Kennesaw State University

Psychology major Emily Martinez is examining the connection between instinctive fear reactions - fight, flight, freeze and fawn - and the moral principles people rely on when faced with high-stress situations. A participant in KSU's Sophomore Scholars program, Martinez presented her research at the American Society of Criminology Conference in Washington, D.C.

Kennesaw State University senior biology major Ari Schwartz has been recognized with the President's Award of Distinction and has the resume one would associate with such an honor. The award is given at fall and spring commencements to a graduate "who serves as an inspiration to their peers, their community, and the entirety of Owl Nation."

Kennesaw State students presented their research findings during the Symposium of Student Scholars, with a pair of award-winning projects discovering potential solutions to environmental challenges. Deep eutenic solvents, an alternative to harmful organic solvents, appeared in both first-place winners at Symposium, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Inspired by her grandfather's struggle with memory loss, Kennesaw State University computer science student Dina Xu Callaway is now turning her passion for technology into purpose. Through Assistant Professor of Computer Science Chen Zhao's lab, she is helping advance Alzheimer's disease research using artificial intelligence.

KSU senior Nahomy Limon is spending her final semester of college in the heart of Washington, D.C., interning on Capitol Hill and gaining a front-row seat to how policies are made. A political science and international affairs double major, Limon is one of just 25 students nationwide selected for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute internship program.

When natural disasters strike, quickly assessing damage is crucial to saving lives and rebuilding communities. Under the mentorship of assistant professor Da Hu, Kennesaw State University computer science major Kiara O'Neal is using drones and artificial intelligence to improve post-disaster recovery efforts and reduce response times.

Turning crumbling walls into works of art, the team of Gabriela Almeida, Wade Brock, Quincy Smith, and Justin Barkie transformed the ruins of history into a story of renewal. Their project, "When Walls Roam," won the Community's Choice Award in Terraviva Competitions' Venetian Villa challenge, gaining praise from viewers worldwide.

Inspired by her son's love of gaming, Maria Elizabeth Cvetanoski enrolled at Kennesaw State to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Computer Game Design and Development. Today, she sees game development as a bridge to education, and she has spent years connecting her coursework with her passion for helping underprivileged children in South America.

As a child, Sulaiman Shaikh was always fascinated with discovery and had a passion for exploring the unknown. Now a double major in physics and computer science with a minor in mathematics at Kennesaw State, Shaikh is fueling that passion by exploring the quantum world of theoretical condensed matter physics, with the goal of making better-performing electronics.

As a young girl in Cameroon, Jessica Tazanou saw firsthand how poverty kept many children from accessing basic needs such as food, health care, and education. A biology major and KSU Journey Honors College student, Tazanou founded a summer program in Cameroon to provide free learning opportunities for children who cannot afford to attend school.

For five weeks this summer, 16 Kennesaw State students from the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology traded their Marietta classrooms for the bustling metropolis of Taipei, Taiwan. The group immersed themselves in one of the world's most influential technology hubs while experiencing Taiwan's culture and daily life.

KSU junior David Roque spent a second consecutive summer working at his father's medical clinic in Poptun, Guatemala, handling myriad duties including check-in examinations, serving as a translator, and assisting with surgeries. Fluent in Spanish and English, Roque was an invaluable employee at the clinic while pursuing his own career in medicine.

Kennesaw State volleyball standout Manu Johnsen is a four-time all-conference selection and an academic all-conference selection as well. In the classroom, Johnsen carries a 3.9 grade-point average as a biology major with a minor in data science and analytics. She has made the President's List and the Dean's List repeatedly.

Kennesaw State University senior Deja Boney has been named a 2025 Newman Civic Fellow, a national recognition honoring students who demonstrate leadership qualities and a strong commitment to community service. Boney, who is pursuing a degree in information systems, has led impactful service initiatives on and off campus.

Kennesaw State University has named more than 1,400 students to the President's List in recognition of their academic excellence for the Summer 2025 semester. To achieve this honor, each undergraduate student must have completed at least nine credit hours with a term grade point average of 4.0.

Kennesaw State University congratulates the more than 1,400 students named to the Dean's List in recognition of their academic achievement during the Summer 2025 semester. Undergraduate students enrolled in at least nine credit hours and with a term grade point average of 3.5 or higher were named to the list.

Matt Bonvissuto's research project using satellite data to measure the light emitted by stars with orbiting exoplanets won the top prize at the Birla Carbon Scholars Symposium. The symposium completes an intensive summer research program for students applying their studies toward sponsored projects under the guidance of KSU faculty scholars.

KSU's future scientists made discovery the theme for their summer experiences at a major laboratory. Recent graduate Micah Holston, senior Jack Smith and junior Jonathan Ridley interned at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, learning about national defense applications for engineering, computer science, and physics.

Among the newest student organizations on campus, Kennesaw State University's Owl Cyber Team recently reached the semifinals in the CyberLLM Challenge. Held during the Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference 2025, the event focuses on developing innovative applications to improve areas like threat detection and cybersecurity automation.

CrossFit changed Caralynn Doese's life twice - once when she sought a competitive outlet, and again as a Kennesaw State student in search of a possible academic outlet. Now she's helping conduct a study on CrossFit with Wellstar College of Health and Human Services professor Gerald Mangine through KSU's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

An early morning phone call confirmed for Raymond Kalra what once felt like a long shot - he had been selected for a competitive internship with NBC's The Today Show. Out of more than 500 applicants nationwide, the Kennesaw State journalism and emerging media student was one of only four chosen for the internship, which runs from September to April.

Computer science student Johaan Kathilankal Jis is using advanced computational modeling and drug discovery simulations to help treat Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. "There is a lot of valuable data out there, but it is scattered. We are organizing it so other researchers can use it to push Alzheimer's studies forward," he said.

Aiming to create systems where machines and their virtual counterparts communicate in real time, Carter Corbin and a team of KSU students are advancing smart manufacturing by combining robotics and digital twin technology. "It is more than just a simulation," Corbin said. "We can collect live data and prevent costly mistakes before they happen."

Rising senior Summer Funk decided to research the phenomenon of math anxiety among student teachers because she had personal experience with the topic. An elementary education major whose parents graduated from KSU, Funk is conducting this study through the Office of Undergraduate Research's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Kennesaw State graduate student Lindsey Knight is researching genetic foundations of neurological development, after becoming fascinated by the brain as a child. "I want to mentor new researchers, conduct independent research, and keep looking at the genetic foundation that causes or allows these neurological disorders to develop over time," Knight said.

Exploring the stars takes a creative turn with "Draw the Night Sky," an interactive video game developed by Kennesaw State computer game design and development students. Created in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the game allows players to explore real-time constellations in a gamified experience built to educate and engage.

Kennesaw State University's steel bridge competition team finished seventh overall in the 2025 Student Steel Bridge Competition National Finals and also earned the Frank J. Hatfield Ingenuity Award for its creative approach to bridge design and construction. KSU was the lone Georgia school to qualify for the national competition.

Recent public health graduate Liz Burchfield teamed with public health students Angel Fortmann and Allisa George to earn a gold designation at the Society for Public Health Education's (SOPHE) National Case Study Competition in Health Education. Kennesaw State was one of six universities nationwide to receive the accolade.

Kennesaw State University has named more than 6,100 students to the President's List in recognition of their academic excellence for the Spring 2025 semester. To achieve this honor, each undergraduate student must have completed at least nine credit hours with a term grade point average of 4.0.

Kennesaw State University congratulates the more than 8,500 students named to the Dean's List in recognition of their academic achievement during the Spring 2025 semester. Undergraduate students enrolled in at least nine credit hours and with a term grade point average of at least 3.5 were named to the list.