We want to recognize 2 of our students:
PRIZE POSTER WINNER: Best Overall Poster
JJ Snow (Biology): Climate Change and Phenological Mismatch in Native Pollinator Foraging.
Research Mentor: Joshua Steffen, Biological Sciences
PRIZE POSTER WINNER: Best in STEM
William Summa (Atmospheric Sciences): Forecasting Fire-Initiated Thunderstorms.
Research Mentor: Derek Mallia, Atmospheric Sciences
List of the students in the College of Science that participated this year:
Katie Aleshire (Earth and Environmental Science) and Jack Giacomin (Environmental and Sustainability Studies): Interpreting Loss on Ignition Analysis on Sediment Cores from Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming.
Research Mentor: Jennifer Watt, Environment, Society and Sustainability
Amanda Alves (Physics): Comparing Seasonal Variations of Atmospheric Muons in Deep Underground Detectors.
Research Mentor: Dennis Soldin, Physics and Astronomy
Jeffrey Anderson (Biochemistry), Selene Cochran (Biology), Maddie Colombo (Psychology), Mingjing Huang (Biology), Owen Naughten (Biology): How do Near-Peer Scenarios Affect General Chemistry Students’ Description of Scientists?
Research Mentor, Gina Fey, Chemistry
Ethan Atzet (Biology): Investigating the Role of NCAM 1 in Promoting the Development of Brain Metastases in Metastatic Melanoma.
Research Mentor: Sheri Holmen
Emilie Bailey (Biology and Anthropology): Using Cave Fossil Assemblages to Assess Changes in Southern Utah Biodiversity.
Research Mentor: Randall Irmis, Geology and Geophysics
Christopher Baker (Biology and Psychology): Identifying Genetic Variation in Drosophila Melanogaster that Underlie Behavioral Responses to 2-Phenylethanol.
Research Mentor: Sophie Caron, Biological Sciences
Owen Bascomb (Biochemistry): Computational Analysis of C-type Inactivation in Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels.
Research Mentors: Jessica Swanson, Chemistry
Charlie Baucom (Biology): Characterizing the Role of BMPER in Adipocyte Beiging Using Proliferation Markers.
Research Mentor: Sihem Boudina, College of Health
Katherine Berensen (Biology and Philosophy of Science) and Peyton Cooper (Biology and Philosophy of Science): A New AI Crisis in Mental Healthcare.
Research Mentor: Matt Haber, Philosophy
Evangelo Birkinshaw (Bioinformatics and Biology): Using Topological Data Analysis to Analyze the Microevolution of Antibiotic Resistance During Horizontal Gene Transfer.
Research Mentor: Robyn Brooks, Mathematics
Lexi Bohman (Earth and Environmental Science): Chambered Nautilus: Quantifying Ontogenetic Seashell Variance.
Research Mentor: Kathleen Ritterbush, Geology and Geophysics
Joan Boulds (Linguistics), Jarely Cruz (Linguistics) and Soren Callo (Philosophy of Science and Mathematics): The Impact of Social Bias on Adults’ Learning of the Pronunciation of Words in an Unfamiliar Language.
Research Mentor: Shannon Barrios, Linguistics
Kiley Campora (Biology) and Rohan Menon (Biology): Loss of ALMS1 Inhibits Adipogenesis Through Primary Cilia Signaling Defects.
Research Mentor: Keren Hilgendorf, School of Medicine
Camryn Carr (Earth and Environmental Science): Hydrologic Shifts from Climate Change: A Study of Two High Mountain Watersheds.
Research Mentor: Sara Warix, Geology and Geophysics
Parker Christensen (Biology): Investigating Host Switching in the Mycoparasitic Ascomycete Genus Hypomyces.
Research Mentor: Kendra Autumn, Biological Sciences
Bennett Cottle (Biology): Age-Dependent Foraging Behavior Differences in a 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Research Mentor: Christopher Gregg, Biological Sciences
Natalia Cruz (Physics): The Effect of Cellulose on Fungal Growth and Media Viscosity Using Microrheology.
Research Mentor: Kendra Autumn, Biological Sciences
Boston Cullenbine (Biology and Chemistry) and Christian Demarco (Earth and Environmental Science): Algal-Cyanobacterial Competition Dynamics in Utah Lake.
Research Mentor: Andrea Halling, Biological Sciences
Jane Damstedt (Biology and Anthropology): Archeological Insights into Native Ecology: Analyzing Osteological Remains with an Emphasis on Beavers to Inform Ecological Restoration Efforts.
Research Mentor: Brian Codding, Anthropology
Kylie DeNiro (Biology): Drosophila Arc Genes are Required for L-canavanine Avoidance.Research Mentor: Sophie Caron, Biological Sciences
Sierra Douglas (Biology): Barriers and Facilitators Women Faced When Accessing Gynecological Oncology Care at The Huntsman Cancer Institute: Rural vs Urban Study.
Research Mentor: Deanna Kepka, College of Nursing
Auriana Dunn (Biology and Anthropology):Isotopic Analysis of Pecho Coast’s Enhyrda lutris.
Research Mentor: Austin Green, Biological Sciences
Megan DuVal (Biology): Integrating Phylogenomics, Biogeography, and Species-Level Taxonomy Reveals Parallel Biogeography for a Widespread Army Ant Genus.
Research Mentor: John Longino, Biological Sciences
Ari Duven (Physics): An Application of Machine Learning Techniques to Energy Reconstruction in IceTop Cosmic Ray Events.
Research Mentor: Dennis Soldin, Physics and Astronomy
Porter Edson (Chemistry): Phosphine Mediated Electrochemical Synthesis of Carbocycles and Nitrogen Heterocycles.
Research Mentor: Qilei Zhu, Chemistry
Nick Van Fleet (Geoscience): Comparing Fracture Development from Multi-year Operations at the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy.
Research Mentor: Kris Pankow, Geology and Geophysics
Casey Fleming (Biology): 3T3s as a Model for Radiation-induced Fibrosis.
Research Mentor: Sujee Jeyapalina, School of Medicine
Zoie Frisby (Biochemistry): Isolating Compounds from Juniperus Communis Berries through Countercurrent Chromatography.
Research Mentor: Thomas Richmond, Chemistry
Sydney Gardner (Earth and Environmental Science): Size Matters (and Density too): Investigating the Influence of Stomatal Traits on Minimal Leaf Conductance in Pure and Hybrid Oak Species.
Research Mentor: Luiza Aparecido, Biological Sciences
Jacob Giauque (Biochemistry): Prenatal DHA Supplementation Normalizes PPARy Activity in the Lung of IUGR Rat Pups.
Research Mentor: Luiza Aparecido, Biological Sciences
Clarissa Goh (Biochemistry): DNA-Templated Synthesis of Wireframe Pt(II)-Co(III) Coordination Polymers.
Research Mentor: Valérie Pierre, Chemistry
Sierra Gordon (Geology and Geophysics): A Curated Thermal Conductivity Database for Deep Sedimentary Geothermal Units in the Black Rock Desert, Utah.
Research Mentor: Cari Johnson, Geology and Geophysics
Charlie Green (Biology): Analyzing the Growth of Dunaliella Salina in Arsenic Conditions: Using Microalgae in Bioremediation.
Research Mentor: Andrea Halling, Biological Sciences
Brock Hansen (Bioinformatics): Cerebral Perfusion Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Arterial Spin Labeling MRI.
Research Mentor: Xiaodong Ma, School of Medicine
Avery Hartey (Biology): Effects of Environmental Familiarity on Social Behavior in a SHANK3 Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Research Mentor: Nicholas Frost, School of Medicine
Alexa Hewlett (Earth and Environmental Science): Cerro Machin Volcanic Tephra and Its Chemical Composition.
Research Mentor: Diego Fernandez, Geology and Geophysics
Clay Hicke (Biochemistry): Determining the Effect of γδ T Cells on Immunosuppression within ICI-resistant Tumors.
Research Mentor: Arabella Young, School of Medicine
Evan Hilton (Physics and Mathematics): Investigating the Application of Reinforcement Learning in Telescope Alignment.
Research Mentor: Qi Feng, Physics and Astronomy
Charlotte Hilton-Miney (Biology and Health Society and Policy): Characterizing the Function of Histone Deacetylases in a Model Organism.
Research Mentor: Michael Werner, Biological Sciences
Kaia Holicky (Geoscience): A first look at the Triassic-Jurassic Latitude of Buregkhangai, Central Mongolia.
Research Mentor: Pete Lippert, Geology and Geophysics
Ethan Hood (Physics): Optimizing Camera Calibration for the IceCube Upgrade Project.
Research Mentor: Carston Rott, Physics and Astronomy
Mira Hua (Biology): Fbxo44 Drives Hypertrophic Remodeling in Cardiomyocytes.
Research Mentor: not listed, College of Health
Cooper Hutchinson (Applied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering): Novel Reservoir Computing.
Research Mentor: Will Neese, Mathematics
Kendah Jaber (Biology): Rescue Mission: Deletion of STU2’s Basic Linker Rescues Spindle Integrity in TOG2-deficient Cells.
Research Mentor: Matt Miller, School of Medicine
Mia James (Biology): The Effect of Codon Context on Translation Efficiency in the HIS Leader Peptide System.
Research Mentor: Fabienne Chevance, Biological Sciences
Christopher Janku (Biochemistry): Emerging Mechanisms of Familial Melanoma Development.
Research Mentor: Rob Judson-Torres, School of Medicine
Rylee Johansen (Biology): Effects of Preterm Birth on Cardiomyocyte Growth and Myocardial Capillary Development.
Research Mentor: Matthew Douglas, School of Medicine
Alexander Johnson (Biology): To Eat or Not To Eat: The Biodiversity and Toxicity Gyromitra False Morels in the Mountain West.
Research Mentor: Kendra Autumn, Biological Sciences
Austin Joyce (Biochemistry): Development of an Inducible Knock Out Acsm3 Mice.
Research Mentor: William Holland, College of Health
Madisen Justesen (Biology) and Elsie Lott (Health and Kinesiology): Feeling Comfortable to Learn: Student Comfort with Instructors in PHYS 2210.
Research Mentor: Gina Frey, Chemistry
Arub Kaleem (Biology): Investigation of Early CD4⁺ Helper T Cell Localization Patterns Within Heterogeneous Tumors.
Research Mentor: Melissa Reeves, School of Medicine
Jessie Kalinowski (Applied Mathematics): How Many Collars are Enough? Optimizing Telemetry Deployment Using Individual-based Modeling.
Research Mentor: Jody Reimer, Mathematics
Lukas Kennett (Bioinformatics): Identifying Protein-protein Interactions of the Soluble (pro)renin Receptor using TurboID Proximity Labeling.
Research Mentor: Nirupama Ramkumar, School of Medicine
Calvin Kern (Biochemistry): Role of the Lateral Preoptic Area of the Hypothalamus in Transfer of an Aggressive Behavioral State.
Research Mentor: Moriel Zelikowsky, School of Medicine
Evan Kerr (Physics) and Matthew Whitaker (Physics and Data Science): Discovery of a Stellar-Mass Black Hole in Omega Centauri.
Research Mentor: Anil Seth, Physics and Astronomy
Michka Kiessel (Biology): Modification of Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans through Xylosides to Promote Lung Branching.
Research Mentor: Kuberan Balagurunathan, College of Pharmacy
Ileina Kinikini (Biology): Genetic Regulation of Ceramides: Exploring Acsm5 in Kidney Health.
Research Mentor: William Holland, College of Health
Lucy Leary (Mathematics): The World in Color: Effects of Power Law Noise on Ecological Long Transients.
Research Mentor, Jody Reimer, Mathematics
Jenny Lee (Biology and Psychology): Patient-Derived Intracranial Endothelial Profiling After aSAH Using Endoluminal Biopsy and scRNA-seq.
Research Mentor: Karol Budohoski, School of Medicine
Sylvia Lee (Biology): Nanopore Sequencing Reveals the Identities and Microbiomes of Associated Insects in Ant-Plant Symbioses.
Research Mentor: Rodolfo Probst, Biological Sciences
Sofia Leveratto (Biology): PPARy Expression is Altered in a Sex-Divergent Manner in Human Placenta Supporting SGA and LGA Infants.
Research Mentor: Lisa Joss-Moore, School of Medicine
Cody Leishman (Physics): Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxy Search Algorithm Optimization.
Research Mentor: Yao-Yuan Mao, Physics and Astronomy
Francesca Levitas (Biology and Chemistry): In Situ Visualization of Acetyl-CoA by a Fluorescent Biosensor.
Research Mentor: Katharine Diehl, School of Medicine
Sih-an Liao (Biochemistry and Biology): Why Starving Plants Grow Taller.
Research Mentor: Chan Yul Yoo, Biological Sciences
Patrick Lindburg (Applied Mathematics): A Semi-automated Method for Registration of Histological Brain Sections to the Standard Marmoset Brain Atlas.
Research Mentor: Alessandra Angelucci, School of Medicine
Samuel Loveland (Biochemistry): The Novel PPARγ Splice Variant, PPARγΔ5, is Associated with Acadl mRNA Levels in Male IUGR Rat Placenta.
Research Mentor: Lisa Joss-Moore, School of Medicine
Amber Lovitt (Biology): Local Adaptation of the Desert Woodrat.
Research Mentor: Denise Dearing, Biological Sciences
Seth Luke (Biology): Identifying Cellular and Molecular Determinants of MLL-AF9-driven Neonatal Leukemia.
Research Mentor: Anna Beaudin, School of Medicine
Breanna Lund (Biology): Resident Tissue Macrophages as Regulators of Cochlear Vascular Development.
Research Mentor: Anna Beaudin, Biological Sciences
Aspen Marshall (Atmospheric Sciences): Summertime Air Quality Disparities in Salt Lake County, UT.
Research Mentor: Jessica Haskins, Atmospheric Sciences
Jazmin Matalolo (Biology): What’s the Story? Investigating.
Research Mentor: Chris Harris, College of Health
Shelby McIntosh (Geoscience): A First Look Into Joya Prieta Paleomagnetics: An Understudied Maar Volcano from Northeastern Mexico.
Research Mentor: Pete Lippert, Geology and Geophysics
Quinn Mckeon (Earth and Environmental Science): Quantifying Organic Carbon in Beaver Ponds: Implications for Carbon Sequestration and Climate Policy in Utah.
Research Mentor: Rachel Havranek, Biological Sciences
Kamryn Mena (Earth and Environmental Science): Tracing Hydrological Transitions in the Bear River Basin: Insights from Freshwater Mollusks and Implications for Threatened Aquatic Fauna.
Research Mentor: Brian Codding, Anthropology
Sylvia Mesicek (Physics and Mathematics): Competing Effects of Brill Waves and Scalar Fields in Axisymmetric Critical Collapse.
Research Mentor: John Belz, Physics and Astronomy
Chance Moran (Mathematics): Forecasting Biological Regimes of Great Salt Lake.
Research Mentor: Jody Reimer, Mathematics
Thomas Murray (Biology): A Second Nematode Species from The Great Salt Lake, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Monhysteridae (Nematoda).
Research Mentor: Michael Werner, Biological Sciences
Nathan Murthy (Earth and Environmental Science): Migration Path Analysis of Booted and Steppe Eagles in the African-Eurasian Flyway.
Research Mentor: Cagan H. Sekercioglu, Biological Sciences
Melody Nelson (Biology, World Languages and Cultures): cBIN1 Facilitates Mitophagy in H9C2 Cells.
Research Mentor: TingTing Hong, College of Pharmacy
Danny Nguyen (Biology) Decreasing Harmful UVR Exposure through SHINE (Sun-safe Habits Intervention and Education).
Research Mentor: Yelena Wu, Biological Sciences
Minh Anh Nguyen (Biochemistry): Laminar organization of cortico-cortical feedback to primary visual cortex in the primate.
Research Mentor: Alessandra Angelucci, School of Medicine
Dylan Oliver (Physics): The Structured Jet Reverse Shock of GRB 220101A.
Research Mentor: Tanmoy Laskar, Physics and Astronomy
Madi Palmer (Biochemistry): Effect of Circadian Intervention on Sleep and Metabolic Health in Adults with Habitual Short Sleep Duration.
Research Mentor: Christopher Depner, College of Health
Nathan Patchen (Biology and Biochemistry) Visualizing Cellular Dynamics at High Resolution. Research Mentor: Yang Liu, School of Medicine
Ainsley Parkins (Biology): Investigating the Mechanisms of Rubella Virus-Induced Microcephaly.
Research Mentor: Nichole Link, School of Medicine
Will Pearce (Earth and Environmental Science and Geography): Clarifying Species Boundaries in Hyperdiverse Plant Lineages Using Nanopore Sequencing.
Research Mentor: Rodolfo Probst, Biological Sciences
John Peltier (Biology): Investigating Biomarkers of Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Following Rapid-Stretch Injury.
Research Mentor: Jie Zhang, School of Medicine
Alexandra Percassi (Biology): Understanding the Impacts of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Organelles.
Research Mentor: Sara Wong, Biological Sciences
Edie Raines (Geoscience and English): Identifying Earthquakes Induced by Geothermal Energy Exploration.
Research Mentor: Keith Koper, Geology and Geophysics
Zach Rhoades (Geoscience): Analyzing δ18O and δ13C Isotopic Data to Reconstruct an Ancient Climate System in the Cape Floristic Region, Southern Africa.
Research Mentor: Alex Norwood, Anthropology
Eve Rich (Biology): Associations between Childhood Trauma and Smoking Outcomes.
Research Mentor: Lindsey Potter, School of Medicine
Bri Rinn (Biology, Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Earth and Environmental Science): Role of Climate of Origin and Phylogenetic Relatedness in the Response of Stem Photosynthesis to Drought.
Research Mentor: Eleinis Avila-Lovera, Biological Sciences
McKayla Riter (Biology): Do Birds with Blood Parasites Groom Less?
Faculty Mentor: Sarah Bush, Biological Sciences
Seth Roberts (Biology): Effect of Weight Loss on Breast Cancer Growth in Obese Female Mice.
Research Mentor: Amandine Chaix, College of Health
Jacqueline Torres Rodriguez (Physics): Impact of Position Corrections on Prostate Motion and Treatment Margins in IMRT.
Research Mentor: Martin Szegedi, School of Medicine
Raul Mena Rodriguez (Biomedical Engineering): Convergent Control of GPP1 by OLE1-Driven Membrane Remodeling and HOG Signaling in Yeast.
Research Mentor: Sara Wong, Biological Sciences
Julia Rzepecka (Chemistry): Fluorescent Guanosine Probes for G-Quadruplex Monitoring.
Research Mentor: Ryan Stolley, Chemistry
Sandhya Senthilkumar (Biology): Enhancing Bioavailability of Purple Sweet Potato Color (PSPC) via PLGA-PEG Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Classic.
Research Mentor: Bijina Balakrishnan, School of Medicine
Hannah Sheppard (Biology): Impacts of Invasive Mechanical Ventilation on Pulmonary Arteriole Smooth Muscle for Varying Gestational Ages in Lambs.
Research Mentor: Mar Janna Dahl, School of Medicine
Tushita Sinha (Biology): Investigating the Role of Redox-Sensitive Oct4 in Guiding Early Cell Fate Decisions in Mouse Blastocysts.
Research Mentor: Dean Tantin, School of Medicine
Jennifer Smith (Biology): Antler Morphology and Taxonomic Placement of the Extinct Cervid Cervalces scotti.
Research Mentor: Mark Loewen, Geology and Geophysics
Tanner Smith (Biology): Multiple Strategies for Enrichment of CRISPR Edited CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells.
Research Mentor: Jesse Rowley, School of Medicine
Valerie Springer (Geological Engineering): Detection of Continental Mantle Earthquakes Using Cross-Correlation Template Matching.
Research Mentor: Keith Koper, Geology and Geophysics
Oleksandr Synkovskyi (Biochemistry): Cargo Recognition by the Type III Bacterial Flagellum Secretion Apparatus.
Research Mentor: David Blair, Biological Sciences
Gianna Toscano (Biology): Sniffing Out Receptors: Innate Olfactory Responses to Verbenone in Drosophila melanogaster.
Research Mentor: Sophie Caron, Biological Sciences
Alexa Thoms (Biology): Bacterial Targeting by Phage-Like Antibacterial Systems: Purification of the P25C2 Tail Fiber Protein and Its Associated Chaperone.
Research Mentor: Martin Horvath, Biological Sciences
Valerie Cuevas Uribe (Biochemistry): Battle for the Binding Site: Characterizing the Interplay Between ZBTB4 and SP1 for DNA Targets.
Research Mentor: Bethany Buck, Chemistry
Andrew Vazquez (Applied Mathematics): Machine Learning without Neural Networks: Numerical Approaches to Inverse Problems.
Research Mentor: Braxton Ostling, Mathematics
Cameron Waibel (Chemistry): Electric Double Layer Spillover Effect on Potential Drop in Adjacent Dielectrics.
Research Mentor: Rodrigo Noriega, Chemistry
Brandt Winn (Biology): Contrasting Hydraulic Responses to Vapor Pressure Deficit of Native vs Invasive Trees in Arid Riparian Zones.
Research Mentor: Luiza Aparecido, Biological Sciences
Lauren Winn (Biology): Role of SlyD as a Folding Facilitator for the Assembly of Tail Fiber Proteins from Pseudomonas Viridiflava.
Research Mentor: Martin Horvath, Biological Sciences
Daniel Yan (Biology): Generation of a New Preclinical Melanoma Model in Autoimmune-Prone Mice.
Research Mentor: Arabella Young, Biological Sciences
Acintya Sai Yoganath (Biochemistry and Psychology): Targeting Age-Related Muscle Atrophy Through NSAID-mediated COX2 Inhibition.
Research Mentor: Micah Drummond, College of Health
Quenna Yuan (Mathematics): Engineered DHFR Variants Enable Precise Protein Control in Gene Therapy.
Research Mentor: not listed, School of Medicine
See Full List of Spring 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium