University of North Georgia

Eight engineering students at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus conducted research and innovation on an unmanned ground vehicle this spring. Mariam Rezai, a junior from Hoschton, Georgia, pursuing degrees in physics and engineering through the Regents Engineering Transfer Program (RETP), served as project leader. Isaac Erausquin, a sophomore from Oakwood, Georgia, pursuing an associate degree in engineering, was the project co-leader.

Three students in the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis recently published an article along with faculty member Dr. Amber Ignatius. Their article, "Spatiotemporal Vegetation Dynamics, Forest Loss, and Recovery: Multidecadal Analysis of the U.S. Triple Crown National Scenic Trail Network," was published in March in the journal Remote Sensing.

Eight University of North Georgia (UNG) students in STEM degree programs were selected to attend the National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) conference in Chicago in November. They are part of UNG's STEM Scholars (STEMS) Program funded by a $1.5 million NSF grant. Students included: Rayya Abdullah, Micah Chandler, Jiselle Gonzalez, Hanzhen Guo, Shae Jolivette, Chase Manzanarez, Luke Millaway, and Albany Zavarce.

Recent alumnus Nathanael Hine and senior Jessica Case have earned their first peer-reviewed publication for a piece studying political rhetoric surrounding the Ukraine-Russia war.

Three students are working with Dr. Andrew Taylor, a professor of biology, on research helping restore habitat connectivity for a federally-threatened fish species.

University of North Georgia (UNG) senior Casey Helton took part in the prestigious Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology from May 20-Aug. 2.

A trio of students and two faculty members in the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Department of Biology are researching oysters from the Georgia coast to check for the presence of vibrio bacteria and for the level, if any, of antibiotic resistance in these bacteria.

University of North Georgia (UNG) student Itzel Moreno presented at an international conference in Oaxaca, Mexico, during spring break.

Ten teams pairing faculty and students for research are taking part in the Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement (FUSE) program this year at the University of North Georgia (UNG).

March 29 marked the return of the University of North Georgia's (UNG) 29th Annual Research Conference (ARC) featuring 100 projects in various areas of study. The event designed for students from all disciplines and campuses to present their findings is presented each year by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA).

Students and faculty with the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Honors Program hosted the Georgia Collegiate Honors Conference from Feb. 23-24 at UNG's Dahlonega Campus, and one student won a research award. Dr. Anastasia Lin, UNG assistant vice president of Academic Affairs and Honors Program director, served as faculty vice president of the Georgia Collegiate Honors Council, while senior Jami Nakan served as student vice president of the Georgia Collegiate Honors Council. Nakan and Lin planned the statewide event in collaboration with a team of volunteers from the Honors Program as well as Lillie Holtzclaw, administrative assistant for Honors and McNair.

Three students from the University of North Georgia presented their research at Posters at the Capitol in Atlanta on Feb. 20. Twenty-four projects from 11 different universities were presented at the yearly event put on by the Georgia Undergraduate Research Collective (GURC) to promote undergraduate research.

University of North Georgia (UNG) alumnae Nataly Morales Villa and Melissa Silva have earned one of six inaugural Gilman Alumni Changemaker Awards. Both graduated from UNG in 2019.

Seven students from the University of North Georgia (UNG) attended the Wildlife Society 30th annual conference, one of the largest gatherings of wildlife professionals in North America, accompanied by three UNG faculty members, including biology lecturer Jessy Patterson.

FUSE grants are giving 12 UNG students the opportunity to research various fields and topics with faculty members over the summer.

Seventeen University of North Georgia (UNG) students secured the chance to participate in National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) or similar opportunities this summer.

Four University of North Georgia (UNG) undergraduate students presented their research at "Posters at the Capitol" in Atlanta on March 30. Roughly 30 students from seven colleges and universities presented at the annual event.

The Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement (FUSE) program returned to in-person participation to the delight of UNG's undergraduate students.

Seven UNG students will develop their skills and interests during research-based programs this summer.

Hannah McSwain could have settled for a strong capstone project with Dr. Ahmad Ghafarian in fall 2020. That simply is not how she works. The senior from Ellijay, Georgia, pursuing a degree in computer science wanted to get more ideas to further her research on cloud-level network security. McSwain applied and was accepted to present her research at the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges' Southeastern Conference in January.

UNG senior Bailey Bullard tied for third place in the physical sciences and engineering category at Mississippi State University's recent Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Emily French, a second-year University of North Georgia (UNG) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student, has been selected as an American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Centennial Scholar. She is one of two scholars from the APTA's research section and one of 100 total APTA Centennial Scholars. Coinciding with APTA's 100th anniversary in 2021, the APTA Centennial Scholars are part of one-time, yearlong program to help build a cadre of future APTA leaders at the component and national levels to support the organization's collective quest for a diverse and prepared leadership pool.

More than a dozen students were awarded grants from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA) at UNG. The annual mini-grants will fund 10 different research projects in the areas of psychological science, chemistry, biology, anthropology, physics, and English.

A handful of University of North Georgia (UNG) students presented their research during the part-virtual and part-traditional Research on Contemporary Composition (ROCC) conference on Oct. 24-25.

For the first time in her collegiate career, University of North Georgia (UNG) rising senior Elizabeth Noble wrote a research paper not for class but for publication. It was published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

Twelve UNG students were awarded internships or Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds a large number of opportunities for undergraduates to work in the research programs of higher education institutions while science-based centers fund internships.

The University of North Georgia's Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement (FUSE) grants are funding research projects in 2019, but they are not the only ones. For the first time, four faculty members of psychological science received the American Psychological Association's Summer Undergraduat Psychology Research Experience (SUPRE) grants. SUPRE and FUSE grants allocate funds for UNG faculty to conduct research with undergraduate students who have little to no research experience.

Macey Jarrard and Tony Sacchitello, recent graduates who earned bachelor's degrees in middle grades education at the University of North Georgia (UNG), have gained a wide audience for their research about the Dahlonega Science Festival. They were able to share their research at multiple conferences.

More than 250 college students, faculty and staff members from across the Southeast participated in the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference Nov. 3 at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus. This was the first time UNG hosted the regional conference.

University of North Georgia (UNG) faculty members David and Jessica Patterson, alumna Kayla Allen, and twelve undergraduates searched for late Pleistocene-aged fossils by digging holes adjacent to a water canal in Brunswick, Georgia. Funded through a UNG Presidential Incentive Award, the trip in late May and early June yielded a few marine fossils such as stingray teeth and small bone fragments, which were sent to Georgia College & State University (GCSU). GCSU wil house the fossils, and its students will collaborate with UNG students to create a Coastal Georgia Fossil Database, which will feature new and existing fossil collections.