BOONE, N.C. — A record number of student innovators demonstrated how their research can make a difference — in the region and beyond — at Appalachian State University’s 29th Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors. A total of 240 students took part in this year’s event — nearly 100 more than last year.
The daylong celebration, held April 22 in Plemmons Student Union on the Boone campus, featured poster and oral presentations spotlighting themes ranging from the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene to emerging construction techniques, the impact of community-based food systems and therapeutic songwriting for those with autism. The event also featured a keynote speaker for the first time: App State alumna Dr. Amelia Bruce Leicht ’19, assistant research professor in the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Rebecca Battista, director of App State’s Office of Student Research and the event’s organizer, said that student interest in the celebration of resourcefulness, impact and hands-on collaboration has grown steadily.
“This year’s celebration was exceptional,” said Battista. “The energy in the room was evident as students shared their work and spoke about the next steps in their research. And the event highlights how much our faculty engages students in research and how central that commitment is to the identity of App State.”
The winners of the student poster competition — part of App State’s 29th Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors — are pictured with App State Chancellor Heather Norris, far right. Pictured, from left to right, are geography graduate student Chris Lucero ’24, of Charlotte; geography graduate student Quinn Keefer ’25, of Asheville; senior biology major Ava Mendez, of Apex; senior sustainable technology major Christopher “C.J.” Burns, of Charlotte; senior music therapy major Samantha “Sammie” Sileo, of Charlotte; and kinesiology graduate student Ansley Patton ’25, of Waxhaw. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
New at the event this year were Mountaineer Student Scholar T-shirts, which were distributed to student presenters. App State’s Mountaineer Student Scholar initiative puts student research and innovation in focus by:
- providing a home and community for student innovators;
- mapping and promoting research experiences; and
- providing dedicated support — ranging from skills building and mentorship, to exploring funding opportunities and discussing next steps for career and graduate school transitions.
The initiative serves as a vehicle for bringing together all research support efforts across the university, making it easier for students to know about and access opportunities — and to build identity and relationships among this growing student community at App State.
App State students presented a diverse range of projects at the university’s 29th Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors, held April 22 on the Boone campus. A record 240 students took part in the event. Photos by Kyla Willoughby
Applied research and creativity with real-world impacts
Accessible science was a major theme of this year’s student presentations.
To the untrained eye, Jacob Hansman’s project looked like long wires strung between posts. It’s actually a radio telescope array installed at App State’s Dark Sky Observatory to capture solar bursts, data on Jupiter interacting with its volcanic moon Io and other observations of space. While radio telescopes sound complex, they can be built in most backyards with a little electrical know-how, explained Hansman, a graduate student in engineering physics who is mentored by Dr. Richard O. Gray, professor emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
“You can watch astronomical events in real time,” Hansman said. “I’ve always been interested in astronomy and did not realize you could so easily build a radio telescope.”
Senior music therapy major Samantha “Sammie” Sileo was one of three undergraduate students selected as winners of the event’s poster competition, recognizing her research on autism intervention using music. A universal connector, music helps foster attention, emotional expression, confidence and communication skills, she explained.
“I love being able to share music,” Sileo said. “I feel like not a lot of people know that music and research can be connected.”
For geography graduate student Quinn Keefer ’25, the day represented an opportunity to share his work and connect with the research community beyond his area of focus.
“I feel like I spend so much time by myself in an office doing this work that it’s great to be able to come out here, see all of these other students and all of this other research and connect with the community,” said Keefer, who was one of three graduate student winners in the poster competition.
Keefer is researching the health impacts of Hurricane Helene among the elderly, using emergency room data to help build a much bigger picture of healthcare in the rural region of Western North Carolina after a major storm. The research areas include reliance on ER care, as well as anxiety and social isolation, with grant support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
“Having the data can help inform discussions at the policymaking level,” he said.
Dr. Rebecca Battista, director of App State’s Office of Student Research, which organizes the university’s annual Celebration of Research and Creative Endeavors, second from right, is pictured with Dr. Heather McCullough, senior director of academic programs at the University of North Carolina System Office, far right, App State graduate student Michael Ayiku, of Accra, Ghana, who is pursuing a degree in technology-sustainable building design and construction, far left, and App State mascot Yosef at the university’s 29th Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors, held April 22 on the Boone campus. A recipient of App State’s 2025-26 Domer Research Award, Ayiku’s research project explored the use of biochar in concrete as a pathway toward more sustainable and high-performing materials. Dr. Sharareh Shirzard served as his faculty mentor. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
Building versatile skills: Bruce Leicht on research and mentorship
Keynote speaker Bruce Leicht offered perspective, encouragement and pointers for the student journey.
“You are enough, you are prepared, you are smart and you are qualified,” said Bruce Leicht. “App State has prepared you for the next steps of life. Put yourself out there. This can apply to graduate schools, industry, jobs, private sectors, personal and professional relationships. Always be there with an open mind and remain curious.”
Bruce Leicht said mentorship and her own research experiences in App State’s Department of Kinesiology helped build skills in team management, communication, asking questions, critical thinking and active listening.
“These skills belong anywhere — in the private sector, nonprofits, healthcare, policy, education, you name it. You can take these skills with you,” she said.
She added, “Just because you’re a student doesn’t mean you can’t be a mentor. Think about the students who are in the cohort behind you and behind them — you can teach them what you’ve learned. Help prepare them to be the next best generation of healthcare professionals, environmentalists, chemists or psychologists.”
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Keynote speaker Amelia Bruce Leicht ’19 will share insights from her student research journey
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 a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
Keynote speaker Amelia Bruce Leicht ’19 will share insights from her student research journey
