ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University’s TRIO McNair Program hosted its first-ever Fall Symposium on Dec. 11 in the Centennial Room of the NSU Student Union, where five McNair Scholars presented their research to an engaged audience of faculty, staff, and peers.

Each scholar delivered a 15-minute presentation supported by PowerPoint, followed by a question-and-answer session. The event showcased the breadth of research interests among the scholars, covering topics in history, biochemistry, and education.

The presentations included:

Cole Holmes: A music education major with a history minor, graduated summa cum laude in December 2024.
Misinterpretation of Divine Judgment: God’s Command to Utterly Destroy the Canaanites and the Mercy Behind It.
Faculty mentor: Dr. Art Marmorstein.

Simon Bickford: Senior biochemistry major.
Immunofluorescent Analysis of Neuronal p-Tau Protein Aggregation Post-Axonal Injury: A Basis for Increased Understanding of Tauopathy Progression.
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jon Mitchell.

Justin Hernandez: December 2024 graduate and NSU football team member.
Waterfowl Management.
Faculty mentor: Dr. Lyncee Monson.

Christian Wells: Sophomore biochemistry major and Northern Academy alumnus.
The Discovery of Promising Macrolide Antibiotic Molecules through Nucleophilic Addition Reactions with C13 NMR Verification.
Faculty mentor: Dr. George Nora.

Randi Schuster: Senior majoring in elementary and special education.
The Mismanagement of Autism in the General Education Classroom.
Faculty mentor: Dr. Nicole Schutter.

The NSU TRIO McNair Program supports first-generation and low-income students pursuing PhDs by offering faculty mentorship, research opportunities, and avenues for delivering presentations at research conferences to enhance their scholarly growth.