LAWRENCE — This spring, 50 KU students will receive an Undergraduate Research Award (UGRAs).
UGRA recipients are awarded a $1,000 scholarship as they work on mentored research and creative projects.
Students apply for UGRAs by writing a four-page research proposal under the guidance of a mentor. Faculty reviewers evaluate the applications based on the merit of the applicant's proposal, the applicant's academic record and a recommendation from the mentor.
“The process of writing a proposal for the Undergraduate Research Awards provides an opportunity for students to not only plan out their projects, but also to gain experience in grant writing,” said Alison Olcott, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and associate professor in geology. “Doing undergraduate research helps students develop skills that are applicable to all kinds of careers once they leave KU.”
The Center for Undergraduate Research is currently taking applications for the Summer/Fall 2020 UGRA competition. The deadline for student proposals is March 26. More information can be found here: www.ugresearch.ku.edu/ugra
Kansas students receiving awards for spring 2020 are listed below. The full list of recipients is available in the online version of this press release.
Andover
Elizabeth Aikman, a junior from Andover: “Optimizing Pentenoic Acid Substitution for Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels,” mentored by Jennifer Robinson, chemical & petroleum engineering.
Madisen Huscher, a senior from Andover: “Neural Correlates of Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder,” mentored by Matt Mosconi, clinical child psychology.
Basehor
Darian Bequette, a senior from Basehor: “Deluge,” mentored by Maria Velasco, visual art.
Canton
Alicen Meysing, a senior from Canton: “The Interaction of Time and Sleep Quality Following a Traumatic Experience,” mentored by Nancy Hamilton, psychology.
Chapman
Robert Honeychurch, a sophomore from Chapman: “Attributions and Explanations of Cognitively Dissonant Infidelity In Committed Dyads,” mentored by Omri Gillath, psychology.
De Soto
Aaron Fugate, a junior from De Soto: “Determination of Classical Marble Provenance Through Strontium Isotopic Analysis,” mentored by Philip Stinson, classics.
Eudora
Halle Norris, a junior from Eudora: “An Assessment of Token Value and Effectiveness: Does Form Matter?” mentored by Pamela Neidert, applied behavioral sciences.
Garnett
Gwendolyn Sibley, a senior from Garnett: “Coherence in Concrete Poetry and Material,” mentored by Linda Samson Talleur, design.
Hays
Payton Markley, a junior from Hays: “Identification and Characterization of the ELAVL1 Promoter Region,” mentored by Dan Dixon, molecular biosciences.
Lansing
Zachary Atkins, a senior from Lansing: “Towards Optimality of Domain Decomposition Methods for Eigenvalue Problems,” mentored by Agnieszka Miedlar, mathematics.
Lawrence
Natalie Babich, a senior from Lawrence: “Exploring Symptom Pathology in Men with Eating Disorders: A Latent Profile Analysis,” mentored by Kelsie Forbush, clinical psychology.
Mariam Balogun, a senior from Lawrence: “Depolymerization of Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastics by Ozonolysis,” mentored by Bala Subramaniam, chemical & petroleum engineering.
Maya Bluitt, a senior from Lawrence: “Elucidating how Flamingo Selectively Regulates Anteroposterior Axonal Outgrowth of VD Motor Neurons Using MSRB-1 as a Model Protein,” mentored by Brian Ackley, molecular biosciences.
Leo Budy, a senior from Lawrence: “Efficacy of Plant-Based Adsorbents as Pretreatment for Biodiesel Feedstock,” mentored by Susan Williams, chemical & petroleum engineering.
Casey Carlile, a senior from Lawrence: “Merger Signatures in Cold Quasars,” mentored by Allison Kirkpatrick, physics & astronomy.
Haley Cooper, a senior from Lawrence: “Internalized Gendered Racism and Sexual Consent Expectancies,” mentored by Glenn Adams, psychology.
Tyler Duncan, a senior from Lawrence: “Density Functional Theory Characterization of Surface Activities for Niobium-doped Silica Catalysts,” mentored by Ward Thompson, chemistry.
Jessica Grinage, a senior from Lawrence: “Neurological Processing of Pronoun Reference in Second Language Learners,” mentored by Alison Gabriele, linguistics.
Nicholas Monroe, a senior from Lawrence: “CRT TVs: Intersection of Analogue Audio and Visual Art,” mentored by Ingrid Stölzel, music composition.
Pearl Nelson-Greene, a senior from Lawrence: “Nominalization in Badini Kurdish,” mentored by John Gluckman, linguistics.
Abigal Percich, a junior from Lawrence: “Sediment Source Assessment Along an Urban to Rural Transition Using Stable Isotopes and Geochemical Tracers,” mentored by Admin Husic, civil, environmental & architectural engineering.
Joseph Perry, a sophomore from Lawrence: “Fossil Fagalean Fruits Preserved from the Late Cretaceous of British Columbia, Canada,” mentored by Brian Atkinson, ecology & evolutionary biology.
Grace Price, a senior from Lawrence: “Citizenship Education in China: Construction of National Identity in Inland Tibetan Schools,” mentored by Brian Lagotte, global & international studies.
Jeffrey Xu, a senior from Lawrence: “Adaptive Ln Guidance Method,” mentored by Shawn Keshmiri, aerospace engineering.
Leavenworth
Mathew Reinhold, a senior from Leavenworth: “Language Attitudes and Gender on the Miskitu Coast,” mentored by Arienne Dwyer, anthropology.
Leawood
Hunter Woosley, a junior from Leawood: “Investigation of Cellular Protein Targeted by ICP0 for Degradation,” mentored by David Davido, molecular biosciences.
Olathe
Sasha Arteaga, a senior from Olathe: “Beyond Selena: A New Canon of Female Tejano Musicians,” mentored by Colin Roust, musicology.
Elsey Barnhart, a senior from Olathe: “Mediating Stress Response with Security Priming,” mentored by Omri Gillath, psychology
John Higgins, a senior from Olathe: “Misinformation on Networks: A Game Theoretic Approach,” mentored by Tarun Sabarwal, economics.
Alexis McGhee-Dinvaut, a senior from Olathe: “The Effects of Racial Group Membership and Religious Beliefs on Treatment-Seeking Behavior for Mental Illness,” mentored by Stephen Ilardi, psychology.
Overland Park
Ritu Agarwal, a senior from Overland Park: “Examining Differences in Opioid Prescription Philosophy Between U.S. and Indian Healthcare Professionals,” mentored by Tracey LaPierre, sociology.
Kirstie Camp, a senior from Overland Park: “We Are Powerless At Work: When The Customers Harass,” mentored by Anna Pope, psychology.
Nicole D'Souza, a senior from Overland Park: “High-efficiency Transfection of Exosomes for Programming Cellular Responses,” mentored by Mei He, chemical & petroleum engineering.
Matthew Jaeschke, a senior from Overland Park: “Tuning Bimodal Imaging Nanoprobes for Biomedical Application,” mentored by Candan Tamerler, mechanical engineering.
Grace Lamar, a senior from Overland Park: “Body, Identity, and Cultural Context in Ghana & the U.S.,” mentored by Glenn Adams, psychology.
Claire Wakefield, a senior from Overland Park: “Starting the Conversation,” mentored by Yoonmi Nam, visual art.
Shawnee
Kelsey Hillyer, a senior from Shawnee: “In-vitro Study of FTDP-17 Tau Mutations,” mentored by T. Chris Gamblin, molecular biosciences.
Tecumseh
Madison Foster, a senior from Tecumseh: “The Role of Nutrient Form, Ratio, and Lake Microbiome in Nitrogen Fixation,” mentored by Amy Burgin, environmental studies.
Wichita
Vaughn Craddock, a senior from Wichita: “Screening of Aspergillus Nidulans Secondary Metabolites that Block Quorum Sensing in the Bacterium Pseudomonas Aeruginosa,” mentored by Josie Chandler, molecular biosciences.
Lindsay Lord, a senior from Wichita: “She Departs from Herself,” mentored by Mary Anne Jordan, visual art.