Winners of 2026 Undergraduate Research Week Competition Announced

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

Arts and Design

The winning poster for the Arts and Design category is Applied Textile Innovation and Sustainable Design: Evaluating Bioplastics in Apparel Applications by Jasmine Williams, who majors in apparel merchandising and product development. 

"Too often, the apparel industry makes excuses instead of pursuing sustainable innovation," Williams said. "This soy-based research means the world to me because it showed me that I can still make an impact, even as the world feels like it's falling apart—one fiber at a time."

Artwork

The winning project for the Artwork category is "Thirteen Fruits at the Final Bible Hour:" Situating Filipino-American Culture and the Rural Bible Belt through Visual Language and Dramaturgy in Support of Narrative Short Film by honors student Brianna DeLima Ifland, who studies experimental media arts.

"As a film student, it's an amazing opportunity to showcase not just the final work but the research and the work that led to it," Ifland said. "Treating my practice as research has led to more rewarding work and a better articulation of my concepts through visual language. Thank you Dr. Hogan!"

Engineering Group 1

The winning poster for Engineering Group 1 is Novel Accordion-Folding Balloon Design for Coronary Bifurcation Stenting by honors student Amelie Wise, who majors in biomedical engineering.

"This research experience during my time as an undergraduate has taught me so much," Wise said. "What began as an introduction into the field of research grew into a genuine passion. It's pushed me to think critically and creatively, work through uncertainty, acquire new skills and develop confidence in myself as a researcher and engineer. This experience has also led me to my next stage, where I just accepted a spot as a MEng biomedical engineering student at the University of Toronto. I am so grateful to have been a part of this research, and I would like to especially thank my mentor Dr. Morten Jensen and Dr. Kaitlyn Elmer for their guidance and support throughout my research journey in the Cardiovascular Biomechanics Laboratory."

Engineering Group 2

The winning poster for Engineering Group 2 is Additive Manufacturing of Lunar Regolith for Reconfigurable Lunar Habitats by Cole McCallum, an Honors College Fellow studying physics.

"Starting research as an undergraduate gave me the opportunity to explore all the different ways I can contribute to my field and decide for myself which direction I wanted to take with my career," McCallum said. "With this project, I developed a strong experimental background which compliments well the computational and theoretical work I'd done previously, making me a more well-rounded engineer overall."

Health

The winning poster for the Health category is The Impact of Dietary Iron Exposure on Ferritin and Total Iron Binding Capacity by Charlee Scruggs, an honors student majoring in biology.

"I've been very grateful for the opportunity to participate in Dr. Joanna Fiddler's research lab for the past three semesters," Scruggs said. "As a junior majoring in biology and minoring in nutrition on the pre-med track, Dr. Fiddler's lab has allowed me to combine all of my interests. Through hands-on lab work, I've been able to apply concepts learned from my biology and nutrition coursework to a real-world issue. I've gained skills in lab techniques and strengthened my ability to communicate using scientific language — skills which will be invaluable as I pursue my post-graduate goals." 

Humanities

The winning poster for the Humanities category is The Log Cabin | Public Perception and Mediated Reality (1840-1844) by Aspen Regan, an honors student majoring in architecture.

"This research experience has allowed me to explore a deeply personal subject, the log cabin and its symbolism, in great depth," Regan said. "Throughout the project, I examined questions that have long interested me, gaining a more nuanced understanding of my own relationship to the myth of the log cabin and the ways it has been constructed and sustained within American culture over time. With the incredible guidance of my research mentor, Dr. Kim Sexton, I have crafted a body of research that I am truly proud of and a project I look forward to developing further throughout my career."

Humanities Papers

The winning Humanities paper is Sovereignty Over Solidarity: EU Frontline States and African Refugee Externalization by honors student Macey Wyler, who studies journalism.

"Conducting research as an undergraduate student has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college career," Wyler said. "It has helped me grow as an independent thinker, a clearer communicator and a more thoughtful problem-solver. Working with Dr. Bayram on this project and Dr. Foster on my honors thesis has deepened my passion for learning. I look forward to carrying the skills I have developed through undergraduate research into law school this fall."

Natural Sciences Group 1

The winning poster for Natural Sciences Group 1 is Mapping the Molecular Battlefield: Visualization of Nematode Effector Protein Interactions in Plant Cells by Teague Cottrell, an honors student who studies biology.

"Working on my undergraduate research project involving soybean cyst nematode resistance has taught me far more about scientific discovery, problem-solving and perseverance than any classroom alone could," Cottrell said. "Through this experience, I have been able to apply concepts from biology to a real-world agricultural challenge that impacts farmers and food production. I am deeply grateful for the support of the Honors College and for the mentorship of Dr. Fiona Goggin, whose guidance has been invaluable throughout this process. Presenting this research has strengthened my confidence as both a scientist and communicator, and it has inspired me to continue pursuing opportunities in medicine and research, where I can make a meaningful impact."

Natural Sciences Group 2

The winning poster for Natural Sciences Group 2 is Investigating Pituitary Specific Transcription Factor-1 (pit-1) During Development in the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis by Honors College Fellow Emily Ye, who studies biology.

"Research has fundamentally changed me, and I'm so grateful for it," Ye said. "It's given me the confidence to embrace uncertainty, the resilience to see experimental failures as part of the process and a deep curiosity for understanding how and why things work. Even more, it's taught me to engage with the world more intentionally, something I intend to carry forward with me in every aspect of my life."

Social Sciences Group 1

The winning poster for Social Sciences Group 1 is Examining Institutional and Personal Barriers to Women's Participation in the U.S. Foreign Service by honors student Isabella Thompson, who majors in political science.

"This research means a lot to me because it is relevant to my personal life and has helped to prepare me for my future education and career," Thompson said. "I have always wanted to become a diplomat for the United States Foreign Service, so doing research on why more women aren't joining the State Department helped me to discover possible reasons why there aren't more women role models for me to look up to. Additionally, conducting this research has prepared me greatly for my obtaining my master's degree and continuing my research in my post-graduate career. I would like to thank Dr. A. Burcu Bayram for all of her amazing assistance throughout this project."

Social Sciences Group 2

The winning poster for Social Sciences Group 2 is Attentional Control, Anxiety, and Depression by Anna Morgan, an honors student majoring in psychology.

"I am incredibly grateful to have my research recognized by the Office of Undergraduate Research and to present alongside so many outstanding undergraduate projects," Morgan said. "This work would not have been possible without the support of my mentor, Dr. Matt Judah, the Department of Psychological Sciences and the Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship. In this project, we investigated how anxiety and depression influence biased self-perceptions of attentional control. This experience has shown me how research can contribute to both clinical treatment and a deeper understanding of these disorders, and it has strengthened my motivation to pursue a clinical psychology Ph.D. Again, I am deeply appreciative for this experience, the support given to me and the recognition from the Office of Undergraduate Research." 

STEM Papers

The winning STEM paper is Bounded Multiplication and Composition Operators on Sequence Besov Spaces by Robert Anderson, an Honors College Fellow studying mathematics.

"My research experience helped me develop key skills that I will use regularly during a career in mathematics," Anderson said. "The ability to self-study advanced mathematics and, more importantly, the persistence gained from proving new results has helped my ability and confidence in solving problems in other areas of mathematics and beyond."