Graduate student Mustapha Olawuni delivered an oral presentation of his research titled “Screening of Bacterial Endophytes for Biocontrol of Southern Blight in Cannabis Sativa L.” on College of Agriculture Day at the TSU research symposium.
A Tiger Tradition
TSUAg Research on Display at University-wide Research Symposium | By Charlie Morrison
F
or nearly a half-century, student and faculty researchers from across the Tennessee State University (TSU) campus have come together for a seminal event in the University calendar, the Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. Now in its 46th year, the 2024 University-wide Research Symposium featured the work of students and faculty from five of the University’s eight colleges, who from March 25-29 delivered poster and oral presentations on their research for judging by event host the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs. Following some opening remarks by Director of Engagement Reginald Cannon on Monday morning, the
8 AgLINK | Summer 2024
symposium kicked off with “College of Agriculture Day,” a day entirely dedicated to the research pursuits of the undergraduate and graduate students at the College (TSUAg). A total of 25 undergraduate and graduate research students delivered oral presentations throughout the day as part of the oral presentation competition, and a further 19 showed off their research work as part of the poster competition. After three days dedicated to the research efforts of students and faculty of the Colleges of Engineering, Health Sciences, Life and Physical Sciences, and Education respectively, the TSU research community’s focus again returned to TSUAg, where the community of students and scholars
descended upon the Farrell-Westbrook Auditorium for the TSU Research Symposium Awards Banquet. Following an address by Director of Research and Sponsored Programs Dr. Quincy Quick, keynote speaker and TSU graduate Dr. James T. Brown addressed the room in anticipation of the awards. Dr. Brown, who got his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from TSU, spent 16 years working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an experience he touched on in his remarks. “At NASA I discovered something because it was the first time I truly applied myself,” said Dr. Brown. “And because I applied myself people