PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (May 18, 2023) – On May 11, 2023, the Division of Research & Innovation (R&I) welcomed Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) student researchers and their faculty mentors to the University’s Juvenile Justice Auditorium for the Spring 2023 Research & Innovation Cording Ceremony.

Instituted by PVAMU Vice President of Research & Innovation Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., P.E., MBA, the special occasion honors candidates for graduation who were also student researchers in the Faculty-Research and Innovation Success and Excellence (Faculty-RISE) program.

R&I Cording Ceremony 2023

The Faculty-RISE initiative was created by Dr. Rajan to strategically invest in the University’s high-priority areas of research and innovation clusters, while providing undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to learn the research process alongside dedicated faculty members. “The program serves to push the boundaries of knowledge, be critical points of convergence for the University and cultural experience for students and faculty, encouraging multi- and interdisciplinary collaboration.” said Dr. Rajan.

In addition to honoring student researchers from the Faculty-RISE program, the fourth annual Cording Ceremony also recognized the competition winners from Student Research Day, held during April’s Research & Innovation Week 2023. Student Research Day is an all-day event when undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines present their research projects and the impact of their scholarly findings.

“Your dedication, hard work, and perseverance have brought you to this point, and I am immensely proud of you,” said Dr. Rajan, addressing the Cording Ceremony’s honorees. “This Cording Ceremony celebrates your willingness to engage in the research and innovation enterprise at PVAMU.”

Student researchers who attended the Cording Ceremony included Faculty-RISE graduate students:

  • George Cardoso, Computer Information Systems
  • Coddy Alberian Cash, Chemistry
  • Daisaku Gicheha, Engineering and Chemical Engineering
  • Caleb Riggins, Mechanical Engineering
  • Adeyemi Taylor, Electrical Engineering

Faculty-RISE undergraduates included:

  • Aliya Beechum, Digital Media Arts
  • Zaria Bell, Criminal Justice
  • Trinity Brigham, Biology
  • Maya Brown, Agriculture
  • Michael Cardoso, Computer Science
  • Shelby Devereaux, Agriculture
  • D’Aheja Gillis, Chemistry
  • Javari Henderson, Architecture
  • Charity Holland, Art/Digital Media Arts
  • Kaitlin Ann Latham, Health and Kinesiology
  • Danielle Law, Music
  • Asha Mahamud, History
  • Zian Richmond, Criminal Justice
  • Dynasty Stephenson, Chemical Engineering
  • Vanetia Williams, Biology
  • Julisha Wyatt, Nursing

“The Faculty-RISE program is awesome!” expressed Ceremony honoree Daisaku Gicheha. Under the mentorship of PVAMU Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Nabila Shamim, Ph.D., Daisaku conducted research focused on “Physicochemical Properties of Poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and MgO Incorporated PCL nanofibers.”

Daisaku is grateful to PVAMU professors like Dr. Shamim who “challenge and push you beyond limits you didn’t even realize you had,” he said. “And having a smaller classroom, you have more opportunities to engage with your professors. They’re awesome and have really helped me throughout my college experience.”

Biology major and Faculty-RISE undergraduate student Vanetia Williams echoed Daisaku’s statements. “The Faculty-RISE program gives you more of a hands-on experience. Not every student gets the opportunity to have direct interaction with a mentor. The RISE program does that,” she said. “The program challenges you to go a step further, pushes you beyond your limits, and prepares you for a career in research,” she added.

RISE undergraduate student, Vanetia Williams

Vanetia’s mentor in the program, Assistant Professor of Biology, Charcacia Sanders, Ph.D., said it has been “an absolute pleasure” working with Vanetia. “She is the model student I love to work with,” Dr. Sanders said. “Sometimes students feel as though they have to have a particular skill set to get into research. That’s not the case. All you have to do is be willing and open to learn, and that is exactly how Vanetia is.”

Vanetia said she has “learned so much” from Dr. Sanders. “The close relationship I had with her confirmed how much I really like researching topics,” Vanetia explained. “Dr. Sanders is awesome, and I’m looking forward to joining her on another research project out of the country.”

During the Faculty-RISE program, Vanetia assisted Dr. Sanders in research focused on male infertility in Drosophila, a genus of flies. Regarding her future plans in research, she said she is “looking forward to expanding my research, especially to help African American women.” Soon, Vanetia will be heading to Washington, D.C., for an internship with the federal government, and hopes to “pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained in the program to others and see if I can make a difference,” she said.

As for Daisaku, he plans to continue his research on nanofibers, magnesium oxide, and PCL once he graduates from PVAMU. “I want to use the research to create a patch for medication. I’m hoping to work for NASA and allow them to further develop my research,” he explained.

RISE graduate student, Daisaku Gicheha

RISE undergraduate student, Dynasty Stephenson

Both Daisaku and Vanetia said they would recommend the Faculty-RISE program to any current or future PVAMU student, particularly “any student who wants to be challenged, especially in the areas of research,” said Daisaku. “The program opens so many opportunities for young minds, especially when it comes to research.”

“The program gives you an extra nudge to start research and countless opportunities when it comes to research,” Vanetia explained.

Vanetia’s mentor, whose goal “has always been to increase diversity in STEM,” said that the Faculty-RISE program “is a vehicle that I can use, not only to pass skills to students, but to pass the torch in a sense of mentoring young students, particularly minority students, so they have great opportunities to do research,” Dr. Sanders said.

Daisaku expressed how he appreciates that “the University welcomes and is a home for young minority students,” and said that his whole PVAMU experience, including his time in the Faculty-RISE program, “has been great.”

While honoring the impressive achievements of all those recognized during the Cording Ceremony, Dr. Rajan encouraged the students to continue to embrace the spirit of research and innovation. “Whether you pursue further studies, enter the workforce, or start your own ventures, never stop exploring, never stop pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

By Leigh Badrigian