Recent Student Research Presentations
Note: This list does not include Scholarly Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) projects, which are listed on their own page.
2022-23
“Kinesiophobia and Injury Risk in Collegiate Athletes”
- Shayne Rainey & Lindsey McNeely, Kinesiology
- Faculty-Mentor: Robert Dudley, Professor, Department of Biology
- Venue: 2022 National Strength Conditioning Association Conference (July 2022)
“Designing an Efficient Methodology and Examining the Cell Viability of Potential Anticancer Small Molecules Containing Spirocyclic Motifs”
- Ye Seong Koo, Biochemistry
- Faculty-Mentor: Kevin Huang, Associate Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: ACS Fall 2022 (August 2022)
“Multipulsing and Bifurcations of Optical Solitons in the 2D Complex Cubic-Quintic Ginzburg-Landau Equation”
- Emily Gottry, Applied Math, Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Edwin Ding, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: WE22 (Society of Women Engineers Conference) (October 2022) Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (November 2022)
“Assessment of Metabolic Flexibility by RER in Gromphadorhina portentsa”
- Madison Ng, Allied Health (B.A.) and Honors Humanities, Merai Ebrahim, Biology, Ryan Sanchez, Biochemistry and Honors Humanities Minor, & Justin Soliman, Biology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Kenneth Sossa, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2022 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) (November 2022)
“Exploring the Gut-Brain Axis: Effects of Cannabidiol on Behavior and Gut Microbe Expression in Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa)”
- Annamarie Arias, Biology & Samantha Vargas, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Kenneth Sossa, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2022 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) (November 2022)
“Gromphadorhina portentosa as a Model for Traumatic Brain Injury”
- Kessia Cisneros, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Kenneth Sossa, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2022 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) (November 2022)
“Radiofrequency Dielectric Properties of Standard Liquids: Water, Methanol, and Ethanol”
- Andrew Rivas, Physics
- Faculty-Mentor: Bradley McCoy (in proxy for Chris Bassey), Professor, Department of Math, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: 2022 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (November 2022)
“Transitioning from Points-Based grading to a Hybrid Specifications-Points-Based Grading System in General Chemistry”
- Sydney Noell, Chemistry (Minor: Math)
- Faculty-Mentor: Elijah Roth, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2023 American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition (March 2023)
“Religious Surrender as a Moderator for the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Psychological Well-Being”
- Emily Gates, Psychology, Fatima Pulido, Psychology, Kenneth Aguilar, Karen Saleeb, & Kristin Tampon, Honors Humanities & Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: The 2023 Western Psychological Association Convention (April 2023)
“Familismo and Family Obligations on Life Satisfaction and College Adjustment”
- Paola Mae Biton, Psychology, Yaolli Bautista, Psychology, Matthew Campos, Psychology,Kayla Tapia, Psychology & Madison McCue, Psychology & Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: The 2023 Western Psychological Association Convention (April 2023)
“Assessing Water Efficiency by Comparing Morphology and Physiology of Helianthus Niveus and the Common Commercial Sunflower Helianthus Annuus”
- Kyana Grunberg, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Charles Chen, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2023 West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference (April, 2023)
- Awarded: Best Poster Presentation at the conference
“The Road to Water-Saving Sunflowers: A Comparison of the Leaf Physiology of Commercially Bred Helianthus annuus and H. Exilis Under Water Stress”
- Iliana Gaid, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Charles Chen, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2023 West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference (April, 2023)
“Comparing the Physiology of the Wild Helianthus annuus and the Common Commercial Helianthus annuus”
- Halina Liu, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Charles Chen, Professor, Department of Biology & Chemistry
- Venue: The 2023 West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference (April)
“Does Natural Selection Explain the Development of Alkaline Fluid in Semen and Fertilization Proteins on the Sperm and Ovum”
- Diana Saad, Biology
- Faculty-Mentor: Cahleen Shrier, Professor, Department of Biology
- Venue: The 2023 Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation (CSCA) & The American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) Annual Meeting (July 2023)
“Wholeness in Healing: How Neuroplasticity and Faith Work Together for Restoration”
- Hannah Go, Allied Health & Honors Humanities, Psychology Minor
- Faculty-Mentor: Cahleen Shrier, Professor, Department of Biology
- Venue: The 2023 Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation (CSCA) & The American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) Annual Meeting (July 2023)
2021-22
“Race/Ethnicity, social class, and culture on mental health effects on Covid-19” and “Perception of Parent Responses toward LGB Youth Coming Out to Religious Parents”
- Kenneth Aguilar, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Political Social Media Posts on Workplace Productivity and Coworker Attitudes” and “Race/Ethnicity, social class, and culture on mental health effects on Covid-19”
- Paola Mae Biton, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Political Affiliation on COVID Attitudes and Behaviors: Religious and Cultural Variables as Mediators”
- Matthew Campos, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Political Social Media Posts on Workplace Productivity and Coworker Attitudes” and “Perception of Parent Responses toward LGB Youth Coming Out to Religious Parents”
- Madison McCue, Psychology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Political Social Media Posts on Workplace Productivity and Coworker Attitudes” and “Perception of Parent Responses toward LGB Youth Coming Out to Religious Parents”
- Emmalyn Morgan, Psychology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“COVID-Related Stress and Perceived Risk: Effects of Race/Ethnicity, SES, and Cultural Orientation”
- Karmeenjet Singh, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Posttraumatic Growth Buffers the Link between Anxious Attachment and Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
- Justin Lee, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Carissa Dwiwardani, Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Posttraumatic Growth Buffers the Link between Anxious Attachment and Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
- Annie Ou, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Carissa Dwiwardani, Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR (April)
“Investigation of SmMAK16’s role in ribosome biogenesis in Schistosoma mansoni through analysis of a proposed zinc finger motif”
- Mia Brantley, Biology, Molecular Emphasis
- Faculty-Mentor: Jon Milhon, Professor, Department of Biology and Chemistry
- Venue: West Coast Undergraduate Biological Sciences Research Conference, Point Loma University, San Diego (April)
“Investigating the cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil on cos-7 and sk-br-3 cells for the future cytotoxicity assessment of the spirocyclic compound furfurylamine”
- Tiffany Pugh, Biology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Jon Milhon, Professor, Department of Biology and Chemistry
- Venue: West Coast Undergraduate Biological Sciences Research Conference, Point Loma University, San Diego (April)
“Determined Revolt: Rebellion and Power in Jane Eyre”
- Tara Christensen, Business Marketing and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Brontë’s Motherless Heroine: Identity Development in Jane Eyre”
- Betsy Corr, Social Science and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“‘I Care for Myself’: The Irrefutable Dignity of Jane Eyre”
- Nadine Ghezzo, Biology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“From Conflict to Harmony: Cognitive Dissonance in Jane Eyre”
- Micaela Meyer, Communication Studies and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“‘Portrait of a Governess’: An Intersectional Approach to Jane Eyre”
- Jessa Moomaw, Economics, Finance, and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Passion Properly Placed: Romantic Love in Jane Eyre”
- Hailey Schaefer, Political Science and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“The Ordering of Disordered Desire: Brontë’s Theology of Love in Jane Eyre”
- Chelsea Sealander, Biology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“But the Forehead said So: Sympathy and Phrenology in Jane Eyre”
- Julia Seaton, Violin Performance and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Emily Griesinger, Professor of English and Honors Faculty Fellow
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Exploring Experiences of Undergraduate Student Leaders of Color”
- Jada Tarvin Abu-Bekr, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venues:
- Social Work Annual Symposium, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (March-April)
- Awarded: Second place at the symposium
- Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA (March) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
- Awarded: Second place at the student BPD conference
“Social Work Students’ Empathy Towards and Preparedness for LGBTQ+ Individuals: Educational Implications”
- Chloé DePledge, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venues:
- National Conference on Undergraduate Research 2022 @Home (April) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
- Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA (March) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
- Awarded: First place at the student BPD conference
- Council on Social Work Education 2022 Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA (November)
- The North American Association of Christians in Social Work 2022 Annual Conference, Oak Brook, IL (October )
“Residents’ Perceptions of Community Strengths and Needs: A Community Needs Assessment”
- Briana Emsais, Social Work and Aimee Lind, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Social Work Annual Symposium, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (March-April)
- Awarded: Second place at the symposium
“Diversity in Hospice: Exploring Client Utilization of Psychological Services Based on Ethnicity”
- Awarded: Fourth place at the symposium
“Poetry Collection”
“Unity in Ritual, Protest in Reenactment: A comparison of Peru’s Señor de los Milagros and Inti Raymi”
- Ryan Moorwood, History
- Faculty-Mentor: Verónica Gutiérrez, Associate Professor of Latin American History, Department of History and Political Science
- Venue: Conference on Faith and History, Baylor University, Waco, TX (March)
“Ritual and Reenactment as a Means of Understanding the Colonial Legacy in Modern Latin America”
- Aaron Ramos, Spanish; History minor
- Faculty-Mentor: Verónica Gutiérrez, Associate Professor of Latin American History, Department of History and Political Science
- Venue: Conference on Faith and History, Baylor University, Waco, TX (March)
“Confidence in Field: MSW Interns' Perceived Self-Efficacy in Supporting Foster Students”
- Emma Kelly, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA (March) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Utilizing correlation functions to develop a multistate model of p. Denitrificans f1-atpase and enhance single-molecule imaging resolution”
- Nathan Suiter, Systems Engineering and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Sándor Volkán-Kacsó, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: 66th Annual Meeting of the Biological Society, Moscone Center, San Francisco (February)
“The Church, Abortion, and Reproductive Injustice: Reframing Abortion Rhetoric”
- Anna Disser, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Jennifer Buck, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Program Director of BAIS
- Venue: North American Association of Christians in Social Work Annual Convention, Glendale, CA (November)
“Multiculturalism in journals of psychology and Christianity: A content analysis”
- Matthew Campos, Psychology and Sociology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: American Psychological Association Conference, San Diego (August) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Discrimination and College Adjustment: Ethnic/Racial Identity and Critical Consciousness as Mediators”
- Bryana Orellana, Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Andrew Shelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
- Venue: American Psychological Association Conference, San Diego (August) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“The Neurobiology of Mindfulness: An Exploration of Mirror Neurons during Acts of Worship”
- Alexandra Mayer, Organismal Biology and Psychology
- Faculty-Mentor: Cahleen Shrier, Professor, Department of Biology and Chemistry
- Venue: American Scientific Affiliation Annual Meeting (July) ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
2020-21
“Freedom from Something Defined: Nothing in Measure for Measure”
- Alexis Cox, English and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Intimacy and the Inscrutable Self: ‘The Night Shadows’ Problem in A Tale of Two Cities”
- Madelyn Crooks, Psychology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Golden Angels, Sharp Females, and Alternative Heroines in A Tale of Two Cities”
- Charissa Enns, Journalism and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Born to Die: Death Sentence in Shakespeare’s Comedies”
- Jordyn Fouts, English and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“How to Raise a Life: The Theology of Resurrection in A Tale of Two Cities”
- Erin Gaffney, Psychology and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“‘Recalled to Life:’ Uncovering the Resurrectional Structure in A Tale of Two Cities”
- Olivia Huizar, Music Education and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Half-Victim, Half-Villain: The Mob and Melodramatic Aesthetics in A Tale of Two Cities”
- Kaylee Royster, Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Christine Kern, Associate Professor, Honors College
- Venue: Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, Johns Hopkins University (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Challenges and Strategies: School Administrators’ Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 on Low-Income School Districts”
- Tatyahna Costello, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama, Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Social Work Symposium, the University of Memphis (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Assessing Social Work Competencies: Student Perspectives on Vignette-Based Assessments”
- Dominique Hernandez, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Social Work Symposium, University of Memphis (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Challenges and Strategies: School Administrators’ Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 on Low-Income School Districts”
- Tatyahna Costello, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Annual National Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) Conference (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Assessing Social Work Competencies: Student Perspectives on Vignette-Based Assessments”
- Dominique Hernandez, Social Work
- Faculty-Mentor: Anupama Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work
- Venue: Annual National Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) Conference (April)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Analysis of the 2D Complex Ginzburg-Landau Equation Using the Singular Value Decomposition”
- Emily Gottry, Applied Mathematics and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Edwin Ding, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Research Conference (March)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Molecular Dynamics Simulations of F1-ATPase with GPU Supercomputer”
- Matthew Anderson, Physics
- Faculty-Mentor: Sandor Volkán-Kascó, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: 65th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society (February)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19
“Evaluation of P. Denitrificans F1-ATPase Rotary Motion Using Automated Methods to Detect Hidden States”
- Nathan Suiter, Systems Engineering and Honors Humanities
- Faculty-Mentor: Sandor Volkán-Kascó, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics
- Venue: 65th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society (February)
ONLINE FORMAT DUE TO COVID-19