Valdosta State University

Jordan Hewins discovered a passion for "humans in space" when he was just 8 years old and watching "Star Trek" on the couch with his mother. The Georgia Academy of Sciences recently honored him with a Best Oral Presentation award for his research, "Modeling the Orbital Dynamics of Super Earth Kepler-62f." This summer he's headed to the Edge of Space Academy in Iowa to study space-based instrumentation and how it's used to observe Earth and space. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Astronomy and a Bachelor of Science in Physics at VSU and plans to graduate in May 2025.

Teressa Akuoko of Valdosta, Georgia, is the recipient of the 2022-2023 Bartram Award for Intellectual Exploration at Valdosta State University.

Jazmin Borges's research, "Gopher Tortoise Mortality and Reliability of Passive Integrated Transponders at Reed Bingham State Park," recently won the People's Choice Award at the 2023 Southwest Georgia Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Summit Juried Poster Competition in Columbus. She is a senior from Griffin, Georgia, who plans to graduate from Valdosta State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Minor in Environmental Studies, and a Minor in Psychology on May 6.

Jasmine Freeman's research, "Utilizing the Continuous and Absorption Spectrum to Calculate the Components of Stars," recently won first place at the 2023 Southwest Georgia Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Summit Juried Poster Competition in Columbus. She is a senior from Shelby, North Carolina, who anticipates earning a Bachelor of Science in Astronomy and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Valdosta State University in May 2025.

Jimmecha Carr of Albany, Georgia, recently presented "Defining Beauty Standards Through Media: Is It Worth It?" during Valdosta State University's 2022 Prosper Tsikata Graduate Colloquium.

Skylar Grinnell-Meeler recently presented "Silenced Sportswomen: An Evaluation of Muted Group Theory in Sports and How Roller Derby Challenges and Reinvents the Ideas of Gender in the Sports Industry" during Valdosta State University's 2022 Prosper Tsikata Graduate Colloquium.

Jonathan E. Bridenbaker of Gulfport, Mississippi, recently presented "Gun Girl: Kaitlin Bennett, Free Speech, and Mythmaking" during Valdosta State University's 2021 Prosper Tsikata Graduate Colloquium.

Matthew B. Rorer of Columbus, Georgia, recently presented "New Age of Online Image Crisis: Influencers" during Valdosta State University's 2021 Prosper Tsikata Graduate Colloquium.

Lauren A. Corley of Cairo, Georgia, recently presented "Making an Effort: Evaluating USA Gymnastics' Corporate Social Responsibility Following Negligence and Scandal" during Valdosta State University's 2021 Prosper Tsikata Graduate Colloquium.

Jael A. Stanton's "Gas Kinetic Modeling of Titan Atmospheric Entry Plasma" won Best Poster honors in the undergraduate research category at the 73rd annual Gaseous Electronics Conference.

Nya M. Lampkin's "Gas Kinetic Model for Titan Atmospheric Entry Plasma" won Best Poster honors in the undergraduate research category at the 73rd annual Gaseous Electronics Conference.

Five Valdosta State University students recently presented original research at the seventh annual Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference in Gainesville, Georgia.

Three students from Valdosta State University's Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education presented "Shuffle Mania" at the 2018 Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Inc. Convention in Athens.

Mehvish Durrani represented Valdosta State University at the 70th Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Augusta, Georgia.

Kenyanna S. Parrish earned a $250 Travel Grant from the American Chemical Society to represent Valdosta State University at the 70th Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Augusta, Georgia.

Patrick Elliott's "Effects of Egocentrism on the Vocabulary Development of African-American Preschoolers" won the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing's 2018 Student Research Award.

Victoria LeCroy's "Investigation of Hiring Bias Against Individuals with LGBT Involvement on Resumes" won the Psi Chi: The International Honor Society in Psychology Undergraduate Research Award at the Southeastern Psychological Association's 64th annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. Victoria LeCroy's "Investigation of Hiring Bias Against Individuals with LGBT Involvement on Resumes" won the Psi Chi: The International Honor Society in Psychology Undergraduate Research Award at the Southeastern Psychological Association's 64th annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Valdosta State University's Miranda Huff and Dr. Anthony Scheffler were recently chosen to present research on academic mapping at the 2018 University System of Georgia Teaching and Learning Conference in Athens, Georgia.

An elite group of 43 students, nominated by faculty in their respective academic disciplines, presented at Valdosta State University's 2017 Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Symposium.

Five students from Valdosta State University's Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy presented original research at the Southeastern Psychological Association 64th annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, March 6-9.

Valdosta State University students from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders were invited to present research at the 2017 Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention in Athens, Georgia. The theme was "Joining Together for Success."

Victoria R. Sandefur's "The Effect of Taste on Lingual Swallowing Pressure" won second place in the undergraduate research category at the 2017 Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention Student Poster Competition.

Katherine Bailey Stone's "Kinesio Tape in the Treatment of Dysphagia" won second place overall and second place in the graduate research category at the 2017 Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention Student Poster Competition.

Rebekah A. Foster's "The Effects of Rapid Auditory Discrimination Treatment on Articulation Improvement" won first place overall and first place in the graduate research category at the 2017 Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention Student Poster Competition.

Seven Valdosta State University Honors College students were selected to present at the 2017 Georgia Collegiate Honors Council Conference. Hosted by Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, this year's event was built around a "Reaching for the Stars" theme, and students were asked to share their best academic or creative work with honors students and faculty from across the state.

Ann Williams's "Connections to the Past: An Ethnographic Study of the Connection Between Modern Mayans and the Ancients" won first place for Best Paper in the Social Sciences at the 2017 Georgia Collegiate Honors Council Conference.

An elite group of 42 students, nominated by faculty in their respective academic disciplines, presented at Valdosta State University's 2016 Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Symposium.

Hayley Jackson and Sabrina Ogletree's "Visual Working Memory" won the Best Poster Award in the James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by Valdosta State University.

Destiny Wilkinson's "Iris Murdoch: The Study of Good and Evil" won the Best Poster Award in the Arts and Humanities at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by Valdosta State University.

Rebeccah Stansbery's "Effects of Training for a 439-Mile Endurance Run on Performance and Energy Balance" won the Best Poster Award in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by Valdosta State University.