Kentucky State University students earned national recognition at the Association of Research Directors Symposium, according to a May 5 statement. The event took place March 28-31 in New Orleans and brought together more than 2,000 participants from the 1890 land-grant research community.
The symposium provided a platform for Kentucky State students to present applied research in areas such as land use, food systems, technology, environmental resilience, and community impact. These fields are central to the university’s land-grant mission.
Amos Akwemoh, a graduate student mentored by Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, won second place in the Graduate Oral Competitive category for his presentation on vegetation recovery and surface temperature dynamics on reclaimed mine lands in Martin County. “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.” He also said: “It was especially meaningful to exchange ideas with researchers who are addressing real-world challenges and pushing boundaries in their areas of study. Receiving an award for my presentation was truly an honor, and I thank Dr. Gyawali for the opportunity and guidance.”
In addition to individual presentations, Kentucky State students participated in a hackathon that challenged teams to analyze agricultural data within 48 hours. Oluwafunmisho Ibiloro’s Team Ojnab placed third among more than ten teams. “Our team earned third place at the 2026 ARD Hackathon… With just 48 hours to analyze a massive corn dataset…the experience was intense but rewarding,” Ibiloro said. Graduate student Ebenezer Akinola also competed as part of Team Data Bloom: “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 at Kentucky State’s School of Agriculture and Natural Resources noted: “The opportunity to attend the ARD Symposium was a privilege…I was able to connect with different students and faculty and learn about their programs and research.” Ali added that such experiences help build networks and provide insight into academic pathways.
The delegation included five undergraduate students; twenty-two additional graduate students; three staff members; faculty including Drs. Frederick Bebe, Sarah Carr, Siddhartha Dasgupta; Buddhi Gyawali; Francis Onduso; Sait Sarr; Avinash Tope; Suraj Upadhaya; Changzheng Wang; staff Dipesh Oli, Andy Ong, Kabita Paudel, William Rogers,and Eric Turley.
Dr. Marcus Bernard led Kentucky State’s delegation as dean of agriculture programs alongside President Dr. Koffi C. Akakpo who attended the awards ceremony.“Our students represented Kentucky State University with excellence… Their success at the ARD Symposium reflects the strength of our research enterprise…” Bernard said.
Established in 1976,the ARD Research Symposium continues highlighting excellence across all member institutions.
