Summer 2021 Undergraduate Research Support Program (URSP) Winners
Name changed to FIREbird Grant Program in 2022 and also offered for academic semesters.
The Undergraduate Research Support Program provides up to $5000 to support undergraduate student(s) engaged in an intensive, faculty-mentored research experience over the Summer.
Key: Student Name, Unit, “Title of Project”, Faculty Mentor
Riley Cox, Geology, “Investigation of Oxygen Isotopes in Icelandic Rocks to Uncover Continent-Forming Processes,” mentored by Dr. Tenley Banik
Cameron Essex, Geology, “Understanding Magma Formation at Þingmúli volcano, Iceland,” mentored by Dr. Tenley Banik
Ian Freeman, Physics, “Simulated Multifragmentation of Nuclear Collisions” mentored by Dr. Matt Caplan
Arthur Harris, Chemistry, “Expanding the Organometallic Chemistry of Molybdenum-Based Clusters,” mentored by Dr. Lisa Szczpura
Evan Hazzard, Information Technology, “Predicting, Preventing and Visualizing Vaccination Deficiency in Illinois with AI,” mentored by Dr. Shaoen Wu
Catalina Hernandes-Ramos, Creative Technologies, “Sharing Darien: Digital tools for communication and engagement of cultural and historical artifacts,” mentored by Krisin Carlson. Jointly sponsored by Illinois State University’s Center for Civic Engagement
Joseph Hoberg, Geology, “Utilizing a TRAC and a tracer test to better quantify the dynamic movement of shallow groundwater,” mentored by Dr. Eric Peterson. Jointly sponsored by Illinois State University’s Center for a Sustainable Water Future
Christopher Hota, Biochemistry, and Miles Howley, Creative Technologies,, “Chemistry of Biology: A Holographic Learning Initiative,” mentored by Dr. Kevin Edwards
Caleb Hudspath, Biology, “Determining the molecular underpinnings for modulation of escape responses” mentored by Dr. Wolfgang Stein
Amelia Korveziroska and Marco Perez, Physics, “Silicon Nitride and Silicon Dioxide Materials Deposition in Nanopatterned Polymeric Films,” mentored by Dr. Mahua Biswas.
Jennifer Miller, Biology, “Determining the relative contribution of electrical synapse subunits to the tail flip escape of the Marbled Crayfish” mentored by Dr. Wolfgang Stein
Emerson Roden, Biology, “Could invasive species reduce the risk of parasitism for native species? Testing the dilution effect on Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus” mentored by Dr. Steven Juliano
Brendan Roseberry, Biology, “Analyzing Effects of Neutorphil Produced Oxidants on UPEC Strains In Vivo,” mentored by Dr. Jan Dahl
Evan Talbott-Swain, Biology, “The effect of food limitation on family size in the strawberry poison frog,” mentored by Dr. Mattew Dugas
Faeq Zaman, Chemistry, “Cloning and Characterization of Sulfolobus islandicus Cytidylyltransferase,” mentored by Dr. Jon Friesen
Shariq Zaman, Chemistry, “Testing Unique Class of Organic Molecules for Their Effect on Leishmania Parasites,” mentored by Dr. Marjorie Jones