Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition Winners Announced

LeeAnna Ta Thao

Students look at posters during the Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition.

The University Libraries, Honors College and Division of Research and Innovation are pleased to announce the winners of this year's Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition in each of the 10 research categories. Congratulations to these students and all who participated. 

Art and Design 
The winning poster for the Art and Design category is "Creating Adaptive Clothing for Dialysis Patients" by Honors student Lilli Martin, who majors in apparel merchandising and product development.

"My undergraduate research has given me the experience to create a solution to a real-world problem," Martin said. "I've been able to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of the apparel industry and the needs of those in our community. Conducting my research has been an opportunity to help find solutions for those who are often looked over in the apparel industry and has helped me find a gap in the industry and has inspired me to fill that gap." 

Business & Social Sciences 
The winning poster for the Business & Social Sciences category is "Analysis of The Relationship Between Pharmaceutical Political Action Committee Contributions And Congressional Voting Actions" by Honors College Fellow Gabrielle Gies, who studies political science and psychology. 

"I have had a great experience working with Dr. Song on this research project for the past several semesters," Gies said. "I've learned so much about how to gather and report data, run statistical analyses and present my research to others. I'm very thankful I had this opportunity and can't imagine a more useful way to apply my learning in my undergraduate career." 

Engineering 1 
The winning poster for the Engineering 1 category is "Mapping Macrophage Fate in Muscle Injuries Using Spatial Transcriptomics" by Honors student Julliana Renales, whose major is biomedical engineering. 

"This research experience has allowed me to pursue passions and skills that I did not think I would have the opportunity to do," Renales said. "It has been the best learning experience to apply my skills, and watching my project develop has given me new motivation for future endeavors. I would like to sincerely thank my research adviser and mentor, Dr. Chris Nelson, for this opportunity and continuous support." 

Engineering 2
The winning poster for the Engineering 2 category is "Assessing the Effects of Dasatinib on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Potency" by David Heinrichs, who majors in biomedical engineering. 

"The past few months researching in a lab have been more productive than the last year of school," Heinrichs said. "Getting to experience what it's like to work in a lab has provided invaluable experience in the biomedical field, as well as the academic field overall. I have learned to divide my focus to work on multiple complex things such as running experiments, processing data and interpreting results all at once, which I can use in the future to provide a valuable insight and work ethic in the medical field." 

Health 
The winning poster for the Health category is "Measuring awareness of SPD and interprofessional collaboration & practices among professionals in an elementary public school setting" by honors student Kyra Resende, who majors in communication sciences and disorders.

"Over the past two years, my honors undergraduate research project has provided me with meaningful experiences, context and information on a topic that is so important to me," Resende said. "I am very grateful to have been able to participate in the Undergraduate Research Poster Competition and share the findings of my project, and I am honored to have been recognized. This event has given me a great exposure on presenting research, and it was fun to see the amazing research that other students have conducted. I am also deeply grateful for my mentor, Dr. Angela Elsass, for her help, support and guidance during this process." 

Humanities 
The winning poster for the Humanities category is "PQD in the Prophets" by Bodenhamer Fellow Joshua Jacobs, whose major is classical studies.

"I will be attending graduate school next fall, and the opportunity to conduct and present my own research during my undergraduate career has been a crucial step towards my academic and professional goals," Jacobs said. "As a humanist, I rarely have the opportunity to present my research through the poster medium, and this experience allowed me to learn what a good research poster and presentation looks like." 

Natural Sciences 1 
The winning poster for the Natural Sciences 1 category is "Developing Methods for Pattern Transfer in Photoelectrochemical Lithography" by Sturgis Fellow and chemistry major Ashlyn DesCarpentrie.

"Research has taught me far more about chemistry and about what it takes to be an independent and creative scientist than a classroom setting alone ever could," DesCarpentrie said. "I'm very grateful for the encouragement and support of the UARK Honors College for undergraduate students interested in academic research. These experiences have helped prepare me to continue my academic career to doctoral studies in chemistry." 

Natural Sciences 2 
The winning poster for the Natural Sciences 2 category is "Design of a Stable Variant of FGF1-FGF2 Dimer with Potent Cell Proliferation Activity" by Honors College Fellow Ethan Peters, who studies biochemistry and Spanish. 

"Undergraduate research has been a pathway for me to apply my theoretical knowledge about biochemistry to a tangible project which I hope will effect change," Peters said. "I now have the skillset to continue research during medical school as well as synthesize complex information into a digestible format, which is an essential skill for physicians. I am honored to be recognized in this way and enthusiastically encourage any undergraduates considering research to go for it!" 

Social Science 1
The winning poster for the Social Science 1 category is "Longevity Bias, Ingroup Bias and Culture: A Comparative Study in the U.S. and Japan" by Honors student and psychology major Sophia Chier. 

"I was extremely fortunate to be able to do my research while studying abroad in Japan thanks to funding from the Honors College," Chier said. "I never imagined that I would be able to even travel to a foreign country, much less do psychology research while I was there! I learned so many valuable lessons about how to conduct research while simultaneously experiencing a new culture and practicing a new language. I am planning my future around returning to Japan and working there because of this experience, and I am so grateful." 

Social Science 2
The winning poster for the Social Science 2 category is "Creativity and Humor: The Role of Alcohol Expectation Effects and Familiarity in Creative Cognition" by Honors student Cindy Mao, who studies public health and psychology. 

"In my undergraduate research experience, I've learned everything involved in creating, designing and executing an in-person psychology study," Mao said. "I've grown confident in my abilities as a presenter, and I'm excited to continue research in public health and medicine. Research is powerful and valuable, and that knowledge can be used to further discussion and development in all fields."