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Appalachian alumna Elisabeth Panto ’18, of Waxhaw, left, and Lucas Smith, a junior physics major from Holly Springs, pose with their research poster, which details the students’ research of the chemistry of interstellar ice and gas found around young stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

Appalachian students present their research at the 21st Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors

By Ellen Gwin Burnette
Posted June 7, 2018 at 2:31 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — The 21st Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors hosted by the Office of Student Research at Appalachian State University was held April 19, with over 176 abstracts submitted for the event. Students had the opportunity to submit their poster to a competition that is reviewed by an interdisciplinary panel of Appalachian faculty members.

A total of 176 posters were presented at the event, and the top 10 undergraduate and 10 graduate posters were then selected to be presented in front of a panel of judges. Of those submissions, the top three finalists in each group received awards.

The top three winners in the undergraduate student category were Carmen Montero ’18, of Alpharetta, Georgia, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in biology; Morgan Baker, a senior geology and recreation management double major from Palmyra, Virginia; and Jacob Dorsett, a senior geology major from Monroe.

“This is a great event to learn about the many different research and creative activities that occur on this campus. The faculty do such a great job engaging and mentoring students, and our students are simply amazing!”

Dr. Becki Battista, interim director of the Office of Student Research

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Dr. Becki Battista, associate professor in Appalachian’s Department of Health and Exercise Science and interim director of the Office of Student Research, addresses the benefits of student engagement in research and creative activities during the annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors event held April 19 — the same day as #iBackAPP. She explained how funds raised through #iBackAPP, the university’s annual fundraising drive for The Appalachian Fund, make the students’ research and presentations possible. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

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Dr. Ellen Cowan, professor in Appalachian’s Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, left, poses with her Undergraduate Student Faculty Mentorship Excellence Award. She was presented with the second annual award by nominating departmental students Jacob Pratt, a junior geology major from Havelock, center, and Kayla Mitchell ’18, of Durham. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

In the graduate student category, students Adam Willits, of Apex, Heather Guy, who is from the United Kingdom, and Lauren Anderson, of Lowell, were the top three winners. Both Guy and Anderson are in Appalachian’s Master of Arts in geography program, and Willits is pursuing a Master of Science in biology.

Students representing a variety of majors in Appalachian’s College of Arts and Sciences — including those offered by the Department of Biology, the Department of Geography and Planning and the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences — presented 119 of the 176 total posters.

Dr. Neva J. Specht, dean of Appalachian’s College of Arts and Sciences, said, “It’s so impressive to see the number of students involved in undergraduate and graduate research from the college, but more importantly, the quality. It’s great that these collaborative efforts from our students with their faculty mentors can be recognized publicly through the Student Research and Creative Endeavors celebration.”

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Katie Krogmeier, a senior biology major from Wilmington, left, Claire Menard ’18, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in biology, second from left, and Mary-Butler Fleming, a senior biology major from Charlotte, gather for a photo at the 21st Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

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Cassidy Chapman, a senior biology major from Kings Mountain, far right, and Alli Bumgarner, a junior exercise science major from Taylorsville, second from left, pose with their research mentor, Dr. Nicholas Shaw, assistant professor in Appalachian’s Department of Chemistry. Chapman and Bumgarner presented a research poster titled An Exploration of N-Terminus Peptide Growth in Nano-Reactors at the 21st Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

Top three winners in undergraduate student category

Carmen Montero

Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia

Faculty mentor: Dr. Darren Seals, Department of Biology

Poster: A small scale screen of nutraceutical compounds that affect the invasive properties of cancer cells

Morgan Baker

Hometown: Palmyra, Virginia

Faculty mentor: Dr. Gabriele Casale, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Poster: Determining the annealing curve of radiation halos in quartz grains through heating experiments

Jacob Dorsett

Hometown: Monroe

Faculty mentor: Dr. Scott Marshall, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Poster: Where is the southern end of the San Andreas Fault? A Physics-based modeling study

Top three winners in graduate student category

Adam Willits

Hometown: Apex

Faculty mentor: Dr. Andrew Bellemer, Department of Biology

Poster: The Roles of Cellular Signaling Pathways in Regulating Nociceptive Behavior in Drosophila

Heather Guy

Home country: United Kingdom

Faculty mentor: Dr. Baker Perry, Department of Geography and Planning

Poster: Subseasonal variations of stable water isotopes in tropical Andean Precipitation

Lauren Anderson

Hometown: Lowell

Faculty mentor: Dr. Maggie Sugg, Department of Geography and Planning

Poster: An Assessment of Wildfire Vulnerability in Western North Carolina, USA following the 2016 Wildfires

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The top three winners in both the undergraduate and graduate student categories gather for a group photo. They are, from left to right, Jacob Dorsett, a senior geology major from Monroe; alumna Carmen Montero ’18, of Alpharetta, Georgia, who graduated from Appalachian in May with a Bachelor of Science in biology; Morgan Baker, a senior geology and recreation management double major from Palmyra, Virginia; Adam Willits, a graduate student in biology from Apex; Lauren Anderson, a graduate student in geography from Lowell; and Heather Guy, a graduate student in geography from the United Kingdom. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

About student research at Appalachian

Appalachian State University encourages faculty-mentored student research, which provides students with the opportunity to work side by side with faculty on meaningful research or creative endeavors. These projects often result in presentations, performances or exhibitions at regional, national and international conferences and events. Students who engage in research are able to apply knowledge from the classroom into real-world experiences and learn how to problem-solve, effectively communicate and analyze complex issues. Appalachian’s Office of Student Research (OSR) was established in 2005 to expand the opportunities necessary for undergraduate and graduate students to engage in research and creative activities at Appalachian. Learn more at https://osr.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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The top three winners in both the undergraduate and graduate student categories gather for a group photo. They are, from left to right, Jacob Dorsett, a senior geology major from Monroe; alumna Carmen Montero’18, of Alpharetta, Georgia, who graduated from Appalachian in May with a Bachelor of Science in biology; Morgan Baker, a senior geology and recreation management double major from Palmyra, Virginia; Adam Willits, a graduate student in biology from Apex; Lauren Anderson, a graduate student in geography from Lowell; and Heather Guy, a graduate student in geography from the United Kingdom. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette

Top three winners in undergraduate student category

Carmen Montero

Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia

Faculty mentor: Dr. Darren Seals, Department of Biology

Poster: A small scale screen of nutraceutical compounds that affect the invasive properties of cancer cells

Morgan Baker

Hometown: Palmyra, Virginia

Faculty mentor: Dr. Gabriele Casale, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Poster: Determining the annealing curve of radiation halos in quartz grains through heating experiments

Jacob Dorsett

Hometown: Monroe

Faculty mentor: Dr. Scott Marshall, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Poster: Where is the southern end of the San Andreas Fault? A Physics-based modeling study

Top three winners in graduate student category

Adam Willits

Hometown: Apex

Faculty mentor: Dr. Andrew Bellemer, Department of Biology

Poster: The Roles of Cellular Signaling Pathways in Regulating Nociceptive Behavior in Drosophila

Heather Guy

Home country: United Kingdom

Faculty mentor: Dr. Baker Perry, Department of Geography and Planning

Poster: Subseasonal variations of stable water isotopes in tropical Andean Precipitation

Lauren Anderson

Hometown: Lowell

Faculty mentor: Dr. Maggie Sugg, Department of Geography and Planning

Poster: An Assessment of Wildfire Vulnerability in Western North Carolina, USA following the 2016 Wildfires

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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