Each year, students from across the country participate in the MSEIP Student Research Conference which showcases the research supported by the MSEIP grant. The EPA selects and pays for top MSEIP environmental research teams to present their research at the National Environmental Justice Conference held in Washington, DC.

“I am extremely proud that Benedict College’s MSEIP student research team was selected out of 100 teams across the country,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO of Benedict College. “Our college has a great history of success with this innovative program that is assisting our STEM students in being competitive in the workforce.”

“Our scholars were not just impressive because of their presence and scholarship, but also because of their professionalism and poise,” noted Dr. Adrian Gale, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at Benedict College. “At the end of the conference, everyone knew that the BC Environmental Engineering Program and the Department of Engineering and Computer Science were on the path to excellence.”

The Benedict team presented their research on Detecting Spatial Changes in Methane in Urban Communities. The study explores using methane detection equipment on the Benedict College campus to monitor and trace methane emissions. The low-cost technology enables precise detection of methane leaks by identifying areas with different concentrations.

Human senses are insufficient for methane detection due to its lack of smell and color. A machine learning (ML) model will be calibrated using the sensor results   to recognize trends and traits related to methane leaks. This research aims to expand our understanding of methane emissions and improve environmental monitoring methods by integrating sensor technology and machine learning capabilities.

###

About Benedict College (www.benedict.edu)

Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 26 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26 countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.

Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications.   Benedict College received the 2019 ACE/ Fidelity Investments Awards for Institutional Transformation and was named the HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest. Benedict College was listed among the top half of ranked HBCUs in the 2022 edition of Best Colleges by US News and World Report.

Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Source: Benedict College