Students excelled in ARD Symposium competitions while presenting applied work across
the 1890 land-grant research community
FRANKFORT, Ky. — An environmental study rooted in Eastern Kentucky and a fast-paced
agricultural data challenge helped showcase Â鶹ֱ˛Ąâ€™s research talent
at one of the nation’s signature gatherings of 1890 land-grant institutions.
Kentucky State students earned national recognition at the 2026 Association of Research
Directors Symposium, held March 28-31 in New Orleans, where more than 2,000 participants
gathered under the theme “Innovations in Food, Health & Agriculture: Technological
Advancements, Ecological Resilience, & Economic Sustainability.” The biennial symposium
featured more than 500 research paper and poster presentations and brought together
students, faculty, researchers, and partners from across the 1890 research community.
For Kentucky State, the symposium offered a national platform for students to present
research tied to land, food systems, technology, environmental resilience, and community
impact — core areas of the University’s 1890 land-grant mission.
Amos Akwemoh, a Kentucky State graduate student mentored by Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, earned
second place in the Graduate Oral Competitive category in the Bioenergy, Natural Resources,
and Environment section. Akwemoh presented “Investigating Vegetation Recovery and
Surface Temperature Dynamics on Reclaimed Mine Lands in Martin County, Eastern Kentucky
Using Sentinel-2 NDVI and Land Surface Temperature (LST).”
“Attending the ARD Symposium was an incredible experience for me,” Akwemoh said. “I
had the opportunity to present my research, engage with other scholars, and learn
about innovative work being done across the field.”
Akwemoh added that the recognition carried added weight because of the practical focus
of the research presented throughout the symposium.
“It was especially meaningful to exchange ideas with researchers who are addressing
real-world challenges and pushing boundaries in their areas of study,” Akwemoh said.
“Receiving an award for my presentation was truly an honor, and I thank Dr. Gyawali
for the opportunity and guidance.”
Kentucky State students also earned recognition in the ARD Research Symposium Hackathon,
a 48-hour challenge that asked student teams to analyze a large corn dataset, define
a problem statement, and pitch findings tied to agricultural innovation. As part of
the competition, the teams adopted names.
Oluwafunmisho Ibiloro was part of Team Ojnab, which placed third among more than 10
teams in the competition. Graduate student Ebenezer Akinola participated as part of
Team Data Bloom, a cross-university team of four students.
“Our team earned third place at the 2026 ARD Hackathon, where more than 10 teams participated
in a transformative agricultural innovation challenge,” Ibiloro said. “With just 48
hours to analyze a massive corn dataset, define our own problem statement, and pitch
our findings, the experience was intense but rewarding. I am incredibly proud of our
team’s grit.”
“What I appreciate most about this experience is that it goes beyond competition,”
Akinola said. “It is a reminder that collaboration, fresh ideas, and problem-solving
across disciplines can create something powerful.”
Jinniah Ali, an undergraduate senior majoring in nutritional science and food systems
in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the symposium provided valuable
exposure to academic programs, research pathways, and professional networks.
“The opportunity to attend the ARD Symposium was a privilege,” Ali noted. “I was able
to connect with different students and faculty and learn about their programs and
research.”
Ali added that experiences such as the ARD Symposium are important to student development
because they help students build networks, strengthen communication skills, and gain
insight into graduate programs, research opportunities, and career pathways.
Five undergraduate and 22 additional graduate students also joined three research
staff members in presenting work across areas such as agricultural systems and technology,
animal production and health, bioenergy and natural resources, family and community
development, food safety, and plant production and health.
The Kentucky State delegation was led by Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of
Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of Land Grant Programs. Dr.
Koffi C. Akakpo, Kentucky State’s 19th president, also attended the award ceremony.
“Our students represented Â鶹ֱ˛Ą with excellence, preparation,
and confidence,” Dr. Bernard said. “Their success at the ARD Symposium reflects the
strength of our research enterprise, the commitment of our faculty mentors, and the
importance of the 1890 land-grant mission in preparing students to solve problems
that matter to Kentucky and beyond.”
The delegation also included Dr. Frederick Bebe, assistant research professor; Dr.
Sarah Carr, assistant professor of animal science; Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta, associate
research director and professor; Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, professor of geospatial technology
application; Dr. Francis Onduso, assistant professor of forestry; Dr. Sait Sarr, senior
research scientist and adjunct professor; Dr. Avinash Tope, associate dean of academics
and professor of human nutrition and food safety; Dr. Suraj Upadhaya, assistant professor
of sustainable systems; Dr. Changzheng Wang, professor of animal science; and staff
members Dipesh Oli, Andy Ong, Kabita Paudel, William Rogers, and Eric Turley.
The ARD Research Symposium was established in 1976 and continues to highlight research
excellence across the 1890 land-grant university system. The Association of 1890 Research
Directors includes the 19 autonomous 1890 land-grant universities and helps coordinate
research initiatives among member institutions in cooperation with federal, state,
and private partners.
