Name:听Pedro Robertson 听

Department:听Civil Engineering听

Research Project/Topic:听Engineered Bridges in Rockbridge County: A Preliminary Review听

Advisor:听Col.听Matthew听Swenty听

In a few sentences, describe your SURI project in lay terms. 

The goal of my SURI project was to investigate how Rockbridge County reflects the history of engineering, not only in the United States but in the world. The main goal was to see, in person, how engineering techniques have stood the test of time and where engineers have faltered and where they have succeeded.  

What made you choose this topic? 

Blending engineering and history seemed like it could be an interesting way to begin the process for my honors thesis. Moreover, Rockbridge County has a deep history and diving into that history with an engineering lens created a very interesting story.  

What kind of personal connection do you have to this topic? 

As a rising 1st Class cadet, I have been deeply enshrouded in the history of VMI. Extending this into my engineering studies and learning more about the history of the county as a whole has made it much easier to work on this project. 

How much time will you devote/have you devoted to conducting research this summer? 

Some days were spent completely outside looking at bridges for three to four hours, while some days just consisted of sorting through photos and data.  

Why do you think the SURI program is beneficial at VMI? 

It offers time to develop a connection with your work where you aren鈥檛 plagued by the minute-by-minute schedule of 麻豆传媒入口whether it be the Rat Line, briefs, classes, etc. Additionally, it offers a time to get closer with faculty and learn more than you ever could in one class. 

What do you hope to gain from SURI? 

I gained a deep knowledge and understanding of not just the bridges in the county, but of the county in general and how everything has developed over time. 

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Kent, whose specialty is neuroscience, the scientific study of the nervous system, has been affiliated with IBNS since 2015 and a member of the IBNS executive council for four years. Her presentation, 鈥淭he Neurobiology of Behavior in Fish: From the Wild to the Lab and Back Again,鈥� highlighted innovative research examining how laboratory environments influence the brain and behavior of widely used fish models, including sticklebacks, betta fish, and zebrafish. Her research compares fish from natural environments with those raised in laboratories, and she demonstrated that including more real-world conditions in neuroscience research can help scientists better understand how the brain influences behavior and improve the usefulness of research findings. Her work is part of an international effort to make science more reliable and relevant to everyday life.

Kent shared that prior to the start of the conference, she met several other conference attendees in Johannesburg for a safari in Pilanesberg National Park. 鈥淲e stayed for two nights and participated in four game drives through the park. Our guides were selected for their expertise in local animal behavior, conservation efforts, and evolutionary biology, making the experience especially meaningful for a group of behavioral scientists. We were thrilled to observe in the wild many of the behaviors we study, including rough-and-tumble play, courtship, and mating. We saw an elephant courtship ritual, lion cubs engaged in play, and numerous animals foraging and feeding throughout the park. It was an amazing trip.鈥�

Kent stated she was honored to represent 麻豆传媒入口to an international audience of leading neuroscientists and showcase VMI鈥檚 commitment to excellence in research, international collaboration, and scientific leadership. Next year鈥檚 conference will be held in The Bahamas, where Kent hopes a few cadets can join her in presenting research.

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Jackson was inspired to research drone detection while taking a business course during his rat year. 鈥淒rones are now widely used in both civilian and military settings, but their misuse near airports, critical infrastructure, and military bases creates serious security risks. By working with artificial intelligence, and computer coding, this is a real-world application I can explore after I graduate,鈥� he explained.

He described how researchers have explored several drone sensing approaches, including acoustic detection, deep learning-based visual methods, radiofrequency (RF) monitoring, and multi-sensor fusion systems. He studied 15 recent literature reviews across those approaches, focusing on techniques that could realistically be deployed in noisy, cluttered, and contested environments. 鈥淏ecause when it鈥檚 raining you can鈥檛 see it, when there鈥檚 a thunderstorm you can鈥檛 hear it, and when both of those things are happening, RF is essentially the only way you can detect a drone. There are even stealth drones, which are very difficult to spot.鈥� Jackson stated the best means of drone detection is not just one method, but a combination of all three: acoustical, visual and RF. He plans to continue his research for his capstone project during the next two academic years. He envisions building a small device equipped with a camera, microphone, and RF sensor. The device would be controlled by an app on his phone, and attached to a drone, which he would fly to detect other drones in the area.

Jackson鈥檚 faculty mentors for the project are Dr. Sherif Abdelhamid, assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) and team member of the Cyber Defense Lab, and Lt. Col. Doug Wainwright, CIS instructor and IT manager. In June, Sherif and Jackson attended a workshop on drone principles, hardware and flying, organized by 麻豆传媒入口and Virginia Tech at Tech鈥檚 drone park.

Wainwright stated Jackson鈥檚 work is an excellent business prospect. 鈥淗e can start a company with his idea, or sell the idea to a drone company, or to the Army or the Marines, who are now both working with drone strategy and drone detection and defense. It is extremely important and relevant.鈥�  

Jackson is a member of VMI鈥檚 track team, and leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the team. He is a participant of the investment club and the drone club. He is from Daleville, Virginia, where he graduated from Lord Botetourt High School, and the son of Adam and Heather Jackson. His goal after graduation is to become an entrepreneur.

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Qualifications of the scholarship include U.S. citizenship; the pursuit of a graduate degree in public administration, public policy, public health, international relations, government, economics, social services, education, urban planning, conservation and environmental protection, or related fields; and a minimum GPA of 3.7.

Shah stated a major reason he applied for the scholarship was its promotion of public service. 鈥淢y initial thought before I even applied was, 鈥樎槎勾饺肟趇s public service.鈥� Whether or not cadets commission, we are all taught to be citizen-soldiers possessing a high sense of public service. It鈥檚 part of VMI鈥檚 mission statement. I wasn鈥檛 only thinking about me receiving the scholarship distinction when I applied. I was also considering the privilege of representing the Institute. I truly love this place, and have ever since I first came. It would have been such a huge honor to be the first cadet in history to receive the Truman Scholarship, but becoming a finalist is an honor too.鈥�

Part of the comprehensive application process was a 15-page submission. A large portion of that was a policy proposal required by all the candidates. Shah, who is particularly interested in how policy influences social changes by studying post-9/11 Islamophobia, wrote his proposal on integrating accurate cultural knowledge into government policy decision-making. 鈥淚n the eyes of some Americans, the actions of a radical minority are synonymous with an entire religion. I believe studying and understanding different cultures before engaging in international relations, economic sanctions, or military action helps both sides of a conflict by unifying diverse communities, preventing major missteps, and ultimately saving lives,鈥� he said.   

Lt. Col. Mark Boonshoft, associate professor in the Department of History and holder of the Conrad M. Hall 鈥�65 Chair in American Constitutional History at VMI, first met Shah in 2024 when he was enrolled in Boonshoft鈥檚 U.S. Constitutional History class. He said Shah is among the best students he has ever encountered. 鈥淢ore importantly, he is the most impressive young person I have known, largely because of his drive to public service. That is saying something, as I have spent the bulk of my teaching career at senior military colleges, which are dedicated to training young people to serve their nation and the world. I have no doubt about his ability to excel in a graduate program and to make a difference once he enters into his career in public service.鈥�   

Shah is the recipient of The General J.H. Binford Peay III 1962 Merit , awarded to 麻豆传媒入口cadets who possess exceptional leadership, academic achievement, athletic commitment; demonstrated interest in national service; and have maintained a 4.0 GPA during their entire cadetship. He is both an Institute Honors and Department of History Honors cadet, and plans to further develop his scholarship application policy proposal through his honors thesis. He is minoring in Arabic, military history, and national security. He serves as treasurer for the Class of 2027, a lifelong elected position; is a cadet chaplain; is the rising president of the 麻豆传媒入口Muslim Student Association; and is a rising India Company platoon lieutenant. While his family resided in Pakistan for two years, he attended Karachi American School in Karachi, Pakistan, as a high school freshman and sophomore. Upon the family鈥檚 return to the U.S., he attended River Hill High School in Clarksville for his junior and senior years. While in high school, he created a nonprofit called, Gen Z for Afghans, which provides structured tutoring and mentorship to Afghan refugee children with the same mission of fostering mutual cultural understanding for better future diplomacy. He is the son of Saleem and Sarah Shah.

According to Col. Robert McDonald, associate dean for academic affairs and director of the Honors Program, 麻豆传媒入口has produced 11 Rhodes Scholars, two Gates Cambridge Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, and many other recipients of nationally prestigious awards, including Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater. 鈥淓shan is an extraordinary candidate to add to that record. We actively promote these opportunities and have an outstanding cohort lining up for the 2027 nomination cycle. Given how close he came in the Truman competition, Eshan clearly possesses every quality necessary for success. He will represent 麻豆传媒入口exceptionally well,鈥� McDonald said.

More information can be found on the postgraduate scholarships and pre-professional programs .

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On the show, Boonshoft talks about his forthcoming book, 鈥淭he Violent Origins of Constitutional Democracy in Revolutionary New York.鈥� He shares how ideals that came from the Revolutionary War, like representative government and liberty, didn鈥檛 always make their way into state constitutions. Others on the show, including Tom Ewing from Virginia Tech and Ervin Jordan from the University of Virginia, discuss the spirt of the Bikecentennial held in 1976 and the lessons learned for this 250th celebration, as well as remarkable journeys of enslaved people documented during the Revolutionary War.

鈥淲ith Good Reason鈥� is sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Local broadcast times, as well as audio files of full programs and companion news features, are on the 鈥淲ith Good Reason鈥� website.

-VMI-

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3D printing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file by building them layer by layer. Farming equipment, virtual reality simulators, non-essential car parts, and hobbyist models are all examples of ordinary items made from 3D printers. Zarza purchased a printer for his own daily use in high school. He has designed his own prints using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and has created many items including fitted containers, fishing gear, a remote control airplane, luggage ID tags, and planters.

The goal of Zarza鈥檚 SURP project is to provide low-cost prosthetics for use in developing countries that do not have access to high-tech facilities. His ideal production method should be simple enough to complete with readily available equipment, and capable to assist a growing child needing replacements. He explained his process for designing and printing external and internal prosthetics. 鈥淚 spent a lot of time with CAD software grafting the shapes and getting the right measurements. I printed the prosthetics using two different substances: polylactic acid (PLA), a non-conductive plastic filament; and ABS鈥搇ike photopolymer resin, which is a light-sensitive material that mimics the durability and flexibility of ABS plastic. Resin printing requires three separate machines, while filament printing only requires one machine. The primary difference between the two materials is their strength. Resin is much stronger and smoother than filament, although prolonged exposure to resin is toxic to the human body.鈥�

In addition to the toxicity of resin, Zarza observed metal plating would provide increased strength, sterility, and flexibility, as well as preventing cracking or deformation under a heavy load. Additionally, copper and gold contain antiseptic qualities. He was unsure though how to apply the metal. He came up with the idea of electroplating while conducting an experiment in his general chemistry lab course taught by Maj. Christopher Shingledecker, assistant professor in the chemistry department. 鈥淭he experiment was on redox chemistry, where we were consuming part of a metal by dissolving it into solution. That鈥檚 essentially electroplating in reverse. Zarza very perceptively asked me if it could be run the other way鈥攂uilding the metal up instead of stripping it off鈥攁nd I told him absolutely, that鈥檚 electroplating,鈥� explained Shingledecker.

In order for the electroplating to be successful, Zarza first coated his prosthetic with low electrical resistance graphene. This enabled the electroplated metal to better adhere.

For his capstone project during the next academic year, Zarza will attempt to simulate gold plated bones in the human body to ensure of their safe use. If successful, he has no aspirations of selling his findings for personal gain. 鈥淭he goal is to lower the cost and make it much more applicable for anyone else,鈥� he said.

Zarza is from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, where he attended Red Land High School. He is the son of Noel and Cecilia Zarza. He plans to commission into the Army medical corps.

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Abramov, who grew up in the Northern European country of Estonia, came to the U.S. as a teen to be closer to her father and attend high school at Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, Virginia. Throughout her life, she has participated in a variety of sports including swimming, running, dancing, horseback riding, and tennis. Though she previously investigated supplement use for her personal consumption, it was after a conversation she had last year with her swim fitness class instructor, Maj. Deanne Moosman, assistant professor in the Department of Human Performance and Wellness, that she decided to conduct a SURI project on the subject. 鈥淥ne day after class, Maj. Moosman and I were having a conversation about supplements. I know a lot about them, and I take many including protein, vitamin D, and vitamin C. A month or so later, she approached me about researching protein supplements, because its use is very common at VMI, and we wanted to explore military college use,鈥� she explained.

With Moosman serving as her faculty mentor, Abramov began her research. She recruited 16 麻豆传媒入口cadets, both male and female, commissioning and non-commissioning; and conducted one-on-one interviews, asking open-ended questions.

Her preliminary findings were that most of the commissioning cadets were more inclined to take protein supplements because they wanted to be physically strong. Whereas there was a mixed response among those not planning to commission. Not surprisingly, she discovered many cadets preferred to get their protein from meals rather than supplements. 鈥淭hey told me if they had to choose between a healthy diet and supplements, they preferred the diet. But they admitted that supplements are a good substitute if they don鈥檛 have time for a meal. I was also surprised to discover that many cadets distrust the influencers who promote the supplements, because they earn money from the sales. Cadets prefer to ask friends and family members their opinions about products,鈥� reported Abramov.

Moosman stated Abramov鈥檚 project is relevant, since dietary guidelines changed this year. 鈥淭he protein recommendation significantly increased in 2026, encouraging people to seek out even more protein. So, consumers are reaching for supplements or products that contain added protein. Aurora is using a qualitative approach, which is a great way of capturing the nuances that quantitative research often misses. Her background and experience as an English major are well-suited for this kind of research, which requires strong analytical and interpretive skills, and a lot of writing!鈥�

Abramov will present her project at the 麻豆传媒入口Undergraduate Research Symposium. She hopes to continue the study during the next academic year, interviewing more subjects, and collecting more data, in order to meet the requirements for publication in a scientific journal.

Abramov is the daughter of Andrei Abramov, who resides in Maryland, and Oksani Sujetova, who lives in Estonia. She held dual citizenship, but because she plans on commissioning into the Army to work in intelligence, she gave up her Estonian citizenship. She has worked with Rat Challenge since she was a 3^rd Class cadet. In the new academic year, she will serve as assistant cadet in charge within Band Company for Rat Challenge.   

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AFCEA, formerly known as the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, is a member-based, nonprofit 501(c)6 professional association that connects people, ideas, and solutions globally by developing networking and educational opportunities and providing them worldwide in an ethical manner. This enables military, government, industry, and academia to align technology to meet the needs of those who serve in critical areas, which include defense, security, cyber, and intelligence. Smith is a member of the Rockbridge Shenandoah chapter.   

AFCEA presented Smith with the award for her work in developing and implementing a workshop series for them last winter in which technology and engineering design teams learned how to adjust their technological writing for journalistic purposes, making it understandable to the average reader. Smith stated learning how to explain crucial technical information to public audiences is essential for researchers on the cutting edge of innovation. 鈥淭his meritorious service award is an honor, but it also reinforces the nation鈥檚 collective mission to ensure that our defense and technology sectors are guided by thoughtful, adaptable communicators. I am glad AFCEA recognizes the role that education and dedicated public service play in supporting communication,鈥� she said.

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The health professions advising program helps cadets navigate pathways to a variety of healthcare careers. Through one-on-one advising, professional development workshops, networking opportunities, clinical experiences, research opportunities, and mentorships, cadets build competitive applications while developing the leadership and resilience expected of future healthcare professionals. Burke assists with academic planning, course selection, experiential learning opportunities, standardized test preparation, personal statements, interviews, and the professional school application process. She also works to expand opportunities for cadets through partnerships and articulation agreements with professional programs and healthcare organizations. 麻豆传媒入口maintains relationships with institutions offering medical training including Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Mary Baldwin University, and Texas A&M University鈥檚 Military Medicine Program.

Approximately 10 cadets per year enter a healthcare profession, and Burke believes the qualities developed through the 麻豆传媒入口experience makes them particularly well-suited for careers in the field. 鈥淗ealthcare professionals must be leaders, problem-solvers, effective communicators, and lifelong learners. The discipline, resilience, integrity, and commitment to service that cadets develop at 麻豆传媒入口provide an exceptional foundation for success in health professions,鈥� she said.

Burke has been a faculty member in VMI鈥檚 biology department since 2020. A molecular microbiologist by training, she earned her doctorate from Virginia Tech and brings extensive experience in microbiology, molecular biology, virology, and cell biology to her advising role.

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Deibel was one of 25 selected from a competitive pool of nearly 500 scholars, and will receive a fellowship award of $70,000 intended to assist with his salary replacement and research expenses for the fellowship period.

Founded in 1965, the NAEd advances high-quality research to improve education policy and practice, and consists of U.S. members and international associates who are selected on the basis of scholarship related to education. According to Okhee Lee, Ph.D., chair of the NAEd Professional Development Committee, the fellowship encourages and supports the next generation of scholars from a variety of fields and disciplines as they work to improve education.

鈥淭hese fellowships are more crucial than ever given the recent dramatic declines in education research funding. It is a privilege to work with our new fellows who will contribute to education research and scholarship,鈥� said Lee. 

Deibel, who specializes in early American history, will be investigating the revolutionary origins of civic education in America for his project titled, 鈥淟iberty鈥檚 Lessons: The Educational Politics of the American Revolution,鈥� and is excited to be participating in the fellowship. 鈥淚t is an amazing opportunity to learn from and alongside some incredible scholars. I am also thrilled to be able to bring all that I learn back to VMI. The workshops, mentorship program, and collaborative learning offered by the fellowship will help me bring new approaches and research to my classes at the Institute. I am looking forward to using my research to foster new and exciting explorations with cadets and colleagues into how we can learn from the past to be informed, empathetic, and engaged citizens.鈥�

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