2017 Top Scholars and Finalists

Undergraduate Research Conference

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Top Scholar

Rebecca Miller
"The Impact of Demographics on Aggravated Assault in Texas Cities"
Faculty sponsor: Ryan Phelps, Department of Economics and Finance.

Finalists

  • Lane Millsap
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Carol Wright, Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies
     
  • Sandi S. Whiteman, Ruth Gonzalez, Marybel I. Morones and Casey L. Skrabanek
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Carol Wright, Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies
     

James I. Perkins College of Education

Top Scholar

Remy Follmar, Jennifer Gregory and Veronica Gilliams
"Design for Dementia"
Faculty sponsor: Mitzi R. Perritt, School of Human Sciences.

Finalists

  • Suzanne Choate
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: Todd Barrios, Gina Fe Causin and Mary Olle, School of Human Sciences
     
  • Benjamin Dickey
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: Adam Akerson, Lauren Burrow and Deborah Williams, Department of Elementary Education
     
  • Lanessia Mack
    "Family: Do They Determine a Student’s Success?"
    Faculty sponsor: Rachel Jumper, School of Human Sciences
     
  • Alexis Malquist, Lexi Perimon and Rebecca Prince
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Sarah Drake, School of Human Sciences
     
  • Michaella A Petrosky
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Luis E. Aguerrevere, School of Human Services
     
  • Sara Ross
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Justin Pelham, School of Human Sciences
     
  • Kiera Smith
    "'Don't Count Me Out!' Recognizing Factors that Enhance Student Retention"
    Faculty sponsor: Yuleinys A. Castillo, Department of Human Services
     
  • Marissa Villamagna
    "Study Abroad: A Teacher Candidate’s Culture Learning Experience"
    Faculty sponsor: Tingting Xu, Department of Elementary Education
     

College of Fine Arts

Top Scholar

Keaton Garrett, Matthew Castner, Laurette Roddin, and Scott Augustine
"Orphic Quartet Commission"
Faculty sponsor: Nathan Nabb, School of Music.

Finalists

  • Devin Bruton, Skyler Moore, Bruce Moran and Kathryn Morton
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: CC Conn, School of Theatre
     
  • Hannah Colletti
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: David Lewis, School of Art
     
  • Sarah Jentsch
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Candace Hicks, School of Art
     
  • Taylor Johnston
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Christina Guenther, School of Music
     
  • Shelby Locklin
    "From Virtual to Reality"
    Faculty sponsor: Jeffie Brewer, School of Art
     
  • Marie Phillips
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Richard Jones, School of Theatre
     
  • Roger Ramirez
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Brad Meyer, School of Music
     
  • Emily Williams
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Jennifer Dalmas, School of Music
     

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture

Top Scholar

Rene Barelas, Kayli Baxter, Shannon Brown, Brianna Clark and Emily Lozano
"Testing E.coli Bacteria in La Nana Bayous"
Faculty sponsor: Sheryll B. Jerez, Environmental Science

Finalists

  • Taylor Barton and William Kruckeberg
    "Using Agro-Forestry to Offset Timber Investment: Is It Feasible?"
    Faculty sponsor: Brian Oswald, Forestry
     
  • Kelli Bashaw
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Christopher Comer, Forestry
     
  • Courtney Biles
    "Creating Community Agriculture Awareness through an Advocacy Service Learning Project"
    Faculty sponsor: Erin Brown, Agriculture
     
  • Kai Busch-Petersen and Chandler Fong
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: I-Kuai Hung, David Kulhavy and Dan Unger, Forestry
     
  • Margaret Campbell and Cheyenne Connors
    "Copper and Zinc Accumulation in Soils and Vegetation Adjacent to Parking Lots"
    Faculty sponsor: Kenneth Farrish, Environmental Science
     
  • Ariana Clark, Joseph Gerland, Brad Michael and Will Titone
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Sheryll B. Jerez, Environmental Science
     
  • Jessica Pruneda, Scheaffer Shockley and Lana Welford
    "Understanding Park Communications with Visitors in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks"
    Faculty sponsors: Ray Darville, Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology; Pat Stephens Williams, Forestry
     

College of Liberal and Applied Arts

Top Scholar

Casie Weihe
"Unregulated: An Overview of (the Lack of Oversight in) Texas Homeschooling"
Faculty sponsor: Joyce Johnston, Division of Multidisciplinary Programs

Finalists

  • Chelsea Campbell
    ""
    Faculty sponsors: Lauren Brewer, Kyle Conlon and Steven Estrada, Department of Psychology
     
  • Hannah Colletti
    "The Monastic Plan: Meeting Medieval Needs"
    Faculty sponsor: Perky Beisel, Department of History
     
  • Robert J. Hurt
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: James Morris, School of Social Work
     
  • Kris Nichols
    "The Heuristic Function of Mauvaise Foi: A Cognitive Dissonance"
    Faculty sponsor: Perry Moon, Department of Languages, Cultures, and Communication
     
  • Justin Oakley
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Perky Beisel, Department of History
     
  • Victoria Oberdick
    "Emotion Regulation and Its Effect on Perceived Stress Levels"
    Faculty sponsor: Lauren Brewer, Department of Psychology
     
  • Olivia J. Rivera
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Karol Chandler-Ezell, Department of Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology
     
  • Hannah Tumlinson
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Jessie Sams, Department of English and Creative Writing
     

College of Sciences and Mathematics

Top Scholar

Katie McCann
"Morphological variation among reproductive tactics in the Comanche Springs pupfish, Cyprinodon elegans"
Faculty sponsor: Jennifer Gumm, Department of Biology

Finalists

  • Nicholas Cheatwood, Ann Davis, Kelsi Hooker and Elizabeth Schabeck
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Michele R. Harris, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Christopher Franclemont
    "Analysis of Metal and Anion Content in Wastewater and Biosolids from the Nacogdoches and Lufkin Wastewater Treatment Plants"
    Faculty sponsor: Kefa K. Onchoke, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Macie N. Mattila
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Rebecca D. Parr, Department of Biology
     
  • Matthew McClinton
    "Photo-Oxidative Degradation of Persistent Organic Wastewater Pollutants With the Use of Water-Soluble Cationic Porphyrins"
    Faculty sponsor: Matibur Zamadar, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • John Mullins and Carmel Tovar
    "Observations and Practical Tips on Metal Affinity Chromatography and Protein Refolding Techniques"
    Faculty sponsor: Odutayo Odunuga, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     
  • Ryan Pingenot
    ""
    Faculty sponsor: Daniel J. Bennett, Department of Biology
     
  • Essence B. Strange
    "It’s a Matter of Life and Death: Deregulation of Cell Death Pathways with Two Small Molecules in Rotavirus Infected Cells"
    Faculty sponsor: Rebecca D. Parr, Department of Biology
     

Regional Colleges

Top Scholar

Uche Nwasuruba
"The Fear of Pain and Embarrassment in Relation to Dental Anxiety"
Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art and Honors

Finalists

  • Emily Dunnahoe
    "Removable Discontinuity: CRIPSR/Cas Systems and Bioethicst"
    Faculty sponsor: Betsy Ott, Tyler Junior College: Biology
     
  • Katelyn Gorby
    "Health Benefits of Minimalism"
    Faculty sponsor: Ryan Button, Tyler Junior College: Sociology
     
  • Kalyn Johnson
    "Poliomyelitis: History of the Methods of Eradication"
    Faculty sponsor: Betsy Ott, Tyler Junior College: Biology
     
  • Eric Marek
    "The Effects of Science Literacy on the Perception of Climate Change"
    Faculty sponsor: Tom Hooten, Tyler Junior College: Physics
     
  • Hannah Perry
    "Abstract-Glaze Testing: Methods and Results"
    Faculty sponsor: David Funk, Tyler Junior College: Art
     
  • Lucas Sartain
    "Health of Dollar Menu Food: Cost versus Benefits Analysis"
    Faculty sponsor: Ryan Button, Tyler Junior College: Sociology