Home

New: 2021 Virtual Annual Research Frontier Symposium Website is Available (Click Here)

2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium 

Symposium Theme: "Strong Curiosity in STEM Research"

News: National Science Leaders to Speak at 2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium 

2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium Program Book (left) and Abstract Book (right). 

Message from the Chair 

Greetings!

We have a new Symposium name this year, "2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium." Cheers!

Let us celebrate and share some of the recent world-class breakthroughs and achievements during the last 12 months in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As the National Science Foundation recommended, a broader definition of STEM fields includes chemistry, computer and information technology science, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, social sciences (anthropology, economics, psychology and sociology), and STEM education and learning research.

On behalf of the 2020 Symposium Organizing Committee, I am delighted to inform you that the 2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium will be held in the John Garrick Hardy Student Center on Wednesday, March 11 to Thursday, March 12, 2020. The theme of the Symposium is "Strong Curiosity in STEM Research."

In 2017, we are pleased to have more than 70 abstracts presented by authors from 9 states (Connecticut,  Texas, Michigan, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, New  York and Alabama) and two other countries (United Kingdom and Cameroon). We congratulate the seven students from two universities, including Daenique Jengelley, Timothy Egbo, Aliyah J. Curry, Myischionn Hunter, Uriel Rose, Natalie White, and Shannon P. Williams, for receiving the 2017 Symposium Outstanding Presentation Awards.

In 2018, we have received more than 80 abstracts authored from 10 states, including Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Alabama, and three other countries, i.e. France, Italy, and China. We are excited to announce the eight student winners for their outstanding presentations. The winners are James Stokes III, Hianxiao Huang, Mariah Tolbert, Tyler G. McCaslin, Leyla Rohani, William Swann, Mashunda Longmire, and Korynn Claiborne.

Last year, we are delighted to receive more than 70 abstracts contributed by authors from 13 States (Oklahoma, Washington, New Mexico, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, Montana, and Alabama) and two other countries/regions (Taiwan and Cameroon). We are pleased to congratulate the eight student winners: Christopher Ball, Timothy Egbo, Stephanie Barrow, Brittany Hume-Dawson, Marquis Nelson, Destiny Ellis, Tambre Tolliver, Suresh Gnawali.

The Symposium is increasingly becoming a regional conference and provides an excellent platform for undergraduate, graduate, and research scholars at Alabama State University as well as other institutions to share their research experience to broader audience. The Symposium will inspire the students in their future STEM endeavors and facilitate the collaborations among the faculty members in their respective fields.

In the 2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium, the Plenary Speaker is Dr. Isiah Warner, who is the Boyd Professor of the LSU System, Philip W. West Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor at Louisiana State University. Dr. Warner has been recognized as SEC Professor of the Year, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Nature Mentor of the Year. 

The Featured Speaker is Dr. Qiana Matthews, who is the Associate Professor of Microbiology for the Ph.D. program in Microbiology at Alabama State University. Dr. Matthews has won Charles Barkley Young Investigator Award and Infectious Diseases Unsung Hero Award. She also received an NIH R01 grant on HIV vaccination using adenoviral vectors and an NIH R15 grant to explore HIV progression and drug abuse. In addition, Dr. Matthews has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the common cold virus and extracellular vesicles.

In 2020, we highly encourage (1) more high school students to participate the Symposium by presenting posters or oral talks and (2) more students to participate the 3-min talk competition.  

The student winners (about 10% of total participants) will be selected in three categories (talk, 3-min talk, poster) at the five levels (high school, undergraduate, Master graduate, Ph.D. graduate and postdoc) by the Symposium Student Award Committee.

The registration of the Symposium is required for each participant. One form per person. The registration fee is $20 per participant. Students are free to register the Symposium. The registered participants will receive the program and abstract book and free-lunch boxes. No books and lunch boxes are provided for non-registered participants.

Abstract may include one figure, 0-5 references, and should have about 250 words. The figure should highlight the work and help readers to understand the results. The figure may be data, instrumental setup, model, or other graphic. The abstract in MS word should be sent to Dr. Hou by email (hhou@alasu.edu). The date of abstract submission is started on December 1, 2019, and ended on January 31, 2020. No abstract will be accepted after January 31, 2020.

Finally, donations of minimum $10 per person to the Symposium are welcome. The names of the contributing individuals will be appeared in the program book, on the conference website, and throughout the Symposium.

Each of you, including previous participants and newcomers, are truly welcome to attend in the 2020 Annual Research Frontier Symposium on ASU campus on March 11-12, 2020. You, your collaborators, and your students are especially welcome to give talks or poster presentations about the recent stimulating results, ongoing innovative projects, and future exciting plans. I believe that one of the most important goals of the Symposium is to celebrate the outstanding quality and diversity of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate research. Your participation is vital for the success of the Symposium.

You are welcome to visit the website <https://sites.google.com/a/alasu.edu/arfs-2020/> for more

details.

See you in 2020!

Harvey Hou

Chair, The 2020 Symposium Organizing Committee

• Conference Website: https://sites.google.com/a/alasu.edu/arfs-2020

• Journal Website: https://sites.google.com/a/alasu.edu/fstem/

• Contact: Phone: 334-604-9183, Email: hhou@alasu.edu

Copyright by the 2020 Research Symposium Committee