114 Husker undergrads receive stipends for summer research projects

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has awarded stipends to 114 Husker undergraduates to participate in research with a faculty mentor this summer.

Nebraska’s Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience Program supports undergraduates to work with faculty mentors in research or creative activities. Students receive stipends of $2,640 to engage in intensive research or creative activity for 20 hours per week. The students’ projects span academic disciplines including engineering, chemistry, modern languages and literatures, psychology, art and art history, architecture, special education, and fisheries and wildlife.

Students from the Nebraska Summer Research Program and UCARE will present posters on their research and creative activities at a campus research symposium Aug. 5 in the Nebraska Union. For more information on undergraduate research at Nebraska, click here.

Following is a list of students by hometown who received summer UCARE awards, with their year in school, academic major(s) and project title.

NEBRASKA:

Auburn:

• Dakoda Oden, junior, computer science, “Mapping Access to Civil Justice Data: Interdisciplinary Research Project.”

Bellevue:

• Ava McQuillen, junior, fisheries and wildlife, “Conservation Genomics of a Small, Isolated Population of Velvet Scoters.”
• Sydnee Wenninghoff, junior, secondary education, “Bridging Cultures: Analyzing Educational Practices in Morioka, Japan, and Their Implications for American Schools.”

Bennet:

• Amber Tannehill, senior, mechanical engineering and English, “Developing a Deployable Soft Robotics Insect Wing Device.”

Blair:

• Grace Fowler, senior, speech-language pathology, “Examining the Relation Between Caregiver Self-Efficacy and Early Intervention, Child Factors and Parent Stress.”
• Ted Lueders, junior, microbiology, “Isolation and identification of a Faecalibacterium duncaniae Strain Capable of Long-Term Gastrointestinal Colonization in Mice.”
• Peter Lux, senior, mechanical engineering, “Solid Particle Additives for Eutectic Gallium-Indium”; Amy Xu, senior, art, “Constellation Studios Apprenticeship.”

Cambridge:

• Jacey Kent, junior, English, “Villianizing the 'Fairer Sex': The Portrayal of Women as Villians in Greek Mythology and Its Impact on Modern Narratives.”

Cedar Bluffs:

• Hailey Anderson, senior, music, “Exploring the Interface-Tuning of Ferroelectricity in Free-Standing PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 Membranes and Gating Effect in Two-Dimensional MoS2 Via Van Der Waals CuInP2S6.”

Cozad:

• Shaundra Wiederholt, senior, psychology, “Persistence in Context: Examining Children's Motivation Across Tasks and Parent-Child Interactions.”

Elkhorn:

• Elle Knobbe, junior, chemical engineering, “Metabolic Reconstruction and Resource Allocation in Rickettsia rickettsii: A Systems Biology Approach.”

Fremont:

• Josie Pettis, senior, meteorology-climatology, “The Role of a MAHTE and Boundary Interactions in Tornadogenesis: A Case Study of the Whitman, Nebraska, EF-3 Tornado.”

Grand Island:

• Lisa Fruehling, junior, English, “Fanny Fern in The New York Ledger.”
• Bishop Placke, senior, mathematics, “Investigating Quantum Circuits Using Polynomials.”

Gretna:

• Pluto Larson, senior, Spanish and global studies, “Exploring Media Narratives: Constructing Frames of Migrants and Their Communities in Rural Nebraska.”

Hastings:

• Joanne Vuong, senior, chemical engineering, “Identifying the Differences in Parental Stress Between Parents of Autistic and Typically Developing Children.”

Imperial:

• Mason Tyerman, sophomore, marketing, “The Influence of Work-Related Social Media Content on Employee Perceptions of Engagement and Well-Being.”

Lincoln:

• Asraa Allami, sophomore, elementary education, “The Relevance of Comparative Education-Oriented Travel-Study for the Preparation of a Future Teacher of Color.”
• Jaycob Andersen, senior, biological systems engineering, “Engineering Plastic-Degrading Capability in Black Soldier Flies through CRISPR-Mediated Mealworm DNA.”
• Liz Andersen, junior, microbiology and biochemistry, “Investigating Epididymal Adipose Tissue Gene Expression Patterns in Mice Supplemented with Lactobacillus and Gordonibacter Species in a Diet-Induced Obesity Model.”
• Ansley Brown, junior, emerging media arts, “Resonant Forms.”
• Naomi Chamberlain, senior, psychology and film studies, “Investigating the Moderating Role of Self-Compassion in Links Between Smartphone Usage, Self-Objectification and Intimate Partner Violence.”
• Mason Chandler, junior, economics, “Analyzing the Quantitative Accuracy of Judgements of 1870 U.S. Census Concentric Circle Charts.”
• Armon'e Dean, junior, computer science, “Equitable Access to Civil Justice: Interdisciplinary Research Project (Computer Science and Data Science).”
• Calvin Doerr, junior, emerging media arts, “Resonant Forms.”
• Cole Emeigh, sophomore, mechanical engineering, “Development of Foldable Wing Devices.”
• Anastasia Eriksen, junior, data science and mathematics, “Geophysical Modeling of Earth's Magnetic Field.”
• Oliver Gray, sophomore, pre-veterinary medicine, “Collection of Nebraska Wild Snake Samples for Disease Testing.”
• Jane Jewell, senior, biochemistry, and fisheries and wildlife, “Investigating the Relationship Between Internal Temperature and Hatchling Growth in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor).”
• David Khuu, senior, mathematics, “Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer Growth Using Mathematical Modeling.”
• Carson Kiesel, sophomore, psychology, “Effects of a Shared Reading Intervention on Writing for Struggling Learners.”
• Luke Kortus, junior, nutritional science and dietetics, “Identifying the Age-Related Changes in White Matter Microstructure in Children and Adults: A Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Study.”
• Diana Lopez-Sagarminaga, sophomore, secondary education, “The Role(s) of Comparative Education in Preservice Teacher Preparation.”
• Abby Lutjeharms, junior, speech-language pathology, “Exploring the Scoring Practices of Standardized, Norm-Referenced Assessments for Children with Down Syndrome and Other Intellectual Disabilities.”
• Cameron Lyons, senior, fisheries and wildlife, “Comparison of a Long Established National Game Reserve and Recently Created One for Safari Tourism Viewing in Botswana.”
• Onjoy Mahmood, junior, environmental engineering, “Solutions and Adjustments for Small Water Systems in Rural Nebraska.”
• Leonita Memeti, junior, global studies, and criminology and criminal justice, “Shattering the Silence, Rebuilding Lives: Kosovo's Wartime Sexual Violence Survivors Socio-Economic Challenges and Reintegration.”
• Samarpan Mohanty, freshman, computer engineering, “Accelerating Solid-State Battery Electrolyte Design via Automated Machine Learning.”
• Mohamed Mousa, junior, computer science, “Exploring Emotional Intelligence in AI: Understanding Existing Models and Their Potential for Future Development.”
• Anthony Nguyen, junior, biological systems engineering, “The Poetic Representation of Lived Experiences with Type 2 Diabetes.”
• Hanny Nguyen, senior, biological sciences, “Preparation of Isovolumetic Nanoplastics for Remediation Analysis.”
• Jesse Nguyen, senior, English, and women's and gender studies, “Exploring Intersectional Representation in the Archives: Examining The Influence of Edith Lewis on Willa Cather's Archive.”
• Kathleen Nguyen, junior, biological sciences, “Investigating the Mechanism of Gamma-Glutamyl Peptides in Modulating Akkermansia muciniphila Growth In Vitro.”
• Funmi Ogunwemimo, junior, psychology, “Cultural Stigmas and Mental Health Service Utilization Among African Immigrant Populations.”
• Aram Pirali, junior, chemical engineering, “Advancing the Integration of Ferroelectric Thin Films with Two-Dimensional Materials.”
• Deva Pushkaran, junior, computer science (Raikes School) and data science, “Identifying Biased Policing Patterns Using Unsupervised Clustering.”
• Riada Riyangow, sophomore, political science and psychology, “Cultural Stigmas and Mental Health Service Utilization Among African Immigrant Populations.”
• Seth Rogers, junior, mechanical engineering, “Investigation of Phase Change Thermal Interface Materials for Thermal Management Applications.”
• Sofia Sharif, sophomore, software engineering, “Visualization for Explanations in Decision Support.”
• Edward Stone, junior, chemical engineering, “Metabolic Reconstruction and Resource Allocation in Rickettsia rickettsii.”
• Natasja Swanson, senior, history, and classics and religious studies, “Anticolonials: A World History.”
• Eh Ta Taw, sophomore, finance and global studies, “Tracing the Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Nebraska.”
• Jacey Tran, junior, biological sciences, “Role of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Genes RDR3a, RDR3b and RDR3c in Antiviral Defense and Plant Development.”
• Eva Treijs, senior, biochemistry, “Producing Protein Crystals of DJ-1 Bacterial Homolog YajL in Salmonella enterica for Assessment of cPGA Hydrolase Activity.”
• Jenna Wakefield, senior, biochemistry and mathematics, “Creating a Cross-Protective Vaccine for Canine Influenza with Adenoviral Vector Delivery System.”
• Ali Waly, freshman, secondary education, “Arabic Dual Language Education: Opportunities and Challenges in Lincoln, Nebraska.”
• Elizabeth Westfahl, senior, electrical engineering, “Analysis of Cancer Transcriptomics Data Using a Combined Bayesian Network and Neural Network Approach.”

Minden:

• Bailey Arnold, senior, fisheries and wildlife, “Differential Gene Expression and Adaptive Strategies in Arctic Ptarmigan Species.”

Omaha:

• Zack Alhejaj, senior, chemistry and environmental studies, “Structural Determination of Small Cajal Body-Specific RNAs.”
• Hannah Dalton, senior, speech-language pathology, “Persistence in Context: Examining Children's Motivation Across Tasks and Parent-Child Interactions.”
• Bell Eurek, senior, civil engineering, “Exploring the Feasibility of Waste Plastic Incorporation in Concrete for Sustainable Rigid Pavements in Nebraska.”
• Maizy Jones, junior, psychology, “Examining the Stimulus Effects of Nicotine and d-Amphetamine via Pavlovian Biconditional Discrimination.”
• Kathryn Krebbs, junior, secondary education, “Reimagining Pedagogical Practices to Prevent Student Recidivism.”
• Vitor Lombardi Labegaline, senior, microbiology and Spanish, “Investigating White Adipose Derived Extracellular Vesicles.”
• CJ McNamara, senior, mechanical engineering and computer engineering, “Effects of Annealing on the Emissivity of Femtosecond Laser Processed Surfaces.”
• Jadon Parker, junior, history, “Anticolonials: A World History.”
• Kenzie Prauner, junior, architectural studies, “Investigating Material Assemblies of Nomadic Structures for Contemporary Design.”
• Lim Puoch, senior, art, “Painting in Practice: Studio Assistant and Professional Practices Mentorship.”
• Shrimai Raghuvanshi, junior, biochemistry, “Investigating the Structural Dynamics of Stem-Loop 3 (SL3) of 7SK RNA in Vertebrates.”
• Mercedes Renken, junior, biological sciences, “Investigating White Adipose Tissue-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Regulating Satiety Signaling.”
• Kole Rowan, junior, emerging media arts, “Resonant Forms.”
• Cameron Scheet, senior, software engineering, “Visualization for Explanations in Decision Support.”
• Cooper Swoboda, senior, mechanical engineering, “Pool Boiling of Femtosecond Laser Surface Processed Stainless Steel for Critical Heat Flux Prediction.”
• Hunter Tridle, senior, electrical engineering, “Developing Trustworthy AI for Personalized Interventions.”
• Christina Van Haren, junior, biological sciences, “Leveraging Museum Specimens and Genomics to Empower Vernal Pool Conservation.”
• Michael Wihelm, junior, biochemistry, “Protein Fundamentals.”

Papillion:

• Dorothea Mason, freshman, history and anthropology, “Anticolonials: A World History.”

Schuyler:

• Jaci Grado, sophomore, elementary education, “Comparing K-12 Rural Education Challenges and Successes Across Japanese and American Contexts.”

Scottsbluff:

• Lauren Fleenor, senior, psychology, “Mapping Access to Civil Justice Data: Interdisciplinary Research Project.”

Seward:

• Kaleb Reiser, senior, electrical engineering, “Vehicle to Grid Technology: A Comprehensive Analysis.”

Syracuse:

• Max Carlson, junior, biological systems engineering, “Establishing Workflow for the Isolation and Characterization of Mosquito-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Examining Their Role in Dengue Virus Transmission and Pathogenicity.”

Wahoo:

• Riah Engel, senior, criminology and criminal justice, and psychology, “I Scream, You Scream, Actually, We Don't All Scream: Representations of Ideal Victims in Violent Films.”

Waterloo:

• Charleigh Schonlau, senior, biological systems engineering, “Fascia Tracking for Monitoring Musculoskeletal Health.”

Waverly:

• Emma Smith, junior, speech-language pathology, “Relations Between Executive Function, Language, Autism and Congenital Heart Defects in Youth with Down Syndrome.”

Elsewhere

Bixby, Oklahoma:

• Chase Rozman, sophomore, mathematics, “Monomial Ideals from Toric Fans.”

Laguna Niguel, California:

• Ayden Topping, junior, psychology, “Mapping Access to Civil Justice Data: Interdisciplinary Research Project.”

Murphys, California:

• Tyler Babica, senior, agronomy, “How Does Cattle Grazing of Corn Residues Affect the Health of Soils in the Long Term?”

Broomfield, Colorado:

• Sidney Wickham, senior, history and anthropology, “The Oregon Trail and Homesteading Through Minority Groups' Oral Histories and Ethnography.”

Holyoke, Colorado:

• Eva Kramer, senior, emerging media arts, “Animating History Lab: Students Bringing History to Life.”

Frankfort, Illinois:

• Jared Beau Stearns, senior, biochemistry, “Toward a High-Throughput pH Titration for RNA pKa Determination Using DMS-MaPseq.”

Gilberts, Illinois:

• Lily Farnam, junior, elementary education, “Becoming a Better Elementary School Educator Through a Comparative Study of Japanese Education.”

Morris, Illinois:

• Tyler Davis, senior, statistics and data analytics, “Association of t (14;18) Chromosomal Translocation with Subtypes of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.”

Pella, Iowa:

• Lauren Winn, sophomore, psychology, “Identifying the Group Differences in Parental Sensitivity Between Autistic Children and Their Peers.”

Olathe, Kansas:

• Grant Henrichs, senior, biochemistry and mathematics, “Discovering the Import Mechanisms and Roles of a Vital Mineral Copper in Mammalian Cells.”

Topeka, Kansas:

• Adrian Cox, senior, integrated science, “Assessing the Educational and Technical Needs and Barriers of Urban Farmers in Eastern Nebraska.”
• Anna Newcome, senior, environmental science and plant biology, “Integrating Genomic Traits from Wild Diploid Strawberries to Improve Decaploid Strawberry Cultivars through Polyploidization.”

Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan:

• Claire Zurowick, junior, anthropology, French and journalism, “Unpacking the Gender Gap: Why Female Runners Are More Prone to Anemia and Its Impact on Their Pursuit of the Sport.”

Chesterfield, Missouri:

• Chloe Ong, senior, biochemistry, “Identification and Characterization of Novel Metalloproteins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus.”

Bismarck, North Dakota:

• Kaden Boyer, junior, computer science, “Comparing Differences Between Research-Grade and Webcam-Based Eye Trackers.”

Chesapeake, Virginia:

• Roman Bohls, junior, psychology, “Criminal Liability in Third Party Cases that Surround Juveniles and AI.”

Spokane, Washinton:

• Mick Udby, senior, fisheries and wildlife, “Searching for Future Fires: Examining Nebraska's Wildfire Vulnerabilities.”

Ellsworth, Wisconsin:

• Marisa Dendinger, senior, biochemistry, “Impacts of Mutations in tetX8 Gene on Tetracycline Destructase Activity.”

Dhaka, Bangladesh:

• Sajid Raihan Akash, senior, physics and mathematics, “Refining n(z) and Antenna Position Estimates Using Calibration Data from the 2022 Field Season for the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland.”

Qingdao, China:

• Zora Zhang, sophomore, statistics and data analytics, “Improvement of Teaching Method in Environmental Health Course Based on Survey Responses.”

Chennai, India:

• Harini Sree Sharavanan, freshman, chemical engineering, “Charge Porous Organic Polymers (POPs) for Challenging Separation.”

Vadodara, India:

• Samay Bhojwani, sophomore, computer science, “Generating Dyslexic-Friendly Summaries Using Machine Learning Techniques.”

Shah Alam, Malaysia:

• Jia Yee Wong, junior, data science, “AI Agent for Microbial Analysis Using RBiotools.”

Chitwan, Nepal:

• Sandesh Subedi, junior, computer science, “Monomial Ideals from Toric Fans.”

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam:

• Ryan Nguyen, sophomore, mechanical engineering, “Optimizing Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D Printing for Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics.”

Tan An, Vietnam:

• Khang Luong, sophomore, physics, “A Computational Approach to Ionized Molecular Diffraction.”

Thanh Hoa, Vietnam:

• Roy Truong, junior, software engineering, “Large Language-Vision Model-Enabled Automatic Target Recognition.”