New Publications Emerge from Short-Term Research Seminar

The short-term GEARS seminar (Global Education, Academics and Research Skills) hosted by the Global Training Initiative at NC State University has resulted in an impressive series of student-faculty co-authored publications, underscoring the power of collaborative inquiry and hands-on mentorship in higher education.

The seminar brings together undergraduate students with faculty mentors over four-six weeks to explore real-world questions in a variety of disciplines. What began as an immersive cultural and academic experience has now culminated in dozens of publications, each offering original insights into the world-leading research taking place in North Carolina.

Publications Highlights

Among the newly released works are:

• “Machine Learning for Hotel Reservation Prediction” by Han Chen (Tsinghua University) and Dr. Hien Tran (NC State University, Mathematics), published in the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics journal.
  
• “Tracking CSR Communication Research Within the Chinese Context: A Systematic Literature Review” by Jing Ren (Northeastern University) and Zimo Tian (Nankai University), co-authored with Dr. Yang “Alice” Cheng (NC State University, Communication), published in the International Journal of Business Communication.
  
• “Gene Expression Profiling and Immune Pathway Dysregulation in Ribonucleoprotein Autoantibody-Positive Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients”  by Siyuan Tan (Shandong University) and Dr. Tirupapuliyur Damodaran (NC Central University, Biological and Biomedical Sciences), published in GENES.
  
  

For many GEARS student participants, this marks their first peer-reviewed publication, a milestone that can shape graduate school admissions, fellowships, and future careers in academia or industry.

Recognizing Outstanding Posters

As a capstone to the seminar, students participated in a virtual poster competition that emphasized both research quality and science communication. Congratulations to the 2024 winners:

2024 Winter: Shen Ouyang (Nanjing University) and Xiangdong Yang (Beijing Jiaotong University) with NC State University faculty mentor Dr. Hien Tran on the project of Machine Learning: Mathematical Foundation and Applications

2024 Summer: Ziyang Zhang (Shandong University) with NC State University faculty mentor Dr. Min Chi on the project of AI, Machine Learning for Real Life

These virtual poster presentations highlighted the creativity and professionalism these emerging scholars bring to the research process.

A Model for Impactful Research Training

The success of the seminar reflects a growing commitment at NC State University, and our partner institutions, to make applied research more inclusive and accessible. By compressing the research cycle into a focused timeframe, students gain both practical research experience and meaningful outcomes in record time.

“Programs like GEARS are vital to NC State’s global engagement efforts. They provide invaluable opportunities for both our domestic and international students and faculty to collaborate on research, fostering cross-cultural understanding and building the crucial global networks needed to address the complex challenges of our interconnected world,” said Michael Bustle, associate vice provost for global engagement at NC State.

The seminar was designed for international students considering higher education at NC State University or elsewhere in the United States, and plans are already underway to host a new cohort of students in the summer of 2025 (applications open until May 31, 2025).