CLEVELAND, Miss. — Delta State University environmental science students and faculty have been featured in a national botany publication, highlighting undergraduate-led research conducted in the Mississippi Delta.
Students and faculty coauthored an article published in the Fall 2025 issue of the Plant Science Bulletin, a peer-reviewed publication of the Botanical Society of America. The article details student leadership in testing manmade chemicals on weedy plant species through a federally supported research initiative.
The article, titled “INBRE Grant Promotes Student Leadership in Testing Manmade Chemicals on Weedy Plants in the Mississippi Delta,” was coauthored by December 2025 graduates Donald Coleman and Olivia Pharr, along with faculty members Dr. Nina L. Baghai-Riding, Dr. Severine Groh and Dr. William Katembe.
The research was supported by a 2024 Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Research Initiation Grant. Baghai-Riding served as principal investigator, with Groh, Katembe and Dr. Chuck Smithhart as co-investigators. The grant allowed undergraduate students to work with advanced laboratory equipment and research methods typically reserved for graduate-level study.
The project was presented at the 2025 Botanical Society of America conference in Palm City, California, where Baghai-Riding showcased a poster authored by the students and faculty team. According to the university, the work received strong interest from Dr. Carolina M. Siniscalchi, editor of the Plant Science Bulletin, who encouraged submission of a manuscript focused on student learning outcomes and research results.
The article was later accepted and featured on the cover of the Fall 2025 issue.
Coleman, an environmental science and biology pre-veterinary major from Greenville, said the project strengthened his collaborative and hands-on research skills.
“This project has been a satisfying experience that has given me an opportunity to improve my ability to work with others and gain hands-on experience in both the field and the laboratory,” Coleman said.
Pharr, an environmental science and biology major from Charleston, said the research addressed real-world health concerns in agricultural communities.
“Working on this project has provided skills and knowledge that are used to investigate problems and threats to human, animal and plant health,” Pharr said, noting the study’s focus on pesticide exposure in the Mississippi Delta.
University officials said the recognition reflects Delta State’s emphasis on undergraduate research and student engagement within the Division of Mathematics and Sciences.
The Plant Science Bulletin serves as a national forum for innovative teaching practices, career development and applied research in plant sciences.
