Jordan Greene Wins Best Poster Award at VSU Symposium

Pictured are Jordan Greene and Dr. Brian Gerber, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

VALDOSTA — Jordan Greene’s “Characterization of Cyanidin and Its Application in Solar Cells” won the Best Poster Award in the Sciences at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by Valdosta State University.

“Basically the research was to test how well various natural pigments improved dye-sensitized solar cells,” said the 22-year-old who anticipates graduating from VSU in December with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

“This type of solar cell is more easily and cheaply made than what is widely available on the market.”

Greene’s award-winning research was guided by Dr. Linda de la Garza, a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry.

All freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors at VSU were invited to submit proposals for the 22^nd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Individual academic departments and colleges then selected the university’s best paper, poster, and video research presentations, as well as creative arts exhibits, to be featured throughout the four-day event and to compete for prizes.

“Each year I am incredibly impressed with the quality of our undergraduate student research, scholarship, and creative work,” said Dr. James LaPlant, assistant vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School. “The students are making original contributions to the body of knowledge of their disciplines. Many of the students are doing research that we often do not see until the graduate level.”

The Undergraduate Research Symposium reflects VSU’s commitment to increasing the opportunities available for undergraduate students to participate in research through specialized courses, engagement in internships and service learning, and other opportunities. This has many benefits, according to the university’s Council on Undergraduate Research, as students who engage in research activities are able to build relationships resulting in enhanced learning with their faculty mentors, are more likely to be retained, are more likely to pursue advanced degrees, have an increased knowledge base of research methodology, and are more likely to promote an innovation-oriented culture.

Greene is the son of Teresa Greene of Valdosta.

On the Web:

https://www.valdosta.edu/academics/graduate-school/urc/

http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts-sciences/chemistry/

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

The story above demonstrates VSU's commitment to meeting the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.