The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has awarded stipends to 88 undergraduates to participate in research with a faculty mentor this summer.
Nebraska’s Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience (UCARE) Program supports undergraduates to work with faculty mentors in research or creative activities. Undergraduate students receive stipends of $2,400 to engage in intensive research or creative activity for 20 hours per week. The students’ projects span across academic disciplines including engineering, chemistry, modern languages and literatures, psychology, art and art history, architecture, special education, and fisheries and wildlife.
The students also will have opportunities to participate in mentoring workshops and activities with undergraduates from other institutions who are participating in Nebraska’s Summer Research Program. In August, both groups of students will present posters on their research and creative activities at a campus research symposium. For more about undergraduate research at Nebraska, click here.
The following is a list of students by hometown who received summer UCARE awards, with their academic major and project title.
NEBRASKA:
Ashland: Samantha Moran, microbiology, “Characterization of Ad-Vectored Ebola Zaire Vaccine Candidates.”
Auburn: Tyler Barker, computer engineering, “International Genetically Engineered Machines Team.”
Aurora: Paige McCoy, history, “Nebraska Immigration: A Comparison Between Past and Present.”
Bellevue: Jessica Harms, chemistry, “International Genetically Engineered Machines Team.”
Ceresco: Andrew Shultz, physics, “Measurement of Ultra High Energy Neutrino Flux.”
Chadron: Bailea Kerr, English, “Collaborative Digital Literary Archive Development: The George Eliot Review Digitalization Project: Phase II.”
Columbus: Leah Engquist, biochemistry, “Lancaster County Family Treatment Drug Court Track Evaluation.”
Elgin: Regan Kerkman, meteorology-climatology, “Testing Instrumentation and Collecting Initial Data for Cloud Physics Research.”
Elkhorn: Jocelyn Daubendiek, biochemistry, “Characterization of Liver Endothelial Cells in a Mouse Model of Progressive Fatty Liver.”
Fremont: Timothy Thielen, forensic science, “Identifying the Essential Residues for the [4Fe-4S] Cluster Binding in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis WhiB1.”
Gothenburg: Jessica Schmidt, veterinary science, “Subjective Evaluation of Temperament in Beef Cattle: Does Training Improve the Reliability of the Assessment?”
Gretna: Rebecca Human, English, “Evaluating Parent Perception of Fairness in the Douglas County FIRST Court”; Ian McGovern, classics and religious studies, “Landscape and Environmental Impact and Influence on Classical Cultures from Antiquity and the Degrading Effects on the Archeological Record Due to Excavating Processes During a Field Survey.”
Hadar: Matthew Penne, electrical engineering, “Flexible Wind Energy Turbine.”
Hickman: Janelle Adams, biological systems engineering, “Characterization of Various Hydrogels Utilized for Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensor Delivery Platforms”; Bethany Hage, computer science, “Development of Plant G-protein Interactome Database.”
Kearney: Austin Arens, landscape architecture, “The Effectiveness of the Service Learning Teaching Model in Landscape Architecture”; Rosamond Thalken, film studies, “Collaborative Digital Literary Archive Development: The George Eliot Review Digitalization Project: Phase II.”
La Vista: Kurtis Cronican, finance, “Effects of Racial Discrimination and Spatial Distribution on the Unemployment and Wage Differential.”
Lincoln: Keely Anderson, landscape architecture, “Post-Occupancy Evaluation of High-Performing Built Landscape Infrastructure Projects: A Case Study Investigation of Three Constructed Landscapes in the Great Plains”; Kyly Baxter, psychology, “Effects of Social Support on Peer-Mentor and Client Relationships for Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Rural Adults with Social Anxiety”; Nina Bui, biochemistry, “Characterization of Coenzyme F420 and F420 Dehydrogenase”; Shardhat Daggumati, chemical engineering, “Constructing a Genome-Scale Metabolic Model For Methylobacter”; Elizabeth Hoffman, pre-speech-language pathology, “Signal Processing Effects on Listener Fatigue”; Emily Hruza, fisheries and wildlife, “Water Use Patterns of the Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus) During the Dry Season in the Mashatu Game Reserve of Eastern Botswana”; Tina Le, pre-secondary English (7-12), “Increasing Motivation in Secondary Students Through Public Writing Partnerships Between College and High School Students”; Tony Le, chemical engineering, “Constructing a Genome-Scale Metabolic Model For Methylobacter”; Ahbab Murtoza, chemical engineering, “Synthesis of Metal Doped Ceria Catalysts for Catalyzing Organic Carbonate Reactions”; Ngan Nguyen, biochemistry, “Engineering Commensal Bacteria to Produce Scytovirin for Combating Against Ebola Infection”; Phu Nguyen, biological systems engineering, “Exploring the Mechanical Effects of Cardiac Fibrosis”; Juana Paramo Reyes, accounting, “Language Application Development (and FunWritr) Community Support Exploration”; Zvonimir Pusnik, mechanical engineering, “Nucleation and Crystallization of Small Droplets of Poly(3-hexylthiophene)”; Jacob Rix, mechanized systems management, “Spatial Variability of Streambed Hydraulic Conductivity Across Multiple Stream Orders”; Madison Royse, chemical engineering, “Nanoscale Understanding of Polymers for Sustainable Energy Applications”; Kayla Schirf, anthropology, “To Enter Africa from America: U.S. Empire, Race and the African Question, 1847-1919”; Daniel Schoenberg, biological sciences, “Mating Rates and Mating Practices of the Fishing Spider, Dolomedes scriptus”; Dylan Severino, German, “Mapping and Analyzing the Difficulty of Sentences in Latin Prose and Poetry for Pedagogical Use”; Brian Smith, biological sciences, “Will Beef Make your Child a Better Athlete? Exploring the Associations Among Beef Intake, Iron Status and Athletic Performance in Nebraska Youth Athletes”; Sydney Townsend, biochemistry, “Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Sestrin2 Post-Translational Modification and its Significance on Adipocyte Metabolites Secretion Under Energy Stresses.”
Nebraska City: Galen Kreifels, mechanized systems management, “Unmanned Aircraft for Measuring Lake Turbidity.”
Ogallala: Cameron Schaecher, biochemistry, “Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Sestrin2 Post-Translational Modification and its Significance on Adipocyte Metabolites Secretion Under Energy Stresses.”
Omaha: Ethan Brush, mechanical engineering, “Development of a Positively Engaged Mechanism to Approximate a Continuously Variable Transmission”; Amanda Bulger, classics and religious studies, “Exhuming Morgantina: Individuals and Society in a Hellenistic and Roman Iinsula at the Site of Morgantina (Sicily)”; Nicholas Flaxbeard, chemical engineering, “International Genetically Engineered Machines Team”; Regan Gilmore, natural resource and environmental economics, “Implications of an Environmental Tax on Meat Consumption for the Livestock and Grain Sectors in the United States and Nebraska”; Merrett Lane, biological systems engineering, “Micro-Hydropower Generation Along the Platte River”; Natalie Lucas, English, “Habeas Corpus and Legal Histories of the North American West”; Madison Morrissette, political science, “Evaluating Parent Perception of Fairness in the Douglas County FIRST Court”; Barbara Mullen, architectural engineering, “Feasibility and Efficiency Analysis of Cathodic Protection for Concrete Steel Reinforcement”; Cody Nelson, history, “The Velatouri Tower of Attica, Greece: Greek Fortification Architecture in Classical and Hellenistic Borderlands”; Madeline Neuhaus, psychology, “Habeas Corpus and Legal Histories of the North American West”; Lori Nevole, English, “Willa Cather Archive”; Erin Oeltjen, biochemistry, “Relatedness of Chromatin Proteins and Phenotype in Archaea”; Daniel Rico, electrical engineering, “Determining Model Performance Across Versions in a Drought Forecast Environment”; Jewel Rodgers, management (entrepreneurship and innovation), “A Scalable Model for Urban Revitalization that Minimizes the Effects of Gentrification”; Anna Spethman, global studies, “We Too Are Intellectuals: South African Women’s Ideas on South African Segregation”; Joseph Stapleton, biological systems engineering, “Characterization of Various Hydrogels Utilized for Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensor Delivery Platforms”; Kyle Wengel, mechanical engineering, “Practical Analysis of Mechanical Fasteners.”
Papillion: Brianna Kellar, biochemistry, “Characterization of Liver Endothelial Cells in a Mouse Model of Progressive Fatty Liver.”
Peru: Nicholas Kite, biochemistry, “International Genetically Engineered Machines Team.”
Seward: Owen George, water science, “Analyzing Riverbed Dynamics Using an Unmanned Aircraft.”
Sidney: Cassy Ross, global studies, “Refugee Resettlement and Entrepreneurship”; Logan Uhlir, computer engineering, “International Genetically Engineered Machines Team.”
Syracuse: Aaron Halvorsen, psychology, “Temporal Activation Patterns of Neural Representations Following Visual Statistical Learning.”
Upland: Dylan Steinkruger, meteorology-climatology, “Developing a Winter Severity Index to Improve Road Mobility.”
Valley: Conner Lunn, biological systems engineering, “Digital Tools for Dust and Odor Nuisance Risk.”
West Point: Blake Hass, biological systems engineering, “Characterization of Liver Endothelial Cells in a Mouse Model of Progressive Fatty Liver.”
ELSEWHERE:
Del Mar, California: Jacob Winters, classics and religious studies, “Mapping and Analyzing the Difficulty of Sentences in Latin Prose and Poetry for Pedagogical Use.”
Lake Worth, Florida: Andrew Egger, biochemistry, “Characterization of Liver Endothelial Cells in a Mouse Model of Progressive Fatty Liver.”
Colby, Kansas: Bridget Bickner, biological sciences, “Exploring the Benefits of Sexual Cannibalism Avoidance for Male Pisaurina mira Spiders”
Lenexa, Kansas: Isaac Coleman, computer science, “Steelarm: An Independently Produced Video Game about Privilege and Player Choice”
Olathe, Kansas: Emily Freeman, music education, “Notable Graduates of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music: A Collection of Biographies and Accompanying Resources.”
Wichita, Kansas: Spencer Jones, biochemistry, “Interactions between the Sigma Factors and the WhiB7 Protein in Mycobacterium Species.”
La Plata, Maryland: Alexander Lehmann, insect science, “The Community of Carrion Beetles in Conventional and No-Till Agroecosystems of Western Nebraska.”
South Lyon, Michigan: Monica Houck, architectural engineering, “Feasibility and Efficiency Analysis of Cathodic Protection for Concrete Steel Reinforcement.”
Maplewood, Minnesota: Sara Duke, English, “Collaborative Digital Literary Archive Development: The George Eliot Review Digitalization Project: Phase II.”
Lee’s Summit, Missouri: Elly Glazier, nutritional science and dietetics, “The Effect of Increased Dietary Protein on Body Protein Breakdown and Anabolic Sensitivity of Bone and Skeletal Muscle During Calorie-Restricted Weight Loss”; Alexis Krepps, biological systems engineering, “International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) Team”; Anna Poudel, global studies, “Part of the Diaspora: Yezidi Kurds of Lincoln.”
Clarksboro, New Jersey: Alec Sery, civil engineering, “The Velatouri Tower in Attica, Greece: Greek Fortification Architecture in Classical and Hellenistic Borderlands.”
Fargo, North Dakota: Tyler Johnson, chemical engineering, “Nanoscale Understanding of Polymers for Sustainable Energy Applications.”
Madison, South Dakota: Brian Niedert, classics and religious studies, “Exhuming Morgantina: Individuals and Society in a Hellenistic and Roman Insula at the Site of Morgantina (Sicily).”
Rapid City, South Dakota: Drew Van Heuveln, electrical engineering, “Growth, Properties and Devices of Nanoscale Films and Wires Consisting of Layered Materials.”
Lakeway, Texas: Kathleen Ellis, economics, “Economic Modeling of U.S. Household Consumption for Forensic Efficiency.”
Hartland, Wisconsin: Mackenzie Cissne, psychology, “Neural Activation of Metacognition in Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.”
Bangalore, India: Spurti Shivalingaiah, economics, “Impact of Demonetization on the Economy of India.”
Kolkata, India: Sk Nasimul Gani, computer engineering, “Large-Scale Robot Community Capable of Self-Coordination.”
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Phuc Tran, art, “The Aliens: Illustrated Narratives of Immigrant Experiences Bridging Eastern and Western Cultures.”
