2016 Top Scholars and Finalists

Undergraduate Research Conference

ĢƵ

Top Scholar

Paige Sumney
"An Experiential Study of Records Management at Ward Animal Hospital"
Faculty sponsor: Marsha Bayless, Business Communication & Legal Studies

Finalists

  • Courtney Beatty
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Carol Wright, Business Communication & Legal Studies
     
  • Nemanja Bilc, Brandi Mathis and Cary Ray
    "Image of Urban Bricks Pizza"
    Faculty sponsor: Joe Ballenger, Management, Marketing and International Business
     
  • Brandon Gray and Justin Seitz
    "ĢƵSU Health Center"
    Faculty sponsor: Joe Ballenger, Management, Marketing and International Business
     
  • James Davoli, Andrew Krenek and Jeremy Pounds
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Joe Ballenger, Management, Marketing and International Business
     
  • Lane O’Brien, Juanita Reyes and Rebecca Rhame
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Judith Biss, Business Communication & Legal Studies
     
  • Emily Poris, Marisa Salazar and Joshua Shoulders
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Joe Ballenger, Management, Marketing and International Business
     
  • Ashlyn Reece
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Ryan Phelps, Economics and Finance
     

James I. Perkins College of Education

Top Scholar

Marie Wilhelm
"Stress and Stress Management in Kinesiology Undergraduate Students"
Faculty sponsor: Christina Sinclair, Kinesiology and Health Science

Finalists

  • Alyssa Abreu and Rachel Nanez
    "Affective and Motivational Responses to 3D Body Imaging"
    Faculty sponsors: Mark D. Faries and Eric J. Jones, Kinesiology and Health Science
     
  • Pamela Garcia
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Mitzi Perritt, Human Sciences
     
  • Anitra Greusel
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: Gina Fe Causin and Mary Olle, Human Sciences
     
  • Brianna Henson and Erica Knowles
    "The Relationship Health and Attractiveness Self-Ratings with Body Satisfaction and Health Behavior"
    Faculty sponsor: Mark D. Faries, Kinesiology and Health Science
     
  • Alexondrea Jones
    "Effects of Caffeine on Optimism and High-Beta Brain Activity in Caffeine Users Pilot Study"
    Faculty sponsor: Luis. E. Aguerrevere, Human Services
     
  • Melissa Lenert
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Luis. E. Aguerrevere, Human Services
     
  • Lindsey Pallat, Haleigh Pickett and Dani Quade
    "Increasing Mathematic Performance Using Play-Based Learning With English Language Learners"
    Faculty sponsors: Vicki Thomas and Tingting Xu, Elementary Education
     

College of Fine Arts

Top Scholar

Shelby Gilliland
"Israeli-Palestinian Conflict-Churchill's 'Seven Jewish Children': A Play for Gaza"
Faculty sponsor: Rick Jones, Theatre

Finalists

  • Alexander Ballard
    "Recording a Polychoral Motet in a Cathedral Setting"
    Faculty sponsor: Jaime Weaver, Music
     
  • Alexandra Burke
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Tamey Anglley, Music
     
  • Ryan Dutton, Chris Garza, Erasmo Herrera and Joseph Schaetz
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: J.D. Salas, Music
     
  • Jesse Edwards
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Scott Runnels, Art
     
  • Shelby Gilliam and Dominique Rider
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Rick Jones, Theatre
     
  • Skyler Moore, Brian Steele, Brittany Tennis and Travis Wilson
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Carolyn “CC” Conn, Theatre
     
  • Brittany Tennis
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Inga Meier, Theatre
     

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture

Top Scholar

Cassey Edwards
"Habitat and Landscape Factors Influencing Acoustic Detections of Various Bat Species in East Texas"
Faculty sponsor: Chris Comer, Forestry

Finalists

  • Maira Aleem, Brandyn Fredericks, Robert Grant, Joshua Miller and Nathan Warner
    "Air Quality Assessment of Airborne Bacteria in Public Dining Areas at ĢƵSU"
    Faculty sponsor: Sheryll Jerez, Environmental Science
     
  • James Cunningham, Michael DeGuenther, Clayton Rushing, Aaron Slevin and Joseph Watkins
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Sheryll Jerez, Environmental Science
     
  • Emmanda Wilson
    "Interaction of Temperature and Strength Properties for Pine versus Wood Plastic Composite Decking"
    Faculty sponsor: Matthew McBroom, Forestry
     
  • Brad Henley
    "1984 to 2013 East Texas Land Cover Classification Using Remote Sensing"
    Faculty sponsors: David Kulhavy and Daniel Unger, Forestry
     
  • Madison Peters and Mary-Leigh Winkler
    "Schooling Behavior and Utilization of Woody Debris by Predator and Prey Fish"
    Faculty sponsor: Matthew McBroom, Forestry
     
  • Amny Rose
    "Effects of Partial Shading Typical of a Loblolly Pine Silvopasture on Marginally Productive Alfisols in the Southeastern United States"
    Faculty sponsor: Leon Young, Agriculture
     
  • Michelle Zvonkovic
    "Effects of Particle Size on Heat Released from Combustion of Yaupon"
    Faculty sponsors: Brian Oswald and Yuhui Weng, Forestry
     

College of Liberal and Applied Arts

Top Scholar

Meagan Beckwith, James Hardcastle, Amber Juarez, Jovita Ndong and Meagan Sellers
"PR Plan for The Solid Foundation"
Faculty sponsor: T. Phillip Madison, Mass Communications

Finalists

  • Cindy L. Carrillo
    "Voter Turnout, Electoral Competition & Rational Choice Theory"
    Faculty sponsor: Steven Galatas, Government
     
  • Caitlin Davis Hornback
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Dianne Dentice, Anthropology, Geography and Sociology
     
  • Keara E. King
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: James Morris, Social Work
     
  • Christina Kramer
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Jacqueline Cowan, English
     
  • Natalia Mujadzic
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Louise E. Stoehr, Languages, Cultures, and Communication
     
  • Justin Oakley
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Scott Sosebee, History
     
  • Stephen Ratliff
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Lauren Brewer, Psychology
     

College of Sciences and Mathematics

Top Scholar

Carmel Tovar
"Size of the Protein, Not Number or Position of Histidine Tags, is the Major Factor that Determines its Yield during Ni2+ and Co2+ Affinity Purification"
Faculty sponsor: Odutayo Odunuga, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Finalists

  • Andrew Ballard, James Francis and Sam Jentsch
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Deborah Dunn, Computer Science
     
  • Jillian Blenderman
    "Response of Female Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis and C. variegatus to Chemical Cues of Conspecific and Heterospecific Males"
    Faculty sponsor: Jennifer Gumm, Biology
     
  • Jessica Bronstad and Nicholas Cheatwood
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Michele R. Harris, Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Esmeralda Garcia, Jennifer Hanes, Petra Kadakova and Phillip Sharp
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: Michael A. Janusa and Kefa Onchoke, Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Nghia Nguyen
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Jane Long, Mathematics and Statistics
     
  • Christopher Orr
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Matibur R. Zamadar, Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Timothy Turner
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Alyx S. Frantzen, Chemistry and Biochemistry
     

Regional Colleges

Top Scholar

Dannika Blackhurst and Shelby Click
"DRIVEN School Systems: Test Development, Structure and Implementation"
Faculty sponsor: Kay Lynn Moran, Tyler Junior College: Education/Government

Finalists

  • Bayley Deaton
    "Native American History's Duality with the West"
    Faculty sponsor: Ryan Button, Tyler Junior College: Human Behavioral Sciences
     
  • Dhalia Galdamez
    "An Artist's Enemy"
    Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art and Honors
     
  • Clifton Henry
    "The Foundations of Mathematics History and Its Applications in Higher Level Mathematics"
    Faculty sponsor: Chris Chappa, Tyler Junior College: Mathematics
     
  • Shelby Luptak
    "Cognitive Dissonance Within a Realm of Unconscious Bias"
    Faculty sponsor: Ryan Button, Tyler Junior College: Human Behavioral Sciences
     
  • Yoshinobu Nakada
    "Introduction of Virtual Reality Web Browsing System to Enhance Second Language Learnings"
    Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art and Honors
     
  • Sabrah Shipman
    "The Psychology Behind Advertising and Consumer Behavior"
    Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art and Honors
     
  • Carmen Suarez
    "The Entrepreneurial Gamble: Cognitive Determinants that Influence Risk Perception and Success"
    Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art and Honors