The North Carolina Central University School of Graduate Studies hosted its first Research Week, March 24-29, with a series of events that spotlights faculty and student scholarship, cutting-edge research and growing cross-campus collaboration.
Celebrating Research Excellence
The week began with the Faculty Research Awards Program (FRAP) and Three Minute Thesis competition. First place was awarded to Adekunle Rowaiye, DVM, Ph.D., adjunct faculty in pharmaceutical sciences, for his presentation titled “Cooking up a Gut Saver: A Novel Vaccine Design to Keep Bacteria from Turning Your Colon Against You,” followed by Mariam Abdelaziz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, for her presentation “Exploring Arabic-Speaking Caregivers' Interactional Patterns During Shared Book Reading,” and Carol Huynh, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice, for her presentation “Advancing Equity in Higher Ed: Examining the Benefits of Responsible AI Usage Among Underserved Student Populations.” Awardees received up to $10,000.
"Research is such an integral part of university life," said Jaleh Rezaie, Ph.D., dean of the School of Graduate Studies. "Our faculty are engaged in a wide range of research across disciplines, and what makes it especially meaningful is that students — both undergraduate and graduate — are actively involved in many of these projects. That's why it's so important to have dedicated time for the entire campus community to come together and learn about the exciting work happening here."
Fostering Partnerships and Innovation
The celebration continued with a visit from Duke University's Preparing Future Faculty program fellows, who engaged faculty and students in panels that explored career paths at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The AI Symposium on March 26 attracted more than 140 participants and highlighted the new Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Equity Research (IAIER). Siobahn Grady, Ph.D., IAIER director, delivered the keynote address, while law professor Kevin Lee spoke on ethics and AI in education.
The Fulbright Reception on May 27 featured inspiring testimonials from alumni, including NC Fulbright Alumni President Dr. S. Grace Prakalapakorn, and honored South African Fulbright Scholar Sharon Mukhola.
Student and Faculty Scholarship
The CASH FasTalks showcased presentations from six College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities professors, covering timely research projects.
The week culminated with the Graduate and Undergraduate Research Symposium (GURS), where more than 80 students presented posters and oral presentations.
"It was such a great event, such a great turnout by students," said Helen Lupton-Smith, Ph.D., associate professor and counselor education program co-coordinator." Students were excited to present, and seeing their families come to support them was also wonderful."
"Planning Research Week was both a challenge and a privilege. Our hope is that our students and faculty walked away not only with new knowledge, but also feeling seen, valued, and supported by the graduate school," added Nicole Hodges, School of Graduate Studies’ public communications specialist.