Faculty and graduate students associated with the Center for Communicating Science (CCS) were honored to participate in Virginia Tech’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Serving Institutions Research Summit in November. Hosted by the Graduate School, the HBCU/MSI Research Summit provides opportunities for Virginia Tech faculty to form collaborative partnerships with visiting faculty and for visiting undergraduate students to learn about graduate research opportunities.

    CCS associate director Carrie Kroehler and biological sciences graduate student Sara Richards helped welcome participants November 6 with interactive exercises that got folks moving, talking, and laughing.

    On November 7, six graduates of the 2-credit Communicating Science course gave research “flash talks” for Summit participants, explaining their research and sharing graduate school experiences. Many thanks to Sara and to the speakers below for their participation in this event!

 

This photo shows a young white woman speaking into a microphone. Tucked under her arm is a stuffed toy.
Amy Hagen, a graduate student in the Department of Geosciences, brought along a friendly cephalopod to help explain how learning about the climate change events of 200 million years ago can help us understand our world today. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.
This photo shows a young Black man speaking into a microphone. Behind and to his left is a large projection screen with a slide reading "Korin Jones" and "Biological Sciences."
Korin Rex Jones, a Ph.D. candidate in biological sciences, shared his work on amphibian microbiomes and the Chytrid fungus that threatens the survival of many amphibian species. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.
This photo shows a young white woman speaking into a microphone. Behind and to her left is a large projection screen with a slide reading "Maria DeNunzio" and "Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise."
Maria DeNunzio, who did her master’s degree work in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and is now working toward a Ph.D. in the program, spoke about her research on food access and equity. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.
This photo shows a young white male speaking into a microphone.
Can we make plastics from sustainable biomaterials? Jeff Thompson, a student in the Macromolecular Science and Engineering graduate program, gave the audience an overview of the importance of finding alternatives to fossil fuel-derived plastic materials. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.
This photo shows a young Black woman speaking into a microphone. Behind and to her left is a large projection screen with a slide reading "Mika Pagani" and "Entomology."
Mika Pagani, who spends lots of time at Virginia Tech’s research farm as part of her Ph.D. research in the Department of Entomology, explained her investigations on using fungi to prevent crop destruction by a pest called the wireworm. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.
This photo shows a young white bearded male speaking into a microphone.
Cody Swilley, from the interdisciplinary Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences graduate program, shared with the audience his transition from practicing veterinary medicine to returning to school, along with a quick summary of his current research on memory and brain cells. Photo courtesy of Carrie Kroehler.