Belhaven Faculty and Students Showcase Research at Inaugural MERIC Conference

JACKSON, Miss. (September 24, 2026) — Belhaven University faculty and students played a significant role in the inaugural Mississippi Emerging Research Institution Council (MERIC) One-Day Conference, held September 12 at Millsaps College.

The conference brought together approximately 160 faculty members and students from 14 institutions across Mississippi. More than 100 undergraduate and graduate students participated in oral and poster presentations spanning the sciences, mathematics, engineering and other disciplines.

Belhaven students presented research in chemistry, biology and mathematics. Their projects explored topics ranging from pharmaceutical analysis and human kinases to predictive analytics and mathematical applications. Several participated in MERIC’s Future Scholars initiative, which allows students to present proposed research and receive feedback before beginning their projects.

“This conference gave our students an opportunity to present their work, meet researchers from across Mississippi and see themselves as members of a larger scholarly community,” said Dr. Brandon Magers, professor and chair of chemistry and physics at Belhaven. “It was exciting to see so many students and faculty members connecting across institutions and disciplines. The strong response to this first conference demonstrates both the quality of research taking place at Mississippi’s emerging research institutions and the value of working together.”

Five Belhaven faculty members attended the conference, supporting student presenters and connecting with fellow researchers. Magers served on the conference organizing committee and led “Decoding Grad School,” a professional development workshop designed to help undergraduate students better understand graduate education and the graduate-school experience. 

Belhaven’s American Chemical Society Student Chapter also sponsored conference door prizes and an interactive stamp-card activity designed to encourage participants to visit presentations and engage with fellow attendees.

Established in 2025, MERIC fosters research collaboration, resource sharing and professional connections among Mississippi institutions where research is not the primary mission. The council represents 11 colleges and universities across the state, including Belhaven.

The success of the first One-Day Conference created a foundation for additional collaboration among faculty members and students throughout Mississippi.