Presented by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, the Undergraduate Research Awards are presented annually to recognize undergraduate students who have completed distinguished and exceptional research. Students who present research at USD’s IdeaFest are automatically nominated for the award; a multi-disciplinary group of faculty and staff from across campus then reviews the submissions and selects the final 12 recipients.  

The 12 students who received an Undergraduate Research Award, in addition to a $500 cash prize, include the following:

  • Abigail Stevens – music major
  • Tyler LaMere – Native American studies major with a minor in social media marketing
  • Izabelle Neubaner – art/graphic design major
  • Lillian Heisinger – biochemistry major
  • Ariana Edwards – neuroscience and medical biology double major with a minor in interdisciplinary sciences
  • Ellie Goetzinger – medical biology major with a double minor in interdisciplinary sciences and arts in health
  • Rachael Knecht – medical biology major with a double minor in interdisciplinary sciences and child/adolescent development
  • Shishir Kaphle – computer science and math double major
  • Duncan Snethen – medical biology major with a double minor in interdisciplinary sciences and disaster response
  • Graham Hartman – biomedical engineering major with a double minor in math and chemistry
  • Anuska Pokharel – computer science AI and math double major
  • Leyli Mammedova – biomedical engineering major with a minor in math
  • Clara Maloley – musical arts major with a minor in interdisciplinary sciences
  • Grace Goeller – music performance major
  • Wiliam Brenden – music performance major

Student projects are as follows:

Collaboration Through Chamber Music
Presenter(s): Abigail Stevens, Clara Maloley, Grace Goeller, William Brenden
Department/Division/Area: Music
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Paul Lombardi, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Music

Winnebago Ho-Chunk Ethnomusicology: A Study of Indigenous Musicology by a Winnebago Youth Scholar
Presenter(s): Tyler LaMere
Department/Division/Area: Native American Studies
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, Ph.D., director of Native Student Services; Elise Boxer, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of History

ILUS (Layers in Motion: Beneath the Skin)
Presenter(s): Izabelle Neubaner
Department/Division/Area: Art
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Young Ae Kim, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Art

A Comparative Molecular Analysis of the Antibacterial Effects of Chlorhexidine and Coconut Oil on the Oral Microbial Community for Therapeutic Optimization
Presenter(s): Lillian Heisinger
Department/Division/Area: Dental Hygiene
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Katie Pudwill, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the Department of Dental Hygiene

Physiological Consequences of Mitonuclear Genome Incompatibility: Body Size and Feeding Behavior in Drosophila During Development
Presenter(s): Ariana Edwards
Department/Division/Area: Biology
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Omera B. Matoo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biology; Akansha Singh, graduate student at USD

Determination of the Lethal Concentration and Effective Concentration for Imidacloprid in Calico Crayfish (Faxonius immunis)
Presenter(s): Ellie Goetzinger
Department/Division/Area: Biology
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Jacob Kerby, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biology; Annastasia Bair, graduate student at USD

Parental Impacts on Body Dissatisfaction
Presenter(s): Rachael Knecht
Department/Division/Area: Counseling & Psychology in Education
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Emma Mack, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychology in Education; Hannah Faiman, honors program coordinator and learning specialist

Machine Learning Exploration of Basic Feelings Induced with Music
Presenter(s): Shishir Kaphle
Department/Division/Area: Mathematics
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Gabriel Picioroaga, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences

It’s in the Rice; Characterizing Environmental Toxin + Ethanol Co-exposure in Larval Zebrafish
Presenter(s): Duncan Snethen
Department/Division/Area: Biology
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Yohaan Fernandes, Ph.D, assistant professor in the Department of Biology; Mindy Fernandes, research associate

Integrating Microbial Data and 3D Visualization to Develop a Digital Twin Framework for Studying Microbial Responses to Antimicrobial Agents
Presenter(s): Graham Hartman
Department/Division/Area: Biomedical Engineering
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Etienne Z. Gnimpieba, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Brine and Blood Educational Game
Presenter(s): Anuska Pokharel
Department/Division/Area: Mathematics
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Lindsey Peterson, Ph.D., digital humanities assistant professor of practice in the University Libraries; Catalin Georgescu, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences

Predictive Modeling of West Nile Virus in South Dakota Using Public Health and Climate Data (2002-2023)
Presenter(s): Leyli Mammedova
Department/Division/Area: Biomedical Engineering
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Ranjeet John, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology

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