Elizabeth City, N.C.— More than 17 students from Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) made their mark in STEM at the 2025 Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference—a national platform that showcases cutting-edge student research from across the country—held April 4–6 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Among the standout scholars were six students from ECSU's Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering Technology (MCSET), who presented their research and dominated the competition. These students received full travel awards to present at ERN:
- David Warren
- Rogelio Lopez Bonilla
- Clint Caldwell
- Qimor Mason
- Asaya Bulgin
- Gabrielle Morgan
According to the Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in STEM, the conference is aimed at college and university undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities.
The conference's objectives are to help undergraduate and graduate students enhance their science communication skills and better understand how to prepare for science careers in a global workforce.
Conference activities include workshops focused on:
- Student poster and oral presentations
- Strategies for applying for and succeeding in graduate programs and finding funding for graduate school
- Career preparation workshops focused on employment searches and retention
- Understanding STEM careers in a global context and identifying international research and education opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and faculty.
David Warren, a rising star in undergraduate research, earned first place in the undergraduate poster presentation category. His mentors who helped guide the project were Matt Webster—research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center, along with ECSU professors Akbar Eslami—chair and professor of engineering technology; and Kuldeep Rawat—Thorpe Endowed professor and dean of the School of Science, Aviation, Health and Technology.
Rogelio Lopez Bonilla joined Warren at the top. He claimed first place in the graduate oral presentation category under the mentorship of Abdennaceur Karoui—principal research scholar in the ECSU Division of Academic Affairs. Clint Caldwell came in second place for his undergraduate poster presentation, with Karoui also as his mentor.
"The impact of these efforts is reflected in our students' achievements, including travel awards and recognition awards received at the ERN conference. Our faculty actively secured funding from various agencies and worked closely with students, creating meaningful opportunities for research and scholarly engagement," said Eslami
The success was a win for the students and a real-life example of the thriving research culture at ECSU. The university's MCSET department supports undergraduate and graduate research by connecting students with faculty mentors, providing stipends and empowering them to pursue bold ideas with real-world impact.
These achievements are the latest chapter in ECSU's growing reputation as a launchpad for excellence in STEM.
From Elizabeth City to Atlanta, these Vikings continue to dominate their field and show the future of science and technology as bright—and ECSU blue.