On April 12-16, the Office of Graduate Studies, Office of Undergraduate Research, and the Office of Research and Economic Development held virtual Student Research Days. Over 200 graduate and undergraduate students participated in the week-long celebration of student research and creative work.

Faculty, postdoc and graduate student judges met with students during Zoom Q-and-As and evaluated their presentations. Graduate students were awarded with $400 travel grants to help with conference travel costs. Undergraduates were awarded prizes valued at $250 sponsored by their academic colleges. Links to their video presentations are provided below.

Graduate Awards

• Karalynn Brown and Donna Chen (School Psychology) View presentation here

• Yan Chen (Chemistry) View presentation here

• Courtney Keiser (Biomechanics/Mechanical and Materials Engineering) View presentation here

• Xinwei Liu (Music Education) View presentation here

• Amir Monemianesfahani (Mechanical and Materials Engineering) View presentation here

• Kyungah Suh (Chemistry) View presentation here

• Dan Wang and Qingyu Jiang (Child, Youth and Family Studies) View presentation here

• Bowen Yang (Food Science and Technology) View presentation here

• Junsi Yang (Food Science and Technology) View presentation here

The College of Engineering provided additional funds for winners from their field. The following three students also received top honors and monetary awards from their college:

• Samuel Flint (Computer Science) View presentation here

• Brandi Brown (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) View presentation here

• Thivani Senathiraja (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) View presentation here

Undergraduate Awards

College of Architecture

• Ciara Allen (Architectural Studies) with advisor Bud Shenefelt: “Experiential Learning Through Architectural Representation.” View presentation here

College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources

• Courtney Wallner (Insect Science) with advisors Doug Golick and Roberto Cortinas: “Interest, Apprehension, and Perspectives on Incorporating Honeybees (Apis mellifera) into Veterinary Practices,”view presentation here • Bud Jenkins (Biochemistry) with advisor Alena Moon: “Modeling Students’ Understanding of Light Matter Interactions using an Ordered Multiple-Choice Assessment,” view presentation here • Kaitlyn Dozler (Fisheries and Wildlife) with advisor Andrew Little: “Evaluating the spacial ecology of white-tailed deer during the rifle hunting season in south central Nebraska,” view presentation here • Kristina Amato (Fisheries and Wildlife) with advisor Clay Cressler: “Trait-mediated effects of non-consumptive predation on Daphnia dentifera,” view presentation here • Delaney Villareal (Microbiology) with advisor Luwen Zhang: “Protein related to Alzheimer’s plays a role in Zika virus infection,” view presentation here • Mark Iradukunda (Integrated Science) with advisor Paul Read: “Influence of Fertilizer on Swollen Stem Formation (“Bulbing”) and Vitamin C Content in Different Kohlrabi Cultivars,” view presentation here

College of Arts and Sciences

• Kim Hao Nguyen (Computer Science) with advisor ThanhVu Nguyen: “GenTree: Using Decision Trees to Learn Interactions for Configurable Software,” view presentation here • Kaitlan Wong (Political Science, Sociology) with advisor Christina Falci: Mediating Asian-ness: How and why does Asian Identity Salience vary by Biracial Status?” view presentation here • Zach Headley, (Biochemistry) with advisor Cary Savage: “Sports-related concussion differentially impacts functional brain networks in college athletes,” view presentation here • Lee Paulson (Political Science and Communication Studies) with advisor Rupal Mehta: “Free to Hate: Hate Crimes’ Intertwinement with the Evolution of Free Speech in the United States,” view presentation here • Elinor Stanley (Biochemistry) with advisor Oleh Khalimonchuk: “Role of the iron-sulfur cluster in human ferrochelatase in sensing changes in mitochondrial physiology,” view presentation here • Amr Mohamed (Biochemistry) with advisor Catherine Eichhorn: “RBM7 Protein Purification and Structure Determination to Examine RBM7 Interaction With 7SK snRNA Upon Genotoxic Stress,” view presentation here

College of Business

• Elizabeth Anderson (Marketing and Finance) with advisor Mitch Herian, “The Impact of Education Funding on Voter Turnout,” view presentation here • Justin Ho (Finance) with advisor Christopher Mann: “Human Capital Growth and Labor Market Flexibility,” view presentation here

College of Education and Human Sciences

• Madison Bosilevac (Communication Sciences and Disorders) with advisor Michael Hebert: “Writing for Students with Visual Impairments: A TVI National Survey,” view presentation here • Chloe Strong (Communication Sciences and Disorders) with advisor Naomi Rodgers: “How Local School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists Facilitate Skill Transfer and Generalization for Students Who Stutter,” view presentation here • Anna Suppes and Isabeau Tholen (Communication Sciences and Disorders; Child Youth and Family Studies) with advisor Derek Rodgers: “A Survey of Special Educators Regarding their Instructional Literacy Practices for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” view presentation here

College of Engineering

• Andrea Goertzen (Chemical Engineering) with advisor Rajib Saha, “Metabolic modeling elucidates the distinctive landscape of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells,” view presentation here • Becca Francis (Biological Systems Engineering) with advisor Nicole Iverson, “Development of Nitric Oxide Testing Methodology to Investigate the Impact of Reactive Species on Breast Cancer Cells,” view presentation here • Aaron Haake (Mechanical Engineering) with advisor Eric Markvicka, “Tunable 3D Printing of Liquid-Metal Embedded Elastomer Composite,” (research currently unavailable to the public) • Stephanie Perez (Civil Engineering) with advisor Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, “Microplastic Soil/Sediment Extraction Efficiency for Different MP Polymers and Different Soil Types,” view presentation here

Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts

• Sofia Fernandez (Painting) with advisor Aaron Holz: “Study of Native Colombian Tribes: Art as a Means of Inspiration,” view presentation here • Alyssa Kobza (Printmaking) with advisor Byron Anway: “Collaborative Printmaking,” view presentation here

College of Journalism and Mass Communication

• Janica Choong (Advertising and Public Relations) with advisor Bryan Wang: “Disruptive and Destructive? A Typology of Social Bots in Public Relations,” view presentation here • Bre TenHulzen (Advertising and Public Relations) with advisor Adam Wagler: “Advertising during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: The Rise of Influencer Marketing in a Recession,” view presentation here

University Honors sponsored an additional competition and the following students won an award:

• Jillian Fougeron, Best Use of Interdisciplinary or Multi-disciplinary Approaches award, for “Habeas Corpus and Child Custody in the Late Nineteenth-Century in the US” with Katrina Jagodinsky. View presentation here • Aaron Haake, Best Communication Skills in Sharing Research, for “Tunable 3D Printing of Liquid-Metal-Imbedded Elastomer Composite” with Eric Markvicka (Research not yet available to public) • Rachelle Johnson, Most Significant Long-term Contributions to the Discipline, for “Examining the Protective Role of Motivation for Children with Learning Difficulties’ Academic Achievement” with Jenna Finch. View presentation here • Andromede Uwase, Most Significant and Immediate Real-World Impact, for “Water Quality Issues in Rwanda” with Daniel Snow. View presentation here • Kaitlan Wong, Most Original Research Question or Methods, for “Mediating Asian-ness: How and Why Does Asian Identity Salience Vary by Biracial Status?” with Christina Falci. View presentation here