BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University's Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies has announced the recipients of their 2023-24 student awards. The recipients were honored at the Williams School of Graduate Studies awards reception on Tuesday, April 2.
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The Domer Graduate Student Research Award
The Domer Research Award was established by Dr. Judith Domer, dean of the Graduate School from 1997-2004, and her husband Floyd to provide assistance for expenses related to scholarly activities. Of the 6 students who received the 2024 Domer Award, 3 are students in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS):
Kerri Durkan '22, graduate student in the biology program, received the award for her research on “Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection Modulates Invadopodia Development in Src-transformed Fibroblasts.”
“Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), a livestock pathogen that selectively infects and kills human cancer cells, is currently being explored as a therapeutic in a variety of clinical trials for advanced stage cancer patients. My research hopes to identify and elucidate the effects of VSV on the destructive behaviors demonstrated by aggressive cancers,” explained Durkan. “My preliminary results suggest that VSV may decrease the degradative capacity of cancerous fibroblasts by ~50%. I am currently investigating if this decrease in degradative capacity corresponds to a decrease in cancer cell invasion.”
Durkan's research was advised by Dr. Darren Seals, associate professor in the Department of Biology.
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Ally Lawing '23, graduate student in the biology program, received the award for her research on “Co-culture Interactions Between Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis Indicate Increased Biofilm Formation.”
“My research aims to differentiate microbe interactions in biofilms between Crohn's disease-related Adherent Invasive E. Coli (AIEC) and Inflammatory bowel disease-analogous E. faecalis to understand favorable microbe-microbe interactions that account for their endurance along the inflamed GI tract in patients with IBD. AIEC can prevail in biofilms, which attach to surfaces and are encased in a self-producing exopolysaccharide matrix. In my previous research, a phenotype indicating biofilm formation was seen in co-culture with AIEC and E. faecalis. I am currently observing the expression of genes critical for K-12 E. coli biofilm formation in these co-cultures to understand how E. faecalis impacts this microbial system and biofilm response!” explained Lawing.
Lawing's research was advised by Dr. Rachel Bleich, assistant professor in the Department of Biology.
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Sarah Ulrich, graduate student in the geography program, received the award for her research on “Heatwaves and the Effect on Acute Maternal and Child Outcomes in North Carolina: A Staggered Difference-in-Differences Analysis.”
“My research focuses on using spatial analysis to assess geographic relationships between climate and health outcomes. My thesis examines heatwave exposure and adverse maternal and infant health outcomes,” shared Ulrich.
Ulrich's research was advised by Dr. Maggie Sugg, associate professor in the Department of Geography and Planning.
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The Outstanding Thesis Award
Balaam Sherrod '21 '23, alumnus of the history program, received the award in the arts and humanities category for his thesis, titled “Dragoon Bold: The Creation of an American Cavalry Tradition.”
“My thesis looks at the Second Cavalry Regiment from its creation for the Second Seminole War to the Mexican-American War and into the Civil War, While it focuses heavily on the development of American cavalry throughout the 19th century, my thesis incorporates elements of environmental history to represent the equine perspective,” explained Sherrod, whose thesis was advised by Dr. Judkin Browning, professor in the Department of History.
Sherrod graduated with his Master of Arts in History in August 2023. Previously, he earned bachelor's degrees in history and political science from Appalachian.
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Sophie Ryan '23, alumna of the geography program, received the award in the science and technology category for her thesis, titled “Greenspace and Adolescent Mental Health: Understanding Greenspace Metrics and Socio-Demographic Effect Modifiers.” Her study, available here, aimed to further understanding of the association between greenspace and mental health among young people living in varying urbanities. Ryan's thesis was advised by Dr. Maggie Sugg, associate professor in the Department of Geography and Planning.
Ryan graduated with her Master of Arts in Geography in May 2023. She is currently an adjunct instructor in the Department of Geography and Planning and will pursue her doctorate in geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill beginning this August.
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The Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
Sophia Kirn, graduate student in the biology program, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, which recognizes a graduate teaching assistant who excels as an instructor in undergraduate classes. Kirn received the award for her work as instructor of record for Biology 1203 (Biology in Society Laboratory) and 1802 (Biological Concepts II).
A nominator wrote about Kirn, "Sophia’s style of teaching matches her helpful nature. She brings a positive, supportive, can-do attitude. She understands that an aspect of teaching is being a mentor. She provides encouragement, support, helpful hints, and an open air of communication. She is observant, ever-aware of where the lab materials are housed, the best specimen/examples for showing her students and any issues that may be present. She is fairly self-sufficient, so if a problem does arise, it rarely requires external help or intervention, but she also brings the appropriate concerns along to her supervisors when the need arises. I greatly appreciate Sophia’s grounded and well-balanced nature in her teaching and management of her students. She is kind and fun, but also always the consummate professional."
A nominator elaborated on Sophia's instructional skills, writing, "She relates well to her students and is always coming up with creative ways to engage her classes. She develops interactive activities such as poll questions, group work, and discussions to help her students stay focused for the two-hour class period...Sophia truly cares about her students. She will go out of her way to meet them during office hours, check in with them, respond to their emails, and leave them helpful feedback on their assignments. Students will often comment how approachable, kind and well-prepared Sophia is as an instructor."
Another nominator explained how Kirn has created a community among her peers in the biology graduate program, writing, "As a team player, Sophia was an incredible source of support and resources for the other teaching assistants. For instance, Sophia always offered to share her own lab presentations with the other graduate students. Sophia also built a strong community for the teaching assistants by recommending good practices for teaching and grading. She would initiate grading 'parties' in the lab space where the teaching assistants could come together to work through grading lab reports, quizzes and practicals."
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Wachovia Environmental Research Award
PJ Coleman, graduate student in the biology program, received the Wachovia Environmental Research Award. The Wachovia Award is designed to recognize faculty or graduate students actively engaged in high-quality environmental research related to the southern Appalachians. Coleman received the award for his work studying the diversity and distribution of Syrphid Flies along the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as exploring aspects of their foraging behavior relevant to their efficacy as pollinators.
“Pollination is a critical ecosystem service supporting the vast majority of flowering plants, including many crop species that we depend on for food. When it comes to pollination, most of the buzz surrounds bees; however, many bee species are known to be facing significant global declines,” explained Coleman. “My research is focused on better understanding the diversity, distribution, and foraging choices of pollinating flies in the family Syrphidae (hoverflies) throughout the Southern Appalachians. Specifically, I have conducted a pilot inventory of hoverflies along the Blue Ridge Parkway, described their regional floral associations, and quantified foraging behaviors relevant to their efficacy as pollinators. A stronger focus on hoverflies and non-bee pollinators in general would greatly benefit our natural and agricultural assets, particularly in this age of pollinator peril that we currently find ourselves in."
Coleman's research was advised by Dr. Jennifer Geib, associate professor and assistant chair in the Department of Biology.
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Three Minute Thesis Competition Award Recipients
During the ceremony, the winners of the School of Graduate Studies' Fall 2023 Three Minute Thesis competition, one from CAS, were also recognized.
Stella Cybulski, a graduate student in the public administration program, received the People's Choice Award for “Bugs and Balls: Boosting Wellbeing through Physical Activities in Educational Settings.” Cybulski's thesis was advised by her Graduate Research Assistant Mentoring Program (GRAM) faculty mentor Dr. Brooke Towner, assistant professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education in the Beaver College of Health Sciences.
"Our Bugs and Balls project is an interdisciplinary research project investigating physical activity, science lessons, and students' enjoyment. Over the 2022-23 school year, we observed three first-grade classrooms and surveyed the students after the science lessons about their enjoyment. The science lessons were divided into indoor inactive, indoor active, and outdoor active. Students who were active during the science lessons showed they were more engaged and more excited about the lessons," explained Cybulski.
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Congratulations to these outstanding students!
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About Graduate Education at App State
Appalachian State University’s Williams School of Graduate Studies helps individuals reach the next level in their career advancement and preparedness. The school offers 80 graduate degree and certificate programs — both in person and online — in a range of disciplines, including doctoral programs in education (Ed.D.) and psychology (Psy.D.). The graduate school enrolls nearly 2,000 students. Learn more at https://graduate.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
April 17, 2024
BOONE, N.C.
The Williams School of Graduate Studies at Appalachian State University
The Williams School of Graduate Studies at Appalachian State University