URCA News
Spring 2026
Atkins, K.*, Fowler, H*., Miller, R*., & Johnson, A*. (2026, April). Social media overuse and overprotective parenting: How are they associated with personality dysfunction? Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference. Chicago, IL. Poster presentation.
Baer, G.*, Christian, M.*, & Shane, A.* (2026, February). Illinois Academy of Audiology Convention, Naperville, IL. Oral presentation. These URCA Assistants were the first undergraduate students to present at the convention since the annual convention began 16 years ago.
Bartimus, L.*, Moss, E. R.*, & Fowler, T. J. (2026, April) Mound formation in schizophyllum commune does not require blue light signaling. Annual Meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science, Peoria, IL. Poster presentation.
Cange, E.*, Droll, C. *, Isken, Z. *, Wilson, K. *, Wagner, B. *, Meirelles, G.*, & Bradley, R. E. T. (2026, April). Examining the relationship between online mental health exposure, self-diagnosis, and social camouflaging in young adults. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Presentation.
Cole, B.*, Hamad, A., & Voss, E. (2026, April).Studying the formation of persistent holographic grating in Europium-Doped Barium-Tellurite glass. 118th Annual Meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science, Peoria, IL. Poster presentation.
Droll, C. *, Isken, Z. *, Wilson, K..*, Wagner, B. *, Cange, E.*, Meirelles, G.*, & Bradley, R. E. T. (2026, April). The impact of social media mental health content on self diagnosis among young adults.Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Presentation.
Ezeokafor, N*. (2026, April). Tracing covenant in Toni Morrison's Beloved. Celebration of Research, Black Literary Analysis Club, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL. Presentation.
Frost, E. L. Whittington, K., Omole, G.*, & Birchett, C.*. (2026, March). Psychological safety in the classroom: Effects on nursing student well-being and academic success. Sigma Creating Healthy Work Environment Conference, Washington, D.C. Oral presentation.
Frost, E. L. Whittington, K., Omole, G.*, & Birchett, C.*. (2026, March). Creating safe learning environments: The relationship between classroom psychological safety, well-being, and academic outcomes in undergraduate nursing students. Midwest Nursing Research Society, St. Louis, MO. Poster presentation.
Khawaja, M. N.* had a mug accepted into the Mudflat National Juried Cup Show Juried by Chandra Debuse. The exhibition opened on March 13th at Mudflat studio in Somerville, MA.
Khawaja, M. N.* received the incredible honor of receiving a 2026 National Council for the Education of the Ceramic Arts Multicultural Fellowship. The 11th Annual NCECA Multicultural Fellowship (2026) supports up to 20 first-time attendees from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Khawaja, M. N.* was awarded Artist in Residence at the Brydcliffe Woodstock Artists Guild for this summer, a nationally competitive artist residency.
Lee, D., & Davis, A.** (2026, April). How small mammal foraging activity contributes to seed dispersal. Illinois State Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Peoria, IL. Poster presentation.
Lewis, A.**, & Luesse, S. (2026, March). Exploration of caffeic acid as a component in Ugi and Ugi-smiles reactions. American Chemical Society, Atlanta, GA. Poster presentation.
Moon, C.*, & Bradley, R. E. T. (2026, April). For the joy of it: Hedonic motivation in fanfiction and identity play. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Presentation.
Moon, C. R.*, Roy, N. R.*, Bishop, I. M.*, Peterson, E. I.*, Wilson, O. L.*, & Finley, J. R. (2026, April). Reliving a multi-sensory experience through wearable camera footage. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. Poster presentation.
Nugen, E.* presented work on the analysis of 1,4-butanediol in alcoholic beverages at the Spring 2026 American Chemical Society meeting. This work was selected to also be included in a Monday night Sci-Mix session.
Oliveira, N.*, Hamad, A., & Voss, E. (2026, April). Studying the formation of persistent holographic grating in Praseodymium-Doped Barium-Tellurite glass. 118th Annual Meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science, Peoria, IL. Poster presentation.
Jones, M. W., & Schoonover, J.* (2026, April). Synthesis and ligand substitution chemistry of [TpmMo(CO)₂(NO)]⁺ . 2026 Thomas D. Bouman Student Research Symposium, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL. Presentation.
Stangle, V.**, Auerbach, B.*, Khan, T., Adegboyega, N. F., Durantini, A. (2026, April). Towards assessing reactive oxygen species generation from natural organic matter-capped nanoparticles. Illinois State Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Peoria, IL. Poster Presentation. Poster received first place in the undergraduate poster category within the Environmental Sciences division.
Witsken, G.**, & Lee, D. (2026, April). Foraging behavior of mice in disturbed habitats. Illinois State Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Peoria, IL. Poster presentation.
*URCA Assistant; **URCA Associate
Feburary 2024
Congrats to Alex Hubbard for winning the Outstanding Research Assistant Award in the Psychology department for this academic year!
Congrats to Mary-Margaret Benware who has received many admissions offeres and stipend offers to graduate schools! Additionally, Mary-Margaret has submitted her URCA project as part of her senior assignment presentation.
Congrats to Anna Miller who has been admitted to a graduate school!
Congrats to Peace Osikoya who presented her URCA research as part of her senior assignment last fall!
Congrats to Myla Woods who earned the first-place poster award in Physics! Although her project was Physical Chemistry, she was inadvertently assigned to the physics category. She also earned second place for her oral presentation on the same topic!
Congrats to Yassine Ndiaye who earned second-place poster award in Chemistry!
