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2021 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium - Winners and Runners-Up

2021 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium - Winners and Runners-Up

Congratulations to the category winners and runners-up from WVU's 5th annual, virtual Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium. Thank you to all of our presenters for making this our best virtual event yet!

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Behavioral & Social Sciences Category (13 presentations)

  • Winner: Tucker Miller presented: The COVID-19 Trade Collapse: How US Trade Changed Throughout the Pandemic. Mentored by Shuichiro Nishioka. Tucker, a mathematics major from Given, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.
  • Runner-Up: Maria Johnston presented: What Factors Influence Police Discretion for Cannabis-Related Offenses? Mentored by Jesse Wozniak. Maria, a forensic biology major from Waconia, MN, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Human Engagement (17 presentations)

  • Winner: Andrea Rupp presented: Outside, Yet Within: Representations of Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Intersectionality in Mahasweta Devi’s “The Hunt”. Mentor: Rose Casey. Andrea is an English major from Aurora, WV.
  • Runner-Up: Megan McCullough presented: GPT-3 and its Impact on Ethics in the Practice of Law. Mentor: Amy Cyphert. Megan, a forensic chemistry major from Charleston, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Science & Technology (20 presentations)

  • Winner: Tristan D. Sanders presented: Influence of Light Emitting Diodes on Brassica oleracea Growth, Metabolites, and Antioxidant Capacity. Mentor: Nicole L Waterland. Tristan is a biochemistry major from Morgantown, WV.
  • Runner-Up:  Claire Kelly presented: Regulation of Interleukin-6 by an Upstream Open Reading Frame. Mentor: Gordon Meares. Clarie is an immunology and medical microbiology major from Bructon Mills, WV.

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS (4 presentations)

  • Winner: Taylor Walker presented: Enough. Mentor: Yoav Kaddar. Taylor is a dance major from Newark, DE.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (17 presentations)

  • Winner: Michael Fiala presented: Monitoring Revegetation with NDVI and Associated Soil Composition and Microbial Biomass and Activity. Mentor: Paul Kinder. Michael, an environmental microbiology major from Uniontown, PA, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.
  • Runner-Up: Maighan Bailey presented: Expression of OOSNCR1 and OOSNCR5 Within Bovine Tissue Cells. Mentor: Jianbo Yao. Maighan, an immunology and medical microbiology major from Parkersburg, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Behavioral & Social Sciences (20 presentations)

  • Winner: Katherine Lee presented: HSTA In College: Strengthening The Pipeline for Underrepresented Students in STEM and Health Sciences. Mentor: Gregory Epps. Katherine, an immunology and medical microbiology majors from Hagerstown, MD, participates in the Honors EXCEL program at WVU.
  • Runner-Up: Lauren Browning presented: Qualitative and Quantitative Changes in Verbalizations during PCIT for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Mentor: Cheryl McNeil. Lauren, a psychology major from Ashburn, VA, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Biological & Biochemical Sciences Category (20 presentations)

  • Winner: Marleah Knights presented: Comparison of Peritrophic Matrix-Associated Gene Expression within Tsetse Species of Varying Vector Competence: Mentor: Rita Rio. Marleah, a biology major from Morgantown, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.
  • Runner-Up: Noah Spencer presented: Genome Sequencing Provides Insight Into Coevolution Between an Insect Vector and Its Microbial Partner. Mentor: Rita Rio. Noah is a biology major from Morgantown, WV.

Health Sciences Category (22 presentations)

  • Winner: Rachel Plants presented:  E-Liquid Base Solution Used in Electronic Cigarettes Impairs Cerebrovascular Reactivity. Mentor: Mark Olfert. Rachel, an exercise physiology major from Charleston, WV, participates in the Honors EXCEL program at WVU.
  • Runner-Up: Mackenzie Barr presented: Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Upper-Limb Performance in Stroke Survivors. Mentor: Valeriya Gritsenko. Mackenzie, an exercise physiology major from New Haven, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU and is supported by First2 Network.
  • Runner-Up: Shay Babich presented: Chronic Stress Leads to Decreased Interest in Self-Care. Mentor: Paul Chantler. Shay, an exercise physiology major from Cumberland, MD, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Human Engagement Category (10 presentations)

  • Winner: Yaronn Arciaga presented: Dual Enrollment - Review of Literature Abstract. Mentor: Laura Pyzdrowski. Yaronn, a mathematics major from Hedgesville, WV, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.

Physical Sciences & Engineering Category (19 presentations)

  • Winner: Rebecca Erwin presented: Designing Advanced Membrane Materials for Produced Water Treatment. Mentor: Oishi Sanyal. Rebecca is a chemical engineering major from Wheeling, WV.
  • Runner-Up: Sarah Mosinski presented: Efficacy of Hyperspectral Imaging in Identifying Latent Trace Signatures. Mentor: Jacqueline Speir. Sarah, a forensic chemistry major from Mequon, WI, participates in the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU.