Tyler Sowers, still only a junior, has already made discoveries that have been recognized world-wide. Sowers is studying soil science and has been working on research that will help control erosion.

He developed a method to detect the levels of polyacrylamide (PAM) in an aqueous solution. PAM is used in erosion control — it is put on soil to keep the land from eroding away on construction sites and farm land. 

“PAM works by attaching itself to the soil and causes it to flocculate, or to bind together and to drop out of the water [that is eroding the land],” Sowers said. However, there was no portable way to measure how much PAM is in a given solution. 

“Tyler has been working on a way to quantify polyacrylamides (PAM), which is a polymer in water treatment and erosion control,” said Owen Duckworth, an assistant professor of soil biogeochemistry in the department of soil science. Sowers has been working with Duckworth for a year and a half.

Sowers used an older method, which was previously used in water treatment and paper processing, and adapted it to detect the amount of PAM in a water system. He took a portable turbidity meter, which measures how misty a solution is, and instead discovered a way to use it on site to measure PAM levels in water. 

“This allows researchers to analyze the amount of runoff,” Duckworth said. “It’s important from a regulatory perspective for understanding how PAM is moving in the environment.”

Sowers began his research on PAM last summer. Like many researchers, Sowers worked with various methods before finding the correct one. Initially, Sowers was using the same type of turbidity meter to measure the amounts of PAM bound to the soil, instead of in the water. However, this wasn’t working well. Eventually, Sowers realized that he could apply the same method to measure PAM levels within the water with much greater success. 

Sowers’ research has the potential to widen the use of PAM not only in the research setting but the private sector as well. This will be beneficial for the environment because while there are many other chemicals that perform similar functions to PAM, many of them are much more toxic. 

Sowers presented his findings for the Soil Science Society of N.C. in January and received first place in the poster competition. He also won second place when he presented at the International Erosion Control Association conference in San Diego. On Wednesday, Sowers presented for the Undergraduate Research Symposium here at N.C. State. 

Despite all of the attention that this discovery has brought Sowers, he still gives credit to Duckworth for the opportunity to join in on the research. Sowers is from the small town of Peletier, NC, and according to Duckworth, is very humble. In fact, Sowers described one of the most exciting parts of his research was the chance to travel to San Diego.

“Tyler is a very excited and dedicated student,” Duckworth said.

Duckworth emphasized the importance of student research and how beneficial it can be to undergraduate students. 

“Tyler plans to go to grad school and this research experience will be very important for him as he moves forward.”

Sowers’ achievement during his undergraduate career serves a great example for fellow N.C. State students. There are many opportunities for students to get involved in very important research, and while they may still be undergrads their research could lead to a very promising discovery. 

“Student research is a great platform for anything students want to do,” Duckworth said. Even students who do not plan to continue into graduate school can benefit from participating in research.