2021 TENNESSEE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE COMPETITIONS

Four awards for two outstanding students of the from Public Health Microbiology Laboratory for presenting their work in the 2021 Tennessee Academy of Sciences Competitions in Tennessee Tech University. Thank you judges from Vanderbilt, Tennessee State University, and Lee University for recognizing the excellence of the students. Here are the students' awards:

 -1st Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Wadood.  

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Aras.  

-1st Place (tied), Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Aras.  

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Wadood.  

Despite the ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic, four students and staff from Public Health Microbiology Laboratory competed and shined in 2020 Tennessee Academy of Science competitions in health and medical sciences section. Kudos to them for all their hard work and enthusiasm. They were placed first, second, and third in oral division and third in the poster category.

Here is the list of their awards:

-1st Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: S. Wadood. 

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions.130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: S. Aras

-3rd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: N. Kabir. 

-3rd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: J. George

 My students’ success is perhaps the greatest pleasure in my professional life. Am really delighted to share that last week three of the graduate students of the Public Health Microbiology program were placed first (A. Alliosn on the right), second (S. Aras, in middle), and third (M. Henry, on the left) in the Health and Medical Sciences oral competition of 2019 Tennessee Academy of Science. The summer intern of the program was also tied for the first place (A. Chowdhury, not in the photo) in the poster competitions of the same division. Am thankful of the judges from Vanderbilt Medical Center and Tennessee State for recognizing their excellence, hard work, and outstanding progress in their education. Congratulations Allison, Sadiye, Monica, and Anika, and looking forward to hearing more achievement and success from you and all students in the Public Health Microbiology program.

 As a teacher, I learned that perhaps the only pleasure in a professional career more satisfying than personal achievement is the success of my students and advisees. Am elated to share with you that this past weekend, three graduate students of my program competed and were placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in Health and Medical Sciences Division of 2018 Tennessee Academy of Science oral competitions. Am thankful of the section chair and judges for recognizing their hard work, enthusiasm, and excellence. They truly make me and all the students in the Public Health Microbiology Laboratory proud.  

1st place (in middle): Monica Henry, Master’s degree student, talked about control of Cronobacter sakazakii in infant formula. 

2nd Place (on the right): Abimbola Allison, a 3rd-year doctoral student, talked about control of planktonic and sessile foodborne bacteria of public health concern. 

3rd place (on the left): Jayashan Adhikari, a 1st-year doctoral student who discussed inactivation of rifampicin-resistant and acid-adopted Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli using pressure-based pasteurization. 

-1st Place, Oral Presentation Competitions. 5th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. December 16, 2021. Student: Sabrina Wadood.  

-2nd Place, Oral Presentation Competitions. 5th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. December 16, 2021. Student: Sadiye Aras.  

-2nd Place, Poster Presentation Competitions. 5th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. December 16, 2021. Student: Jyothi George.  

-1st Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Wadood.  

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Aras.  

-1st Place (tied), Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Aras.  

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 131st Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Section. Hosted by Tennessee Technological University. November 6, 2021, Cookeville, TN. Student: S. Wadood.    

-3rd Place, Graduate Poster Competitions. 43rd Annual University-Wide Research Symposium, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2021. Student: S. Wadood (March 26 2021).

-1st Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: S. Wadood. 

-2nd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: S. Aras

-3rd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Oral Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: N. Kabir. 

-3rd Place, Health & Medical Sciences Section, Poster Competitions. 130th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Virtual meeting (due to ongoing respiratory pandemic/endemic) hosted by East Tennessee State University. November 21, 2020. Student: J. George.  

-1st Place, Graduate Students Oral Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020. Student: S. Wadood. 

-2nd Place, Graduate Students Oral Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020. Student: J. George.   

-3rd Place, Graduate Students Oral Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020. Student: S. Aras.   

-1st Place (tied), Oral Emerging Leader Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020. Scholar: Dr. M.S.B. Naraghi (part-time visiting scholar of the PHM lab).   

-2nd Place, Oral Emerging Leader Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020. Scholar: Dr. Niamul Kabir (Post doc of PHM lab).   

-3rd Place, Poster Student Competitions. 4th Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists/Public Health Microbiology laboratory. September 8, 2020.Student: A. Sumlin.   

-1st Place, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. Student: A. Allison  

-2nd Place, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. Student: S. Aras  

-3rd Place, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. Student: M. Henry 

-1st Place (tied), Poster Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section, 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. 2019 Summer Intern: A. Chowdhury  

-2nd Place, Poster Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. Student: J. George  

-3rd Place, Poster Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2019 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 129th annual meeting, Columbia State Community College. Columbia, TN. Student: T. Keene  

-3rd Place, Poster Graduate Competitions, 2019 Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: J. Adhikari.   

-2nd Place, Oral Graduate Competitions, 2019 Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: A. Allison

-1st Place, Oral Graduate Competitions, 2019 Annual State-wide Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: M. Henry

-1st Place, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2018 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 128th annual meeting, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. Student: M. Henry   

-2nd Place, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2018 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 128th annual meeting, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. Student: A. Allison  

-3rd Places, Oral Competitions, Health and Medical Sciences section. 2018 Tennessee Academy of Sciences. The 128th annual meeting, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. Student: J. Adhikari  

-1st Place (tied), Graduate Poster Competitions, 2018 Annual State-wide Poster Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: M. Henry.   

-1st Place, Undergraduate Poster Competitions, 2018 Annual State-wide Poster Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: B. Simpson.    

-2nd Place, Undergraduate Poster Competitions, 2018 Annual State-wide Poster Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: A. Sumlin.   

-3rd Place (tied), Undergraduate Poster Competitions, 2018 Annual State-wide Poster Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: K. Day.   

-3rd Place (tied), Undergraduate Poster Competitions, 2018 Annual State-wide Poster Competition for Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Students. Tennessee (Volunteer) section Institute of Food Technologists. Student: K. Sampson.   

-3rd Place, Oral Competitions, Graduate Agricultural Sciences Oral I Division, 40th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2018. Student: A. Allison.   

-2nd Place, Oral Competitions, Graduate Life and Physical Sciences Oral Division, 40th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2018. Student: M. Henry.   

-2nd Place, Oral Competitions, Graduate Life and Physical Sciences Division, 40th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2018. Student: A. Allison.   

-1st Place, 2017 Tennessee Academy of Science, Health and Medical Sciences Student Oral Competition (Student: K. Sampson), Presentation: Sampson, K., Day, K., Allison, A., Chowdhury, S., Fouladkhah, A. 2017. Fate and Biofilm formation of Wild-type and rifampicin-resistant Cronobacter sakazakii in biotic and abiotic environments. Health and Medical Sciences section, 127th Meeting of Tennessee Academy of Science, November 17, 2017, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee. 

-3rd Place, 2017 Tennessee Academy of Science,Microbiology Student Oral Competition, (Student: A. Allison), Presentation: Allison, A., Chowdhury, S., Fouladkhah, A. 2017. Decontamination of raw milk from Listeria monocytogenes using high pressure pasteurization. Microbiology section, 127th Meeting of Tennessee Academy of Science, November 17, 2017, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee. 

-Finalist, 2017 IFT-EFFoST International Non-thermal Processing Conference Graduate Student Oral Competition. Student: A. Allison, PhD candidate 

-2nd Place, Oral Competitions, Graduate Biological Sciences Division, 39th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2017. Student: A. Allison, PhD Student.  

-2020 Induction in Phi Tau Sigma, the Food Science and Technology honor society. Student was inducted in this honor society as the first ever student from Tennessee State University to be inducted in the honor society due to her academic excellence. Student: S. Wadood, MS candidate    

-2018-2019 Outstanding MS Student of College* of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University (Selected after peer-review by college faculty and NIFA judges, among approximately 138 graduate students/candidates in the college). Student: M. Henry, MS candidate 

-2018 Public Health Microbiology Graduate Student Publication Scholarship. Funds of $550 towards Publication and Open Access Fees, For Preparation of an Outstanding Manuscript as Part of AGSC 5540 Food Policies and Regulation Course. Student: M. Henry  

-2018-2019 Foundation/Food and Product Safety (FMI) Scholarship ($3,000). Student: A. Allison 

-2018 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Feeding Tomorrow Graduate Scholarship. Extension and Outreach Division. Student: A. Allison  

-2018 International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Graduate Scholarship. 2018 Annual Conference of IAFP. Student: A. Allison      

-2018 MANRRS Farm Credit VIP Scholar. 2018 MANRRS conference. Students: K. Day, A. Sumlin. 

-2018 TSU College of Agriculture Dean’s Recognition (two awards). Recognition for high achieving students and maintain GPA of 4.0. Students: K. Day, A. Sumlin. 

-Certificate of Appreciation from section/program Chair “for brining recognition to program as an IFT17 Feeding Tomorrow Scholar,” Volunteer Section IFT/Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, 1st State-wide Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Safety, and Food Science Graduate Student Poster Competition. Nashville, TN. Student: A. Allison, PhD candidate. 

-2017-2018 Outstanding PhD Student of College* of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University (Selected after peer-review by college faculty and NIFA judges, among approximately 34 PhD students/candidates in the college). Student: A. Allison, PhD candidate      

-2017 Institute of Food Technologists Feeding Tomorrow Scholarship, Food Laws & Regulation Divisions Graduate Scholarship. (Sole recipient of the award in the division among more than 500 national and international applicants). Student: A. Allison, PhD candidate