Kennesaw State student researchers recognized at the Symposium of Student Scholars

KENNESAW, Ga. | May 3, 2021

Research

Kennesaw State University wrapped up its 25th annual Symposium of Student Scholars on Thursday with awards for the top performers among the 375 student researchers who presented 228 projects across a variety of disciplines.

“The level of participation and the quality of the research we see at the symposium has grown along with the university,” said Amy Buddie, director of undergraduate research and professor of psychology. “The undergraduate and graduate research we saw was outstanding, and the award winners’ work was truly remarkable.”

The 2021 symposium award winners included:

  • Top Presentation, Undergraduate: Walking the Line: Planned Trajectory of Autonomous Cars on Driver Takeover Behavior. Undergraduate Students: Patrick Kielly, Eunice Baek, Amali Kahaduwe, Violet Filatova, Shane Howard, and Angie Son Pulido. Research Mentors: Kyung Hun Jung and Jack Labriola. Department of Psychological Science.
  • First Runner-Up, Undergraduate: Double Helix. Undergraduate Student: Katie Patrick. Research Mentors: Caroline Clark and Andrea Knowlton. Department of Dance.
  • Second Runner-Up, Undergraduate: Women Genre Writers in Television and Film. Undergraduate Student: Gabrielle Jones. Research Mentor: Anna Weinstein. Department of English.
  • Top Presentation, Graduate: Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Family of Bis-NHC Metal Complexes. Graduate Student: Simon Young. Undergraduate Student: Cameron Wulfsohn. Research Mentor: Daniela Tapu. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
  • First Runner-Up, Graduate: Scaling Properties of Honeycomb across Social Bees and Wasps. Graduate Student: Grace Cope. Arizona State University Collaborators: Derek Goss and Dhruv Bate. Purdue University Collaborator: Nikhilesh Chawla. Other Collaborator: Alex Grishin. Research Mentor: Clint Penick. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology.
  • Second Runner-Up, Graduate: College Students' Mental Health Help Seeking Behaviors. Graduate Student: Rachel Johnson. Research Mentors: Monica Nandan, Brian Culp, and Dominic Thomas. Department of Social Work and Human Services.

Charles Parrott, associate professor of theatre and performance studies in the College of the Arts, was honored with the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for his commitment to supportive mentorship throughout his 10 years at KSU. Parrot also serves as the director of the KSU Tellers, a student storytelling troupe, and recently received the Council on Undergraduate Research’s (CUR) 2020 Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award, an honor that recognizes undergraduate research mentorship nationally.

Additionally, Lauren Campbell won the Undergraduate Research Award from the KSU Library System and the Office of Undergraduate Research with her article, “She Could Not Overcome It: How Race, Gender, and Jim Crow Shaped One of Georgia’s Gravest Miscarriages of Justice.” The award is presented annually to a student demonstrating effective research processes and excellent use of library resources. Campbell is a history major who partnered with faculty mentor David Parker, assistant chair of the department of history and philosophy, to discuss and critique the case of Lena Baker, the only woman executed in the State of Georgia throughout the entire twentieth century.

Students presented research virtually at the symposium, a student conference hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research. During the event, the Office of Undergraduate Research hosted a live blog featuring several projects.

– Dorothy Corbett

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.