Sydney Bryson has a long-term goal: to keep the planet ecologically sound and sustainable for the next generation. Thanks to the knowledge she has gained in N.C. A&T’s Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, she’s one step closer to that goal.

“When I was young, seeing single-use plastics or machinery that’s not built to last, and later, seeing the consequences of hurricanes, longer droughts and wildfires that come as a result of irresponsible agricultural practices — it made me upset,” said Bryson. “Being able to tackle (those issues) will help improve our environment and make it last for future generations.”

Now a graduate of the sustainable land and food systems program, Bryson has seen her choice to come to N.C. A&T pay off.

“I knew I wanted a major in sustainability and environmental aid, and A&T was the only university at the time that not just had a major, but had a good, well-funded research program that was focused on sustainability,” she said.

Bryson applied and was accepted into the college’s Undergraduate Research Scholar Program in 2025. She began working with soil scientist Arnab Bhowmik, Ph.D., on his project targeting root trait analysis in fiber hemp. His study particularly emphasized nitrogen cycling and soil processes in the area around the root.

“Fiber hemp is a multibillion-dollar crop with major industrial uses such as textiles, bioplastics, insulations, and it’s a zero-waste material compared to the raw materials used in the manufacturing of these products,” Bryson said. “Nitrogen is a major nutrient for the plant, and the root traits of fiber hemp haven't been studied well, so we want to see how root characteristics are influenced by nitrogen in soil.”

This research benefits growers, who need to know the proper way to apply the nitrogen for the type of fertilizers they have chosen. It also helps small farmers by making fiber hemp a more easily accessible, niche crop as well as an alternative cover crop to grow during winter seasons, Bryson said.

For the project, Bryson collected hemp root and soil samples of K-Yuma and K-Shama cultivars in their vegetative stage (eight weeks after planting) and harvest stage (14-16 weeks after planting). Each cultivar was tested in three different nitrogen-based treatments: a control group; urea (a colorless, odorless organic compound); and an integrated chemical and organic treatment.

After cleaning, storage, scanning, filtration and wet plate analysis, the team found that the K-Shama variety, in its vegetative state, had a flatter root length with more variety at harvest, while K-Yuma had a more consistent response to fertilizer treatments. That indicated that the two varieties of fiber hemp have different reactions to inorganic nitrogen, affecting their water and nutrient absorption. More study will be needed before the team can make a definite recommendation on how farmers should adjust their nitrogen levels in their crops, however, Bryson said.

Now in graduate school, Bryson is still a part of the project team, thanks in part to a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

As a merit-based fellowship, the fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM education. Nationwide, only 12 to 16% of applicants are chosen for the fellowship.

“(I was in) pure disbelief that I’d won this,” said Bryson, who is majoring in sustainable land and food systems. “I had applied last year and figured, ‘What’s the harm?’ You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.' "

“Through her work in the URSP Scholars Program, Sydney developed the research independence, technical skills, and scientific communication abilities that the NSF was looking for in its criteria,” said Bhowmik. “The program enabled her to conduct original research with clear intellectual merit while addressing broader impacts related to sustainable agriculture.”