Courtesy of Bowie State University
Six students represented Bowie State at the World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WorldCUR) held from April 3 – 6 at the University of Warwick in Birmingham, England to showcase their projects on how to combat the food security crisis that impacts millions around the globe daily.
WorldCUR brings together the world’s best undergraduate researchers to focus on some of the most important challenges facing the global community. Students from various nations were invited to share their research, discuss global issues and create or strengthen international research partnerships.
“There were approximately 600 students from 33 countries represented at Warwick with Bowie State being one of six universities from the United States,” said Dr. Anne Osano, a BSU professor of natural science. “Last summer 24 students traveled with me to Kenya to conduct research on food security at the University of Nairobi and Egerton University and to develop new techniques to raise enough food to feed the world. Fourteen students submitted abstracts on their research to WorldCUR and six were selected to present their projects at last week’s conference.”
Some of the research projects presented by Bowie State students included the Analysis of Plant Hormone Therapies and Nitrogen Fertilization on Growth of Finger Millet and Nutritional Analysis of Biofortified Baby Formula. The purpose of this particular research project was to add protein to finger millet to increase its nutritional value for baby formula. Diversity of Endophytes in Sunn Hemp and Biophysical Characteristics of Fungus Fermented Napier Grass Pennisetum Purpureum S. were some of the other research projects presented by students at the conference.
Bowie State students’ research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Department of Agriculture. The trip to attend the WorldCUR conference in England was sponsored by BSU’s Department of Natural Sciences. Madison Marshall, a senior Biology major, says attending WorldCUR has given her an entirely new perspective on the importance of research.
“When Dr. Osano told me that I had been selected to present my research project on food security at WorldCUR I was floored,” said Marshall. “Attending the conference has increased my desire to continue conducting research on food security.”
A United Nations report states that nearly 924 million people (11.7% of the global population) have food security issues at severe levels, an increase of 207 million in two years. The report highlights climate change, war and economic upheaval as the major drivers of hunger in the world.
“It is a privilege and honor for me to prepare BSU students to help change the world,” said Dr. Osano. “I find it amazing that our students can contribute to undergraduate research and share in opportunities that multidisciplinary conferences provide to stimulate debate, foster new relationships and ignite the imagination.”
