Two Kennesaw State professors were recognized for their research at the John C. Salerno Memorial Research Symposium on Feb. 25.
According to the KSU website, the John C. Salerno Memorial Research Symposium “showcases a cross-section of faculty research at Kennesaw State University in honor of the legacy of pioneering researcher John C. Salerno.”
The symposium is an annual event that began in the fall of 2018, organized by the Office of Research in conjunction with the John C. Salerno Memorial Fund.
According to the Office of Research, Philippe Sucosky, associate professor for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KSU, was recognized and awarded the Prize for Research Achievement which included a $1,000 prize.
Sucosky said that the award was a celebration of his accomplishments as a researcher since the presentation that he gave was an attempt to summarize his work over the past 20 years in 15 minutes.
“We try to understand how the mechanical forces that blood flow generates in the entire human body is able to initiate or promote cardiovascular disease and disorders,” Sucosky said. “Even though the type of research we do in the lab is pretty fundamental and pretty basic research, we know that at some point it will play a role in the development of drugs, for example, or pharmacological treatment, or even in a shorter term, the development of medical devices.”
Sucosky stated that one of the biggest challenges he has faced as a researcher is frequent moving because it forces him to start over, hire students and purchase equipment.
“Moving so many times has been a little bit challenging,” Sucosky said. “But on the other end, it’s also enriching because you are dealing with many new students, you’re discovering new places, you have also new opportunities.”
Sucosky said that working in his lab creates opportunities for students to discover what research is all about. He says that students get experience from seeing what it means to conduct professional research, learning what is expected and understanding that what they are learning in the classroom is applicable.
Ramya Rajagopalan, assistant professor of cellular biology at KSU, was also recognized at the event with the People’s Choice Award for Best Presentation and a $500 prize.
Rajagopalan said that she has been at the university for five years and her lab studies bacterial cell signaling, which is how bacteria communicate with each other, with a particular interest in predatory bacteria. She said that predatory bacteria are being researched as alternatives to antibiotics because of bacteria’s increased resistance to antibiotics.
“There are several challenges in science…I mean it’s never a smooth road,” Rajagopalan said. “Mainly the challenge is having patience when things don’t work out right away.”
Rajagopalan discussed how her first research student started as a pre-dental/pre-med student, but after doing research, her student became interested and is now pursuing a translational medicine Ph.D. program at Georgia State University.
“As a teacher, you always want to positively impact your students and help them along in their careers,” Rajagopalan said.
For information about research and the numerous opportunities available to KSU students, visit the Office of Research Website.
