2021
RESEARCH & INNOVATION WEEK
EVENT SUMMARY & INSIGHTS
APRIL 5-9, 2021
IMPACT REPORT
EVENT OVERVIEW 3
EVENT SUMMARY 4
Re po rt
KEYNOTE SPEECHES 5
Hi gh lig ht s
WELCOME REMARKS 6
FACULTY RESEARCH DAY 7
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY
8
INTERNATIONAL (I-SURE)
9
GRADUATE RESEARCH DAY
10
INNOVATION DAY 11
02
Event Summary & Insights
PLANNING COMMITTEE 12
03
EVENT OVERVIEW The 2021 Research & Innovation Week is an annual celebration of research excellence at PVAMU. Through multiple virtual events, participants will become more familiar with our world-class research and the innovative initiatives that make PVAMU a research institution to watch. RESEARCH & INNOVATION
2021 was the inaugural International-Symposium of Undergraduate Research Excellence conference which is a global platform for students to present their research. The 2021 Research & Innovation Week was reformatted to better fit a virtual environment with presentations, keynotes, and recognition events.
GOALS
EVENT SUMMARY
Host virtual research week that includes two inaugural events, International – Symposium of Undergraduate Research Excellence (I-SURE) and Innovation Day Increased awareness of our world-class research and the innovative initiatives as evidenced by event survey Foster a system of support for our faculty and student researchers
OUTCOMES
PARTICIPANTS Faculty Research Day
Faculty Research Presentations
104
Undergraduate Research Day
248
International – Symposium of Undergraduate Research Excellence (I-SURE) 172 Graduate Research Day 04
Innovation Day
54
104
EVENT FORMAT The 2021 Research & Innovation Week was conducted in a 100% live, virtual format. It featured key elements of a faceto-face event including: Keynote speakers Diversity of research, scholarship, and creative activities Interactive panel discussion Breakout Rooms Faculty and student participation Inaugural International – Symposium of Undergraduate Research Excellence (I-SURE)
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Undergraduate Student Research Presentations 59 Graduate Student Research Presentations
30
International Student Research Presentations 10
Breakout Rooms 7 Virtual Participants Panel Discussion
578 1
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
HENRI NAYAKARUNDI, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR Mr. Nayakarundi has dedicated his life to fighting poverty through sustainable solutions and green energy. 05
DR. MEDEVA GHEE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE Associate Professor of the Practice of Behavioral and Social Sciences Brown University
DORIE GILBERT, DEAN, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE & GRADUATE STUDIES Minority Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Solutions and Green Energy
"The 2021 Research and Innovation Week was a great success with an outstanding participation of faculty, staff researchers, administrators, graduate students, undergraduate researchers from all over the world, and also by our Industrial and corporate partners, Entrepreneurs, and the regional economic development leaders.
DR. MAGESH T. RAJAN VICE PRESIDENT RESEARCH & INNOVATION
The Research and Innovation Week shares an insight into Prairie View A&M University’s recent research and cutting edge technologies and innovations in a variety of different disciplines such as Science, Humanities, Engineering, Agriculture, Nursing, Architecture, Education, Business, and Juvenile Justice."
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
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FACULTY RESEARCH DAY Chair - Ramaswamy Krishnamoorthi, Director, Research Advancement
Summary One of the hallmarks of a higher educational institution is extending and expanding the frontiers of knowledge in various disciplines to find solutions to a multitude of challenges that we face today---infectious diseases, climate change, cybersecurity, to name a few. Prairie View A&M University is second to none in seeking strategies and solutions to such global problems. The Faculty Research Conference Day of the 2021 R&I Week showcased and celebrated the outstanding achievements of our dedicated faculty. Thirty-four faculty members, recommended by their department heads in the seven Colleges and a School, presented their research and scholarly accomplishments. Their projects focus on such crucial topics as the impact of discrimination on college students’ persistence, post-COVID-19 impact on higher education, Comparative Effectiveness Reviews of nursing care, machine-learning and cloud computing for daylighting simulations—a few to indicate the range. The event served as a means for the germination of inter-disciplinary collaborations. The faculty presentations, more importantly, underscore the Panther students’ resilience in the face of barriers and disruptions experienced by all of us, collectively and individually.
Feedback Great week! The topics that the faculty had chosen were very current and gave a good knowledge of PVAMU research activities. 07
Summary The undergraduate researchers indicated that the event was an excellent experience for them. Despite the difficulties that students experienced with COVID-19, their presentations highlighted the creativity of their research. The conference provided a showcase for their confidence, communication skills, and an understanding of their credible and impactful research projects. Feedback PVAMU is growing in research. More students are involved in research which is very promising. Great experience for the students! Despite the difficulties that my student experienced with COVID-19, she was still able to deliver her project. RISE was successful in the virtual environment and will be even better face-to-face. All the students' presentations were amazing. The research topics and the confidence, communication skills, and understanding of the research were credible and impactful. 08
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY Chair – Grace Abolaji, Research and Development Officer, Undergraduate Research
International – Symposium of Undergraduate Research Excellence (I-SURE) Chair – Grace Abolaji, Research and Development Officer, Undergraduate Research
Summary The I-SURE event included five undergraduate researchers from four different countries' universities (Ghana, Mexico, Nigeria, and Uganda). The students submitted prerecorded poster presentations. Thirty-three international universities were invited to participate in the ISURE, however, due the impact of COVID-19 were unable to participate. The I-SURE participants expressd interest in increasing international universities' participation and possible future collaborations.
Feedback Possibility of future collaboration It’s possible and facilitates international participation. Please do more! Students presented well, but very few international students. 09
Summary The graduate research day participants indicated that they were happy to be part of PVAMU's exciting research projects. Participant feedback indicated that event was a source of motivation and encouragement. The event provided exposure for research projects to other students and attendees. Feedback Happy to realize that I am a part of this University where all the exciting research is taking place. The diversity of the research It was encouraging to see the amazing research work of colleague students and the results of their work. This has been a source of motivating for me to work hard on my research for maximum success.
GRADUATE RESEARCH DAY Chair – Grace Abolaji, Research and Development Officer, Undergraduate Research
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INNOVATION DAY
Chair - Bobby Melvin, Executive Director, ICEED
Summary The inaugural Innovation Day held during Research Week 2021 was a series of motivating, informative and inspiring presentations by a variety of business and entrepreneurial leaders! The new Executive Director of ICEED, Mr. Bobby Melvin, hosted the full day of Innovation, Commercialization, Entrepreneurship and Economic related topics. Dr. Rebecca Faison, Director, Innovation-Economic Development, followed with an informative and interesting panelist discussion she led with some our key local community economic development officials. The panel members where: John Isom, Director, City of Waller TX Economic Development Corporation Kenneth Pilcher, Director, Economic Development— City of Hempstead Brian Rowland, Mayor, City of Prairie View Vince Yokom, Executive Director, Waller County Economic Development Partnership. Also included was an educational primer on intellectual property (IP) protection by Dr. Eric Williams, a senior patent attorney with the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana and Mr. Max Green, senior instructor for the I-Corps program, who shared his insights on what the program is, how to apply and what value participants get from completing the program.
Feedback [I know] who to contact to start a business The diversity of the research More speakers!
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RESEARCH & INNOVATION
MAGESH RAJAN VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH & INNOVATION
JITENDRA JAIN ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH & INNOVATION
PLANNING COMMITTEE With the unfaltering dedication of the 2021 Research & Innovation Week Planning Committee we achieved each of the event goals. We hosted an event which supported both faculty and student research, while extending our platform to include innovation and global student research, and, the event survey results indicate that participants now have an increased awareness about the creative research and innovation capacity at PVAMU. The committee persevered through a host of unprecedented weather, technology and global pandemic challenges to host the weeklong event in a virtual space. Their collective commitment of time, effort and expertise yielded a great outcome for our faculty, students and the University.
GRACE ABOLAJI UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
KAREN COTTON RESEARCH COMMUNICATION & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
CRYSTA MENDES ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR RESEARCH COMPLIANCE
RAMASWAMY KRISHNAMOORTHI DIRECTOR, RESEARCH ADVANCEMENT
BOBBY MELVIN
JAXSON TWINE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ICEED
MULTI-MEDIA SPECIALIST
KIMBERLYLOESCH
CHANDA GREEN
RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
THANK YOU!