Three teams of engineering students in 91ɬ��’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing competed in the Cast in Steel 2025 national competition hosted by the . University teams across the country were challenged to design, cast and test a fully functional replica of one of George Washington’s swords to honor the nation’s 250th birthday. 

The Georgia Southern teams’ efforts, ranging from award-winning casting to overcoming complex engineering bottlenecks, are showcased in a multi-part docu-video series on the official YouTube channel, which debuted its first episode on July 9.

Using 100% in-house manufacturing capabilities and lab facilities, each Georgia Southern team successfully recreated a distinct blade from Washington’s historic collection that was then tested in a series of physical and performance challenges judged by industry experts. 

Team 1: Partners in Crime

This small but highly efficient two-man unit, consisting of students Noah Brack and Xander Bowen, took inspiration from Washington’s famous pre-Revolutionary War Hunting Cuttoe, which features a lion’s head pommel. Changing out the lion’s head for an eagle’s head, the team produced a cast steel blade using an in-house no-bake sand mold, an investment-cast brass crossguard and pommel, and a forged tang for optimal mechanical strength.

Competition judge Dave Baker praised their work, noting, “I was so excited to go in and test this sword. This is one of the lightest, quickest, most accurate blades we had on the table… Castings are really beautifully done, and it has a beautiful edge.”  

The duo captured 1st place for Best Casting and 3rd place for Best Authentic George Washington Sword nationally. Their is available to watch now. 

Team 2: Southern Steel Company

This five-member group combined the efforts of four sophomores: Drew Kuiters, Alexander Juarez, Nathaniel Giddens and Nathan Holmes under the mentorship of graduate student, Michael Jones.

For the sophomores’ first-ever casting project, they tackled the legendary Bailey Silver & Ivory Hilted Cuttoe. This iconic sword is one of the most famous and recognizable swords of the American Revolution, often referred to as George Washington’s “battle sword.” The ambitious project featured a flawlessly poured no-bake cast steel blade, and investment-cast stainless steel guards and pommels built using lost-wax mastery. 

“Forged in Fire” star and competition judge Ben Abbott highly commended the ergonomics, stating, “There’s a lot to love about this sword. The feel of the handle, it’s big, but it’s comfortable. The casting of the guard is really good. It performed really well.” 

Watch the Southern Steel Company compete in available now!  

Team 3: The Three Musketeers

Composed of Adnan Adib, Ahamed Shamsul Alam and James Votava, this team overcame severe engineering bottlenecks while replicating George Washington’s 1767 é��é��, a slender fencing sword with aggressive curved surfaces, to achieve a flawless blade. 

The blade’s ultra-thin geometry caused repeated “hot tear” defects during manufacturing. Through continuous trial and error, the team adjusted their gating designs to achieve a flawless blade cast via a no-bake sand mold. They used precision CNC machining to fabricate the intricate details of the crossguard and pommel, which featured eagle wings.

Praising both the aesthetics and the technical execution, competition judge Phillip Harrison remarked, “Beautiful, beautiful work. I loved it. The eagle and wings design was great, and they did such a great hardening job on it.” Watch The Three Musketeers compete in .

Mingzhi Xu, Ph.D., Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) key professor and Association of Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) professor, was thrilled with each of the teams and their work. 

“This project wasn’t just about metal; it was about blending tradition with innovation,” Xu said. “Each team brought creativity, skill and determination to this challenge. Every setback taught us something new, and the final products stand as a testament to these students’ skill and perseverance.”

The Manufacturing Engineering program at 91ɬ�� stands out for its state-of-the-art laboratories and fully operational metalcasting foundry, where expert faculty guide students to gain vital, real-world experience. A legacy of success in the national Cast in Steel competition highlights the program’s exceptional quality, which is further strengthened by active partnerships with industry alumni and organizations like . 

As one of only 30 institutions across North America supported by the , Georgia Southern continues to provide hands-on, industry-aligned pathways that prepare the next generation of metallurgical professionals to secure the future of the metalcasting industry.

Incoming freshman Jaida Bedgood won’t be new to Georgia Southern this fall. She’s been part of the Eagle family since high school.

“When I was in 10th grade, I started dual enrollment at the Armstrong Campus. I just loved the tight-knit and community-based atmosphere. And I was like, you know what? I’m already an Eagle. This is my school,” she said. 

Graduating at the top of her class from Alfred Ely Beach High School, Bedgood learned she had been chosen for the highly selective scholarship while at work. She recalled the moment she briefly checked her emails, discovering her acceptance. 

“I was about to take my lunch break, and I realized that I had two email notifications. When I looked further, I noticed the ‘congratulations’ at the top of my screen. My coworker comforted me, because I couldn’t help but cry a little,” Bedgood remembered. 

Launched in 2017 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Scholarship provides total coverage of the cost of attendance for college, including tuition, fees, housing, meal plans, transportation and additional personal expenses. Thousands of students apply each year, only a fraction are selected for the scholarship.

“I was still in shock when I got home,” Bedgood continued. “I remember calmly telling my mom, Ashley, I had been chosen. She was overjoyed. I’ve always been able to call my mom when I need the support. She’s always there for me whether I need advice or someone to just listen. Both of my parents, my sister and best friend are a major part of my journey.”

Bedgood will officially begin her undergraduate degree in biology in less than a month. But her work in the Savannah community has already begun, serving as an active member of the NAACP. In addition, she’s already secured her first internship opportunity. Last April, Bedgood attended the Big Tide Summit, earning the opportunity to be a “Big Med for the Day” participant. In August, she will shadow physicians at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. 

Bedgood will also enter the Georgia Southern Honors College and be part of the first freshman class to experience the Center for Forensic Sciences. According to Bedgood, the numerous opportunities for learning and networking are both exciting and invaluable. 

“I’m looking forward to the internships and undergraduate research opportunities provided by the Honors College. My goal is to become a doctor, and I plan on going into forensic pathology in the future. I saw the announcement of the center on the local news, and it made me even more confident in my decision to choose Georgia Southern – like it was made for me.”

For other students hoping to follow in her footsteps. Bedgood says it’s important to remember that your future self will be thankful for the person you are today. 

“You have to think about where you came from and where you want to go,” she said. “What do you want out of life? You’re doing this for your future self, and your future self will thank you.”

The Panhellenic sorority community on 91ɬ��’s Statesboro Campus is growing with the addition of Alpha Chi Omega in fall 2027.

The Panhellenic Association began the process of inviting another sorority to Georgia Southern in fall 2025 following one of its largest recruitment cycles. This process, known as extension, provided National Panhellenic Conference sororities not currently represented on campus the opportunity to express interest in establishing a chapter. As a result, the Panhellenic sorority community voted to invite Alpha Chi Omega to establish a chapter next year.

“The Panhellenic Association at 91ɬ�� is overjoyed to welcome Alpha Chi Omega to our campus,” said Grace Pham, president of the Georgia Southern Panhellenic Association. “The organization’s values and mission align beautifully with our Greek community and purpose.

“The addition of Alpha Chi Omega marks a meaningful and exciting new chapter that will bring new opportunities for sisterhood, connection and growth not only for fraternity and sorority life, but also for Georgia Southern and the greater Statesboro community.”

The Panhellenic Association on the Statesboro Campus is currently composed of seven sororities with more than 1,800 students.

“Alpha Chi Omega is honored to join the Panhellenic community at 91ɬ�� to bring the ‘Real. Strong. Women. Experience’ to women on campus,” said Alpha Chi Omega National President Jennifer Daurora. “We look forward to partnering with the fraternity and sorority community to develop and empower women so they can become the very best versions of themselves.”

For more information, contact the Panhellenic Association at pha@georgiasouthern.edu or the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at ofsl@georgiasouthern.edu.

Georgia Southern junior Ariana Taylor-Williams will spend her summer in New York City after earning a Schomburg-Mellon fellowship. This prestigious opportunity will allow her to advance her undergraduate research on the Harlem Renaissance by giving her access to unique documents in the New York Public Library’s extensive archives.

“Being able to do research with primary sources is a big deal,” said Taylor-Williams. “This will be the highest level of research I have gotten to do and I’m really excited for the opportunity. It’s exactly what I need to be able to advance my thesis.”

The Schomburg-Mellon fellowship is given to 10 rising college seniors annually.

Taylor-Williams is an Honors College student double-majoring in history and English while working as an archivist in the Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections. She is the head delegate of the University’s Model United Nations team and the vice president of Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society. Her research into the effects of Cumberland Island’s commercial development on the Gullah Geechee community earned her the history department’s Richard S. Beene Scholarship. Now she is preparing her Honors thesis: “Harlem’s Federal Writers: Transnationalists, Humanitarians, and Public Historians,” which examines how the work of African American authors in the 1930s contributed to the preservation of American history. 

Associate Professor of History Julie de Chantal, Ph.D., noted that Taylor-Williams took her work beyond expectations when teaming up with graduate students to produce an exhibit on American Independence.

“She operates at a level I have never seen before and she is tenacious like no other,” said de Chantal. “She has a profound ability to read text and subtext, so she finds patterns nobody else sees.”

Taylor-Williams believes her success in so many fields comes from the supportive environment created by Georgia Southern faculty.

“Attending Georgia Southern is one of the best decisions I have made,” said Taylor-Williams. “I feel very lucky to have gotten these opportunities because not many students, especially in my field of archives, get to do this as an undergraduate student. All of the different extracurricular activities I have been able to hold leadership positions in, that’s not something you see at a lot of other universities.”

De Chantal notes that a common theme in Taylor-Williams’s studies is using her own success to help others grow.

“Not only does she excel in her own work, she helps others to accomplish their goals too,” said de Chantal. “With the Model U.N., she’s not only using the feedback that the faculty give her on her submissions, she shares the lessons that she learns with high school students whom she mentors. She does not just take knowledge in, she gives it back.”

As Taylor-Williams prepares for a busy summer filled with rare books and handwritten notes, she already has her sights set on her next educational challenge. 

“I plan to get my master’s in history and library science because I really want to pursue a career as an archivist,” said Taylor-Williams. “Once I started working in Special Collections at the library, I realized it combines both history and English, so that became my goal. I want to do hands-on work that will help preserve historical documents for future generations to make their own discoveries.”

Ariyana Braxton, radiation therapy student at 91ɬ��’s Waters College of Health Professions and native of Savannah, has been selected to participate in the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Student to Leadership Development Program. This competitive three-year initiative is designed to cultivate future leaders in medical imaging and radiation therapy. Braxton is one of three students representing the state of Georgia at the national level.

The Student to Leadership Development Program provides selected students with opportunities to attend educational sessions, engage in national conferences and build meaningful mentorship relationships with professionals in the field. The program is designed to strengthen students’ leadership abilities while expanding their professional networks.

“Being selected for this program is truly an honor,” Braxton said. “It’s an opportunity to grow beyond the classroom, connect with professionals across the country and develop the leadership skills that will shape my future as a radiation therapist.”

After discussing the opportunity with a classmate, Braxton felt inspired to apply to the program. She’s eager to gain greater insight into the field that she feels passionate about.

“Radiation therapy is a close-knit field, and building professional relationships is so important,” she said. “I’m excited to meet students from other programs, learn from experienced professionals and really put myself out there within the profession.”

Through the program, Braxton hopes to gain deeper insight into the day-to-day realities of working in radiation therapy while developing practical leadership skills she can carry forward

“I’m looking forward to learning what it takes to succeed in this field and gaining mentorship that will help guide me through the rest of my program and into my professional career,” she said. “The opportunity to participate in monthly mentorship meetings and attend the conference is something I’m especially excited about.”

Braxton credits the chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences Laurie Adams, Ed.D., lecturer and clinical coordinator Theaonica Roberts, and senior lecturer and clinical coordinator Kerry Dunn, Ed.D., for introducing her to the program and encouraging her to apply.

Her selection reflects both her initiative and the strength of Georgia Southern’s radiation therapy program in preparing students for national-level professional engagement and leadership.

Morgan Kieffer, a 91ɬ�� sport management master’s student, is proof that classroom lessons can launch students into life-changing, real-world experiences.

Born and raised in Sharpsburg, Georgia, she grew up playing soccer and describes herself as naturally competitive. While she continues to compete on a semi-pro team out of Dublin, Georgia, she looks for ways to grow professionally on the administrative side of her favorite sports.

That lifelong passion for athletics eventually steered her toward a career in sports nutrition. After completing her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and food science at Georgia Southern, Kieffer immediately transitioned into the University’s sport management master’s program. 

“I go watch a ton of sports anytime I can, and then I just got really intrigued with nutrition and how nutrition really affects the body and performance,” she said. “So, I put two and two together, and thought to myself — that’s what I want to do.”

That passion for performance led her to an international opportunity that few students experience. While researching internships and global networking programs, Kieffer discovered Women in Football, a U.K.-based organization that supports women pursuing careers in the sports industry. When she learned about the group’s annual Women in Football Conference at Wembley Stadium, she applied for both the conference scholarship and a travel grant offered through the Georgia Southern Graduate Student Organization. She was awarded both.

“I thought, ‘I might as well just sign up for one of the free tickets, even though I probably won’t get it,’” she laughed. “And then I got it.”

At the conference, Kieffer joined panels led by international sports leaders and executives from Spain, England and Norway. Speakers discussed topics such as breaking industry barriers and career development for women in football. The experience expanded Kieffer’s understanding of how sports organizations across the world are working to create more equitable opportunities.

Of course, no trip to England is complete without taking in a match. Kieffer attended a national team game at Wembley, where she experienced international soccer culture firsthand.

Not just that, but the second-year graduate student was finally able to watch the sport she loved in one of the game’s most famous venues.

“I was wearing a jersey of one club and someone came up to me and they were just like trying to talk smack about the club,” Kieffer recalled. “So, it was kind of funny how passionate everyone is. It was really cool.”

Second-year electrical engineering major James Eldridge doesn’t boast about the extensive work he does in his hometown of Hinesville, Georgia, but the community notices. From volunteering at his church to helping with the local food drive, Eldridge thrives on giving back to the community that raised him.

“I like to see the community be blessed, and I like to bless the community,” Eldridge said. “Everybody needs a little helping hand now and again, no matter the situation. You could be on your best day or on your worst day, I feel like there’s a way for you to be helped. Just seeing the smiles on faces and knowing that I helped somebody is enough of an impact for me.”

This supportive spirit earned Eldridge recognition by the Liberty County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Association. During their commemorative service, he was awarded the 2026 MLK Youth Award, a recognition that came as a surprise to Eldridge.

“It feels different to be recognized publicly,” Eldridge said. “I’m honored to be recognized, but it’s not something that I personally put out there, and it doesn’t change who I am or what I do. I’m still going to be regular James, and I’m going to continue to do the things that I always do.”

Starting his degree at Georgia Southern’s Liberty Campus in Hinesville allowed Eldridge to continue serving his home community while bridging the gap in demands between high school and higher education.

“Starting locally was very good for me,” Eldridge said. “It allowed me to get my feet wet and learn what needs to be done and what doesn’t. Starting college, it’s easy to get off track, and I didn’t want to be off track. The people at the Liberty Campus are like a family, and Georgia Southern has truly been a part of my growth as a young adult because they guided me and pushed me to be more, or as we’d say, to soar.”

His desire to study engineering began at a young age and was tied to his hope to impact change in communities like his own.

“I’ve been on track for engineering since the fifth grade,” Eldridge said. “I’ve always had a passion for doing stuff with my hands, being creative, but I wanted to know that I could fix things for myself. Working as an engineer means I have the chance to improve outdated infrastructure for the country and make an impact in rural communities.”

Eldridge has been surrounded by support throughout his time at Georgia Southern, but his biggest supporter, his grandfather, inspired more than just his commitment to academic excellence; he inspired his long-term goals.

“My grandpa served more than 21 years in the Army after being drafted,” Eldridge said. “He is my biggest role model and has always encouraged me. He’s what you would look for in a grandfather and much more. After I graduate with my degree in electrical engineering, I plan to commission as an officer into the Air Force and serve my country like he did.”

Eldridge sees serving in the military as a continuation of his desire to serve those around him and the fulfillment of his dreams. The one constant in his motivation is his drive to always care for those in need.

“I grew up watching celebrities going back to help their hometowns after they had gone off and made their millions,” Eldridge said. “I thought, why not start now? It would be great if I had more to give, but what I have now is enough and could inspire others to start giving back, too. I just want to be established in life enough to be able to support myself. And if somebody else needs help, to be able to support them. That’s the grand goal.”

Every day, 40,000 cars cross the I-40 Hernando DeSoto bridge between Memphis, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The bridge, built in 1973, is made of corrugated metal and twisted steel, towering above the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. 

In 2021, a worker with the Arkansas Department of Transportation discovered a major crack in one of the steel support beams during an inspection. The fracture was so severe that the bridge was closed for three months for emergency repairs, costing approximately $10 million. 

91ɬ�� manufacturing engineering student Chowdhury Irtiza says he followed the news closely.

“The Department of Transportation found that they’d made a repair before to fix the problem,” he explained. “But that repair didn’t take properly because they failed to detect another internal crack.” 

Irtiza says it’s difficult to find these cracks because of the bridge’s structural nature. 

“This is a very big, very massive structure,” he said. “You cannot slice every single part and see if a defect exists. To do that, you need to use nondestructive testing.”

This is usually done with ultrasound technology. Engineers send out a high-frequency sound wave that produces an echo when it hits a crack. That echo generates information for the engineer to interpret and assess the structure’s condition.     

But Irtiza has found a way to produce even more accurate, detailed reports.   

“Cracks are difficult to detect with conventional ultrasound testing,” explained Irtiza. “That’s why we use the total focusing method.” 

Total focusing is an enhanced technique for collecting the maximum amount of raw echo data possible to produce an accurate simulation.

“By combining simulations with the total focusing method, we’re able to produce inspections that yield a 15% increase in crack signal detection in comparison to standard conventional methods,” he said.

This major quality improvement gives engineers a more detailed understanding of the bridge, giving all drivers the chance for a safe commute. Irtiza says it’s all about finding the right frequency.

“You have to find the optimal frequency to get the best image of the defect,” he said. “This helps save time and money, because you can’t just do trial and error to figure that out. I know that from experience.”

His experience came from a deep love for engineering, which took him from Bangladesh all the way to Statesboro.  

“I didn’t know a lot about ultrasound or how it worked before coming here,” said Irtiza. “I was already working as a casting engineer, but I was fascinated at the thought of using ultrasound to tweak the material properties of the materials I worked on.” 

That’s how he met his mentor, Georgia Southern manufacturing engineering Associate Professor Hossein Taheri, Ph.D., working in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. Their first emails quickly led to a close working relationship, with Taheri offering Irtiza the chance to come to Statesboro to assist his research.

“Dr. Taheri is one of the pioneers of this method of ultrasound testing,” Irtiza explained. “The work he’s doing is really incredible.” 

Their working relationship became an important one to Irtiza. 

“I’m actually very grateful to have him as a mentor,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot of scary things from my friends at other universities. Their professors are really strict and not very approachable. But Dr. Taheri has always encouraged students to share their thoughts and questions.” 

Irtiza credits this relationship as a source of inspiration when it came to taking his ultrasound research from the lab to the convention floor — specifically, the poster competition at the International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition in Memphis.

“There were a lot of Ph.D. students from very big universities,” said Irtiza. “Their papers had multiple authors, and they came from big research groups. I was definitely wondering if my work would be recognized.”   

He says it didn’t initially register when he heard his name called as the winner of the best research award. 

“I couldn’t understand the emotions that hit when they announced my name,” he explained. “But then I found my professor and told him. And he was so happy for me, and that’s when I realized what I had done. It was a major accomplishment, and it felt good.”

Irtiza plans to continue his time at Georgia Southern by pursuing his doctorate in engineering.

“The research I’m doing is actively making an impact in the field of nondestructive testing,” he said. “I’m able to do that because of the investments Georgia Southern is making in the field of research. It’s inspired me to make more investments in myself and my career as well.”

“I would struggle, I would flounder, I would face loss,” said graduate Susan Hamilton. “I would rise, I would thrive, I would succeed. My personal journey to graduation has been long and hard, but I knew I was always on the right path.”

Hamilton’s collegiate journey began over 25 years ago with an associate degree, and through the years, she faced many twists and turns, hills and valleys, on what seemed to be an endless road to her dream of attaining a master’s degree. 

For Hamilton, that day is finally here as she walks onto the stage once again and receives her Master of Arts in social sciences degree.

“I can’t believe I’m finally here!” said Hamilton. “It feels like a lifetime ago I received my first degree, and now, I’m completing my educational journey with my master’s degree. Over 25 years later, my dream, my parents’ dream for me, has finally been realized.”

After earning her associate degree in marketing, Hamilton was married and soon welcomed a baby boy. 

“I wanted to get my bachelor’s degree, but I needed to take a step back and focus on raising my son,” she said. “I always kept my dream of completing my education simmering in the background. At that time in my life, we were young and just starting out with a new baby. I didn’t think we could afford it both financially and from a time perspective.”

Hamilton has always been drawn to education since both of her parents were teachers with advanced degrees. After a few life changes, she wanted to work with students in some way so she began her career at 91ɬ��. 

After three years, she was established in her role and felt it was the right time to get started on the path to earn her bachelor’s degree. 

“I knew about the TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) for full-time employees and at 42 years old, I was finally at a place in my life where I was ready!” she said. “I applied as a transfer student and was accepted the following semester. I couldn’t believe my dream was finally going to come true— to finish my undergraduate degree I started when I was 18 years old!”

However, life had other plans. Shortly after beginning her undergraduate program, Hamilton lost her father to Alzheimer’s Disease and became the full-time caregiver to her ailing mother. “I lost my hero,” she said. “How was I supposed to finish school, be a mom and caregiver and work full-time? I wanted to give up, but I kept hearing my dad’s voice, ‘You’re not done. You can do this.’” 

Five years later, pushing through many obstacles and hardships, she graduated in the spring of 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in human and family development at the same time her son graduated with his degree from Ogeechee Technical College. Not only did Hamilton achieve one of her life-long dreams, she also watched her son achieve his own dream at the same time.

 “Achieving one of my dreams was hard-fought and felt amazing, but watching my son walk across the stage to accept his degree in a field he was passionate about, was even more fulfilling than I could ever imagine,” she said. 

Hamilton kept that positive momentum going and began the master of social science program with a concentration in sociology in the fall of 2024. But life had one more major twist in store for her. 

“On the first day of my master’s program, my mother unexpectedly passed away,” she recounted. “Here I was again, beginning a degree program with the loss of my last living parent. Like before, I considered giving up because the loss just seemed too heavy to continue. I didn’t know how I could move forward without my parents guiding me through graduate school. They had walked that same graduate journey, and I had been depending on them to help me through it, but now they were both gone. But, I had come too far to stop now. I had to keep going – I wasn’t done yet.”

With a heavy heart and uncertain future, Hamilton was going through her mother’s personal papers and found an old thesis her mother had worked on many years before. Reading through it, she felt the heaviness in her heart lighten. 

“As I read over her work, I was able to better understand some difficult material I had been struggling with that semester,” she said. “It was just the sign I needed to not give up and to keep going on the path to earn my master’s degree. I knew both my parents were with me and I wouldn’t have to do it alone.” 

One year later, Hamilton is fulfilling her dream. She will take the last steps on a long and challenging path as she walks onto the stage and receives her master’s degree. 

“I know my parents are proud,” she said. “They always had faith in me, even when I didn’t have faith in myself. The road was long and I didn’t follow a traditional path, but I always had my parents and my family supporting me along the way. Education is a lifelong journey with many starts and stops, it’s not just a destination.” 

Hamilton’s journey will continue and her new path begins as a Double Eagle. 

“I’m not sure exactly what direction I will take this time, but I look forward to continuing my work at Georgia Southern and my volunteer role at Camp Brightside working with students who have special needs and disabilities,” she said. “Like me, their journeys are filled with many twists and turns, struggles and hardships. I’m ready to help inspire them as they travel down their own paths from education to career to success and achieve their dreams. I know firsthand what it takes to get there, all they need is the courage to soar.” 

The December 2025 issue of “Freshwater Science” will carry special meaning in 91ɬ��’s Department of Biology.

The issue will feature a paper with the late GS biology alumnus José Sánchez-Ruiz as the lead author. The paper,  “,” is the culmination of Sánchez-Ruiz’s graduate research during his time as a master’s student at the University.

Focusing on how environmental changes affect leaf decomposition and their role as an essential food source in aquatic ecosystems, the publication is based on five years of research by Sanchez and his faculty mentor and co-author, Checo Colón-Gaud, Ph.D., professor of biology.

Colón-Gaud says there is cause for celebration any time a student is published. This work, however, is particularly meaningful since it is being published posthumously. 

“I know that all of our students hold a very special place in our lives, but with José it was even more,” he said. “We were both from Puerto Rico, worked in similar systems and with some of the same people, and we shared some unique experiences. This means a lot to me personally.”

After graduating from Georgia Southern, Sánchez-Ruiz pursued a doctorate in ecology at Montana State University. He passed away in 2023 before completing his degree, and the degree was awarded posthumously later that year.

Originally an art major at the University of Puerto Rico, Sánchez-Ruiz was nearing completion of that degree when two science courses changed the trajectory of his life.

“It was kind of amazing that I could go and explore places that I would never imagine existed,” Sánchez-Ruiz . “I thought, ‘So they pay me to be an explorer? To do all of this stuff? To explain the natural world?’ I don’t know. It kind of fit with my personality, and I immediately switched my major to biology.”

In his time as a researcher, Sánchez-Ruiz conducted research across North America and Iceland. A National Science Foundation grant even led to field studies in southern Chile.

In 2016, Sánchez-Ruiz graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a Bachelor of Science in biology. He decided to further his education at Georgia Southern after establishing a relationship with Colón-Gaud during his undergraduate years.

Having found his passion later than most, Sánchez-Ruiz more than made up for lost time. Upon graduation from Georgia Southern, he published six peer-reviewed papers and received the Averitt Award for Research Excellence, the university’s highest honor for graduate research.

Steve Vives, Ph.D., professor of biology at Georgia Southern and former biology department chair, called him an “emerging star in the field of freshwater ecology.”

As impressive as his academic accomplishments were, Sánchez-Ruiz, affectionately known as “Tosti,” is chiefly remembered as a caring friend who was quick to uplift others.

“He was simply a joy to be around,” said Vives. “He was a leader among the graduate students, sometimes as a mentor and role model, but just as often as someone who would be a good and invested listener. He was truly kind.”

His investment in others wasn’t just limited to his fellow students. Sánchez-Ruiz served as a fellow in the Society of Freshwater Science’s , which aim to increase representation from historically underrepresented backgrounds in freshwater science.

When asked in a whether he would recommend a career in biology to those who love science and adventure, he responded with: “Go for it.”

According to his mentor, that three-word phrase captured much of what Sánchez-Ruiz embodied, both in research and in life.

“That was José,” Colón-Gaud said. “He was fearless, intellectually curious and up for anything. This latest publication is indicative of the kind of science José believed in: rigorous, long-term and applicable beyond the boundaries of academia.”