Cleveland State University's own Peninah Kariuki has garnered top honors at the American Physical Society’s Eastern Great Lakes Section. Her project on DNA origami structures earned her the Best Graduate Student Poster Award, shining a spotlight on her rigorous scientific inquiry. The research leading to the accolade was supervised by Dr. Petru Fodor and Dr. Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli, with an undergraduate student, Joseph Russo, contributing to the work under the CSU Soft Matter REU program.
Accepting the award, Kariuki expressed her gratitude in a statement obtained by Cleveland State University News, “I am deeply grateful to the Physics Department and to Cleveland State University for giving me the opportunity to study here and for supporting my participation in the recent conference, where I was honored with an award”. The Eastern Great Lakes Section, since its 1938 inception, has been a nexus for physicists and related professionals to exchange ideas and advance the discipline.
Dr. Fodor, emphasizing the value of these conferences, highlighted the importance of presenting research and networking within the professional community. According to Cleveland State University News, such exposure is critical "for their future careers, equally important are opportunities to develop their communication skills and network with the larger professional community.” The longstanding department tradition of supporting such endeavors is robust, thanks to alumni contributions that enable current students' participation.
Kariuki's journey to this achievement started with a childhood passion for mathematics, kindled by her father's creative teaching methods. She excelled in math during her early and high school years, eventually leading her to teach for a decade before pursuing advanced degrees abroad. “When a friend studying at CSU told me about the applied physics program, I became very interested, learned more about it and eventually decided to join. It has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my academic journey,” Kariuki told Cleveland State University News.
Despite the geographical distance from her family in Kenya, Kariuki remains unwavering, fueled by the aspiration to inspire her children. “My greatest motivation is my kids, and I want to be able to tell them, ‘It was tough, but I did it,’” she said in a statement obtained by CSU News, setting an example of perseverance and commitment for her family and community alike.
