What do wooden skyscrapers, mayflies in space, and the science behind beauty have in common? They were just a few of the fascinating topics presented at this year’s Faculty Nutshell Talks!

Meaghan Dee explained to the audience the significance of words—both present and absent—in public spaces and domains.
Meaghan Dee explained to the audience why words, both present and missing in public spaces and domains, matter. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

    On March 4, an enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Moss Arts Center for an evening of fast-paced, engaging research presentations ranging from the transport and mathematics of infectious disease to uncovering the secrets of animal movement in a changing world. . .and much more.

Greg Tew illustrated how creating livable cities and architecture should prioritize people over cars.
Greg Tew demonstrated how living our best life must mean developing cities and architecture that cater to people, not just cars. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

    Sixteen courageous and innovative faculty stepped into the spotlight, presenting their research to a lively public audience and a panel of discerning judges, including three 7th graders. With just 90 seconds each to explain their groundbreaking research, all 16 contestants dazzled the crowd during this fast-paced, fun, and informative showcase of the innovative work happening right here at Virginia Tech.

A woman stands on stage looking out into the audience and gesturing with a shrug
Jing Chen explained to the audience how a computer and mathematics can help uncover complex mysteries within cells that cause things like cancer. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

    While the Faculty Nutshell Talks may be framed as a competition — with a panel of judges taking notes and significant prizes at stake — every faculty researcher who takes the stage is a winner in our eyes. Their dedication to making complex research accessible, their creativity in crafting engaging 90-second presentations, and their courage in stepping beyond their labs, classrooms, and computers to share their work with the world are truly inspiring. We deeply appreciate each one of them!

Eric Kaufman highlighted how effective leadership relies on followership and emphasized the importance of studying their dynamic, collaborative relationship.
Eric Kaufman shared how inspiring leadership depends on followership, and the importance of studying this dynamic, collaborative relationship. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

    Our esteemed panel of judges — composed of volunteers from both the Virginia Tech campus and the wider community — faced the difficult task of selecting only three to win $1000 prizes toward professional development.  After much deliberation, their choices were:

Pipiet Larasatie, Sustainable Biomaterials, The Rise of Wooden Skyscrapers!

Abhijit Sarkar, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Seeing the Invisible: The Next Frontier in Remote Health Monitoring

Bo Zhang, Plant and Environmental Science, Breeding a Better Bean: How My Soybeans Shape Your Food

    A big congratulations to these faculty!

    But wait, there’s more!

    You have the power to crown the fourth winner. The talks are now posted on the Center for Communicating Science YouTube page, and the video with the highest number of views during the month after the event earns its presenter the coveted Audience Favorite Award and a fourth $1000 prize. The views will be counted at 8 a.m. on April 11th. (Remember to watch the video from beginning to end in order for your vote to count!) The direct links to each talk can be found below.

Faculty presenters and their Talks:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:

Sally Entrekin, Entomology, Mayflies in Space Tell Us a Lot About the Health of Streams, Rivers, and Wetlands

Ashley Jernigan, School of Plant and Environmental Science, Harnessing the Power of Healthy Soils to Grow Healthy People

Eric Kaufman, Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education, Got Followership? Rethinking Leadership from the Other Side

Bo Zhang, School of Plant and Environmental Science, Breeding a Better Bean: How My Soybeans Shape Your Food

College of Architecture, Arts, and Design:

Meaghan Dee, School of Visual Arts, More than Pretty: Why Design Must Have Meaning

Mehdi Setareh, School of Architecture, Controlling Excessive Vibrations of Building Floors

Greg Tew, School of Architecture, Are We Living Our Best Life?

College of Engineering:

Bo Ji, Computer Science, Securing the Future of Mixed Reality

Pranav Khandelwal, Mechanical Engineering, Understanding Animal Movement in a Changing World, from Flying Lizards to Zebras

Abhijit Sarkar, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Seeing the Invisible: The Next Frontier in Remote Health Monitoring

College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences:

Bonnie Zare, Sociology; Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, If You Don't Know India, You Don't Know Humanity

College of Natural Resources and Environment:

Pipiet Larasatie, Sustainable Biomaterials, The Rise of Wooden Skyscrapers!

College of Science:

Keoni Castellano, Mathematics, Quantifying Contagion: The Mathematics of Infectious Disease Spread

Jing Chen, Biological Sciences, When Biology Meets Math: Using a Computer to Dissect Cells

Lavinia Carmen Uscatescu, Psychology, Beauty Is in the Brain of the Beholder

Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine:

Clayton Caswell, Biomedical Science and Pathobiology, One Bug’s Journey from Cow to Man: How Bacteria Use a Special Chemical to “Call” Each Other and Cause Disease

    Please also check out the event's coverage in this VT News video.

Ashley Jernigan explained how to cultivate healthy soils and emphasized their vital role in sustaining viable food sources and overall well-being.
Ashley Jernigan explained how to cultivate healthy soils and the importance of this work in growing viable food sources and to our overall wellbeing. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

About the Event

    The Faculty Nutshell Talks is brought to you by the Center for Communicating Science and funded by the Office of Research and Innovation and Faculty Affairs. Presenter positions are open to all Virginia Tech faculty, and spots are filled as registration forms are received.

    A 4-hour preparatory workshop for all participants was held January 31. Facilitated by Center for Communicating Science faculty Patty Raun, Carrie Kroehler, and Jon Catherwood-Ginn, the workshop helped researchers build their communication skills, find the story in their research, and distill their work into 90 seconds. As with all the center’s work, the focus was on helping speakers communicate personally, directly, spontaneously, responsively, and with emotional vividness.

Clayton Caswell demonstrated how bacteria communicate to spread disease and how scientists can disrupt this 'signal' to protect both farm animals and humans.
Clayton Caswell demonstrated how disease spreads through special communication by bacteria and how scientists can interrupt this “call,” protecting both farm animals and humans. Photo by Bria Weisz for Virginia Tech.

Meet the Judges

    ●      Minal Afridi, 7th grader, Blacksburg Middle School

    ●      Musa Afridi, 7th grader, Blacksburg Middle School

    ●      Debbie Day, Associate Vice President for Presidential Priorities, Alumni Relations, Virginia Tech

    ●      John Robert Henderson, 7th grader, Dalton Intermediate School

    ●      Iris Jenkins, Director of the Research Integrity and Consultation Program, Virginia Tech

    ●      Barbara Lockee, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Virginia Tech

    ●      SSgt. Eileen Perez, Air Force ROTC, Virginia Tech

    ●      Karen Roberto, University Distinguished Professor; Executive Director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment, Virginia Tech

    ●      Jeffrey Schwaner, Executive Editor of Cardinal News

    The Faculty Nutshell Talks remind us that research isn’t just about data and discovery — it’s about connection, curiosity, and the power of sharing ideas. We are grateful to all the presenters for stepping onto the stage and to our judges and audience for celebrating the spirit of innovation with us; we couldn’t do this without you, and we can’t wait to see what next year brings!

By Erin Smith, Center for Communicating Science Project Coordinator