2021 AGEP Student Success Conference Announces Undergraduate Award Winners

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, Michigan State University hosted the 2021 AGEP Student Success virtually. This year’s conference theme was “Leading through Change and Becoming a Change-Agent”. Over 200 participants (representing 87 institutions), included members from institutions across the state of Michigan, former Summer Research Opportunities interns, as well as out-of-state undergraduate and graduate student researchers, post-docs as well as faculty. The AGEP Student Success conference continues to encourage undergraduate students to apply for advanced degrees to conduct original research on topics relevant to our nation’s needs. The conference created an optimal environment for the celebration and promotion of student researchers from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in the STEM and Social Science graduate programs. When asked what they thought of this year’s theme Lisadine Cherubin of University of Rochester shared, “The speakers embodied what it meant to be a changing agent through their stories, their music, and their words.” He also said, “And that's why the closing segment was so impactful for me because as a student, I'm sometimes made to focus on academics and how I am doing mentally is intertwined with how I am doing career-wise and academically.”

Students participated in the 2021 AGEP Student Success Conference poster or PowerPoint (cross talks) presentations and the following were awarded prizes sponsored by MSUFCU:

Oral Presentations

  • 1st - Megan Brayton, Virginia State University: Nuclear Science and Machine Learning: Basic Development and Integrations
  • 2nd - Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez, Cornell University: Understanding Sea Surface Height Variability at 10km Scales
  • 3rd - Lisadine Cherubin, University of Rochester: The Relationship Between Internalized Racism, Coping Mechanisms, and Health-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review of the Literature
  • Honorable Mention- Lauren McDermott, Michigan State University: Multi-wavelength Observations of Low-mass Nuclear Black Holes

Poster Presentations

  • 1st - Alyssa Lopez, Siena Heights University: The Psychological Effects of Art in College Students
  • 2nd - Jordan Carroll, California State University, San Marcos: The Interplay of Reward and Aversion Implicates Increased Risk for Ketamine Abuse in Adolescent Rat when Compared to Adults rats
  • 3rd - Rayvin Webber, Adrian College: A Comparative Analysis of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Plant Growth and Nitrogen Uptake
  • Honorable Mention- Jenika Scott, Rutgers University: Teenage Problematic Sexual Behaviors: An Assessment of the Social Factors that impact Teenage Problematic Sexual Behaviors

The conference also had a People’s Choice Award sponsored by the MSU Graduate School. The following students were recognized by both conference goers and the general public:

Oral Presentations

  • 1st - Ashley Bolds, Pennsylvania State University: Role of Chemogenetic Modulation of Nucleus Accumbens Parvalbumin Interneurons on Mouse Opioid Reward Behavior
  • 2nd - Anthony Gutierrez, California State University, Northridge: A Loss of Cell Curvature Resulting from Overexpression of a Bacterial Phospholipid Synthase
  • 3rd - Yolanda Odufuwa, Beloit College: Black Resistance in the Contemporary Era
  • Honorable Mention- Andrea Campbell, Rutgers University: Neuron Survival after Traumatic Brain Injury-The role of Adenosine Kinase

Poster Presentations

  • 1st - Austin Katzer, University of Colorado, Boulder: Understanding the Establishment of TWIST Neural Crest Gene Regulatory systems and Their Evolutionary Significance in Chordates
  • 2nd - Ogechi-Amaka Anene, Texas Southern University: Generation of TCR Hybridomas Reactive for Inflammation-Associated Self-Antigens
  • 3rd - Jenika Scott, Rutgers University: Teenage Problematic Sexual Behaviors: An Assessment of the Social Factors that impact Teenage Problematic Sexual Behaviors
  • Honorable Mention- Alexia Ferguson, Siena Heights University: The Black Lives Matter Movement and Human Rights Efforts

When asked her thoughts on the impact of the conference, Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez (Cornell University) said, “It was really amazing to see all the different fields and learn about all the research that is happening outside my own personal field. It was also comforting to hear the non-linear paths.”

For more information about the AGEP Student Success Conference, MSU AGEP Learning Community, or recent journal article about MSU AGEP program, contact MSU AGEP Program Director, Steven Thomas (deshawn@msu.edu) at 517-432-3268.