National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Western Carolina University has established itself as a national leader in undergraduate research and has a long-standing tradition of acceptance and participation in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.
Students accepted to NCUR have the opportunity to present their undergraduate research along with peers from across disciplines. Since 1987, NCUR has been a flagship conference for undergraduate researchers to share, celebrate, and promote their research achievements.
Twenty-nine students from WCU will present their research at the conference scheduled April 13 – 15, 2026. The conference will be held in Richmond, Virginia, this year. Primary student presenters are acknowledged below by the College and Department they will represent. Congratulations to these students and their faculty mentors!
College of Arts & Sciences
Biology
Development of an in vitro model of wound healing in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cell cultures to test the impact of crude keratin on healing
Presenters: AJ Cansler and Samuel Silveus
Faculty Sponsor: Heather Coan
Chemistry and Physics
Synthesis and characterization of β-mannanase and α-galactosidase encapsulated PLL-g-PEG nanoparticles as an efficient viscosity breaker in fracturing fluids used in oil reservoirs
Presenter: Jacob Given
Faculty Sponsor: Rangika Hikkaduwa Koralege
Synthesis and Characterization of L-asparaginase and glucose oxidase encapsulated PLL-g-PEG Nanoparticles for Therapeutic Delivery.
Presenter: Jonathan “Brian” Duke
Faculty Sponsor: Rangika Hikkaduwa Koralege
English Studies
Usability in the Nonprofit Sector: Improving the User Experience and Online Presence of a Rural Nonprofit
Presenter: Spencer Davis
Faculty Sponsor: Drew Virtue
Forensic Science
Improving Forensic Identification of Cathinone Isomers Using Multi-Energy Ionization.
Presenter: Sofia Douglas
Faculty Sponsor: Nuwan Perera
History
The Ballad of Artist and Veterans Against the Vietnam War
Presenter: William “Zechariah” Hoppes
Faculty Sponsor: Gael Graham
Mathematics & Computer Science
A Graph on Bumpless Pipe Dreams
Presenter: Prashreet Poudel
Faculty Sponsor: Adam Gregory
Philosophy & Religion
Mimetic Reactionary Thought: Propaganda in the Digital Age and a New Epistemology of Fragmented Incoherence
Presenter: Isabel Chapman
Faculty Sponsor: Christopher Hoyt
World Languages
“Show Me the Incentives and I Will Show You the Results” Ethics, Economics, and Ecology in AI Usage
Presenter: Jaryn Green
Faculty Sponsor: Lori Oxford
College of Education & Allied Professions
Psychology
What Do You Think Why Adults Talk Like Kids: Wh-Question Comprehension in Adults
Presenter: Andrew Baker
Faculty Sponsor: Jane Lutken
Neurodivergent Adults Outperform On Complex Question Production Under Cognitive Load
Presenter: Blake Murdock
Faculty Sponsor: Jane Lutken
Can You Smell That Smell? ADHD, COVID-19, and Anosmia
Presenter: Eden McKinney
Faculty Sponsor: Sam Castelblanco
Familism is not always protective: Family Weight Stigma, Familism, and Body Dissatisfaction for Latine Youth
Presenter: Gabriella Loredo Marquez
Faculty Sponsor: Meghan Gangel
College of Engineering & Technology
School of Engineering & Technology
The Dynamic Effects of Abrasive Water-Jet Machining (AWJM) on Material Integrity
Presenter: Bakang Phutietsile
Faculty Sponsor: Chaitanya Borra
An Interactive Physical Model for Visualizing Fundamental Statics Principles
Presenter: Hamza Boujemaoui
Faculty Sponsor: Basel Alsayyed Ahmad
Design and Implementation of Customized Instrumentation System to Measure Mountain Bike Trail Profiles
Presenter: John Crain
Faculty Sponsor: Matt Clontz
An Algorithm to Determine Trail Profile Based Upon Distance Sensor Arrays and IMU Inputs
Presenter: Michael Synoracki
Faculty Sponsor: Matt Clontz
David Orr Belcher College of Fine & Performing Arts
School of Art & Design
The Catamount Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Presenter: Avery Pittman
Faculty Sponsor: Shelby Hicks
From Classroom to Community: Rethinking Educational Interiors Through Neurodiversity
Presenter: Samantha Mack
Faculty Sponsor: Shelby Hicks
College of Health & Human Sciences
School of Health Sciences
From Illness to Involvement: a Collaboration to Increase Student Engagement, Health Knowledge, and Success
Presenters: Ali Maynard and Gabby Cox
Faculty Sponsor: Chad Hallyburton
From Classroom to Caregiving: A Model for Student Learning in Dementia Care
Presenter: Erica Thaggard
Faculty Sponsor: Caitlin Torrence