Up-and-Coming Student Researchers Shine Bright at Annual Symposium

With projects ranging from aquaculture water management to cancer research to combatting drugs of abuse and more, 64 students took home awards for oral and poster presentations of their research and creative scholarship following the 2024 Auburn University Research Symposium. The annual event was held March 26 at the Melton Student Center with awards presented in an April ceremony.

Nearly 450 graduate and undergraduate students from Auburn University and Auburn University at Montgomery participated in the symposium. For the first time, presentations by postdoctoral researchers were also included as a non-competitive part of the event.

“Not only is this an opportunity for students to present what they have learned through their research experiences to a broad audience, but the symposium empowers participants to share their thoughts, discoveries and creative work,” said Dr. Lorenzo Cremaschi, professor of mechanical engineering and Auburn’s director of undergraduate research. “This year, the first-rate presentations provided a forum for cross-college networking. The conversations in the rooms were lively and vibrant. I thank all the presenters and judges who participated in the symposium, making it a truly engaging opportunity. And I congratulate the award winners for their outstanding work during what is becoming a signature event for the university.”

Undergraduate research awards

The undergraduate first-place award in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics poster presentations went to Nathan Newman of the Department of Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Graham Lynn, from the Department of Drug Discovery and Development in the Harrison College of Pharmacy, captured first place in the STEM oral presentations.

In the category for Human Sciences, Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Nursing and Humanities, Natalie McBrayer of the Department of Psychological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts won first place for her poster presentation, and Annie Pauley of the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, also in the College of Liberal Arts, took first in the oral presentations.

Graduate research awards

The graduate student first-place winner for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics poster presentations was Ashley Hennessey of the School of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences in the College of Agriculture. First place in the STEM oral presentations went to Virginia Aida of the Department of Pathobiology.

In the category for Human Sciences, Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Nursing and Humanities, Makeda Nurradin of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching in the College of Education won first place in the poster presentations, marking her third consecutive year as a symposium winner. Emily Knight of the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Human Sciences earned first in the oral presentations.

To further honor the winners, the Ralph Brown Draughon Library displayed a selection of winning posters on its digital wall.