GEARS Virtual Poster Presentation Winners: Summer 2023

During our Summer 2023 session, the Global Training Initiative matched 154 students with mentoring professors at various North Carolina universities for this year’s virtual Global Education, Academics, and Research Skills (GEARS) program. The students, who are enrolled at seventy-five different international and domestic universities, embarked on a transformative 6-week journey. This comprehensive program not only provided them with valuable mentoring opportunities but also included an intensive and introductory research project directly aligned with their respective fields of study. This immersive experience allowed participants to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of their subjects.

In addition to the research component, students were immersed in a series of enriching workshops facilitated by GTI experts. These workshops covered a spectrum of skills, ranging from honing research methodologies to refining scientific communication abilities. Participants also benefited from an exclusive workshop dedicated to navigating the intricacies of pursuing graduate studies in the United States, offering them a unique edge in planning their academic trajectories.

The final leg of the program tasked students with the creation of academic research posters, providing them with an opportunity to visually articulate their findings. After presenting their work virtually, the GTI evaluated the presentations using a rigorous rubric. Now, after careful consideration, the GTI is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2023 Summer GEARS virtual poster competition. The competition not only showcased the diverse and innovative research undertaken by the participants but also underscored their ability to effectively communicate complex ideas in a visually compelling manner.

2023 Summer Virtual Poster Competition

First Place: Tiehang Zhang, Shandong University – “Towards Lightweight and Real-time Object Detection in Cloud Gaming Performance Measurement” 

• Mentor: Muhammad Shahzad, Department of Computer Science – College of Engineering, NC State University

Second Place: Feiyu Zou, Dalian University of Technology,  – “Atomic-level Computational Characterization of the Size Effect on the Deformation Behavior of Single Crystalline Ag Nanowires Under Tension”

• Mentor: Liming Xiong, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering – College of Engineering, NC State University

Third Place: Haoqiu Zhang of Jilin University and Gu Wenyu of Renmin University of China, – “A Free Boundary Problem in Options of Financial Markets or Mechanical Problems”

• Mentor: Zhilin Li, Department of Mathematics – College of Sciences, NC State University

Honorable Mentions

Xuanang Zhu of Wenzhou-Kean University and Yifan Ding of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University,  – “Fingerprinting VPNs with A New Censorship Threat Model”

• Mentor: Khaled Harfoush, Department of Computer Science – College of Engineering, NC State University

Yi Wang, Nanjing University – “Entrepreneurship in Cambodia: Dilemmas and Breakthroughs”

• Mentor: Mary-Collier Wilks, Department of Sociology – College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of North Carolina – Wilmington

The GTI sincerely thanks our various partners for making this program so worthwhile for our participants!

Partnering universities that provide program support and mentoring professors: 

• North Carolina State University (NC State University)
• North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
• The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)
• The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNC-W)
• Duke University