MCC students present environmental research at state conference
Three Meridian Community College students presented their research at the fifth annual Mississippi IDeA/EPSCoR Conference in Hattiesburg.
The regional event is co-hosted by Mississippi INBRE and Mississippi EPSCorR to build STEM and biomedical research.
Spring 2026 MCC grad Emily Casey, along with current MCC students David Downs and Laklee Howell attended the conference with Dr. Angie Carraway, chemistry instructor and chair of the science and wellness division, and Valerie Bishop, dean of dual enrollment. The students oral presentation: “Environmental Hazard Detection with Low-Cost Systems.”
Their project focused on using affordable systems to detect hazards in the environment, and the research was funded by the Mississippi Space Grant Consortium and Mississippi EPSCoR, said Dr. Carraway.
The MCC group worked with Keith Koenig, professor emeritus at Mississippi State University, and several MSU students. The research team also included MCC alumnus Samuel Swanner.
MCC alumna Elizabeth Shirley, also another MCC alumna from the Spring Class of 2026, attended the conference. Shirley is completing a Mississippi INBRE summer internship with Julie Pigza, one of MCC’s research partners.
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu.