UROP Announcements

2026-27 Academic Year Student Project Grants

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:57:06 +0000

2026-27 Academic Year Student Project Grants Timothy O'Neil Wed, 04/29/2026 - 13:57

These students were awarded UROP Student Project Grants to support their engagement with the research and creative life of the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus next academic year.

Assistantships

Individual Grants

$94,500

Funding

Departments

2026-27 Academic Year Assistantships

These grants provide $1,000 for students to partner with a faculty mentor to help on an existing project.

Coming soon.

2026-27 Academic Year Individual Grants

These grants provide $1,500 for students to take ownership of part or all of a project with an original proposal.

Coming soon.

Details

UROP Student Project Grants support students as they engage with the academic and creative life the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus. We offer two student grant types for projects based on the student's involvement in the project's development. Assistantships provide funding to students to partner with a faculty mentor to help on an existing project. Individual Project Grants allow students to take ownership of part or all of a project with an original proposal. Students must be degree-seeking undergraduates at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� to apply for UROP Student Project Grants. All students must be supervised by an eligible mentor. Join the Application Alert List to be notified when UROP reopens for proposal submissions in the next review cycle.

Spring 2026 Review Cycle

Student Grants

Student Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

36.27%

2026-27 Academic Year

69.61%

Faculty Grants

Faculty Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

70.37%

2026-27 Academic Year

76.00%

Review Board

Pei-San Tsai
Angela Thieman Dino
Wei Tan
Morow Tan
Jennifer Stratford
Stacey Smith
Natasha Shrikant
JulieMarie Shepherd Macklin
Emily Schell
Eleanor Salm
Becca Safran
Elena Sabinson
Juliana Ruef
Rachel Rowe

David Root
Julian Resasco
Lynneatte Quenin
Cheryl Pinzone
Anthony Pinter
Dang Pham
Amy Palmer
Renice Obure
Kristin Moore
Erika Mehrhoff
Stephen Majeski
Erik Knight
Ellen Keister

Brendan Kaiser
Eric Jones
Brooke Huibregtse
Eve-Lyn Hinckley
Linnea Helenius
Vikas Hanasoge Nataraja
Manuela Garay Sarmiento
Catherine Fontana
Kyle Fisch
Jay Ellis
Maxwell Elling
Kelsie Eichel
Lisa de Alwis

Sanna Darvish
Meaghan Courvan
Lisa Corwin
Joshua Correll
Garrett Bredeson
Teresa Bilinski
Atreyee Bhattacharya
Grace Bennett-Pierre
Courtney Bailey
William Anderson
Charlie Ambrose
Christina Alston
Mary Allen

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

These students were awarded UROP Student Project Grants to support their engagement with the research and creative life of the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus next academic year.

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2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

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2026 Summer Student Project Grants

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:56:09 +0000

2026 Summer Student Project Grants Timothy O'Neil Wed, 04/29/2026 - 13:56

These students were awarded UROP Student Project Grants to support their engagement with the research and creative life of the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus this summer.

Assistantships

Individual Grants

$188,000

Funding

Departments

2026 Summer Assistantships

These grants provide $2,000 for to students to partner with a faculty mentor to help on an existing project.

Coming soon.

2026 Summer Individual Grants

These grants provide $3,000 for students to take ownership of part or all of a project with an original proposal.

Coming soon.

Details

Spring 2026 Review Cycle

Student Grants

Student Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

36.27%

2026-27 Academic Year

69.61%

Faculty Grants

Faculty Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

70.37%

2026-27 Academic Year

76.00%

Review Board

Pei-San Tsai
Angela Thieman Dino
Wei Tan
Morow Tan
Jennifer Stratford
Stacey Smith
Natasha Shrikant
JulieMarie Shepherd Macklin
Emily Schell
Eleanor Salm
Becca Safran
Elena Sabinson
Juliana Ruef
Rachel Rowe

David Root
Julian Resasco
Lynneatte Quenin
Cheryl Pinzone
Anthony Pinter
Dang Pham
Amy Palmer
Renice Obure
Kristin Moore
Erika Mehrhoff
Stephen Majeski
Erik Knight
Ellen Keister

Brendan Kaiser
Eric Jones
Brooke Huibregtse
Eve-Lyn Hinckley
Linnea Helenius
Vikas Hanasoge Nataraja
Manuela Garay Sarmiento
Catherine Fontana
Kyle Fisch
Jay Ellis
Maxwell Elling
Kelsie Eichel
Lisa de Alwis

Sanna Darvish
Meaghan Courvan
Lisa Corwin
Joshua Correll
Garrett Bredeson
Teresa Bilinski
Atreyee Bhattacharya
Grace Bennett-Pierre
Courtney Bailey
William Anderson
Charlie Ambrose
Christina Alston
Mary Allen

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

These students were awarded UROP Student Project Grants to support their engagement with the research and creative life of the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus this summer.

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2026-27 Academic Year Faculty Project Grants

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:26:02 +0000

2026-27 Academic Year Faculty Project Grants Timothy O'Neil Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:26

These inspiring faculty were awarded $4,000 UROP Team Project Grants to support groups of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates on a wide range of projects next academic year.

Projects

135

Students

$76,000

Funding

Departments

2026-27 Academic Year Team Grants

Integrating community science and parasite ecology to understand osprey exposure risk to Black Spot Syndrome in Florida

Mentor: Dana Calhoun
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Insect Diversity and Abundance in Apple Tree as Ecosystem Service Study

Mentor: Lisa Corwin
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Hindsight Creative Nonfiction

Mentor: Jay Ellis
Department: Program for Writing and Rhetoric

Autistic Life and Language

Mentor: Kira Hall
Department: Linguistics

Power, Participation, and Impact: Evaluating Community-Engaged Design in Medellín

Mentor: Valeria Henao Cano
Department: Environmental Design

How Breathing Shapes Speech in Cerebellar Disease

Mentor: Allison Hilger
Department: Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences

Students-Led Online Depository for Rosetta’s Tangible and Intangible Heritage.

Mentor: Azza Kamal
Department: Environmental Design

Using PAR to study how students experience new “all comers” policies

Mentor: Ben Kirshner
Department: School of Education, Learning Sciences & Human Development

Environmental design factors related to student experience, performance and wellbeing

Mentor: Case Lindberg
Department: Environmental Design

Forest/Road: Exhibiting the Spatial and Political Imprint of the Amazonian Infrastructures

Mentor: Zannah Matson
Department: Environmental Design

A Functional Genomics Approach to Understanding the Evolution of “Endless Forms"

Mentor: Daniel Medeiros
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

2027 Senior Showcase: Theatre & Musical Theatre

Mentor: Tamara Meneghini
Department: Theatre & Dance

Using RNA-based fluorescent biosensors to study metabolic changes in breast cancer

Mentor: Amy Palmer
Department: Biochemistry

Investigating zinc regulation in breast cancer

Mentor: Amy Palmer
Department: Biochemistry

The Middle School Ensembles Program

Mentor: David Rickels
Department: College of Music, Music Education

A Dynamic and Interactive Sensory Mapping Approach to Support Neurodivergent Sensory Experiences

Mentor: Elena Sabinson
Department: Environmental Design

Circularity in Practice: Learning from Informal Settlements in Medellín

Mentor: Jota Samper
Department: Environmental Design

Recovering Trans Latinx Disco Nightlife: The GG Barnum Room in 1970s New York

Mentor: Kristie Soares
Department: Women & Gender Studies

Impact Playback: Empowering Students & Communities through Engaged Theatre

Mentor: Jim Walker
Department: Undergraduate Enrichment Programs

Details

UROP Team Project Grants support research and creative projects involving two or more ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates. Tenured/tenure-track research and teaching faculty, professional researchers and practitioners, and postdoctoral scholars at the University of Colorado Boulder and Anschutz Medical Campus are eligible to apply for Team Project Grants. Recipients have the option to promote their projects as an Open Opportunity on the UROP website. Join the Application Alert List to be notified when UROP reopens for proposal submissions in the next review cycle.

Spring 2026 Review Cycle

Student Grants

Student Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

36.27%

2026-27 Academic Year

69.61%

Faculty Grants

Faculty Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

70.37%

2026-27 Academic Year

76.00%

Review Board

Pei-San Tsai
Angela Thieman Dino
Wei Tan
Morow Tan
Jennifer Stratford
Stacey Smith
Natasha Shrikant
JulieMarie Shepherd Macklin
Emily Schell
Eleanor Salm
Becca Safran
Elena Sabinson
Juliana Ruef
Rachel Rowe

David Root
Julian Resasco
Lynneatte Quenin
Cheryl Pinzone
Anthony Pinter
Dang Pham
Amy Palmer
Renice Obure
Kristin Moore
Erika Mehrhoff
Stephen Majeski
Erik Knight
Ellen Keister

Brendan Kaiser
Eric Jones
Brooke Huibregtse
Eve-Lyn Hinckley
Linnea Helenius
Vikas Hanasoge Nataraja
Manuela Garay Sarmiento
Catherine Fontana
Kyle Fisch
Jay Ellis
Maxwell Elling
Kelsie Eichel
Lisa de Alwis

Sanna Darvish
Meaghan Courvan
Lisa Corwin
Joshua Correll
Garrett Bredeson
Teresa Bilinski
Atreyee Bhattacharya
Grace Bennett-Pierre
Courtney Bailey
William Anderson
Charlie Ambrose
Christina Alston
Mary Allen

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

These inspiring faculty were awarded UROP Team Project Grants to support groups of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates on a wide range of projects next academic year.

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2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

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2026 Summer Faculty Project Grants

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:24:32 +0000

2026 Summer Faculty Project Grants Timothy O'Neil Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:24

These inspiring faculty were awarded $4,000 UROP Team Project Grants to support teams of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates on a wide range of projects this summer.

Projects

Students

$76,000

Funding

Departments

2026 Summer Team Grants

Mapping the Electric-Field–Responsive Landscape of Cell Surface Proteins

Mentor: Nathan Belliveau
Department: Biochemistry

Understanding How People Learn From Spherical Visualizations

Mentor: Grace Bennett-Pierre
Department: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science

Exploring Stakeholder Perspective Taking in Engineering Design

Mentor: Grace Burleson
Department: Mechanical Engineering

Insect Diversity and Abundance in Apple Tree as Ecosystem Service Study

Mentor: Lisa Corwin
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Changing Skies: Writing Through the Climate Crisis

Mentor: Jay Ellis
Department: Program for Writing and Rhetoric

Summer Internship in Contemplative Arts and Mindful Living

Mentor: Holly Gayley
Department: Religious Studies

Critical Cartographies of the San Luis Valley: Mapping Identity through Acequias and Vernacular Socio-Ecological Practices

Mentor: Juan Grisales
Department: Environmental Design

Student-Driven & Constructed Community in Development Applications

Mentor: Michael Hannigan
Department: Mechanical Engineering

SWIMS: An Animated Film

Mentor: Tara Knight
Department: Critical Media Practices

Effects of chronic psychosocial stress on hippocampal neuroinflammation and behavioral coping style

Mentor: Christopher Lowry
Department: Integrative Physiology

Mountaintop animal responses to climate change

Mentor: Christy McCain
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Canaries in the coal mine: maintaining long-term research in Colorado’s mountain lakes

Mentor: Isabella Oleksy
Department: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research; Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Using RNA-based fluorescent biosensors to study metabolic changes in breast cancer

Mentor: Amy Palmer
Department: Biochemistry

Defining how zinc regulation is altered in breast cancer

Mentor: Amy Palmer
Department: Biochemistry

Moth pollination in the Rocky Mountains

Mentor: Ryan St. Laurent
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Natural History Museum

Anticipating climate effects in Boulder grasslands: conservation and restoration in a changing world.

Mentor: Katharine Suding
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

The seeds for fire-smart grassland restoration: training the next generation of community-engaged ecologists through community partnerships

Mentor: Katharine Suding
Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Machine learning Assisted Vascular Materials Design

Mentor: Wei Tan
Department: Mechanical Engineering; Bioengineering

Impact Playback Ensemble: Summer Outreach Residency and Program Development

Mentor: Jim Walker
Department: Undergraduate Enrichment Programs

Details

Spring 2026 Review Cycle

Student Grants

Student Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

36.27%

2026-27 Academic Year

69.61%

Faculty Grants

Faculty Grant Award Rates

2026 Summer

70.37%

2026-27 Academic Year

76.00%

Review Board

Pei-San Tsai
Angela Thieman Dino
Wei Tan
Morow Tan
Jennifer Stratford
Stacey Smith
Natasha Shrikant
JulieMarie Shepherd Macklin
Emily Schell
Eleanor Salm
Becca Safran
Elena Sabinson
Juliana Ruef
Rachel Rowe

David Root
Julian Resasco
Lynneatte Quenin
Cheryl Pinzone
Anthony Pinter
Dang Pham
Amy Palmer
Renice Obure
Kristin Moore
Erika Mehrhoff
Stephen Majeski
Erik Knight
Ellen Keister

Brendan Kaiser
Eric Jones
Brooke Huibregtse
Eve-Lyn Hinckley
Linnea Helenius
Vikas Hanasoge Nataraja
Manuela Garay Sarmiento
Catherine Fontana
Kyle Fisch
Jay Ellis
Maxwell Elling
Kelsie Eichel
Lisa de Alwis

Sanna Darvish
Meaghan Courvan
Lisa Corwin
Joshua Correll
Garrett Bredeson
Teresa Bilinski
Atreyee Bhattacharya
Grace Bennett-Pierre
Courtney Bailey
William Anderson
Charlie Ambrose
Christina Alston
Mary Allen

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

These inspiring faculty were awarded UROP Team Project Grants to support groups of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates on a wide range of projects this summer.

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2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

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UROP Celebrates the 2026 Savit Scholars

Timothy O'Neil — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:34:48 +0000

UROP Celebrates the 2026 Savit Scholars Timothy O'Neil Fri, 04/24/2026 - 11:34

UROP's Savit Scholars are recognized for projects that promise to push disciplinary boundaries and create space for creativity, expression and connection. We invite you to celebrate these inspiring students with us and read excerpts from their project proposals.

2026 Savit Scholars

Tia Egan

Stasis and Political Degeneration in Aristotle’s Politics V

Mentor: Mitzi Lee, Philosophy

Anna Mahlin

Fieldwork in Painting: Art and the Transformation of the Colorado Mountain Town

Mentor: Alvin Gregorio, Art & Art History

Katherine Murphy

Selective Fetishization: Japan, South Korea, and China in the American Imagination of East Asia

Mentor: Alison Hatch, A&S Honors Prog.

Ingrid Pehrson

Inland Mountain Communities Post-Hurricane: Material and Emotional Exploration

Mentor: Zannah Matson, Environ. Design

Stasis and Political Degeneration in Aristotle’s Politics V

The purpose of this project is to analyze Aristotle’s account of political degeneration in Politics, with a focus on his explanation of civil conflict, particularly the concept of stasis. It examines why even well-ordered states decline, what causes political degeneration, and whether such decline is inevitable or the result of specific institutional or moral failures. This project offers a philosophical treatment of Aristotle’s views on conflict, dissension, and civil war in Greek societies. While primarily interpretive, the project will evaluate whether what he says has contemporary relevance in relation to the problem of political stability and conflict prevention.

While Aristotle’s account of stasis in Book V of the Politics has been widely analyzed by scholars of Greek history and political thought, it has not been similarly explored within the field of ancient philosophy. I will review the current limited literature on stasis, and works such as Ernest Barker’s The Political Thought of Plato and Aristotle which comment on ancient political thought more broadly. I will use this information to understand predominant discussions about Aristotle and stasis, and then provide a detailed analysis to give people a better understanding of Aristotle’s Book V of the Politics.

Fieldwork in Painting: Art & the Transformation of the Colorado Mountain Town

This project explores the transformation of Colorado mountain towns as amenity migration erodes local ethos, architecture, and character. By contrasting mining-era vernacular design with luxury developments through plein-air painting work, I will highlight the aesthetic shift from resident-centric to tourist-focused environments. Through interviews and journalistic entries, the project critiques the short-term rental crisis and the disparity between the cost of living and the Area Median Income (AMI). Synthesized into an exhibition, book, or digital platform, this body of work documents the unique identity of these rural communities while exposing the modern developmental struggles reshaping life in small-town Colorado.

Drawing on Justin Farrell’s "Billionaire Wilderness", this project analyzes the shifting culture of Colorado mountain communities, specifically how an influx of ultra-wealthy residents adopts rural aesthetics to perform a specific identity. Lucy Lippard’s "The Lure of the Local" provides a psychogeographical framework of the importance of art in the sense of place. My project will build upon these ideas, drawing upon my experience painting the natural and built environment throughout my Colorado upbringing. By studying these built environments, this creative project will highlight the structural move from a local, production-based economy toward one defined by tourism and consumption.

Selective Fetishization: Japan, South Korea, and China in the American Imagination of East Asia

This project examines why the United States fetishizes Japan and South Korea while demonizing China by analyzing shifts in American political, cultural, and media discourse. It argues that Cold War–era propaganda, U.S. strategic alliances, and cultural commodification has reshaped public memory, obscuring negative aspects of Korea and Japan, while casting China as a persistent communist threat. I'll be using propaganda, media analysis, popular culture trends, and original survey data, to reveal how these perceptions persist today. The benefit of this project is that it prompts a more historically grounded and nuanced understanding of East Asia, while exposing American sinophobia.

Scholarship on U.S. perceptions of East Asia has largely developed along separate national lines. This project's comparative approach analyzes negative perceptions of China in direct conjunction with the positive fetishization of Japan and Korea, rather than treating them in isolation. By tracing how U.S. propaganda, Cold War alliances, and popular culture have jointly shaped a hierarchical East Asian imaginary, the project contributes a more integrated explanation of contemporary American attitudes toward East Asia.

Inland Mountain Communities Post-Hurricane: Material and Emotional Exploration

This project investigates how flooding physically and emotionally reshapes inland mountain communities. After Hurricane Helene flooded my hometown of Asheville, NC, I began questioning the assumption that inland regions are protected from climate disasters and sought to examine how such events leave lasting traces in communities and landscapes. Through fieldwork in Asheville, NC and Johnson, VT, I will document material evidence of flooding—warped floors, sediment lines, damaged objects—while recording oral histories to understand how these remnants shape memory, attachment, and belonging. This research will culminate in a tactile installation exhibited in the ENVD Gallery and later in Asheville, NC.

This project draws from socially-engaged art and memory studies to connect people’s lived experiences of flooding with the spaces and materials that surround them. It draws on work such as Carolina Caycedo’s Water Portraits, which frame water as a living agent rather than a resource. In my past work, I have combined textiles, cyanotype, and architectural elements to create immersive environments. With a background in installations and community-engaged design, I work experimentally and collaboratively. In this project I will specifically contribute to a growing area of climate storytelling by amplifying the voices of inland communities often overlooked in environmental narratives.

Details

Since 2017, Savit Scholars have expanded the possibilities for performance art, opened new ways of thinking about apparel design, produced a stage play from the testimonies of military veterans, created more interactive virtual reality experiences, opened inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, pushed boundaries in art, film and more! Savit Scholars are selected annually from among the pool of UROP Student Grant applicants.

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

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UROP Celebrates the 2026 Mentor Award Recipients and Honorable Mentions

Timothy O'Neil — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:09:11 +0000

UROP Celebrates the 2026 Mentor Award Recipients and Honorable Mentions Timothy O'Neil Mon, 04/13/2026 - 16:09

UROP's Mentor Award recognizes individuals supporting ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates on research and creative projects. We invite you to celebrate these inspiring mentors with us and read excerpts from the students' nominations.

2026 Mentor Awards

Deanna Gelosi

ATLAS

Nominated by
Shriya Malu

Lynneatte Quenin

Psychology & Neuroscience

Nominated by
Max Soong

Lottie Steward

Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology

Nominated by
Annika Stephan & Victoria Kiss

Shantae Gallegos

Biomedical Engineering

Nominated by
Madison Voytko

Maya Paulson

Psychology & Neuroscience

Nominated by
Nandhana Vivek & Julia Renz

2026 Honorable Mentions

Michael Baratta

Psychology & Neuroscience

Nominated by
Chloe Pinto

Nathaniel Hamel

Biochemistry

Nominated by
Asher Ferreira

Cindy Wong

Chemical & Biological Engineering

Nominated by
Sara Lineberry

Amanda Carrico

Environmental Studies

Nominated by
Ashley Miralles

Karen Bailey

Environmental Studies

Nominated by
Nejwa Munir

Katie Snell

Geological Sciences

Nominated by
Anya Keena

Valentine Combaudon

Geological Sciences

Nominated by
Jaydan Booth

Loren Hough

Physics

Nominated by
Colm Murphy

Mina Griffioen

Integrative Physiology

Nominated by
Min Wang

William Frantz

Mechanical Engineering

Nominated by
Andres Duffy

Joshua Johnson

Obstetrics & Gynecology, CU Anschutz

Nominated by
Mishika Bhatia

Rachel Rowe

Integrative Physiology

Nominated by
Francois Labadie, Kellie Ha & Axel Ortiz

Nomination Excerpts

Edited for length.

Deanna Gelosi

"My mentor has excelled not by simply teaching me technical skills, but by guiding me toward independence, confidence, and a broader understanding of how I can grow both academically and personally. Her mentorship style is rooted in support, flexibility, and trust, which has made a lasting impact on my development.

One of the most valuable aspects of her mentorship is the way she provides feedback. Rather than telling me exactly what to do, she shares her own experiences and perspectives, allowing me to draw my own conclusions. This approach makes her feedback feel both constructive and empowering.

Her guidance helped me reframe how I think about time, opportunities, and my own potential. I learned that growth does not come from doing everything at once, but from staying curious, patient, and open to new experiences over time."

Lottie Steward

"I still remember when I first got involved in cell culture work for transfection purposes, and I asked a question about what a DNA vector was. Instead of briefly explaining it to me, she took me outside of lab to the nearest whiteboard and drew an elaborate drawing to illustrate.

Even though I am no longer working directly with Lottie, she still indirectly supports me. For instance, when I defended my honors thesis in mid-March, Lottie was there to support me, asked engaging questions, and even bought me a little gift. She is also always happy to give advice on things such as research posters. Her energy is immense, and she does so much for her lab and MCDB. I owe all of my experience in research to her incredible mentorship, and that is why I think she is worth nominating for this award."

Shantae Gallegos

"The overall impact Shantae has had on my learning and development cannot be overstated. She has taught me nearly everything I know in the lab, but more importantly, she has taught me how to learn, how to think critically, and how to grow from both successes and setbacks.

She has instilled in me a sense of ambition and a drive to continuously improve. Her emphasis on precision has made me more detail-oriented, while her commitment to transparency has shaped how I communicate and document my work. Through her example, I have gained a clear understanding of what true dedication and passion for research look like.

Her mentorship has given me the confidence to take on new challenges, the skills to navigate complex problems, and the mindset to view obstacles as opportunities for growth."

Lynneatte Quenin

"Lynneatte’s ability to make people feel at ease and unjudged is unparalleled. I’ve found myself sending questions and injecting my comments without hesitation. In the lab—where she mentors at least seven other students, of which another two are conducting independent projects—she exhibits the same warmth that makes the culture dialectic and open-minded.

Her interpersonal acuity in no way detracts from her extensive knowledge and her ability to communicate it in simple terms. I regularly sent her drafts of my Honors Thesis. Each draft was met with interminable critique—an erroneous application of a concept, a poorly phrased idea, a key citation that I had missed—yet she managed to always make her critique understandable and strikingly pragmatic.

She’s warm, curious, and instructive in her interactions. And she’s present all throughout the trials and tribulations that each student invariably faces."

Maya Paulson

"Working with Maya has been one of the most meaningful parts of my experience in the lab. Her mentorship is defined by patience, consistency, and a genuine commitment to making sure her students feel supported as they learn. From the beginning, she created an environment where questions were always encouraged, and where learning was never rushed. She is incredibly patient, and never hesitates to revisit a concept or explain something multiple times until it fully makes sense.

She is approachable and attentive, and there is a clear sense that she is invested not just in the work being done, but in the people doing it. Knowing that she is always willing to help creates a sense of stability and confidence in the learning process.

She has consistently encouraged me to pursue science and has helped me obtain the skills and opportunities necessary to be successful in the field. Her mentorship has had a profound impact on my academic journey and future career path."

Details

Tenured/tenure-track research faculty, teaching faculty, postdocs and graduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder and Anschutz Medical Campus are eligible for UROP's Mentor Award. Students are invited to nominate their mentors regardless of program funding, and we welcome submissions from early-stage researchers and creative practitioners. Recipients can award an Assistantship to an eligible undergraduate of their choosing in the next academic year.

Issue: 2026 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

UROP's Mentor Award recognizes campus individuals supporting undergraduates on research and creative projects. We invite you to celebrate these inspiring mentors with us and read excerpts from the students' thoughtful nominations.

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UROP Advocate Training

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:51:22 +0000

UROP Advocate Training Timothy O'Neil Wed, 01/28/2026 - 09:51

We welcome all ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� staff, faculty, graduate students, and postdocs to learn about the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and connect with the colleagues who make our campus such a vibrant community for undergraduate research and creative engagement by registering for UROP Advocate Training. We offer three types of sessions. All are hosted virtually on Zoom and include time for community building.

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Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2025

Timothy O'Neil — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:35:05 +0000

Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2025 Timothy O'Neil Wed, 11/05/2025 - 10:35

UROP celebrates undergraduate engagement in academic and professional conferences, providing $48,650 to support 134 student presentations around the globe in fiscal year 2025. Funding is provided, in part, by the Boettcher Foundation.

As students present and exhibit their work in locations around the world, students not only connect with leaders from the public and private sectors, they move conversations forward—and in new directions. With strong evidence of meaningful learning outcomes in disciplinary knowledge and transferrable skills, UROP supports high-impact practices that enable transformative growth while advancing humankind in all its scientific and creative endeavors.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduates can apply for Individual Travel Grants, and faculty can apply for Group Travel Grants. Applications are awarded on a rolling basis year-round.

Students Supported

134

Funding Provided

$48,650

Individual Student Grants

Individual Grant Funding

$20,950

Group Grants

Group Grant Funding

$27,700

Individual Grants

Student: Danya Al Nazal
Mentor: Abby Hickcox
Presentation: ANDing: faculty, staff and student experiences of making connections across difference
Event: National Collegiate Honors Council Conference
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA

Student: Carson Alishio
Mentor: Riley Loria
Presentation: Email Outreach Successfully Attracts Attention but Advocacy Techniques Do Not Further Improve Policymaker Engagement with Climate Science
Event: Society of Personality and Social Psychology Convention
Location: Denver, CO, USA

Student: Joe Allen
Mentor: Jay Ellis
Presentation: Hindsight Creative Nonfiction Bookfair
Event: Association of Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Student: Brett Barton
Mentor: Tomoko Matsuo
Presentation: Senior Design Presentation for Suborbital Research Platform - A Novel Approach to Suborbital Atmospheric Research in the Thermosphere
Event: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region V Student Conference
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA

Student: Zaidee Bennett
Mentor: Glenda Walden
Presentation: ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Community Opinions Towards Gender Neutral Restrooms
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

Student: Caleb Bettcher
Mentor: Julia Claxton
Presentation: Classification of High-Energy Particle Precipitation Events Using Computer Vision
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Mackenzie Campbell
Mentor: Pieter Johnson
Presentation: Using Otolith Aging Techniques to Compare Acanthurus tractus Age and Length with Infection Load of Scaphanocephalus spp.
Event: Western Regional Honors Conference
Location: Denver, CO, USA

Student: Judy Chen
Mentor: Alexis Phillips
Presentation: Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Elastomers: Tunable Light Filters for Infrared Applications
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Jess Connell
Mentor: Alan Weimer
Presentation: Iron aluminate reticulated porous ceramic fabrication for use in solar thermochemistry
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Anneliese Crayton
Mentor: Cristina Torres-Machi
Presentation: Does Recycling Compromise Long-Term Performance and Life-Cycle Costs? A Comparative Analysis of Full-Depth Reclamation and Overlay Pavements
Event: Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting
Location: Washington, D.C., USA

Student: Megan Davis
Mentor: Thomas Chaney
Presentation: Impact of Solvent Choice on PM6 Solution Conformation for Organic Photovoltaics Devices
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Ella Erich
Mentor: William Frantz
Presentation: The Effects of Frequency and Peak Negative Pressure (PNP) on Acoustic Droplet Vaporization of HC/FC Endoskeletal Drops
Event: Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting
Location: Baltimore, MD, USA

Student: Tori Field
Mentor: James Monaco
Presentation: Automating Calibration of Colorado’s Zephyr Meteor Radar Network with ADS-B Data
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Clara Gauthier
Mentor: Jay Ellis
Presentation: Hindsight Creative Nonfiction Bookfair
Event: Association of Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Student: Anvie Gowrishankar
Mentor: Tomoko Matsuo
Presentation: Advancing Atmospheric Density Measurements in Suborbital Space Environments
Event: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region V Student Conference
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA

Student: Rudolf Hansen
Mentor: Sean Peters
Presentation: Evaluating the Use of Ambient Anthropogenic Radio Signals of Opportunity for Passive Radar Sounding of Glaciers
Event: American Geophysical Union Conference
Location: Washington, D.C., USA

Student: Rudolf Hansen
Mentor: Sean Peters
Presentation: Constraints on Glacial Passive Radar Sounding using Anthropogenic Sources
Event: International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Student: Lindsey Harriman
Mentor: Garrett Bredeson
Presentation: Mental Illness and Sartre’s Existentialism: An Evaluation of the Implications of Mental Illness for Practical Freedom and Ontological Freedom
Event: Annual Meeting of the North American Sartre Society
Location: Rockville Centre, NY, USA

Student: Calvin Hawks
Mentor: Angela Thieman Dino
Presentation: Learning ‘Street Smarts’ from Engineering Leadership Alumni
Event: American Society for Engineering Education Conference
Location: Montreal, Québec, Canada

Student: Riley Holcomb
Mentor: Erika Randall
Presentation: Tap Into the Network Apprentice Program
Event: Tap Into the Network
Location: Multiple Sites, USA

Student: Ren Hotzfeld
Mentor: Jay Ellis
Presentation: Hindsight Creative Nonfiction Bookfair
Event: Association of Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Student: Julia Hyden
Mentor: Diane McKnight
Presentation: Exploring Turbulent Flow Dynamics through Didymosphenia geminata Populations in Boulder Creek
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Dharma Johnson
Mentor: Kathryn Ramirez-Aguilar
Presentation: Learn How ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Tackles Hard to Recycle Lab Materials
Event: International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories Conference
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA

Student: Jason Katz
Mentor: Taylor Lonner
Presentation: IMPACT OF SICKNESS INDUCED BY CENTRIFUGATION ON MOTION SICKNESS IN A WATER LANDING ANALOG
Event: NASA Human Research Project Investigators Workshop
Location: Galveston, TX, USA

Student: Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos
Mentor: Jessica Holman
Presentation: Magnetic Field Effect on the Electrocatalytic Activity of Cobalt-Phosphate Oxyhydroxide Oxygen Evolving Thin Films
Event: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers National Convention
Location: Anaheim, CA, USA

Student: Angelina Kondrat
Mentor: Jay Ellis
Presentation: Hindsight Creative Nonfiction Bookfair
Event: Association of Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Student: Himaghna Kuntumalla
Mentor: Kathryn Ramirez-Aguilar
Presentation: Want an opportunity for green chemistry education at your institution? ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� offers student fellowships to the UW Online Certificate Program.
Event: International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories Conference
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA

Student: Duncan Laird
Mentor: Nicole Labbe
Presentation: Reducing Jet Engine Reignition Delay Time through Computational Molecular Analysis of Jet Fuel Ignition
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburg, PA, USA

Student: Marcus Linton
Mentor: Tomoko Matsuo
Presentation: Advancing Atmospheric Density Measurements in Suborbital Space Environments
Event: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region V Student Conference
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA

Student: Nathan Malyszek
Mentor: Veronica Corral
Presentation: The Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone: Investigating Lunar
Seismic Events with ChipSat Technology
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: Anaheim, CA, USA

Student: Sebastian Melancon
Mentor: Jay Ellis
Presentation: Hindsight Creative Nonfiction Bookfair
Event: Association of Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference
Location: Las Angeles, CA, USA

Student: Addison Page
Mentor: Abby Hickcox
Presentation: ANDing: faculty, staff and student experiences of making connections across difference
Event: National Collegiate Honors Council Conference
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA

Student: Tanvi Patil
Mentor: Laurel Hind
Presentation: Effects of Extracellular Matrix Composition on the Neutrophil Response
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Ian Rutherford
Mentor: Christopher Lowry
Presentation: Time course analysis of the effects of M. vaccae on gene expression in naïve or lipopolysaccharide-challenged BV2 microglial cells
Event: Society for Neuroscience Conference
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Student: Owen Sabolcik
Mentor: Konane Bay
Presentation: Increasing the Biodegradability of Thermally Reprocessable Vanillin-Based Thermosets
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Michael Schaezlein
Mentor: Michael Hannigan
Presentation: Effect of House Characteristics on Particulate Matter Infiltration from Rx Burning
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Noah Schakel
Mentor: Taylor Barton
Presentation: An On-Die Diode-Based Temperature Sensor in GaN without Device Characterization
Event: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Radio and Wireless Week
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

Student: Jessica Shoemaker
Mentor: Allison Hayman
Presentation: Effect of Calibration Conditions on Measurement Error in Force Sensitive Resistors for Mechanical Counter Pressure Spacesuits
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Grace Shore
Mentor: Margaret Landis
Presentation: Variability of Ice Lenses in North Polar Layered Deposits Craters on Mars
Event: International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Student: Summit Shrestha
Mentor: Timothy White
Presentation: Ascertaining the Influence of Molecular Weight on Phase Transition Temperature: Applications in Liquid Crystal Elastomer Synthesis 
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Nathan Smith
Mentor: Katarina Odak
Presentation: Additive Manufacturing Plant-Derived Char Meshes for Point-Source CO2 Capture
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Paloma Suarez Davila
Mentor: Ankur Gupta
Presentation: Flow Visualization: Relating Flow to Surfer Motion.
Presenting at 2024 Undergraduate Student Poster Competition, 2024 AIChE Annual Student Conference
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Student: Alena Tucker
Mentor: Debanjan Mukherjee
Presentation: In Vitro Model of the Human Circle of Willis to Investigate Drug Delivery in the Brain
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Student: Lauren Utz
Mentor: Sean Peters
Presentation: Availability Assessment of Jupiter’s Radio Emissions as a Source for Passive Radar Echo Detection: Burst Probability, Duration, and Bandwidth
Event: American Geophysical Union Conference
Location: Washington, D.C., USA

Student: Lucy Vaughan
Mentor: Riley Loria
Presentation: Email Outreach Successfully Attracts Attention but Advocacy Techniques Do Not Further Improve Policymaker Engagement with Climate Science
Event: Society of Personality and Social Psychology Convention
Location: Denver, CO, USA

Student: Ruijian Wang
Mentor: Thomas Schibli
Presentation: Development of an Off-center Rotating Ablation Ion Source for Collinear Laser Spectroscopy Experiments
Event: Fall Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics
Location: Boston, MA, USA

Student: Luke Warrington
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Presentation: The Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone: Investigating Lunar
Seismic Events with ChipSat Technology
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: Anaheim, CA, USA

Student: Mackenzie Weber
Mentor: David Temple
Presentation: INVESTIGATING AFTER-EFFECTS OF NOISY GALVANIC VESTIBULAR STIMULATION.
Event: NASA Human Research Project Investigators Workshop
Location: Galveston, TX, USA

Student: Eli Yoder
Mentor: Sherri Cook
Presentation: Building resilience to climate change in the dialysis population: Using life cycle and systems thinking to identify the least vulnerable dialysis option.
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Group Grants

Event: First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition
Location: Kenosha, WI, USA
Recipient: Veronica Corral Flores
Number of Students: 10

Event: HASP Team Testing at NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
Location: Palestine, TX
Recipient: Verónica Corral Flores
Number of Students: 5

Event: Senior Showcase Experience
Location: New York City, NY, USA
Recipient: Tamara Meneghini
Number of Students: 21

Event: Linguistics Society of America Annual Meeting
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Recipient: Rebecca Scarborough
Number of Students: 3

Event: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Recipient: Barbra Sobhani
Number of Students: 6

Event: South Eastern Theatre Conference
Location: Baltimore, MD, USA
Recipient: Theodore Stark
Number of Students: 11

Event: Colorado Space Grant Undergraduate Research Symposium
Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Recipient: Annie Strange
Number of Students: 16

Event: Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s Annual Convention
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Recipient: Leaf Van Boven
Number of Students: 6

Event: American College Dance Association High-Desert Region Conference
Location: Laramie, WY, USA
Recipient: Helanius Wilkins
Number of Students: 6

Student Reflections

I walked away learning so much more than I originally thought and was able to connect with several people. I learned how to present myself and my research in a professional setting. I am so glad I had this opportunity. I got so much out of it that will help in my future endeavors! - Mackenzie Campbell

The connections I made with my peers was the most valuable part of the conference. I was able to learn many new things and learn from so many different people. - Jessica Shoemaker

When I presented at the conference, I was nervous at first because there were a lot of people who are higher up in research production than myself, but as time went on at the conference, I learned that everyone was there for the same thing, sharing research. - Lucy Vaughn

Before this conference I was unsure of exactly what areas I wanted to go into but now I have a better idea of what schools have which programs as well as what schools and programs put on emphasis on research and attending conferences like this one. - Carson Alishio

Participating in this conference really engaged my unexplored, yet sure passion for Aerospace. It opened up a whole new side of the industry including all the biology, human factors, botany, and much more needed in order to prepare humans for future spaceflight that I didn't really know about. - Jason Katz

Determining the research areas I am most interested in has narrowed down what I want to focus on in grad school. Additionally, I spent time networking and paying attention to what people are working in my areas of interest that I may want to network with in the future for both grad school and my career. - Mackenzie Weber

This conference assisted me in creating what felt like a stronger bond between my graduate mentor and I. This was exciting to hear a bit more about him! - Ella Erich

The conference preparation and attendance improved my science communication skills and ability to understand research that is not my own. - Tanvil Patil

It has opened a lot of doors for me, especially from the recruitment fair. I now confirm my interest in the energy and material science industry post grad and am prepared to continue looking for jobs in those areas. - Judy Chen

Preparing for and participating in this conference improved my presentation skills and networking skills. I am more confident in presenting in front of an audience and am more comfortable answering questions that I am not prepared for. I also got more experience networking with other professionals and have kept conversations going on LinkedIn. - Himaghna Kuntumalla

I got to learn a lot about sustainability within the laboratories. It has inspired me to further my education in environmental science and labs by trying to pursue undergraduate research and tie in the different things I learned. I also got to learn how to network with other professionals. - Dharma Johnson

Participating in this conference was an extremely exciting way to introduce me to academic presentations and conferences. I was introduced to many types of geology that I was not familiar with. Presenting was also a great learning experience, which improved my skills in speaking to people with different academic backgrounds. - Nathan Malyszek

The connections I made during the conference were the most valuable aspect of attending. Not only did I meet potential future advisors for pursuing a graduate degree, but getting to speak with current graduate students yielded the most helpful information for my future career. Getting to hear about their varying experiences with the different institutions, different sub-fields of planetary science, and different advisors informed me on what to look for when searching for graduate programs. - Grace Shore

UROP celebrates undergraduate engagement in academic and professional conferences, providing $48,650 to support 134 student presentations around the globe in fiscal year 2025.

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UROP Celebrates the 2025 Mentor Award Recipients

Timothy O'Neil — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:25:00 +0000

UROP Celebrates the 2025 Mentor Award Recipients Timothy O'Neil Thu, 04/24/2025 - 23:25

Mentor Awards

Recipients have the option to award an Assistantship to an eligible undergraduate of their choosing in the next academic year. Tenured/tenure-track research faculty, teaching faculty, postdocs and graduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder and Anschutz Medical Campus are eligible for UROP's Mentor Award. Students are invited to nominate their mentors regardless of program funding, and we welcome submissions from early-stage researchers and creative practitioners. Learn more about UROP's Mentor Awards.

2025 Mentor Awards

Thomas Chaney, Material Science & Engineering

Nominated by Megan Davis

Elizabeth Trower, Geological Sciences

Nominated by Ryan Flat

Manuela Garay Sarmiento, Chemical & Biological Engineering

Nominated by Bianca Meurer-Zeman & Stella Rydahl-Kim

Allison Hilger, Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences

Nominated by Karis Lowe

Alta Howells, Geological Sciences

Nominated by Ashley Askins

Kevin Mahan, Geological Sciences

Nominated by Christina Lipper, Julia Patacsil, & Holly McCrory Scott

Kathryn Materna, Geological Sciences

Nominated by Elizabeth Bissell & Lapit Lapinee

Matt Olm, Integrative Physiology

Nominated by Soren Maret

Hannah Padgette, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Nominated by Anna Broerman

Caroline Conzelman, Environment & Natural Sciences RAP

Nominated by Abigail Baldwin, Clementine Clyker, & Graciela Horstman

Nomination Excerpts

Edited for length.

As students who did not have all the theoretical knowledge of bioengineering and chemistry, Dr. Garay taught us with patience and kindness, enforcing repetition and hands-on work. She tailors her training to individual needs, which has allowed each of us to master techniques like rheology and photopolymerization, ensuring practical progress to my scientific career. Her “inquiry-based” approach, asking questions rather than dictating solutions, has honed our critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She builds a collaborative lab culture with her students where we succeed and fail together to ensure no student struggles in silence. She masters a perfect balance between guidance and autonomy. Manuela continues to demonstrate her passion for educational mentorship through her unwavering support for her students and her sincere investment in their success. Her dedication to both scientific achievement and student development speaks to her character and leadership. Her mentorship extends beyond technical skills and she actively invests in her students’ professional growth by encouraging attendance at conferences and workshops, reviewing CVs, and connecting students with collaborators. We are confident that she will continue to make lasting contributions to the research field and to every student who has the privilege of learning from her.

Bianca Meurer-Zeman & Manuela Garay Sarmiento

To be a student of Dr. Mahan is to experience what it is like to be challenged, encouraged, and truly believed in. He takes his students where they are and accompanies them as they develop. His mentorship extends beyond the laboratory—he shapes thoughtful, able, and confident individuals. The secret to Dr. Mahan's mentorship is that he believes undergraduate students must be in intense scientific surroundings. He always includes undergraduates at our bi-weekly Mahan Research Group meetings, in which we discuss research with graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and more. The most impressive aspect of Dr. Mahan is how he gives feedback. He has a wonderful ability to give honest, constructive feedback and yet remains fiercely supportive. His feedback never disheartens but is driven out of deep concern and a desire to see us develop.

Christina Lipper & Julia Patacsil

Alta Howells is an exceptional mentor who has played a pivotal role in shaping my growth as a student, researcher, and aspiring scientist. Under her mentorship, I have gone from doubting my abilities in chemistry to actively preparing applications for PhD programs in geochemistry. Her mentorship has been thoughtful, strategic, and deeply supportive across all areas—training, professional development, ongoing support, feedback, and long-term impact. Thanks to her guidance, I feel well-prepared to step into more advanced research settings. Alta has gone out of her way to foster my professional development. She consistently encourages me to think long-term about my goals and has helped me identify potential research paths aligned with my interests. She has also introduced me to researchers and faculty members within the department, giving me opportunities to build a network and learn how to advocate for myself professionally. One of the most meaningful opportunities Alta is giving me is the chance to present my research progress to others in the department. I believe this will help me develop my science communication skills and build visibility as an emerging scientist. She treats me not just as a student, but as a developing colleague, and this respect has been invaluable in building my confidence and professional identity.

Ashley Askins

If I had to describe Tom Chaney in one word, it would be inspirational. The amazing thing about Tom is that every time I interact with him or see him interact with the other people at the lab, he is the first person to step up and help every time. If I mention his name, immediately people's first responses are about how Tom has helped them in one way or another. What he has done for me in the past 10 months will stick with me for a lifetime and I am so fortunate to have him as my mentor. He helped me with so much more than just my project. He made helped me find and apply to several different internships. He made sure that I would be set up with a new mentor once he graduated that would align with my research interests. There was not a single presentation, paper, or application that Tom did not offer to read over for me first. I owe so much of my success and my growth as a student to him and the passion he showed for his research and for helping others.

Megan Davis

Before this project, I often second-guessed my work and hesitated to share it. Dr. Materna’s feedback changed that. She created a space where I felt safe asking questions, making mistakes, and trying again. Her feedback was never just about what was “right” or “wrong”—it was about helping me understand how to think more critically and communicate more clearly. I’ve grown a lot in how I approach both technical problems and scientific writing because of the guidance she gave me along the way.

Elizabeth Bissell

Working with Dr. Materna has been one of the most impactful experiences of my academic life. Her mentorship is grounded in clarity, patience, and a genuine investment in her students’ long-term success. Through her mentorship, I began to engage more deeply with the broader geophysics community. My work with her led me to study papers by key researchers and allowed me to meet with leaders in my field, whose work directly shaped the foundation of my project. Dr. Materna helped me understand what academic research looks like. She helped me see the importance of building a network in science, where solving problems requires collaboration, connection, and openness. Writing has always been challenging for an international student whose first language is not English. But Dr. Materna helped me work through that step by step. She shared writing examples, gave me detailed feedback, and even guided me on formatting figures to meet professional standards. With her support, I began to feel more confident sharing my ideas, in both writing and presentations, and I now integrate this skill into my daily life.

Lapit Lapinee

Lizzy Trower has been an exceedingly helpful, supportive, and overall fantastic mentor through my honors thesis research. From the classes I have taken with her to her role as my research advisor, she is one of the smartest, kindest, and most dedicated professors I have had the pleasure of working with, and I am grateful to have this opportunity to recognize her for her achievements and profound impact on my education. One of my favorite parts of working with her was that she was always willing to have in-depth, meaningful conversations about my interests and goals in order to tailor my research efforts towards an exciting project that was best suited to my learning and development as a geologist. Throughout the project, every time I ran into a roadblock I knew that I had an available and enthusiastic advisor who was great at helping me generate creative new ideas and bring clarity to my next steps.

Ryan Flat

I have taken dozens of classes at the University of Colorado Boulder, and dozens of professors have guided me on my academic journey. While all were very knowledgeable in their fields and supportive of my academic endeavors, none have left quite the mark that Dr. Caroline Conzelman has. She is not only an incredible professor, but an inspiring individual. Her unconditional motivation and support have allowed me to thrive in my academic and professional endeavors. Dr. Conzelman’s teaching style combined the freedom to explore our individual interests, and the accountability of academic rigor to ensure that we would be successful in pursuing these interests. The compassion in her soul was evident when individuals who had faced tremendous hardships shared their stories with us. She also has a way about her that makes community-building seem so simple. Dr. Conzelman was the glue that held our now tight-knit cohort together. I feel more ready for my professional career than ever. She embodies the type of woman I hope to become.

Clementine Clyker

Dr. Hilger exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding mentor: an experienced, trusted advisor who leads with both professionalism and authenticity. Choosing to work under her leadership has been one of the most impactful decisions of my academic journey. Under her mentorship I successfully completed an honors thesis, participated in the Scholar’s Transforming through Research program (STR) in Washington, D.C., and was accepted into my first-choice graduate school program: ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��. Dr. Hilger has been pivotal in my professional development in helping me develop a strong CV, prepare for graduate school, and translate our research into meaningful academic and clinical experiences. Her mentorship is defined by ongoing support and clear, thoughtful communication. In every aspect of her mentorship, training, emotional support, professional development, and long-term investment, Dr. Hilger demonstrates what it means to truly mentor with purpose.

Karis Lowe

Dr. Conzelman’s support never wavered. While I was conducting fieldwork in Bolivia, she stayed in regular contact with me, checking in to offer guidance and emotional support. When there was political unrest in La Paz just days before I was scheduled to arrive via an attempted coup, she calmly helped me evaluate my options, confirmed my safety with her local contacts, and advised me on a contingency plan. Her support extended beyond academic mentorship—she truly cared about my well-being. Dr. Carol Conzelman exemplifies the highest standards of training, professional development, ongoing support, evaluative feedback, and impact on learning. I’ve learned how to bridge theory and practice, how to approach complex topics with humility and rigor, and how to work toward a future rooted in sustainability and justice.

Graciela Horstman

Matt is an enthusiastic and compassionate scientist who invests deeply in his students’ development—both individually and as a research community. His expectations are clear and his goals are challenging yet deeply rewarding. Through his mentorship, I’ve explored incredible ideas, both by engaging with primary literature and by learning practical research methods. When I joined his lab, I had just transferred to CU and was unsure about continuing in research due to a previous negative lab experience. Thanks to Matt, I quickly rediscovered my passion for science and exploration. I now feel fully supported in pursuing my interests, always met with enthusiasm and encouragement. Matt has been central to my growth as a scientist and a young professional. His lab has provided a uniquely inspiring and supportive environment—one that is intellectually rigorous yet warm and welcoming. I often say that I felt like a ball perched at the top of a hill, just waiting for a push. Matt and the Olm Lab were that push, and the momentum I’ve gained is something I’ll always carry with me.

Soren Maret

Kevin Mahan is an excellent mentor and teacher. I have been working with Kevin since the spring of 2024 and have learned so much from him. His gentle teaching style, as well as his infectious enthusiasm for the research he conducts and his obvious interest in guiding young minds, proves that he is one of the best mentors at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��. Kevin not only recognizes raw talent in his mentees but also pushes them to expand their skills and knowledge far beyond what any of us thought was possible. I expected that my burgeoning skills might not be useful to his work, and I worried that I would just get in the way in his lab. Kevin showed me time and time again that he truly appreciated everything I brought to the table and that my skills could be improved to further both his research and my own professional and future career goals. Kevin has a fantastic way of making sure that all his students are successful without being overbearing or conversely uninvolved or detached. He lets his students take the lead and encourages them to follow their interests and step outside their comfort zone to reach their maximum potential. My skills and knowledge have increased exponentially since I started working with Kevin, and I look forward to using what I have learned as I enter the workforce after graduation. My confidence in my own science skills has skyrocketed too, and it’s all thanks to Kevin Mahan!

Holly McCrory Scott

I currently work in Dr. Sprenger’s lab under the mentorship of Hannah Padgette. I have worked in three different labs during my undergraduate career, and I can confidently say that Hannah is the most organized, motivated, and efficient graduate student I have ever worked with. After my initial training period, Hannah implemented a highly sustainable and effective support system. Together, we brainstormed a project idea, and now we meet weekly to track my progress. I’m expected to prepare a meeting agenda document before each meeting, which I’ve found invaluable, not just for organizing the meetings themselves, but for summarizing, documenting, and conceptualizing my work. I want to emphasize how available and responsive Hannah is when I need help. She is consistently flexible with her time and willing to answer questions or meet as needed, which has minimized the time I spend stuck on technical problems and has accelerated my progress. Her mentorship has had a lasting impact on my development as a student and researcher.

Anna Broerman

Issue: 2025 Summer & 2025-26 Academic Year UROP Grants

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

UROP offers flexible funding options (grants) for undergraduates and faculty to form partnerships for projects in all majors, fields of study and professional practice; hosts engaging events for students, staff and faculty to connect and grow; celebrates and enables mentorship; supports student-led campus publications; collaborates broadly throughout campus; and works with national and global partners to advance best practices.

Enable Transformative Learning

UROP represents an opportunity to enable student-centered education that makes the most of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� global leadership in research and creative production. With well-documented benefits from persistence to postgraduate success, engagement in the research and creative life of the university can clarify career paths and prepare students for the future of work. Donations support empowering opportunities in all fields of study. Give Now.

UROP's Mentor Award recognizes campus individuals supporting undergraduates on research and creative projects. We invite you to celebrate with us and read excerpts from the students' nominations.

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2025 Summer & 2025-26 Academic Year UROP Grants

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UROP Celebrates the 2025 Savit Scholars

Timothy O'Neil — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:20:00 +0000

UROP Celebrates the 2025 Savit Scholars Timothy O'Neil Thu, 04/24/2025 - 23:20

Savit Scholars are recognized for projects that promise to push disciplinary boundaries and create space for creativity, expression and connection in Boulder and beyond.

2025 Savit Scholars & Mentors

Ben
Forman

Disconnected: Life in a Digital Reality

Max Tkachenko

Political Corruption in the USSR: An Analysis of the Nomenklatura

Grace Thompson

Culturally informed care of indigenous-associated animal remains in museum collections

Mentor:
Erin Espelie,
Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

Mentor:
Anatasiya Osipova, Germanic & Slavic Languages & Literatures

Mentor:
William Taylor, Anthropology

Savit Scholars

Since 2017, Savit Scholars have expanded the possibilities for performance art, opened new ways of thinking about apparel design, produced a stage play from the testimonies of military veterans, created more interactive virtual reality experiences, opened inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, pushed boundaries in art, film and more!

Student uses the stage, journalism to shine a light on veterans

"The Show" explores relationships through dance and digital technology

Culturally informed care of indigenous-associated animal remains in museum collections.

I will develop and begin to implement a protocol for the culturally informed care of animal remains within the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History by incorporating Native practices and understandings into how animals are stored across departments. In many Native American cosmologies, animals and humans are viewed as equals or relatives, but this is not reflected in museum collections, which are often under-inventoried and over-filled. With this project I hope to contribute to the crucial, ongoing work of decolonizing museum practices and recentering indigenous perspectives within collections and curatorial spaces.

Although the 1990 Native Graves and Repatriation Act provided legal backing for Native American Nations’ rights to indigenous funerary materials and human remains, animal remains have been largely excluded from the growing efforts within museums to collaborate with indigenous communities in the storage and preservation of their sacred and ceremonial materials. Animal remains from archaeological sites associated with Native Nations’ land or ancestors are often marked as zoological specimens and thus removed from the cultural context from which they originated. I hope to contribute to more recent work on this by developing an achievable protocol within the CU museum.

Disconnected: Life in a Digital Reality

America has a youth mental health crisis. The rates of adolescent-depression have skyrocketed. For teenage girls, self-harm is up 189%. Suicide, 169%. Most striking? These rises began when iPhones/social media became mainstream. Social media has transformed childhood, yet society still can't comprehend why. We might understand conceptually, but not experientially, how addictive algorithms, infinite scrolling, and 8+ hours of scrolling daily (average) have altered adolescence. Over a 45-minute documentary I’m producing, we’re illuminating a first-person narrative of what a technology-based childhood looks like, and how we can change it. We’ll be premiering in schools across the nation in September.

We’re inspired by the book The Anxious Generation, which chronicles how a phone-based childhood disrupted adolescence. This book propelled the digital advocacy movement forward, and the harrowing data of hospital admissions/anxiety disorders sent shivers around America. However, we aim to differentiate our film through the voices of Gen-Z and not the researchers who study them. We want our documentary to share our story, doing justice to a childhood that replaced free play and exploration with isolation and technology. Through vulnerability, we hope to build a narrative that our peers can point to, and say, “Yes, that’s how I grew up.”

Political Corruption in the USSR: An Analysis of the Nomenklatura

The goal of my honors thesis is to answer the question, how did corruption emerge in the so-called egalitarian society of the USSR? I argue the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin from 1928-53 fostered the rise of the Soviet elite, known as the nomenklatura, which systematically shaped a new form of oligarchy and corruption following the Russian Revolution. My purpose is to provide an understanding of systemic, institutionalized political corruption in Russia during the Soviet era. My research is important because I analyze the institutionalization of corruption, which helps scholars, students, and democracies understand how autocracy and oligarchy arise and perpetuate.

I am contributing to the literature on corruption and Stalinist subjectivity. "Intimacy and Terror: Soviet Diaries in the 1930s" contributes by collecting the personal diaries of some nomenklatura elites. My research is unique because I will put the diaries of these elites in dialogue to analyze the institutional mechanisms of the elite class they were a part of. Khlevniuk and Gorlizki's "Substate Dictatorship" contributes to the literature on networks of corruption. My research uses a similar historical, institutional framework, but uniquely analyzes the period from 1930 to WWII, using documents from State Archive Branch of the Security Services of Ukraine.

Issue: 2025 Summer & 2025-26 Academic Year UROP Grants

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

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2025 Summer & 2025-26 Academic Year UROP Grants

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