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 7 – 9, 2025. The conference will be held in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania 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
Chemistry and Physics
The Relationship between Temperature and the Binding of Surface Ligands on Cesium Lead Bromide Nanocrystals
Presenter: Annabelle Pentland
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Synthesis of Europium (III) Thenoyltrifluoroacetonate Terpyridine Complexes and the Influence of Electron Donors and Acceptors on Fluorescent Efficiency.
Presenters: Ella Whitehead and Thomas Bolick
Faculty Sponsors: Brian Dinkelmeyer and Channa De Silva
Analyzing the Effect of Alkylamine Length on CsPbBr3 Nanocrystal Storage Longevity
Presenter: Kaitlyn Wingnean
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
Tuning Optical and Structural Properties of Lanthanide-Doped Calcium-Fluoride Nanocrystals
Presenter: Madelyn Gregory
Faculty Sponsor: Channa De Silva
Optimization of Octadecylamine Passivated Cesium Lead Bromide Nanocrystals by Varying Reaction Conditions
Presenter: Rynn Oleszczuk
Faculty Sponsor: Curtis Beimborn
English Studies
Will The World Weep When We Are Gone? Ariel Francisco’s Guide to the End of the World
Presenter: Grace Pavel
Faculty Sponsor: Brian Railsback
Girl Math, Girl Dinner; “Girl” as A Modifier in Noun Phrases
Presenter: Mykah Green
Faculty Sponsor: Erin Callahan
Forensic Science
Optimization and Validation of an mRNA Multiplex Panel for Identification of Human Biological Fluids
Presenter: Sayumi De Silva
Faculty Sponsor: Erin Callahan
History
“Get the Boot off Our Necks:” The Impact of the United Packinghouse Workers of America in Chicago
Presenter: Sara Rusi
Faculty Sponsor: Gael Graham
The Role of Newspapers in U.S. History’s Only Successful Coup D’etat: The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
Presenter: Taleigh Verrault
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth McRae
Philosophy & Religion
The Butler Did It: Science and Religion’s Justifications of Transphobia
Presenter: Amaranth Schmoyer
Faculty Sponsor: David Henderson
Political Science & Public Affairs
In Favor of Retrospective Learning in Political Science
Presenter: Taylor Kissiah
Faculty Sponsor: Niall Michelsen
The Degradation of the Senate: Polarization and the Rise of Executive Power
Presenter: Taylor Kissiah
Faculty Sponsor: Jessica Hayden
World Languages
The Accent of your Class: How Language Adapts and Changes Through The Movie Nueba Yol To Represent The Caribbean migrant Experience.
Presenter: Allem Rojas
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Martinez
DISMANTLING MYTHS ABOUT LATINX IMMIGRATION AND THE U.S. ECONOMY
Presenter: Angela Vidal
Faculty Sponsor: Lori Oxford
Language and Culture Struggles of the Latinx Community in the U.S.A.
Presenter: Omar De Jesus-Gomez
Faculty Sponsor: Lori Oxford
College of Business
School of Economics, Management, and Project Management
Trapped by Design: Redlining, Government Aid, and the Cycle of Poverty
Presenter: Tryston Weiss
Faculty Sponsor: Sean Mulholland
College of Education & Allied Professions
Psychology
The Brief Attitudes Toward Solo Masturbation Scale: Exploratory Factor Analysis
Presenter: Christopher Ginn
Faculty Sponsor: David de Jong
The Brief Attitudes Toward Solo Masturbation Scale: Convergent and Divergent Validity
Presenter: Gabriella Loredo Marquez
Faculty Sponsor: David de Jong
Short Interval Bright Light Therapy and Well-Being of College Students
Presenter: Natalie Woolwine
Faculty Sponsor: Sam Castelblanco
College of Engineering & Technology
School of Engineering & Technology
Analysis of Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers and Their Blends for Medical Device Applications
Presenter: Allison Thackery
Faculty Sponsor: Martin Tanaka
A Portable Educational Model for an Energy Management System of Duke Energy
Presenters: Hardin Kennedy and Ben Griffith
Faculty Sponsor: Tarek Hassan Kandil
Method for Assessing Obstacle Height in Mountain Bike Trails Using a Distance Sensor Array
Presenter: John Crain
Faculty Sponsor: Matt Clontz
Investigation of Time Impact of Power Flow Solver Algorithms on Transmission Outage Scheduling
Presenter: Ariel Colón-Rodríguez
Faculty Sponsors: Bora Karayaka and Andy Ritenour
Analysis of Natural Frequencies and Mode Shapes of a Mountain Bike Test Stand Using CAD Simulations and Experimental Validation
Presenter: Joshua Madison
Faculty Sponsor: Matt Clontz
David Orr Belcher College of Fine & Performing Arts
School of Art & Design
Multi-Residential Affordable Housing: SOP Theory & Environmental Psychology
Presenter: Ashley Oglesby
Faculty Sponsor: Shelby Hicks
The Intersection of Homeless Shelters and Historic Preservation for Community Engagement
Presenter: Lauren Koster
Faculty Sponsor: Shelby Hicks
History, Building, and Design Study for Historic Preservation of Rosenwald Schools in Wake County, NC
Presenter: Minami Imamura
Faculty Sponsor: Patrice Brown