Dr. Stephanie Luster-Teasley, associate professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Chemical, Biological and Bioengineering, has been awarded United States Patent No. 8,519,061 for her development of a controlled release chemical oxidation polymer system for the remediation of wastewater.

The polymer system, which she explains works like an “environmental pill,” is able to slowly release the chemical oxidation treatment at controlled rates. The biodegradable polymer used in her invention, combined with the chemical oxidants, is effective at the reduction of bacteria concentrations in wastewater and the improvement of color and odor.

Luster-Teasley is the first African American female faculty member to be named inventor on a patent issued to N.C. A&T. The issuance of the patent is the direct result of the collaborative work between the College of Engineering and the Division of Research and Economic Development’s Office of Technology Transfer, Dr. Laura Collins, Louis Judge III and Wayne Szafranski.

About Stephanie Luster-Teasley
As a professor, Luster-Teasley has demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and service.  Her honors include the 2005 National Women of Color in Technology Educational Leadership Award, 2006 Rookie Researcher of the Year Award, and 2008 Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. In 2010, she led the A&T team that developed the winning National 4-H Science Youth Day experiment used by millions of K-8 students worldwide.    

Most recently, Luster-Teasley received the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. She also received funding from the U.S. Department of Education for developing a mentoring program for students in STEM disciplines, the National Science Foundation for developing and implementing case studies modules in science labs, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund to implement science programs for middle school girls. Overall, her disciplinary and science education research includes over $2 million of funding.

Luster-Teasley received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering and a doctoral degree in environmental engineering from Michigan State University.  

The North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NC-LSAMP) was recently awarded a grant of $987,000 by the National Science Foundation to administer a Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Fellowship Program at North Carolina A&T State University. 

The BD Fellowship will be awarded to first year N.C. A&T STEM graduate students who have been actively engaged in LSAMP programs at their undergraduate institutions. BD Fellows will be awarded the cost of tuition, an annual fellowship and will participate in faculty-mentored research and professional development sessions designed to facilitate the transition into a STEM Ph.D. program.  

Co-PIs for the grant are Dr. Joe B. Whitehead Jr., provost; Dr. Sanjiv Sarin, vice provost for research, graduate programs and extended learning and dean of The Graduate School; and Dr. Goldie Byrd, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

The BD is the second NSF award to NC-LSAMP within the past year, having also been awarded $3,999,820 in Phase V (2012–17) funding to continue support of undergraduate STEM students at Alliance partner institutions.

Dr. Marcia Williams, director of STEM/Sponsored Programs for the College of Engineering, serves as Alliance director. For information about the Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship Program or the NC-LSAMP undergraduate program, contact the NC-LSAMP staff at nclsamp@ncat.edu.

Engineering students are organizing a statewide conference, Sustainability in Transportation, to be held Thursday, Sept. 26, at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

The full-day event is targeted to practicing civil engineers and transportation engineers, other professionals, faculty and students. The event is being organized by the university’s student chapters of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Students from universities across the state will present their research. Participating schools include N.C. A&T, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

The morning session, Facility Construction and Maintenance, will begin at 8:30 a.m. Following lunch, the afternoon session, Design and Planning, will begin at 1 p.m.

Lunch is included in the registration fee, $50 for active members of ASCE and ITE and $60 for nonmembers. Student admission is free.

Professionals will earn three professional development hours for each session.

The conference will be held on campus in Coltrane Hall (building 12 on this map), the Godfrey Room. Parking will be available in the Laurel Street Parking Deck (building 43 on the map).