Every two weeks, Highlander Highlights shares with readers some of the extraordinary research and accomplishments happening on and off campus through the tireless work and curiosity of our students and faculty.
Radford celebrates its student summer researchers
A small group of Radford University students experienced the opportunity to speak to an audience about the thrills and challenges of their summer research efforts at the 12th annual Summer Research Celebration, held Oct. 8 at the Ross Art Gallery in McConnell Library.
Most of the student researchers who presented were funded by the university’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program.
“This is always a holiday for me,” said OURS Director and professor of chemistry Joe Wirgau, speaking about the celebration. “It represents, in one place, the widest and best presentations of student research on campus.”
Delivering creative arts oral presentations this year were:
- Lou O’Neil - "Maidens, Mothers, Witches and the Femme Fatal: Visualizing the Multitasking Woman."
- Salome Cook - "Bridging Knowledge Gaps in Ornithology Through Art."
- Amiya Williams - "Experiencing the Festival: My Summer Interning at the American Dance Festival."
OURS did not fund Williams’ internship. However, “When we hear of exceptional summer experiences, we invite those students to join us at the celebration,” Wirgau explained.
Social science presenters were:
- Sophie Crawford - "Mindfulness and Compassion Regulation.”
- Olivia Houck - "Collegiate-built Environment's Effect on Food Security.”
- Caroline Sapp - "Suppressing Russian Transnational Repression."
Interdisciplinary presenters were:
- Ashton Ennis - "Mutational Analysis of the Bacterial Loop in E. coli β-glucuronidase."
- Jessica Handy - "Moderating Potential of Romantic Attachment Between Autism and Mental Health."
In the afternoon, many students presented their work in a poster session. Those student researchers included:
- Abbi Green - "Identifying Species to Aid Conservation Efforts: Assessing Species Models for Environmental DNA Analysis."
- Hannah Farmer - "Screening for Pathogenic Fungus Chytridiomycosis in the Peruvian Amazon Using Water Samples."
- Ashlyn Hartman - “Magic Box Perspectives: Audience Impact on Decision-Making and Stress in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygiaguttatacastanotis).”
- Nolan Fuss - "Bioacoustics of Deforestation: Acoustic Behavior of Amphibians in the Madre de Dios Region of the Peruvian mazon in Response to Audio Stimuli."
- Annie Riffee - "Weather Prediction and Stress in Migratory Songbirds of Southwest Virginia."
Having the opportunity to conduct research as an undergraduate student is what initially drew Fuss to Radford, he said, talking about his summer with Radford’s RARE Amazon research excursion to Peru.
“It’s amazing to be able to go to the Amazon and do things like this,” explained the junior biology major from Arlington, Virginia. “There are so many opportunities here at Radford to get close to your professors, and there's so much opportunity for undergraduate research that you wouldn't get at other schools.”
About Amiya’s American Dance Festival internship
This summer, Amiya Williams served as the studios and community engagement intern
for the American Dance Festival (ADF), based out of Samuel H. Scripps Studios in Durham,
North Carolina.
“I did a lot of general studio management tasks, including opening up the studios in the morning, working on studio schedules and providing assistance to the Scripps faculty,” said the dance and psychology double major from Woodbridge, Virginia. “I also did general administrative tasks, such as emails, phone calls and communicating with parents, professional dance companies and working with guest teaching artists.”
In addition, Williams coordinated community outreach programs through the ADF Project Dance program. She recruited guests and Scripps faculty teachers to teach free open dance classes at a variety of locations, such as summer camps and museums, throughout Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
Williams' time with ADF wasn’t all work and no play. She took dance classes at Scripps Studios, and during the summer dance intensive, she “took daily classes and was able to dance in both a student dance film and the showcase we interns put together,” she said.
After graduating from Radford this December, Williams plans to pursue a career in professional dance, specifically in the styles of contemporary and jazz dance.
“Additionally, I would like to continue to grow in arts administration work while performing,” she said. “Long term, my goal is to go to graduate school to obtain my master's in dance movement therapy and open a dance studio that focuses on that.”
Economics professor speaks on the future of AI in business
Associate Professor of Economics Can Dogan served as a guest lecturer Oct. 7 at the Truist Empowered Entrepreneur Executive Series at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, campus of Penn State University. At the event focused on startups in AI, Dogan spoke about his research into the future of AI and its impact on the dynamics of business.
Dogan and his co-researchers are analyzing all business applications in the United States since 2004 and identifying AI-related businesses. They are also following that work by tracking those AI applications to examine how well they perform once they become employer businesses.
So, what have Dogan and the researchers learned so far?
“Survey results show that the adoption rate among existing businesses is still low,” Dogan explained. “AI adoption may come from existing businesses as well as new startups. Our results show that the second source of AI adoption, AI startups, is on the rise. We observe a significant acceleration, particularly after 2016, with a large, discrete jump in 2023.”
The researchers also document that these startups have a higher potential for employment and revenue compared to non-AI startups. Their findings suggest a growing contribution from AI-related business formation to business dynamism.
“These findings point to a highly dynamic early AI industry, with increasing competition from startups and growing demand for skilled labor,” Dogan said. “Managers should consider strategies to counter this intensifying competition by adopting AI technologies that best fit their organizations and upskilling their workforce to complement AI.”