OSU students dominate Research Day at the Capitol
Monday, April 21, 2025
Media Contact: Sydney Trainor | Communications and Media Relations Specialist | 405-744-9782 | sydney.trainor@okstate.edu
Bringing bold ideas and a land-grant spirit, four Oklahoma State University students were selected to compete in the 30th annual Research Day at the Capitol.
They claimed the grand prize and two of the top three overall awards in a showcase of the state’s brightest undergraduate researchers.
Competing in a field of 25 students from various colleges statewide, OSU students presented their projects in the research-intensive institution category.
A native of Oklahoma City, Ethan O'Connor earned the grand prize with his research presentation, "Towards Personalized Inhalation Therapy by Correlating Chest CT Imaging and Pulmonary Function Test Features Using Machine Learning.”
The industrial engineering senior’s project uses machine learning techniques to find the correlation between a patient's pulmonary function test data and their computed tomography image. They are working toward possibly predicting a patient's CT image from their PFT data, which would be a significant breakthrough in medical imaging technology, O’Connor said.
“Representing OSU at the Capitol was an incredible experience,” O’Connor said. “I was able to connect with fellow undergraduate students and hear about the research being done across the state.
“It was amazing to hear about all of the different projects being worked on right here in Oklahoma. I was also able to meet and discuss my research with legislators from both Stillwater and my home district in Oklahoma City, which was certainly a unique opportunity.”
O’Connor received a $500 award, as well as a $4,000 summer research internship. OSU will receive $2,500 to offset internship expenses to ensure O’Connor has the resources to further his promising medical research.
Representing OSU wearing his popular orange tie, O’Connor jumped out of his seat when he heard his name called.
“After hearing about all of the incredible projects across the state, it was an honor to accept this award,” he said. “This event was a great recognition of the hard work that all of us have poured into our projects.”
Adriahna Blackburn, a microbiology/cell and molecular biology student from Nardin, Oklahoma, earned second in the overall category with her presentation, "Hijacking a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Weapon of Self-destruction Produced as a Potential Therapeutic Tool."
Blackburn studies the need for new therapeutic strategies to treat an infectious bacterium commonly associated with hospital-acquired infections.
She said presenting at the Capitol was an amazing experience that will help her as she continues to present research.
“Not only was I ecstatic to receive such an honor, but I also felt deeply proud of my ability to communicate science in a way that resonated with a broad and diverse audience,” Blackburn said. “The experience gave me a renewed sense of confidence and motivation to continue bridging the gap between science and the public.”
Elijah Brown, a biochemistry and molecular biology senior from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, grabbed third place overall with his research presentation, "Development of a New Drug for Cystic Fibrosis Patients with Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Infection.”
Brown’s project focuses on finding new antibiotics to treat infections caused by bacteria that cause pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis patients.
“While the competition itself was tough, I enjoyed talking to people from all kinds of backgrounds about my research,” Brown said. “The competition required me to spend a lot of time making sure I could communicate the importance of my project to anyone.”
Brown said one of the best parts of this event was speaking with other researchers he might collaborate with in the future.
Angelique Robinson, a double major in entomology and psychology from Mustang, Oklahoma, was also selected as an OSU representative to present her research on “Targeting PFK-2 Inhibition Regulates Mammalian Heart Regeneration.”
The 2025 Research Day at the Capitol event encompassed multiple activities. On Monday, students’ posters and oral presentations were individually judged at the Science Museum Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Students then met with legislators and shared their research during a poster exhibit the next day.
“Research Day at the Capitol is a highly anticipated yearly event because it showcases research studies conducted by undergraduate students from public universities across the state,” said Dr. Christine Johnson, associate vice president for research. “The quality of their projects is high-rate, and the students’ enthusiasm for scientific inquiry is contagious. And, because the students are all Oklahoma citizens, they can engage in conversations with their respective state representatives and senators about the benefits of doing research as a college undergraduate.”
The event is sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK EPSCoR) and the National Science Foundation.
The event's objective is to showcase the outstanding undergraduate research being conducted at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.