May 07, 2015
Students honored for research, creative efforts
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University Carbondale recently honored some of its top students for outstanding projects in creativity and research.
The university’s annual Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Forum features a poster session highlighting original research and creative activities by undergraduate students. The posters explained the project methodology and, when appropriate, the research findings or conclusions.
Students also competed for other awards including: the Saluki Research Rookies’ poster awards, the Saluki App Competition awards, the SIU Carbondale Literary and Art Awards and the People’s Choice Award. Select faculty mentors also received recognition.
The university began the event in 2002 as a part of the Research-Enriched Academic Challenge (REACH) program. The program emphasizes the importance of engaging undergraduate students in research and creative projects as a way to personalize their education, to enhance their experience and to build relationships with the faculty members who mentor their progress.
Here are the award winners by category, with year in school, major, hometown and title of their work if available:
Creative and Scholarly Saluki Rookies Posters
Biological Science
First place: Elizabeth Geerling, sophomore in biological sciences, for “High estradiol is essential for ovarian cyst formation in mice with a gain-of-function mutation in the luteinizing hormone receptor”
Humanities/Social Science/Business/Education
First place: Lyneesya Wilson, freshman in psychology, for “Self-esteem: An analysis of STEM versus non-STEM majors and ethnic identity”
Physical Science
First place: Waheed Sawar, freshman in physics from Carbondale for “Avalanches of Rod Packings”
Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Forum Poster Awards
Art/Art Design
First place: Aaron Neal and Robert Konzelmann, both seniors in architectural studies, for “Architectural tectonics in contemporary design”
Runner-up: Shaylin Carlton, senior in English; Rebekah Durig, master’s student in mathematics; Chloe Hesler and Sarah Jilek, juniors in English, for “Editing and publishing SIU’s premier undergraduate literary and arts magazine, Grassroots”
Biological Science
First place: Ashani Hamilton, senior in animal science, for “Impacts of genetic selection on the parasitic immunity of goats”
First place: Amanda Novak, senior in biological sciences, for “The developmental mechanism of nipple loss in male mice”
Humanities/Social Science/Business/Education
First place: Mason Wagner, sophomore in electrical and computer engineering from Danville; Oscar Ortega, junior in mechanical engineering from Harlingen, Texas; Sterling Jackson, senior in civil engineering from Peoria; Shaun Wolfe, senior in physics and mathematics from Bloomington; and Wendy Sagesse, senior in electrical engineering from Thomazeau, Haiti; for “Accessing Available Resources at Southern Illinois University Carbondale”
Runner-up: Sidney Brothers, junior in communication disorders and sciences, for “Dynamic assessment with English Language Learners”
Physical Science/Engineering
First place: Jocelyn Rothschild-Frey, senior in exercise science, for “Calf venous compliance in male and female children”
Runner-up: Miller Eaton, junior, for “Electronic band engineering of MoS2 by controlled chemical doping: An ab initio study”
Social Science
First place: Daniel Pineau, senior in psychology, for “An examination of the moderators to the effect of a brief mindfulness intervention for acute pain”
Runner-up: Charles Walker, senior in psychology from Decatur, for “Relations Between Identity Styles, Coping Strategies and Substance Use Among College Students”
People’s Choice Award
First place: Hong Gyoon Jung, junior in information systems technology, for “Architectural modeling of a web application using Ruby on Rails: A case study”
Saluki App Competition
Judge’s Selection
First place: Jeremy Packer, senior in computer science, for “Snap Pile”
Runner-up: Justin Dial, senior in information systems technology, and Nathan Davis, doctoral student in historical studies, for “Tawking – Android Keyboard”
Runner-up: Patrick McRay, senior in criminology and criminal justice; Noah Leverett, senior in mathematics; and Arvind Srinivasaraghavan, senior in management, for “Flappy Speedway Challenge”
People’s Choice Award
First place: Justin Dial, senior in information systems technology, and Nathan Davis, doctoral student in historical studies, for “Tawking – Android Keyboard”
Runner-up: Patrick McRay, senior in criminology and criminal justice; Noah Leverett, senior in mathematics; and Arvind Srinivasaraghavan, senior in management, for “Flappy Speedway Challenge”
Runner-up: Mohammad Alabandi, senior in computer science, for “Book-O-Holic”
Literary and Art Awards
Visual Art
First place: B. Rael Ali, for “Ma@t”
Runner-up: Cody Wessel, junior in art, for “Windswept”
Runner-up: Patrick Westra, for “Enlivened Minds”
Poetry
First place: Ian LaChance, for “Safe Passage”
Runner-up: Jacob Fredric Saunders, senior in English, for “1992-2013”
Runner-up: Ashley Mallick, senior in journalism, for “Chisholm, MN”
Fiction
First place: Sarah Jilek, junior in English, for “Harvest”
Runner-up: Ian LaChance, for “Wolves in the Kitchen”
Runner-up: Ashley Mallick, senior in journalism, for “The Bookstore”
Faculty Mentor of Excellence Award
College of Agricultural Sciences: Brian Small, associate professor of physiology
College of Applied Sciences and Arts: Andrey Soares, assistant professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies
College of Business: Royce Burnett, associate professor of accountancy
College of Education and Human Services: Valerie Boyer, assistant professor at the Rehabilitation Institute
College of Engineering: Yanna Liang, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
College of Liberal Arts: Darryl Kroner, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice; and Robert Lopez, associate professor of art and design
College of Mass Communication and Media Arts: Robert Spahr, assistant professor of cinema and photography
College of Science: F. Agustin Jimenez, assistant professor of zoology