Grants & Research

App State College of Arts and Sciences graduate students Lilly Baer ’24, Jake Jenkins ’25, and Michael Sciole ’24 were selected to compete in the final round of the 14th annual Three Minute Thesis competition on Friday, November 21, 2025. Photos by Troy Tuttle

CAS students participate in 14th annual Three Minute Thesis competition
Nov 24, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies held the 14th annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competit...

Dr. Zachary Russell, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at App State, center, works with student researchers Ethan Humphries, a senior physics major from Kings Mountain, and Hunter Corman ’24, an engineering physics graduate student from Morehead City, pictured in the background, in the Ion Innovations Scientific Instrumentation Development Lab in Boone to assemble 3D-printed components for rapid prototyping of microscope designs. Russell has been awarded a $2.3 million grant fro

AI-powered microscopy aims to save North Carolina farmers millions [faculty featured]
Nov 20, 2025

Intestinal parasites quietly take a heavy toll on livestock across North Carolina and the Southeast. The losses aren’t small — they cut deep into ...

Dr. Chris Quattro (left) and Dr. Maggie Sugg (right)

$838K grant fuels App State health research aimed at boosting Western NC resilience
Nov 14, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University is the recipient of a $838,276 grant from Dogwood Health Trust, which supports App State’s work as...

Dr. Bob Swarthout is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.

Dr. Bob Swarthout co-authors chemical analysis of USS Arizona oil leak
Nov 10, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Bob Swarthout, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of ...

Dr. Matt Estep is an associate professor and the honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Biology.

Dr. Matt Estep co-authors study discovering second species of wild ramps
Nov 7, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Matt Estep, associate professor and honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Biology, is the co...

Anna Brown '06 is the administrative support specialist in the Department of Anthropology. Photo by University Communications

October 2025 College of Arts and Sciences Staff Shout Outs
Nov 3, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Awarded by the Appalachian State University Staff Senate, Staff Shout Outs recognize staff members for their positive contributions to...

The Appalachian

Doris Morgan Rueda navigates justice system, overlooked history of Latinx community [faculty featured]
Oct 29, 2025

Doris Morgan Rueda was studying criminology and planning to go to law school before slightly changing course. She realized that what she loved so much...

Carla Ramsdell is the practitioner-in-residence in the Appalachian State University Department of Physics and Astronomy and sustainability liaison for the College of Arts and Sciences. Photo by University Communications

Carla Ramsdell debuts hurricane preparation series "The Resilient Kitchen"
Oct 16, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — On the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene hitting Western North Carolina, Carla Ramsdell, practitioner-in-residence in the Appalach...

App State Chancellor Heather Norris, left, with Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, the Lowe’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in App State’s Department of Computer Science, at the university’s 2025 Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian event, held Sept. 19 on the Boone campus. Tashakkori is the recipient of the 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. Photo by Chase Reynolds

App State spotlights achievements in research, scholarship and creative activities
Oct 10, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — This year’s Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian (RECAPP) event — Appalachian State University’s annual showcase of fac...

Merle the tuxedo cat eats grass that’s likely to snag fur in his stomach. Photo by Nicole Hughes

Gold-covered hairballs may reveal why cats eat grass [alumni, student featured]
Sep 22, 2025

Of the many mysterious behaviors cats exhibit, one of the biggest is also one of the most disgusting: Why do they insist on eating grass, when it only...