Undergraduate Research Symposium: Spring 2026

Each semester the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) hosts an Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) featuring student posters and presentations highlighting their work. Students and faculty came together to celebrate the Spring 2026 session at the Oplin Student Union this past April. 

Congratulations to the undergraduate students in the College of Social and Behavioral Science who presented this semester! 

top row (left to right): Stevie Ayers-Harris, Lauren Kelley, Kaylee Harrbrink , middle row: Peyton Cooper and Kathrine Berensen, Abbi Anderson, Darren Riddle , Bottom row: Lessly Paulino Izquierdo and Daniel Morante, Hazel Bacon, Taeseung Kim 

 

Emel Aichele (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
A Fire History from North Spring Along the Bear River, Idaho  
Research Mentor: Jennifer Watt, Environment Society and Sustainability  

Photo: Abigail Simmons, Hailey Howard, Izzy Akers  

Honorable Mention in the category of Best in Social Sciences 

Izzy Akers (Anthropology and International Studies), Hailey Howard (Political Science and Anthropology), and Abigail Simmons (Anthropology and Spanish)  
Plants & Pastoralists: A Livelihood Story  
Research Mentor: Shane Macfarlan, Anthropology 

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Khaled Al-dandashi (Health, Society, and Policy)  
Anti-commensal IgG Associated with Primary Membranous Nephropathy  
Research Mentor: Daniel Leung, School of Medicine 

Jack Giacomin (Environmental and Sustainability Studies) and Katie Aleshire (Earth and Environmental Science) 
Interpreting Loss on Ignition Analysis on Sediment Cores from Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming  
Research Mentor: Jennifer Watt, Environment, Society and Sustainability 

Abbi Anderson (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
The Color of Rain 
Research Mentor: Alexandra Ponette-González, College of Architecture and Planning 

Stevie Ayers-Harris (Psychology) The Effects of Concussion on Dual-Task Sensory Integration and Gait Control While Navigating  
Research Mentor: Sarah Creem-Regehr, Psychology 

Hazel Bacon (Political Science and Sociology)  
Understanding Intimate Partner Violence in Utah: Historical Context and Policy Responses Research Mentor: Sonia Salari, Family and Consumer Studies 

Emilie Bailey (Anthropology and Biology)  
Using Cave Fossil Assemblages to Assess Changes in Southern Utah Biodiversity  
Research Mentor: Randall Irmis, Geology and Geophysics 

Christopher Baker (Psychology and Biology)  
Identifying Genetic Variation in Drosophila Melanogaster that Underlie Behavioral Responses to 2-Phenylethanol  
Research Mentor: Sophie Caron, Biological Sciences 

Photo: Tyler Beeston 

Honorable Mention in the category of Best in Medicine, Health and Wellness 

Tyler Beeston (Psychology)  
“You’re not alone”: Evaluation of a Peer Support Program Within the Differences of Sex Development Clinic at Primary Children’s Hospital  
Research Mentor: Kristina Suorsa-Johnson, Psychology

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Photo: Sydney Berg 

Best in Social Sciences 

Sydney Berg (Psychology, Health, Society and Policy)  
Analyzing the Impact of Youth-Reported Camp Program Quality on Levels of Flourishing After Program Involvement 
Research Mentor: Rob Lubeznik-Warner, Psychology 

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 Em Berkson (Anthropology)  

Comparative Morphometrics of Living and Extinct Hyaenids at Koobi Fora  
Research Mentor: Thomas Kraft, Anthropology 

Sydney Brooksby (Anthropology)  
Proposed Restoration of the ShoxA Box in Mosaic Turner Syndrome Patients Through CRISPR, HDR Pathway, and mRNA Delivery Methodologies: A Literature Supported Approach  
Research Mentor: Michael Werner, Biological Sciences 

Zoe Caldwell (Psychology) and Rachel Clark (Psychology)  
Examining the Effect of Arousal on Space and Time Judgments 
Research Mentor: Jeanine Stefanucci, Psychology 

Kelsie Call (Psychology)  
EUREKA Melanoma Prevention Intervention  
Research Mentor: Tammy Stump, Psychology 

Elly Carlton (Political Science and International and Area Studies)  
Utah’s African American Newspaper and Its Coverage on National Parks  
Research Mentor: KangJae Lee, College of Health 

Ashley Carras (Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies)  
Understanding the Predictive Nature of Adverse Childhood Experiences for Attachment Quality & Mental Health Outcomes  
Research Mentor: Marissa Diener (Family and Consumer Studies 

Nyah Casper (Anthropology) and Jacqueline Helm (Anthropology)  
Dynamics of Godparenthood: Analysis of Compadrazgo in Rural Baja California Sur, Mexico 
Research Mentor: Shane Macfarlan, Anthropology 

Photo: Camilla Cloward  

Honorable Mention in the category of Best in Humanities and Fine Arts 

Camilla Cloward (Political Science and Middle East Studies)  
The Use of Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War in the Palestine and Israel Conflict 
Research Mentor: Annie Fukushima, Ethnic, Gender, and Disability Studies

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 Jeffrey Anderson (Biochemistry), Selene Cochran (Biology), Maddie Colombo (Psychology), Mingjing Huang (Biology), Owen Naughten (Biology)  

How do Near-Peer Scenarios Affect General Chemistry Students’ Description of Scientists? Research Mentor, Gina Fey, Chemistry 

Abby Crockett (Psychology)  
Connecting or Isolating? The Role of Social Media in the Lives of Emerging Adults on the Autism Spectrum  
Research Mentor: Aaron Fischer, College of Education 

Riley Crook (Economics)  
Renal Accumulation of Osmolytes Increases IL-6 Promoter  
Research Mentor: Brandi Wynne, School of Medicine 

Jane Damstedt (Anthropology and Biology) 
Archeological Insights into Native Ecology: Analyzing Osteological Remains with an Emphasis on Beavers to Inform Ecological Restoration Efforts  
Research Mentor: Brian Codding, Anthropology 

Torstein Derauf (Psychology)  
Expanding the Link Between Preterm Birth, Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, and Necrotizing Enterocolitis  
Research Mentor: Mar Janna Dahl, School of Medicine 

Callum Dingley (Anthropology)  
Historic Predictive Modeling of Indigenous and Euro-American Settlements in the Bear River Basin  
Research Mentor: Brian Codding, Anthropology 

Mya Dunlap (Psychology)  
Targeted Memory Reactivation Impact on Motor Memory Consolidation  
Research Mentor: Bradley King, College of Health 

Auriana Dunn (Anthropology and Biology)  
Isotopic Analysis of Pecho Coast’s Enhyrda lutris  
Research Mentor: Austin Green, Biological Sciences 

Keli Faux (Anthropology)  
A Diachronic Analysis of the Terminal Pleistocene-Middle Holocene: Climate Shifts in Mammalian Microfaunas from Connley Cave 5  
Research Mentor: Miranda Harding, Anthropology 

Ryan Felderman (Sociology and Games)  
Pathways to Identification: A Qualitative Study of Entry into the Involuntary Celibate Community  
Research Mentor: CoCo James, Undergraduate Studies James, Undergraduate Studies 

Jesse Ferguson (Anthropology)  
Comparative Assessment of Time Allocation & Leisure in Rural Tongan Communities  
Research Mentor: Adrian Bell, Anthropology 

Kailey Gilbert (Environmental and Sustainability Studies) 
Impact of Legacy Effects of Elaeagnus angustifolia on Remediated Soils in Southern Utah Faculty Mentor: Luiza Aparecido, Biological Sciences 

Kaylee Haarbrink (Psychology)  
Preventing Firearm Injury and Death Among Rural Youth: Scoping Review  
Research Mentor: Kurt Michael, School of Medicine 

Krista Hamilton (Psychology)  
Higher-Order Memory Domain Association to Enhance Memory Consolidation  
Research Mentor: Genevieve Albouy, College of Health 

Enzo Hamlin (Environmental and Sustainability Studies) and Katie Minor (Geography) 
What Powers Public Power? Energy Sources Across the WEIM  
Research Mentor: Matthew Fry, Environment, Society and Sustainability 

Ethan Hepworth (Political Science and Economics)  
Understanding the Socioeconomic Determinants of Men’s Isolation in the United States  
Research Mentor: Sarah Small, Economics 

Gabriel Holm (Psychology)  
The Effects of Concussions on Cue Combination in Spatial Navigation  
Research Mentor: Sarah Creem-Regehr, Psychology 

Diego Ize-Cedillo (Political Science)  
The Southern Patriot Narrative: Alabama’s Ontological Security Seeking in the Age of Civil Rights  
Research Mentor: Brent Steele, Political Science 

Kori Johnson (Anthropology)  
Mapping Queer Cannabis Histories  
Research Mentor: Magaly Ordonez 

Leya Joseph (Psychology)  
Investigating the Impact of Social Instability Stress on Social Behavior  
Research Mentor: Moriel Zelikowsky, School of Medicine 

Felix Keil (Geographic Info Sciences and Geography)  
Wildfire Protective Actions in Dire Scenarios: Identifying and Ranking Fire Refuge Areas in Park City, Utah  
Research Mentor: Tom Cova, Environment, Society and Sustainability 

Lauren Kelley (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
From Pandemic Response to Community Infrastructure: The Evolution of Food Mutual Aid in Salt Lake City  
Research Mentor: Adrienne Cachelin, Environment, Society, and Sustainability 

Cienna Kim (Psychology), Hangu Lee (Psychology), Ellie Choi (Business), Doahn Lee (Architecture and Planning) 
A Multidimensional Framework for Winning Super Bowl Advertising  
Research Mentor: Chong Oh, David Eccles School of Business 

 

top row (left to right): Katie Minor, Kamryn Mena, Jenny Lee, middle row: Hangu Lee, Doahn Lee, Cienna Kim, Ellie Choi, Mads Ward, bottom row: Evan Klansnic, Molly Sattar, Abby Crockett 

Taeseung Kim (Psychology)  
Effects of Virtual Reality Cognitive Training on Perceived Cognitive Confidence in Older Adults  
Research Mentor: Yongseop Kim, College of Health 

Evan Klansnic (Sociology)  
What Do Western U.S. Cities Tell People To Do When It’s Hot and Polluted?  
Research Mentor: Alexandra Ponette-González, College of Architecture and Planning 

Kendal Kuper (Psychology and Anthropology)  
Pathways of Preference: Examining the Relationship Between Environmental Background and Navigational Strategy in a Naturalistic Immersive Virtual Reality Task  
Research Mentor: Jeanine Stefanucci, Psychology 

Konner Larsen (Psychology and Criminology)  
How Background Information Influences Person Memory  
Research Mentor: Jacqueline Chen, Psychology 

Jen Lee (Psychology)  
Examining the Influence of Transdiagnostic Indices of Maternal Mental Health on Infant Attachment Outcomes and Toddler Behavior Problems  
Research Mentor: Lee Raby, Psychology 

Jenny Lee (Psychology and Biology)  
Patient-Derived Intracranial Endothelial Profiling After aSAH Using Endoluminal Biopsy and scRNA-seq  
Research Mentor: Karol Budohoski, School of Medicine 

Seungmi Lee (Psychology)  
Neural Signatures of Psychomotor Function in Depression: A Grip Force Task fMRI Study 
Research Mentor: Vincent Koppelmans, School of Medicine 

Rian Liew (Environmental and Sustainability Studies) and Tibby Pepper (Sociology and Criminology)  
Exploring Community-Based Research and its Impact in Shaping Eccles Health Campus Development  
Research Mentor: Adrienne Cachelin, Environment, Society, and Sustainability 

Andee Lyons (Psychology and Communication)  
Perceptions of a Caring, Task, and Ego-involving Climate on Positive Youth Development 
Research Mentor: Maria Newton, College of Health 

Kayleah Madsen (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
Pine Interactions in Utah  
Mitchel Power, Environment, Society, and Sustainability  

Isa Marquez (Anthropology and Geography)  
Understanding Denisovan Distribution and Migration Through Geospatial Analyses  
Research Mentor: Timothy Webster, Anthropology 

Daniel Morante (Political Science) and Lessly Paulino Izquierdo (Sociology and Criminology)  
Marginalization on the West Side of Salt Lake 
Research Mentor: Katherine Maldonado, Sociology and Criminology 

Sae Obayashi (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
Concerns bout Air Pollution in Salt Lake County  
Research Mentor: Sara Grineski, Environment, Society, and Sustainability 

Anushka Parashar (Health, Society, and Policy)  
Psycho-Oncology Services in Montana: An Analysis of Access and Cost  
Research Mentor: Bismarck Odei, School of Medicine 

Will Pearce (Geography and Earth and Environmental Science)  
Clarifying Species Boundaries in Hyperdiverse Plant Lineages Using Nanopore Sequencing 
Research Mentor: Rodolfo Probst, Biological Sciences 

Gabriel Pinna (Economics and Accounting)  
Universal Savings Accounts: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Proposed Tax-Advantaged Savings Vehicle  
Research Mentor: Scott Pickett, David Eccles School of Business 

Sofia Price (Anthropology)  
Risk in Baja California Sur, Mexico  
Research Mentor: Shane Macfarlan, Anthropology 

Daren Riddle (Psychology)  
The Effects of Social Support and Self-Esteem on Substance Use in Transgender and Non-Binary Communities  
Research Mentor: Tess DeAtley, School of Medicine 

Bri Rinn (Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Earth and Environmental Science and Biology)  
Role of Climate of Origin and Phylogenetic Relatedness in the Response of Stem Photosynthesis to Drought  
Research Mentor: Eleinis Avila-Lovera, Biological Sciences 

Photo: Alec Roberts 

Honorable Mention in the category of Best in Social Sciences 

Alec Roberts (Psychology)  
Studying Visual Engagement as Linked to Social Identity in Response to Climate Change Information  
Research Mentor: Monika Lohani, Psychology

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 Jocelyn Roberts (Psychology)  

Integrating Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in VA Primary Care for Homeless-Experienced Veterans Through H-PACTs: A Mixed-Methods Study of Provider Perspectives on Barriers, Facilitators, and Clinic-Level Factors  
Research Mentor: Audrey Jones, School of Medicine 

Amelia Robinson (Criminology)  
Sexual Violence as Strategy: The Systematic Rape of Bosnian Women During the Bosnian Genocide  
Research Mentor, Theresa Martinez, Sociology and Criminology 

Marley Robinson (Sociology)  
The Relationship of Restrictions on Abortion Policy and Postpartum Tubal Ligation and LARC Uptake  
Research Mentor: Bethany Everett, Sociology and Criminology 

Asia Rondoni (Psychology)  
Examining the Implications of Childhood Maltreatment for Mental Health and Emotion Dysregulation During Pregnancy and the Early Postpartum Period 
Research Mentor: Lee Raby, Psychology 

Dayanara Ruiz (Psychology and Criminology)  
Exploring Sex Differences in Maze Navigation while Using a Naturalistic DSP Immersive Virtual Reality Environment  
Research Mentor: Jeanine Stefanucci, Psychology 

Acintya Sai Yoganath (Psychology and Biochemistry)  
Targeting Age-Related Muscle Atrophy Through NSAID-mediated COX2 Inhibition  
Research Mentor: Micah Drummond, College of Health 

Molly Sattar (Psychology)  
Chronic Loneliness: Is Support a Given?  
Research Mentor: Bert Uchino, Psychology 

Zvonimir Simic (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
Public Discourse on Urban Trees: A Content Analysis of News Media  
Research Mentor: Matthew Fry, Environment, Society, and Sustainability 

Ady Stokes (Political Science and Philosophy)  
State Policies to Address Racial Health Disparities in COVID-19  
Research Mentor: Phillip Singer, Political Science 

Photo: Kyle Tran 

Honorable Mention in the category of Best in Humanities and Fine Arts 

Kyle Tran (Psychology and Graphic Design) 
NextLevelMe-CHD: CHD Transition Readiness Paired with Community Presence for a Successful Serious Game  
Research Mentor: Rebecca Delaney, College of Health

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 Meghan Trippany (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  

Assessing Health Outcomes for Women Participating in The Green Team, a Farm-Based Job Training Program  
Research Mentor: Shannon Jones, College of Health 

Melissa Turpin (Psychology)  
Examining the Effects of Social-emotional Competencies on Classroom Culture Following an Experiential Program  
Research Mentor: Rob Lubeznik-Warner, Psychology 

Mads Ward (Sociology and Urban Ecology) 
Building a Place-Based Planning Framework with and for Salt Lake City, Utah  
Research Mentor: Keith Bartholomew, College of Architecture and Planning, College of Architecture and Planning 

Monica Weedon (Political Science)  
Autism Screening with the Parent’s Observation of Social Interaction (POSI) Yields More Sex-Equitable Detection of Autism  
Research Mentor: Paul Carbone, School of Medicine 

Isaac Wells (Environmental and Sustainability Studies)  
Age Effects of Aspen Sapwood Percentage with Relation to Differing Traits and Climate Variables 
Research Mentor: Huiying Xu, Biological Sciences 

Katie Wentworth (Political Science and Urban Ecology)  
Reducing Crash Fatalities Using Urban Design: A Community Engaged Approach  
Research Mentor: Molly Robinson, College of Architecture and Planning 

Kate Williamson (Psychology)  
Coping Flexibility as a Moderator Between Anticipatory Stress and Motivation for Smoking Cessation  
Research Mentor: Dusti Jones, School of Medicine 

See Full List of Spring 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium