NCSSM showed up in force for the 21st annual State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium, with 107 NCSSM students presenting. (photo: Sarah Shoemaker)
Each year, a significant number of NCSSM students share their original academic research in competitions throughout the country where they win regional, national, and even international accolades, but the greatest off-campus event showcasing NCSSM researchers is the annual State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium, which was held recently at Elon University.
SNCURCS is a collaborative effort between colleges, universities, and community colleges throughout North Carolina that brings together undergraduate researchers from all academic fields to publicly share their research through posters, presentations, performances, and works of art. Elon University and Forsyth Tech Community College partnered this year to host the event, which saw more than 400 presentations.
Though technically a high school, NCSSM has participated in this event for years. And this year – for the second time – NCSSM had the highest number of student participants of the 34 participating institutions across the state with 107 NCSSM students presenting. The 118 presentations delivered by NCSSM students also set a school best, making NCSSM responsible for nearly one-quarter of the entire event.
The numbers are impressive, but they are not – and never have been – a metric of success. Rather, they are simply a result of the NCSSM community’s commitment to excellence and opportunity for research and innovation, says Sarah Shoemaker, Director of the Mentorship and Research program for our Durham campus.
“I think of the symposium as sort of this full-circle moment, because a lot of these students get introduced to research opportunities in the fall of their junior year. Seeing these students take this extra time and effort to go communicate statewide at an amazing conference like this just makes us all feel so proud of them, and so proud of the faculty and the departments and the volunteer mentors who support them.”
Joshua Chilukuri, an NCSSM-Durham senior who came to NCSSM from Apex High School, is involved in two separate research programs at NCSSM. He brought to Elon results from research projects in each, one in the ethics of artificial intelligence, and the other in augmented reality. He was appreciative of the opportunity to share his work in a space built entirely around collaboration and dissemination.
“Lots of times, there’s a competitive sort of premise built into research events and you’re presenting from a competition standpoint,” he says. “SNCURCS alleviates the pressure of having your research evaluated, and it kind of opens you up to be really free in how you use the experience. It’s mostly about students kind of getting to explore what they’re interested in.”
Emma Johnson, an NCSSM-Morganton senior from South Iredell High School, presented her research in diabetic retinopathy, which grew out of a close family member’s struggle with a similar vision problem.
Prior to NCSSM, Emma had never fully comprehended that as a high school student, she could do research that was of interest and importance to others. SNCURCS, however, reaffirmed her value as a researcher.
“People were really interested in my work, and I got some really good questions and feedback,” she says. “I also got to meet people who had family members with diabetic retinopathy. That has really motivated me to continue my research, and is kind of shifting it from something that’s theoretical or proven in a lab to something that’s helping real patients and in a real-world setting.”
NCSSM’s contingent wasn’t just Residential students. Shiven Nagabandi, a senior at Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg, is part of NCSSM’s Online program, and he was at SNCURCS as well. He presented his research into interrupting the acceleration of arterial stiffness, a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
SNCURCS, Shiven says, was very much a bonding experience where he felt immersed in a community of like-minded individuals.
“Being around all these people who know a lot about what they’re doing and are really passionate about it can unnerve you, and make you feel a little bit out of place if you’ve never really done anything like that before yourself,” Shiven says. “But seeing my fellow NCSSM students presenting all around me made me feel comfortable being in this kind of unfamiliar environment, and gave me the confidence to present my research in a way that could showcase the real important work that we’re all doing.”
That synergy, says Jennifer Williams, an NCSSM-Morganton instructor and chair of the campus’ science department, is exactly what research and NCSSM are all about.
“The research community in general is very supportive of students and new professionals entering the field,” she says. “By participating in events such as SNCURCS, our students are beginning to realize that research is not an individual pursuit. They’re becoming a part of a bigger community that extends beyond them and their life, and they are definitely presenting work that is inspirational to others.”
NCSSM would like to thank the Steffee Endowment for Research and Creativity, which covered registration for and transportation to the event.
