Albany State University 14th Undergraduate Research Symposium Results
ORAL PRESENTATIONS RESULTS
OVERALL BEST ORAL PRESENTATION: C-yanni Outen, Criminal Justice
SESSION 1 — Natural & Applied Sciences
Winners:
1st Place: Mykala Eckler, Natural Sciences
Investigating the Synergistic Effects of PFAS Chemicals and Microplastics on the Viability and Motility of Brown Planaria (Dugesia sp.)
Mentor: Dr. John L. Williams
2nd Place: Kendra Ross, Natural Sciences
Biofilm Formation of Wild-Type and Pressure-Stressed Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes Pathogens of Public Health Concern in Pasteurized Milk, Distilled Water, and on Abiotic Surfaces
Mentor: Dr. Niamul Kabir
3rd Place: Emery Allen, Natural Sciences
Investigation into Stabilized all Inorganic CsPb1-xMnxBr3 (with x=0.1–0.3) Perovskite Solar Cells
Mentor: Dr. Liqiu Zheng
SESSION 2 — Computational Mathematics & Data Science
Winners:
1st Place: Garret Godwin, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
Classification of Gene Expression Data
Mentor: Dr. Wanjun Hu
2nd Place: Christopher Davis, Collen Lawrence,
Automated Attendance System Using Fused Biometrics and Proximity
Mentors: Dr. Alex Alochukwu & Prof. Lekeon Little
2nd Place: Jada Rodgers, Kendall Akins
Optimized Campus Route Planning: A Geospatial Application for Albany State University Navigation
Mentors: Dr. Alex Alochukwu & Prof. Lekeon Little
3rd Place: Ayodeji Williams (87.75)
Machine Learning Integration for RNA Cancer-specific LncRNA Exploration (MIRACLE)
Mentors: Dr. Olabisi Ojo & Dr. Wanjun Hu
SESSION 3 — Social Sciences & Public Policy
Winners:
1st Place: C-yanni Outen, Criminal Justice
Locked Away for a Lie: A Study on False Accusations & their Impact on Incarcerated Individuals
Mentor: Dr. Kizzie Donaldson Richard
2nd Place: Francesca Onumah, Sociology and Psychology
Evaluating the Harms of Using AI Programs as Therapists Among College Students
Mentor: Dr. Patrick Whitehead
2nd Place: Emaria Banks, Criminal Justice
Mental and Emotional Effects of SANE Nurse Evidence Collection on Themselves and Sexual Assault Survivors
Mentor: Jaunice Tunstall-Redditt
3rd Place: Trinity Baggs, Criminal Justice
Homelessness Among U.S. Military Veterans: Policy Gaps, Health Challenges, and Barriers to Support,
Mentor: Dr. Kizzie Donaldson Richard
SESSION 4 — Criminal Justice, Health & Applied Studies
Winners:
1st Place: Manuel Makayla, Criminal Justice
The Impact of Drug Abuse and Misuse in Adolescent
Mentor: Dr. Cajetan Ihe
2nd Place: Chelsea Zeon, Natural Sciences
Forensic Science’s Role in Understanding Environmental Racism: Marginalized Communities at a Crossroads
Mentor: Dr. Kristine Konkol, Natural Sciences
3rd Place: Alana Bryant, Business
Credit Card Fraud
Mentor: Dr. Victor Williams
SESSION 5 — SPECIAL SESSION - Senior Research Projects in Mathematical Modeling
Winners:
1st Place: Ayodeji Williams, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
Multivariate Linear Model for Agricultural Data (Corn, Soybeans, Wheat)
Mentor: Dr. Zephyrinus Okonkwo, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
2nd Place: Zion Pease
Three-Month Moving Averages and Exponential Moving Averages of Gold Prices (2019–2021)
Mentor: Dr. Zephyrinus Okonkwo
3rd Place: Jonathan Jack M. Balote, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
Iowa Farmer Multivariate Revenue Income Model for Eggs, Pork and Beef
Mentor: Dr. Zephyrinus Okonkwo,
POSTER PRESENTATIONS RESULTS
OVERALL BEST POSTER PRESENTATION: Kendra Ross, Natural Sciences
POSTER SERIES A — Natural & Applied Sciences (NPS) Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Kendra Ross, Natural Sciences
Biofilm Formation of Wild-Type and Pressure-Stressed Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes Pathogens of Public Health Concern in Pasteurized Milk, Distilled Water, and on Abiotic Surfaces
Mentor: Dr. Niamul Kabir
2nd Place: Tereza Thomas, Laila Dowdy, Evelyn Redmond, Natural Sciences
Decontamination Efficacy of Escherichia Coli and Salmonella by the Synergistic Effect of Ten Different Antimicrobials (Citrospet, Citricidal, Caprylic Acid, Carvacrol, Lactic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Thymol, Sorbic Acid, DL–Malic Acid) and High-Pressure Processing at 25℃ and 37℃
Mentor: Dr. Niamul Kabir
3rd Place: Mykala Eckler, Natural Sciences
Investigating the Synergistic Effects of PFAS Chemicals and Microplastics on the Viability and Motility of Brown Planaria (Dugesia sp.)
Mentor: Dr. John L. Williams
POSTER SERIES B — Computational Mathematics & Data Science (MCD) Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Jada Rodgers, Kendall Akins, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
Optimized Campus Route Planning: A Geospatial Application for Albany State University Navigation
Mentor: Dr. Alex Alochukwu & Prof. Lekeon Little
1st Place: Christopher Davis, Collen Lawrence, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
Automated Attendance System Using Fused Biometrics and Proximity
Mentor: Dr. Alex Alochukwu & Prof. Lekeon Little
2nd Place: Anna Reese and Isaiah Webb
Factors Affecting Performance of a Microwave Absorber
Mentor: Dr. Arun Saha
3rd Place: Ayodeji Williams
Machine Learning Integration for RNA Cancer-specific LncRNA Exploration (MIRACLE)
Mentors: Dr. Olabisi Ojo & Dr. Wanjun Hu
POSTER SERIES C — Social Sciences & Public Policy (SSP) Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Francesca Onumah, Sociology and Psychology
Evaluating the Harms of Using AI Programs as Therapists Among College Students
Mentor: Dr. Patrick Whitehead
2nd Place: Trinity Baggs
Homelessness Among U.S. Military Veterans: Policy Gaps, Health Challenges, and Barriers to Support
Mentor: Dr. Kizzie Donaldson Richard
3rd Place: C-yanni Outen
Locked Away for a Lie: A Study on False Accusations & their Impact on Incarcerated Individuals
Mentor: Dr. Kizzie Donaldson Richard
POSTER SERIES D — Criminal Justice, Health & Applied Studies (CJH) Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Chelsea Zeon, Business
Forensic Science’s Role in Understanding Environmental Racism: Marginalized Communities at a Crossroads
Mentor: Dr. Kristine Konkol
POSTER SERIES E — Grant-Funded Research Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Najya Toodle, Natural Sciences
Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria with the Ability to Degrade 1,4-Dioxane
in Contaminated Areas
Grant: Department of Energy MSIPP Program
Mentors: Dr. Yong Jin Lee & Mrs. Sri Sandhya Manne
PI: Dr. Yong Jin Lee
2nd Place: Darshan Balasubramani
Microbial Water Quality in Drinking Fountains on the East Campus Buildings at Albany
State University
Grant: USG STEM Initiative
Mentor: Dr. Yong Jin Lee
PI: Dr. Seyed Roosta
3rd Place: Camryn Slappey
Metals in the Soil: Tracing Industrial Impact in Environmental Systems
Grant: NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
Mentors: Dr. Gavin Piccione & Dr. Meredith Hastings
PI: Dr. Daniel Ibarra
POSTER SERIES F — Coursework / Capstone Projects
Winners:
1st Place: Connor Jennings, Education
What Would Be Without The Genius Of Us?
Classification: Capstone
Mentor: Dr. Erica Decuir
2nd Place: Leah Cowen
Supply Constraints and Federal Intervention: Rethinking Housing Policy in Georgia
Classification: Coursework
Mentors: Prof. Leslie Charles & Dr. Matthew Collins
3rd Place: Lawrianna Brooks
Mental Matters: Evaluating Youth Mental Health Programs in Georgia and Nigeria
Classification: Spring Coursework
Mentor: Dr. Addie Campbell-Mungen
POSTER SERIES G — Global Learning Exploratory Posters
Winners:
1st Place: Isaiah Flynt, Mass Communication
Excellent Hispanic Contributions to Albany in 50 Years of Newspapers
Mentor: Dr. Krzysztof Sliwa, Arts and Humanities
2nd Place: Isaiah Jones
Comparing the difference between Protestant Churches in the American south and Liberia
Mentor: Prof. Joel Johnson, Arts and Humanities
3rd Place: Jayda Howard
Habitat Fragmentation and the Role of Elephants as Indicators of Ecosystem Health
Mentor: Prof. Samuel Ifedayo, Natural Sciences