Undergraduate Academic Project Grants
Initiated by then-Chancellor John Bardo in 1996, the Undergraduate Academic Projects Grant Program funds a variety of student projects. Administered by the Office of Research Administration, the Academic Project Grants Program awards students and faculty with materials, supplies, and travel support to conduct research and creative work during the academic year. Students and faculty construct proposals, which are reviewed by a formal faculty committee made up of representatives from across the colleges.
Student and faculty proposals were submitted for competitive review. We wish to acknowledge by project title and student name the awardees for the 2024 – 2025 academic year. Congratulations to these students and their faculty sponsors. Many thanks to the Academic Project Grant committee for their work, and to Suzanne Melton, the research programs coordinator for this program in the Office of Research Administration. Members of the committee include:
Meghan Gangel
College of Education and Allied Professions
Chuck Thomas
Hunter Library
Frankie West
College of Arts and Sciences
Bora Karayaka
College of Engineering and Technology
Kim Hall, chair
College of Health and Human Sciences
Steve Ha
College of Business
Shelby Hicks
College of Fine and Performing Arts
Suzanne Melton
The Office of Research Administration
College of Arts & Sciences
Anthropology and Sociology
Examining Contributing Factors to Natural Human Mummification at FOREST in Cullowhee, North Carolina
Student Awardee: Alex Vacca
Faculty Sponsor: Kaleigh Best
Biology
Diversity of Ghost Fireflies (Lampyridae: Phausis) in the Nearctic Southeast
Student Awardee: Alana Eargle
Faculty Sponsors: Luiz Felipe Lima Da Silveira
Chronic Stress and Waterborne Hormone Analysis in Desmognathus monticola (Seal Salamander) at the Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens
Student Awardee: Kyra Fowler
Faculty Sponsor: Joseph Pechmann
Optimization of CFTR, fluorescence based assay
Student Awardee: Mary Ann Garren
Faculty Sponsor: Robert Youker
Investigating the effect of the Second-Site Mutation L1254A on activity of the N1303K-CFTR Protein in HEK293 cell
Student Awardee: Tony Yost
Faculty Sponsor: Robert Youker
Chemistry and Physics
Optimization of Synthesis Parameters for the Ligand-Assisted Reprecipitation Method for Cesium Lead Bromide and the Effects of Ligand Chain Length on the Binding Behavior of CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals
Awardees: Curtis Beimborn on behalf of: Chloe Timmons and Annika Parikh
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Optimization and Validation of an mRNA Multiplex Panel for Identification of Human Biological Fluids
Student Awardee: Sayumi De Silva
Faculty Sponsor: Britt Bintz
Synthesis and characterization of β-mannanase and α-galactosidase encapsulated polymer nanoparticles for applications in oil industry
Student Awardee: Jacob Given
Faculty Sponsor: Rangika Hikkaduwa Koralege
Tuning Optical and Structural Properties of Lanthanide-Doped Calcium-Fluoride Nanocrystals
Student Awardee: Madelyn Gregory
Faculty Sponsor: Channa De Silva
Dynamic Equilibrium of EDTA Bound to CaF2 Nanocrystals
Student Awardee: Kirsten Hahn
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Presenting Research at NCUR
Student Awardee: Kathryn Oleszczuk
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Evaluation of the stability of β-mannanase and α-galactosidase encapsulated polymer nanoparticles for fracturing applications
Student Awardee: Gabriel Parfeni
Faculty Sponsor: Rangika Hikkaduwa Koralege
The Relationship between Temperature and the Binding of Surface Ligands on Cesium Lead Bromide Nanocrystals
Student Awardee: Annabelle Pentland
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Synthesis of Europium (III) Thenoyltrifluoroacetonate Terpyridine Complexes and the Influence of Electron Donors and Acceptors on Fluorescent Efficiency
Student Awardees: Ella Whitehead, Thomas Bolick, and Patrick Drake
Faculty Sponsor: Brian Dinkelmeyer
Analyzing the Effect of Alkylamine Length on CsPbBr₃ Nanocrystal Storage Longevity
Student Awardee: Kaitlyn Wingnean
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Criminology & Criminal Justice
“Tropical Systems and Catastrophic Flooding in the Southern Appalachians” poster presentation at the NOAA Extreme Weather Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Summit
Student Awardee: Isabella Barger
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Jackson
Race and Superfund Sites in North and South Carolina: A Geospatial Analysis of Environmental Injustice
Student Awardee: Nico Markle
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Jackson
English Studies
Will the World Weep When We Are Gone? Ariel Francisco’s Guide to the End of the World
Student Awardee: Grace Pavel
Faculty Sponsor: Brian Railsback
Geosciences and Natural Resources
Hurricane Helene Hydrologic Response: A Case Study From An On-Campus Hydrological Research Station in Western North Carolina
Awardees: Mark Lord on behalf of: Dulaney Boonsue, Mei Cornell, Hunter Gibbs, Agnes Koury, Lucas Solomon, Austin Hutchinson, and Katie Schneider
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Lord
Post-Project Support for 2024 Geology Capstone Students to attend Geological Society of America Southeast Meeting
Awardees: Shane Schoepfer on behalf of: James Antes, Mei Cornell, Kayleigh Dugger, Fabian Horton, Alex Rehrig, Kaley Shoffner, and Madeleine Smith
Faculty Sponsor: Shane Schoepfer
History
The Role of Newspapers in U.S. History’s Only Successful Coup D’etat: The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
Student Awardee: Taleigh Verrault
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth McRae
World Languages
The Accent of your Class: How Language Adapts and Change Through Nueba Yol as Commentary Device
Student Awardee: Allem Rojas
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Martinez
Dismantling Myths About Latinx Immigration and the U.S. Economy
Student Awardee: Angela Vidal
Faculty Sponsor: Lori Oxford
College of Business
School of Economics, Management, and Project Management
Trapped by Design: Redlining and the Cycle of Poverty in US Cities (NCUR)
Student Awardee: Tryston Weiss
Faculty Sponsor: Sean Mulholland
College of Education & Allied Professions
Psychology
Development of the Brief Attitudes Toward Masturbation Scale: Exploratory Factor Analysis
Awardees: Christopher Ginn, Gabriella Loredo Marquez, David de Jong, and Katie Adams
Faculty Sponsor: David de Jong
Disordered Eating and Body Image within Hispanic Women
Student Awardee: Claire Hughes
Faculty Sponsor: Courtney Rogers
The Brief Attitudes Towards Solo Masturbation Scale: Convergent and Divergent Validity
Student Awardees: Gabriella Loredo Marquez, Christopher Ginn, and Katie Adams
Faculty Sponsor: David de Jong
Expanding Understanding of Body Image Across Culture and Gender
Awardees: Courtney Rogers on behalf of: Jordan Daniels, Claire Hughes, and Jennifer (Justice) McIntyre
Faculty Sponsor: Courtney Rogers
Fast-Tracked or sidetracked? Rethinking Early College; Adopting Masculine Norms and Mental Health Stigma: A Complex Link
Awardees: Ellen A. Sigler on behalf of: Faith Ronbinson and Emmalee Stillwell
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Sigler
Short Interval Bright Light Therapy and Well-Being of College Students
Student Awardee: Natalie Woolwine
Faculty Sponsor: Samantha Castelblanco
College of Engineering & Technology
School of Engineering & Technology
Investigation of Time Impact of Power Flow Solver Algorithms on Transmission Outage Scheduling
Student Awardee: Ariel Colón-Rodríguez
Faculty Sponsors: Bora Karayaka
Method for Assessing Obstacle Height in Mountain Bike Trails Using a Proximity Sensor Array
Student Awardee: John Crain
Faculty Sponsors: Matthew Clontz
A Portable Educational Model of an Energy Management System of Duke Energy
Student Awardee: Ben Griffith
Faculty Sponsors: Tarek Hassan Kandil
A Portable Educational Model of an Energy Management System of Duke Energy
Student Awardee: Hardin Kennedy IV
Faculty Sponsors: Tarek Hassan Kandil
Modular Raised Heated Platform for Temporary Relief Shelters and Camping
Student Awardee: Sydney Kilgus-Vesely
Faculty Sponsors: Brett Banther
Analysis of Natural Frequencies and Mode Shapes of a Mountain Bike Test Stand Using CAD Simulations and Experimental Validation
Student Awardee: Josh Madison
Faculty Sponsors: Mathew Clontz
Creation of an Injection Molded Tensile Training Block
Student Awardee: Andrew Robakiewicz
Faculty Sponsors: Martin Tanaka
Student Presentations at BMES
Awardees: Martin Tanaka on behlaf of: Sommer Allen, Chloe Davis, John Davis, and Anna-Kate Schiebel
Faculty Sponsors: Martin Tanaka
Analysis of Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers and Their Blends for Medical Device Applications
Student Awardee: Allison Thackery
Faculty Sponsors: Martin Tanaka
College of Fine and Performing Arts
School of Art and Design
Illustrating Louis Tomlinson
Student Awardee: Isabella Chalker
Faculty Sponsor: Jillian Ohl
History, Building, and Design Study for Historic Preservation of Rosenwald Schools in Wake County, NC
Student Awardee: Minami Imamura
Faculty Sponsor: Patrice Brown
Volunteering to travel to conference Puertograbado in Puerto Rico
Student Awardee: Valeria E. Ramos
Faculty Sponsor: Tatiana Potts
School of Music
Southeast Horn Workshop Undergraduate Solo Competition
Awardees: Travis Bennett on behalf of: Bruno Dippolito, Katie Sammons, and Aidan Sevigny Wallace
Faculty Sponsor: Travis Bennett
School of Stage and Screen
A Fleeting Breath – A Feature Film
Student Awardee: Trent Lakey
Faculty Sponsor: Joshua Overbay
Camp Crimson: Junior Thesis Film
Student Awardee: Zinia Turay
Faculty Sponsor: Steve Kniss
College of Health Sciences
School of Health Sciences
Guardian Cap Research Study
Student Awardees: Madison Voss, Evan Carter, Cole Staggs, and Landry Kazee
Faculty Sponsor: Caitlin Torrence