LR students leave their mark at 2025 North Carolina Academy of Science meeting

Lenoir-Rhyne University students showcased their academic excellence and research expertise at the 2025 North Carolina Academy of Science (NCAS) annual meeting at Fayetteville State University on March 28-29. The NCAS meeting serves as an important platform for undergraduate researchers across North Carolina to share their work, gain feedback and connect with peers and professionals in the scientific community.

Seven members of the Class of 2025 presented original research projects spanning disciplines from biology and biochemistry to engineering and mathematics. Of those seven, five earned top honors in their respective categories, underscoring LR’s commitment to undergraduate research and scientific inquiry.

Among the award recipients:

• Hannah Elrod (Biochemistry) earned First Place in Chemistry-Biochemistry for her research on the brand value of pain relievers.
• Allan Shade (Physics and Engineering) received Second Place in Engineering for his project on designing an air brake system for a six-inch diameter rocket.
• Christina Fisher (Biochemistry) was awarded Second Place in Microbiology for her investigation into antimicrobial secondary metabolites produced by the mold Pestalotiopsis sp.
• Ivy Throneburg (Biology) secured Third Place in Cell, Molecular, and Physiology for her work on the effect of indigo dye biosynthetic intermediates on cotton fiber development.
• Elijah Yang (Biology) earned Third Place in Ecology, Botany and Zoology for research on improving rooting in cotton stem cuttings using various plant growth regulators. Yang’s work on this project was supported through a Yarbrough Research Grant for 2024–2025.

Other student presenters included:

• Demmi Ramos (Mathematics), who explored algebraic methods for analyzing phylogenetic networks.
• Jackson Owens (Biochemistry), who used molecular docking techniques to identify potential BACE1 inhibitors for targeting amyloid-beta formation in Alzheimer’s disease.

Fisher and Ramos were also among the few students at the meeting who had also presented at NCAS as juniors—a distinction that reflects their long-term dedication to their research fields.
“I’ve been working on this research since 2023,” Fisher said. “It’s such a positive experience to come back to NCAS and share the updates I’ve made on my project. It was also exciting to see students from around the state whose work I remembered from last year and see how their research has progressed.”

While Fisher emphasized the sense of community built through shared research experiences, Ramos noted the value of interdisciplinary exchange and future possibilities. 

“Because my major and my focus is mathematics, it’s beneficial to present to scholars who are working from a scientific focus and get their feedback,” Ramos said. “We’re building connections with each other that could be the basis for collaborations in graduate school or later in our careers. Who knows what future discoveries could come out of these conferences?”

In addition to the student researchers, eight members of the Class of 2026 attended the meeting to observe and prepare for their own future research presentations. These students included Naomi Manea (biochemistry), Connor Lachesky, Homer Short, Anna Alexander, Grace Chatham, Lindsey Corwin and Mallory Evitt (biology), as well as Maleiya Hill, a senior biology student supporting the group.

Michael Stiff, Ph.D., professor of biology and coordinator of the trip, praised the students for their preparation and poise.

“I’m immensely proud of our young scientists,” Stiff said. “Every senior communicated their research stories at their best. It’s really satisfying as a teacher to see our scientists grow as researchers and science communicators.”

These students will present their research to the Lenoir-Rhyne community at the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression – better known as SOURCE Day – on April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.