CROWNPOINT, NM On February 29, 2024, Navajo Technical University held its Eleventh Annual Research Day competition for students from various disciplines of study to showcase their research projects. The event awarded cash prizes to the top three research projects submitted and displayed for visitors. NTU students Merrill Benally, first place, Milton James for second place, and Makeiyla Begay and Layla James tied for third place.
Merill Benally, a sophomore Environmental Studies major, has received recognition for winning first place in his research project. His analysis of 'Using Atmospheric Pressure and Relative Humidity to Produce Water' confirms that one of the challenges in water generation systems is the high energy consumption of cooling feeds, even though they generate large amounts of water from the atmosphere. The hydrologic cycle involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-Atmosphere system, where water moves from the ground to the atmosphere.
'The research competitions are designed to showcase the student's abilities to convey the information they learn and apply them to situations in our environment; it also prepares them for professional opportunities,' said Dean of Undergraduate Studies at NTU, Dr. Casmir Agbaraji, discussing the event and its intent to develop skills for student participants. 'This year, the research competitions students to keep pursuing their goals and discoveries; I’d like to thank all the students for presenting their research and pursuing questions to answer for the benefit of humankind.'
Milton James, a junior with NTU Energy Systems, secured second place in the 'Using Typical Meteorological/ Yearly Data to Design a 700w, 24v Electrical Bike Charging Station' project. Milton's focus was on designing a charging station using TMY data. Various meteorological measurements were taken hourly over several years to build a picture of the local climate. The most common data for describing the local solar climate was used to develop the project. The result was a 700w, 24v electrical bike charging station that can be easily customized to suit other requirements.
The research project tied for the third-place award from Makeiyla Begay and Layla James. Makeiyla's research study, 'Bending Dielectric Elastomer Actuators,' studied natural motion types found in vertebrate animals' skeletal and muscular systems. It inspires researchers to transfer this ability into engineered motion, which is highly desired in robotic systems. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have shown promising capabilities as artificial muscles for driving such structures, as they are soft, lightweight, and can generate large strokes. For maximum performance, dielectric elastomer membranes need to be sufficiently pre-stretched.
Layla James' biological research, 'Assays for Rapid Detection of SARS-COV2 Infection in a Broad Spectrum of Animals,' shows that antibody tests commonly detect host immune responses following infection. Serology (antibody) tests complement nucleic acid assays by providing a history of virus exposure, regardless of whether symptoms developed from illness or the infection was asymptomatic.
Winning projects were determined by rating six categories: intellectual merit, broader impact, organization, clarity, communication, and references. Each student recognized for the project yielded research that had potential benefits and was pertinent to the Navajo Nation. The projects were judged by three university officials based on their ability to deliver their analysis thoroughly, the comprehensive impacts, and the organization of the subject. The event featured 15 research projects from NTU's environmental science, engineering, and biology programs.
Dr. Colleen Bowman said, 'The students are becoming powerful individuals, especially by learning from an indigenous scholar. Let's embrace the moment and walk on both sides of the road by acknowledging and validating indigenous knowledge worldwide. Remember to use what you have learned here.' She also wished everyone good luck with the research competition and extended her wishes to the students participating in this year's 2024 AIHEC Conference.
Research Day was held exclusively for full-time students attending Navajo Technical University. The competitions extended invitations to other universities and K-12 students in previous years. As an incentive for the event, students of the top three research projects were awarded a cash prize and an opportunity to present their findings at the Annual AIHEC competitions on March 9-12, 2024.
The prizes for the best three posters are: 1st Place - Merrill Benally - Env. Sci. - Using Atmospheric Pressure and Relative Humidity to Produce Water.
2nd Place - Milton James - Energy Systems Using Typical Meteorological/ Yearly Data to Design a 700W, 24V Electrical Bike Charging Station.
3rd Place (tie) Makeiyla Begay - Chemistry - Bending Dielectric Elastomer Actuators.
3rd Place (tie) - Layla James - Biology - Assays for Rapid Detection of SARSCOV2 Infection in a Broad Spectrum of Animals.