KU celebrates undergraduate research
LAWRENCE — Over 215 undergraduate students participated in the 25th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium this year at the University of Kansas. The symposium was entirely online and features oral and poster presentations as well as artist talks and creative displays from many disciplines. Presentations can still be viewed on the Symposium website.
On May 4, the Center for Undergraduate Research celebrated the achievements of symposium presenters and acknowledged the hard work and dedication of students and their mentors despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic over the last few years.
“The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of the ways undergraduates conduct research and interact with their mentors,” said Alison Olcott, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research. “Nevertheless, students have persevered and continue to pursue impactful research and creative projects across all disciplines at the University of Kansas.”
ACE Talks
The ACE Talks are the keynote presentations for the online symposium. These talks showcase students presenting their research and creative projects in an (A)ccesible, (C)reative and (E)ngaging way. Students applied to give an ACE Talk by submitting an abstract of their work and a short video of themselves talking about their project. ACE Talk presenters each receive $500 and have a video of their presentation posted on the Symposium homepage of the 2022 website. The 2022 ACE Talk winners:
- William Davis, a psychology major from Overland Park, “Psychological Correlates of Driving after Cannabis Use among US and Canadian Adults,” mentored by Michael Amlung, associate director for training, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction & Treatment.
- Lily Nguyen, global & international studies and East Asian studies (Japanese) major from Wichita, “Expressions of Nationalism and Patriotism in Chinese Hip-hop Lyrics,” mentored by Brian Lagotte, assistant teaching professor, Center for Global & International Studies.
- Giovanna Pastore, global & international studies major from Asuncion, Paraguay, “Preparation and Access to College Education for Public vs. Private School Students in Paraguay,” mentored by Brian Lagotte, assistant teaching professor, Center for Global & International Studies.
Outstanding Presentation Awards
Volunteer judges selected 39 presentations to receive Outstanding Presentation Awards, listed below. Award recipients each receive a $50 award. The 2022 Outstanding Presentation Award winners are listed by name, hometown, major, link to presentation and mentor:
Chris Acker, economics major from Wichita, “Do High Incarceration Rates Raise Unemployment?,” mentored by Dietrich Earnhart, professor of economics.
Yasmine Adrian, global & international studies major from Arlington, Virginia, “Refugee Stories: The Challenges of Integration in Germany,” mentored by Brian Lagotte.
Ahmad Baset Azizi, global & international studies major from Kabul, Afghanistan, “The U.S. War and Withdrawal from Afghanistan,” mentored by Brian Lagotte.
Gabrielle Birney, design-photography major from Sedgwick, “Searching,” mentored by Lilly McElroy, assistant teaching professor of photography.
Jordan Bramble, mathematics major from Leavenworth, “Spatial Trends of Tick-Borne Diseases, Climate, and Geography in the United States: Identifying Clusters of States via Network Analysis,” mentored by Folashade Agusto, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology.
Maura Corder, communication studies major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Layers of Electronic Intimacy in Americans’ Personal Networks,” mentored by Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies.
Nathan Do, biochemistry major from Wichita, “Determining the Activity of Glycogen Phosphorylase b of with Various Effectors,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman, professor of molecular biosciences.
Abigail Driggers, behavioral neuroscience major from Hillsboro, “Prediction and Integration in Listening Comprehension: A Pilot Study of Autism,” mentored by Meghan Davidson, assistant professor of speech-language-hearing.
Jack Harte, geography major from Leawood, “The Ogallala Aquifer: Examining the Processes of Depletion Resulting from Governmental and Economic Policies,” mentored by Terrianne Lavin, assistant teaching professor of geography & atmospheric science.
Amanda Hertel, chemical engineering major from Shawnee, “Tau and Lipid Dysregulation in Alzheimer's Disease,” mentored by Prajnaparamita Dhar, professor of chemical & petroleum engineering.
Madison Holloway, English major from Overland Park, “Web Dream,” mentored by Megan Kaminski, associate professor of English.
Jake Jardon, biochemistry major from Lansing, “The Interactions of Korean Panax Ginseng on Glycogen Phosphorylase b and Its Subsequent Effect on Enzyme Kinetics,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman.
Natalie Lamb, psychology and applied behavioral science major from Olathe, “Perceptions of Deserved Parental Leave for Adoptive and Birth Parents,” mentored by Monica Biernat, University Distinguished Professor of Psychology.
Alexander Lamoureux, architecture major from Murray, Nebraska, “The Museum of Vanishing Arts,” mentored by Kapila Silva, professor of architecture.
Wanheng Li, behavioral neuroscience major from China, “Evaluating the evidence on the Duchenne smile and felt positive emotion," mentored by Jeffrey Girard, assistant professor of psychology.
Mikala Liley, architecture major from Jackson, Missouri, “Museum of Plant-Based Nutrition,” mentored by Kapila Silva.
Logan Longacre, atmospheric science major from Haysville, “Are Low-Latitude Cloud Properties Changing with Hadley Cell Expansion?,” mentored by Justin Stachnik, assistant professor of geography & atmospheric science.
Lauren Louise-Stallings, environmental studies major, “The Ogallala Aquifer: A Crisis in the Great Plains,” mentored by Ali Brox.
Chi Dung Luu, biochemistry major from Lawrence, “Effects of Matcha Powder on The Activity of Glycogen Phosphorylase b,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman.
Karlin Mcgarvey, speech-language-hearing major from Ankeny, Iowa, “The Influence of Sample Length on Reliability of Language Sample Measures for Young Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children,” mentored by Jena McDaniel, postdoctoral researcher, Kansas Center for Autism Research & Training.
Alyssa Morrell, chemical & petroleum engineering major from Topeka, “Investigating Female Predisposition to Musculoskeletal Disease Through in Vitro Spheroid Models of Meniscal Fibrocartilage,” mentored by Jennifer Robinson, assistant professor of chemical & petroleum engineering.
Neal Niceswanger, environmental studies major from Olathe, “The Ogallala Aquifer: A Crisis in the Great Plains,” mentored by Ali Brox.
Natalie Nickels, archaeology major from Lenexa, “Establishing Protocols for Digitally Cataloguing, Curation, and Dissemination of 3D Imagery in Archaeology,” mentored by Frederic Sellet, associate professor of anthropology.
Morgan Oliver, speech-language-hearing major from Topeka, “The Influence of Sample Length on Reliability of Language Sample Measures for Young Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children,” mentored by Jena McDaniel.
Rachell Orce, global & international studies, political science and German studies major from Manhattan, “Investigating Right-Wing Extremism in Former East Germany,” mentored by Andrea Meyertholen, assistant professor of German studies.
Sophia Pascente, environmental studies and political science major from Crystal Lake, Illinois, “The Ogallala Aquifer: A Crisis in the Great Plains,” mentored by Ali Brox.
Charlie Pott, photography major from Kansas City, Missouri, “Red Album,” mentored by Lilly McElroy.
Lauren Prehn, speech-language-hearing major from Overland Park, “A Comparison of Parent-Report Social Communication Assessments in School-Age Children with ASD,” mentored by Meghan Davidson.
Sam Prusak, geography and environmental studies major from Montgomery, Illinois, “The Ogallala Aquifer: Examining the Processes of Depletion Resulting from Governmental and Economic Policies,” mentored by Terrianne Lavin, assistant teaching professor of geography & atmospheric science.
Amy Qiang, biochemistry major from Lenexa, “The Effect of Honey on Regulating Glycogen Phosphorylase b Activity,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman.
Isabel Radley, global & international studies and geography major from Prairie, Minnesota, “The Ogallala Aquifer: Examining the Processes of Depletion Resulting from Governmental and Economic Policies,” mentored by Terrianne Lavin.
Carlos Schwindt, microbiology major from La Crosse, “Understanding the Mask Mycobiome,” mentored by Benjamin Sikes.
Kaya Shafer, women, gender & sexuality studies major from Lawrence, "F*** Me Like You Hate Me": Feminist Defenses of Submissive Sex,” mentored by Stacey Vanderhurst, assistant professor of women, gender & sexuality studies.
Gretchen Snyder, geography and environmental studies major from Leawood, “The Ogallala Aquifer: Examining the Processes of Depletion Resulting from Governmental and Economic Policies,” mentored by Terrianne Lavin.
Nathan Standard, women, gender & sexuality studies major from Emporia, “Enby Expecting: Experiences of Non-Binary Pregnancy,” mentored by Stacey Vanderhurst.
Joshua Winscott, biochemistry major from Shawnee, “Jet-Alert’s effects on Glycogen Phosphorylase b’s Reaction Kinetics,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman.
Hunter Woosley, biochemistry and physics major from Leawood, “The Effects of Glucose 6-Phosphate and Splenda Artificial Sweetener on Glycogen Phosphorylase b,” mentored by Roberto De Guzman.
Kaci Zarek, environmental studies, Norfolk, Nebraska, “The Ogallala Aquifer: A Crisis in the Great Plains,” mentored by Ali Brox.
Camron Zerr, geography major from Overland Park, “The Ogallala Aquifer: Examining the Processes of Depletion Resulting from Governmental and Economic Policies,” mentored by Terrianne Lavin.
Photo: The ACE talk winners (left to right) William Davis, Lily Nguyen, Giovanna Pastore.