Nearly every day, Allison Reed straps on a helmet, mounts her 2006 Yamaha R6 heading for UNC Charlotte, where she applies physics and mathematics to advanced real-world problems. Her motorcycle, a 599cc racing bike that can go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds and reach a top speed of 165 mph, is a marvel of physics itself. 

“I love bikes because they’re fun but also because they are an amazing display of physics,” Reed said. “If a career in research doesn’t work out, I’d love to work in the motorcycle racing industry, designing new bikes and using physics to ensure optimal performance.” 

At Spring Commencement, Reed will graduate with degrees in physics and mathematics, research credits, the support of research faculty and a cohort of lifelong friends. But her path to this point wasn’t straightforward. On asphalt, and in life, she embraces sharp turns. 

Reed’s first love was horses. She has memories from age 5 trucking around on ponies. As she got older she got a horse of her own and progressed from lessons to competitions. After graduating high school, she moved to Colorado to study equine behavioral science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. However, she realized that as much as she loved horses, and still does, she didn’t want to spend her career in the barn.

Reed returned home to North Carolina, and while mulling over a path forward, she recalled all of the physics and science documentaries she watched with her father growing up and the hands-on physics class she took in high school. Both scratched an intellectual curiosity that inspired her to pursue it as a major. She applied to UNC Charlotte and from there she was off and running.

Research Under the Skin and Over the Moon

Research has been foundational to Reed’s experience at Charlotte. From May 2022 to January 2023, she worked with graduate student Maddie Kern ’23, M.S., on her Optical Science and Engineering master’s thesis that used thermal imaging to view blood vessels to aid non-invasive procedures. She also did research for credit in spring 2024 for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, where she and two friends, Zach Bessant and Anastasia Kolesnikov, wrote a paper on the possibility of getting to Mars by slingshotting around the moon. 

“My ultimate goal is to become a theoretical physicist with a concentration in astrophysical general relativity/time/gravity and for that type of job, research is absolutely vital,” Reed said. “I also just find it fascinating. Without research, we wouldn’t know of the society we have today.” 

Currently, Reed and Ritchie Dudley, assistant undergraduate lab coordinator, are researching Hawking radiation and quantum mechanics by simulating a black hole with fiber optic cables.

Finding Community in Niner Nation

The Department of Physics and Optical Science, housed in the Klein College of Science, is a tight-knit community. Reed recalls meeting fellow majors on day one and then seeing them from course to course throughout their college careers. They completed projects together, helped one another with homework and caught up over dinners. The group even had its own Discord and Minecraft servers to stay connected.

“I spent the last three years with the exact same students in every class, and we became really, really good friends,” Reed said. “I’m hoping the group stays together after graduating, too.”

Some of her core group graduated in fall 2024 and on Saturday, May 10, Reed takes her turn. Besides the connections made with her classmates, Reed will miss the outgoing professors who helped with her education and made her feel supported at every turn. 

“I’ve had several professors write me letters of recommendation for various things, and I really appreciate all that they’ve done,” Reed said “I hope that at some point, I’ll be able to send them the work I’m doing and thank them again.”

During the summer, Reed, in collaboration with Dudley, will expand her analog gravity system and Hawking radiation research paper. Then, she will turn attention to applying to graduate schools, networking with researchers and seeking her next research project. But first, she will cross the stage at Halton Arena under the watchful eye of proud parents and loved ones.

“In high school, you dream of what you want to do when you grow up, but graduating with the degree that actually prepares you to do that is kind of surreal,” Reed said. “When I walk the stage, I’ll be kind of anxious but mostly excited.”

Story by Alex Reynolds, communications specialist. Photos by Jenn Conway, director of communications, and courtesy of Allison Reed.

Like with a flower, growth can come slowly for people. For Taylor Yonemura, the journey has taken time, but UNC Charlotte has given her a calling.

“UNC Charlotte offers opportunities for many things, but if you want something, you must put in the effort,” she said. “A lot of success in college is about trying and then learning.”

Yonemura, a Klein College of Science student, will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. At UNC Charlotte, she learned perseverance, a trait she feels will propel her forward.

“Many people don’t emphasize that failing is okay,” said Yonemura. “You’ll make many mistakes as an adult, and you must be okay with admitting and forgiving yourself. That is such a valuable skill UNC Charlotte helped me develop.”

Finding Yourself

Yonemura moved around while growing up, stopping in Arizona and Utah before attending Mooresville Senior High School in North Carolina. A passion for art and science emerged during high school.

“I love understanding how things work, why they work and the steps in which they work. Science, for me, was always enjoyable. It’s a thought process, the same as art,” said Yonemura.

Her dad, Casey, was her biggest supporter along the way. Yonemura credits him for pushing her to be her true self.

“My dad is the one to whom I’ll give the biggest props. He always pushed for college, which was expected of me, just because he knew I could do it. Without him, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Yonemura.

Accessing Academia

Yonemura started college at UNC Asheville in 2020 and focused on art. Then, while taking some time off, she developed a love for biology through gardening.

“I had to reevaluate many of the important things to me,” she said. “I picked up gardening, and growing vegetables led me to biology. I immediately changed my major and never returned.”

Yonemura returned to Mitchell Community College, earning an associate of arts degree in 2023. After a trip to the McMillan Greenhouse at UNC Charlotte’s Botanical Gardens, the next step in her academic journey became clear.

“A lot of my friends went to Charlotte as did my boyfriend, who wanted to show me the greenhouse,” Yonemura explained. “So we went one day, and when I came out, I said, ‘I’ve got to go here.’” 

Making an Impact

Yonemura’s connection to the Botanical Gardens at UNC Charlotte started while volunteering for a creek cleanup. From there, she made good use of connecting science with art by developing its website.

“I love the Botanical Gardens and the people there, mainly because many are passionate about their work. Working among them has been such a great way to learn,” said Yonemura.

Her role helped Yonemura craft an undergraduate research project on the connection between bees and fungal spore dispersal. On April 17, she presented her project at the Undergraduate Research Conference at UNC Charlotte.

“Seeing those results was amazing because this was a research project that I built with my bare hands and got to apply the scientific process. I wanted to have my TED talk moment,” she said.

Yonemura, who continued to add to her résumé, gained valuable experience working with Morgan Carter in her fungal bacteria lab last summer.  

“I went through the OUR program and did microbiology work that semester studying storage processes,” said Yonemura. “Dr. Carter is a wonderful person and a lab manager. She understands all her students and attempts to care about them in their best interests.”

All these experiences helped her start the Mycology Club, which brings students together to learn about fungi. Yonemura feels UNC Charlotte has allowed her to prepare for next steps.

Post-grad life

Yonemura is deciding between graphic design and continuing to work with fungus. She hopes to find a way to combine art and science productively.

“I want to explore the world and identify new fungi,” she said. “I know there’s something out there calling my name.”

Yonemura said she wants to be remembered as someone who pushed through no matter what.

“College is not just about the clubs you attend or the classes you take; it is about pushing yourself,” she said.“There were times I worried about failing a class, but I got through it — and  without a solid support system and forgiving myself sometimes, that would have been impossible.” 

Story by Bryson Foster. Photos by Amy Hart, creative photographic director.

Bryson Foster ’23 will complete a Master of Arts in Communication Studies in May 2025; he is an intern for the Office of University Communications.

A Klein College of Science research team was awarded the Invention of the Year Excellence Award at a ceremony held April 7 at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

Kirill Afonin, professor of chemistry, and Yasmine Radwan, a doctoral student in the chemistry and nanoscale science program, were awarded the top honor from the UNC Charlotte Division of Research.

The research in the Afonin lab is creating biomedical treatments with the potential to treat a wide-range of diseases and illnesses, all customized to the patient’s genome.

Their invention “RNA-DNA Fusomers with Tunable Physicochemical, Mechanical and Biological Properties for Diverse Biomedical Applications,” has the potential to revolutionize how diseases are treated. The advancement personalizes medicine for an individual’s immune system, targeting treatments at the nanoscale in order to minimize adverse side effects.

Patent Awards

Deborah S.K. Thomas, associate vice chancellor for research, led the celebration of this year’s patent award winners, all from the Klein College of Science:

• Ishwar Aggarwal, research professor in physics and optical science, was honored as the University’s first National Academy of Inventors Fellow.
• Naz Fathma Tumpa, graduate student in chemistry and nanoscale science; and Aiden Hawkins, undergraduate student in chemistry, worked with advisors Michael Walter and Tyler Adams to place as the top five finalists in the National Collegiate Inventors Competition.
• Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science, earned third place in the PMU-NAI International Patent Award competition.

Additional awards recognized research and inventions in the categories of:

• clean energy and power systems
• information and data science
• life sciences and health
• physical and material sciences

UNC Charlotte’s first class of National Academy of Inventors senior members were also recognized, honoring seven faculty for their outstanding contributions to innovation and research:

• Kirill Afonin, professor of chemistry
• James Amburgey, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
• Glenn Boreman, professor and chair of the department of physics and optical science
• Olya Keen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
• Jordan Poler, professor of chemistry
• Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science
• Michael Walter, professor of chemistry

On March 26, Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber honored UNC Charlotte faculty with more than a million dollars in active external grant funding by recognizing them as part of the 2025 Million Dollar Research Circle.

The Klein College of Science was recognized as a top earner with $24 million in cumulative funding for the year, and the Department of Biological Sciences was honored as one of the top three departments in the university by funding.

10 faculty were recognized from KCOS:

• Kirill Afonin, chemistry
• Ishwar Aggarwal, physics and optical science
• Kristen Funk, biological sciences
• Danillo G. Augusto, biological sciences
• Ian Marriott, biological sciences
• Bao-Hua Song, biological sciences
• Andrew Truman, biological sciences
• Patricija van Oosten-Hawle, biological sciences
• Juan Vivero-Escoto, chemistry
• Shan Yan, biological sciences

Aggarwal and Augusto additionally received special recognition for each having more than $3 million in external funding.

Read more about the event and other UNC Charlotte honorees.

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has announced the 2025 class of Senior Members, with seven of the newly named members from UNC Charlotte. Senior Members were selected from NAI’s member institutions for exemplifying the spirit of creativity and discovery that drives the global inventor community. 

Five faculty from the Klein College of Science were named as Senior Members:

• Kirill Afonin, Ph.D., professor of chemistry
• Glenn Boreman, Ph.D., professor and department chair of physics and optical science
• Jordan C. Poler, Ph.D., professor of chemistry
• Susan R. Trammell, Ph.D., professor of physics and optical science
• Michael G. Walter, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and director of nanoscale science Ph.D. program

“This year’s class comes from a multitude of impressive fields and research backgrounds from across the world. We applaud their pursuit of commercialization to ensure their groundbreaking technologies can make a difference by tackling the world’s most pressing issues, improving quality of life across society, and advancing the economy,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of NAI.

The Klein College faculty are also joined by two faculty members from the William States Lee College of Engineering. All seven Senior Members from Charlotte will be inducted at the NAI annual meeting in June, accompanied by Ishwar D. Aggarwal, Ph.D., who was recently named a 2024 Fellow from NAI.

The conference presents the opportunity for visionaries and innovators to converge to share ideas, foster collaborations, and celebrate advancements in invention.

The Mathematics Graduate Student Association (MGSA) hosted the inaugural Graduate Research in Math (GRiM) symposium at UNC Charlotte on Feb. 8, fully planned and executed by and for graduate students.

The Klein College of Science graduate students presented on a variety of mathematical fields, ranging from pure to applied mathematics, and covering topics including graph theory, Ergodic theory, and statistics. Attendees included graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from UNC Charlotte, the University of South Carolina, and Clemson University.

The symposium’s plenary lecture, “On Turing’s formula and the estimation of the missing mass,” was presented by Michael Grabchak, Ph.D., professor of statistics. Grabchak explored how Turing’s formula can give rise to methods for detecting whether two works were written by the same author. Results from this method were shown through examples ranging from Shakespeare to celebrity social media posts.

Sarah Helfert Murphy, graduate assistant in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, helped to reinstate MGSA as an active campus organization in 2021. “There is no one-size-fits-all formula for getting a Ph.D. in mathematics, so we thought this event would be a nice way to showcase the different forms getting a degree in this field can take,” Murphy said. “I consider it a great success, and we hope to offer this event again next year, and to expand our horizons to invite participants from even more universities.”

Since reactivating MGSA, the organization has offered more events each year for graduate students interested in math. MGSA’s current goal is to offer events that both cultivate a sense of community among graduate students and provide opportunities to grow academically.

“In graduate school, it can be very easy to isolate yourself due to the demanding workload. We seek to mitigate this by encouraging students to talk about math and bond over our shared experience,” Murphy explained. “Our organization also serves to advocate for graduate student interests in the mathematics department.”

Jordan Poler, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry, was featured in WIRED’s article, “How to Get PFAS Out of Drinking Water—and Keep It Out.” 

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals found in products like cleaning sprays, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing and firefighting foam. They are known as “forever chemicals” because they are difficult to break down and can accumulate in the environment and human body.

For decades, the Chemours (formerly DuPont) chemical plant in Cape Fear, North Carolina manufactured these “forever chemicals.” The chemicals ultimately ended up in the Cape Fear River and connected waterways, leading to ongoing lawsuits due to environmental and public health concerns.

“North Carolina’s still dealing with that,” said Poler. “It’s a huge challenge for the people here.”

Filters in water pitchers or under-sink systems can capture PFAS, but are not a permanent solution. 

“A lot of these media, you throw them in the landfill and they’re just going to leach everything back out,” Poler explained. 

To help solve this problem, the Poler Research Group is pioneering a new PFAS filtration system that is able to suck the chemicals back out of the filter in order to dispose of them safely. This would remove the PFAS permanently, preventing future contamination.

This is critical, as a 2025 study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology details how residents in areas with high levels of PFAS in the drinking water are already more likely to be diagnosed with certain cancers, including oral, lung and brain cancer.

Read the full article from WIRED.

Susan R. Trammell, Ph.D., professor of physics and optical science, has earned a Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU)-National Academy of Inventors (NAI) International Patent Award.

The PMU-NAI International Patent Award recognizes international inventors who create plausibly positive societal impact with an innovation that has received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office within the past 5 years.

Trammell accepted the award in December 2024 during a ceremony on PMU’s campus in Saudi Arabia. Her third place win included a $10,000 prize to assist in the commercialization of the patent to help bring the technology to market.

Trammell’s research in optics in the Klein College of Science has developed innovations in the fields of biomedical imaging, mid-IR/thermal imaging in medicine, surgical navigation and image-guided surgical interventions.

In 2023, Trammell was recognized as co-author with the Biopreservation and Biobanking Best Paper award from ISBER, the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories, for the best paper.

Read more about Trammell’s award from the UNC Charlotte Division of Research.

UNC Charlotte announced the formation of the Charlotte AI Institute with the Center for TAIMing AI and the Center for Innovation, Translational Research and Applications of Nanostructured Systems, CITRANS, leading the way.

These two Centers are leveraging the quickly developing field of artificial intelligence to create cutting-edge discovery, interdisciplinary collaboration and workforce development. The Centers are driving innovation along with advanced research from the Klein College of Science in biological sciences, physics and optics, chemistry, and mathematics and statistics.

Faculty in Klein College also make important research contributions to CIPHER, the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health & Environmental Risks.

Read more about the Charlotte AI Institute.

Klein College of Science Centers leveraging AI

Center for TAIMing AI

Center for Innovation, Translational Research and Applications of Nanostructured Systems