Dependent Cancers Gordon Conference, acquired an NIH NRSA F-31 Diversity Fellowship (2016), and submitted data that was used to secure a Cleveland Clinic Velosano Cancer Research Grant (2017) to support her thesis research.

Once she completes her dissertation, Alicia plans to pursue a Master’s of Education. She acknowledges that her success thus far would not be possible without the support of all the mentors that she has had. As an underrepresented minority, who has been given several opportunities and much support throughout her academics and training, Alicia wishes to be a mentor and educator in efforts to inspire other youths and minorities to pursue college and a future in science too.

Downloads:

View the 2018 VA-NC Alliance Undergraduate Research Symposium's flyer

2018 Symposium Booklet

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA HERE

The 9th Annual VA-NC Alliance Undergraduate Research Symposium was co-hosted by Piedmont Virginia Community College and the University of Virginia on April 10-11 in Charlottesville, VA. Events were held on both campuses. Alliance scholars were encouraged to submit their oral and poster presentations.

Winners of the Ninth Annual VA-NC Alliance Research Symposium in the oral and poster presentation categories are as follows:

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

First Place - Dexter Austin, Virginia Tech: Quantitative assessment of NAS symptoms

Second Place TIE -

Bilal Elsayed, George Mason University: Simulator for Automatic Climate Control System

Alia Woffard, Elizabeth City State University: Effects of Antimalarial Pyrimethamine on Embryonic Chickens at Day 9 of Development

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

First Place - Ciara Spence, Elizabeth City State University: Integrating Reverse Engineering and 3D Printing for Manufacturing Process

Second Place - Brittainy Hereford, University of Virginia: Ventral Anterior Homeobox 1 (Vax1) is Required for Normal Circadian Rhythms and Fertility

Third Place - Darius Carter, University of Virginia: Study of Cetacean Fluke Structure's Effect on Hydrodynamic Performance

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Archie Holmes, Jr.

  Archie Holmes serves as the Vice Provost for Educational Innovation and Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia. He received his B.S. (highest honors) from the University of Texas at Austin and his M.S. and PhD. degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara.  Prior to joining U.Va. in 2007, Archie was an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Austin and holder of the Lybarger Endowed Faculty Fellowship. His research interests are focused on the development of novel optoelectronic devices, particularly in the short- and mid-infrared wavelength ranges.  This work has been funded by several federal agencies and he has been actively involved in projects translating his research into the commercial sector. Over his career, Archie has co-authored over 110 referred technical articles and 70 conference presentations. 

Archie has also received numerous awards for his teaching and advising activities. At the University of Texas, he received the Dad’s Association Centennial Teaching Fellowship, the Texas Excellence Teaching Award in Engineering, and the Gordon T. Lepley IV Endowed Memorial Teaching Award.  At the University of Virginia, Archie was an inaugural member of the University Academy of Teaching started by the Teaching Resource Center and received a Hartfield–Jefferson Scholars Teaching Prize in 2012.  Archie also received an Outstanding New Advisor Award from the National Academic Advising Association in 2005 and Trigon’s Thomas E. Hutchinson Faculty Award in 2013.

In his role as Vice Provost for Educational Innovation and Interdisciplinary Studies, Archie’s major responsibilities will include areas related to the undergraduate educational experience, especially in strengthening connections between the schools and between the academic mission and student affairs. He also will work on building the interdisciplinary capacity of U.Va. and further efforts to establish institutes and centers to foster interdisciplinary research and education

Archie serves as a Co-PI of the VA-NC Alliance.

Virginia Tech

April 6th and April 7th, 2009

Keynote Speaker: Bernard A. Harris, Jr., M.D.

Defining himself as a “dreamer who believes nothing is impossible,” Bernard A. Harris, Jr., M.D. is an accomplished NASA astronaut, physician and businessman. He currently serves as president of The Harris Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization he founded in 1998 to develop math/science education and crime prevention programs for America ’s youth. Because he credits his personal achievements to self empowerment and self-determination, he uses this foundation to inspire young people that they can do anything, if they only set their mind to it.

Harris himself has accomplished many feats throughout his life. In 1990, he was selected as a NASA astronaut and flew his first mission three years later. A payload commander of STS-63, the first flight of the joint Russian-American space program, Harris accomplished his childhood dream by completing a walk in space, becoming the “First African American to walk in Space”.  At the time of his retirement from NASA in 1996, he had logged more than 438 hours in space and traveled over 7.2 million miles. 

Equally as impressive as his space career, Harris has developed a broad range of business talents. He served as Vice President of SPACEHAB, Inc., where he was involved in business development and marketing of the company’s space-based products and services. He also was Vice President of Business Development for Space Media, Inc., establishing an international space education program for students. In addition, he is a member of the board of some of the leading technology companies in the world. Collectively, Harris has 37 years of total experience in research, management and hardware/product development. He continues to author numerous scientific publications.

A native Texan born in 1956, Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Houston and later obtained a doctorate of medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. A trained aerospace flight surgeon, he completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic and fellowship  at the NASA Ames Research Center . Other degrees include a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston , a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston Clear Lake and two Honorary Doctorate of Science degrees from Morehouse School of Medicine and Stony Brook University (SUNY).

He holds several faculty appointments including, Associate Professor in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Harris serves on several federal, state and corporate boards. He is also a licensed private pilot.

Throughout his life, Harris has received numerous awards and recognition, including election as Fellow of the American College of Physicians, NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Award of Merit, a fellow of the American College of Physicians, and was the recipient of the 2000 Horatio Alger Award.  

Married with one child, Harris resides in Texas with his family.