UROP Announcements

Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2026

Timothy O'Neil — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:31:29 +0000

Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2026 Timothy O'Neil Thu, 05/14/2026 - 12:31

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� celebrates undergraduate engagement in academic and professional conferences, providing $54,700 to support 135 student presentations at 35 events hosted at 29 cities in 20 states and 3 countries in fiscal year 2026.

As students presented and exhibited their work, they not only connected with leaders in their fields, they moved conversations forward—and in new directions. With strong evidence of meaningful learning outcomes in disciplinary knowledge and transferrable skills, UROP supports these high-impact practices that enable transformative growth while advancing humankind in all its scientific and creative endeavors.

Since 2011, UROP with the help of the Boettcher Foundation and alumni has provided $317,362 to support 711 student presentations. We invite you to explore this year's activities, read student reflections about their experiences and mentor comments on the significance of these events, view the photo gallery and encourage eligible students to apply for Individual Conference Travel Grants and faculty to apply for Group Conference Travel Grants. Prospective applicants will find resources for engagement in academic and professional conferences, including opportunities and guides, at the bottom of this page.

Fiscal Year Totals

Students Supported

135

Funding Provided

$54,700

Individual Conference Travel Grants

Individual Grants

Individual Grant Funding

$28,700

Recipient: Martin Anaya Anaya
Mentor: Jen Triplett
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: The Role of Migration and Assimilation in the Transformation of Cultural Norms and Family Values: A Qualitative Study of Mexican Immigrants in the United States

Recipient: Aidan Anderson
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation: Optimization and Calibration of STELLA: Lab and Field Methods for Local Spectroscopy Measurements

Recipient: Jadyn Anderson
Mentor: Giulia Brachi
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Sprouting Structures: Exploring Directed Root Growth for Engineered Living Systems

Recipient: Alex Baker
Mentor: Divya Vernerey
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Infinite Brushstroke: Where Math, Code, and Art Merge in an Aperiodic Monotile

Recipient: Karlee Bane
Mentor: Prakriti Sardana
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Understanding the Importance of Timing: Exploring the Implementation Outcomes of Potable Reuse Projects through a Project Phase Analysis

Recipient: Jamison Barcelona
Mentor: Christopher Bowman
Event: American Institute of Chemical
Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Modeling Crosslinked Thiol-Yne Polymerizations

Recipient: Malak Belaissaoui
Mentor: Glenda Walden
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Experiences and Opinions of Recidivism, Reintegration, and Rehabilitation

Recipient: Junior Chapman
Mentor: Glenda Walden
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: The performance of power: A Qualitative study on Black Masculinity and the development of Self worth and Identity in consumers of hip-hop culture

Recipient: Autumn Christeson
Mentor: Amanda Stewart
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: “The Impact of Experiential Learning Environments on Student Perception of their Academic Self-efficacy”

Recipient: Henry Coghlin
Mentor: Robert Davis
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Elastohydrodynamic Theory of Wet Particles

Recipient: Ethan Coleman
Mentor: Ankur Gupta
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: pH-dependent focusing of diffusiophoretic particles

Recipient: Aidan Dalleck
Mentor: Luis Navarro
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Exploring Volume Emission Rate asymmetries for the ICON-MIGHTI

Recipient: Isa Davila
Mentor: Andrew Morell
Event: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region V Student Conference
Location: Ames, IA
Presentation: Expanded Backsubstitution Dynamics Modeling for Multi-Body Spacecraft Simulation

Recipient: Meghan Densmore
Mentor: Lynneatte Quenin
Event: American Psychological Association Conference
Location: Denver, CO
Presentation: To Trust or Not to Trust: Investigating the Role of Attention in Trust Decisions

Recipient: Mary Dowd
Mentor: Emma Wells
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Organizing for Safe Water Services

Recipient: Chloe Els
Mentor: Karen Bailey
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Evaluating how different sources of scientific evidence shaped the EPA’s regulation of the herbicide Dacthal

Recipient: Emma Erdman
Mentor: Marayna Martinez
Event: Midwest Political Science Association Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Activism and Efficacy Post-Dobbs: Perspectives from College Students

Recipient: Talli Fox
Mentor: Michelle Ellsworth
Event: Strings of Motion: An Exhibition on Puppetry’s Lineage in Dance
Location: Boulder, CO
Presentation: Strings of Motion: An Exhibition on Puppetry's Lineage in Dance

Recipient: Kayla Gill
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation: CARMA: Using Ground Based Spectroscopy to Bring Positive Change in the World

Recipient: Bri Grindrod
Mentor: Eric Vance
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: LISA: The Design and Future of Collaborative Statistical Analysis

Recipient: Andy Gusty
Mentor: Emily Jensen
Event: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Conference on Decision and Control
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Presentation: Optimal Control of Soft-Robotic Crawlers Subject to Nonlinear Friction: A Perturbation Analysis Approach

Recipient: Julian Hansell
Mentor: Robert MacCurdy
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Increasing Out-of-Plane Stiffness in 3D Printed Pneumatic Soft Robotic Actuators Using a Print-in-Place Endoskeleton

Recipient: Diana Hernandez
Mentor: Austin Smith
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Analysis of Space Dust Impact Waveforms on the Parker Solar Probe

Recipient: Taketo Horigome
Mentor: Eric Vance
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the LISA Model in Training Interdisciplinary Data Scientists: National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2026 Oral Presentation

Recipient: Jessie Hsu
Mentor: Orit Peleg
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Temporal Analysis of Defect Formation in Honeycomb Under Geometric Frustration

Recipient: My Huynh
Mentor: Alan Weimer
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Correcting Non-ideal Flow Patterns in Chemical Looping Reforming of Methane Systems for Accurate Productivity Measurements

Recipient: Pinchadevage Kanishka Jayathilake
Mentor: Divya Vernerey
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: A Hybrid Classical and Quantum Side Channel Attack on Kyber 512

Recipient: Oliver Kaplan
Mentor: Robert Marshall
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Optimal Instrument Alignment Estimation and Attitude Filtering for the COSMO CubeSat Mission

Recipient: Claire Koch
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation: GSA Connects 2025 Poster Presentation

Recipient: Dylan Liu-WalterMentor: Shu-Wei Huang
Event: Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers Photonics West
Location: San Francisco, CA
Presentation: Physics-Informed Frequency Resolved Optical Gating for Intelligent Discovery of Ultrafast Photonics Systems

Recipient: Amanda Lopez
Mentor: Lynneatte Quenin
Event: Midwest Political Science Association Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Investigating Strategies for Change Detection Using a Qualitative Approach

Recipient: Alice Ly
Mentor: Alan Weimer
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Customizable Silicon Carbide Parts via Direct Ink Writing and Liquid Silicon Infiltration

Recipient: Utkarsh Mandavilli
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation: Optimization and Calibration of STELLA: Lab and Field Methods for Local Spectroscopy Measurements

Recipient: Arianna McCarty
Mentor: Jason Burdick
Event: Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting & Exposition
Location: Atlanta, GA
Presentation: Engineering Focal Cardiac Fibrosis Models via Digital Light Processing of Hydrogel Molds

Recipient: Ankit Mukkamala
Mentor: Abby Hickcox
Event: National Collegiate Honors Council Conference
Location: San Diego, CA
Presentation: Dopaminergic Regulation of Pair Bonding in Early Adolescent Female Prairie Voles

Recipient: Leo Nelson
Mentor: Brian Fleming
Event: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Presentation: A novel method for grating array alignment on the INFUSE sounding rocket

Recipient: Jordan Pan
Mentor: Lisa Spencer
Event: National Collegiate Research Conference
Location: Cambridge, MA
Presentation: Targeted Notch 2 Deletion Leads to Extreme Hypereosinophilia

Recipient: Will Paulson
Mentor: Alan Weimer
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Fluidization of NMC811 Cathode Powders for Particle Atomic Layer Deposition

Recipient: Isabella Perrin
Mentor: Meaghan Courvan
Event: Yale Undergraduate Research Conference
Location: New Haven, CT
Presentation: Mechanisms of Transcriptional Regulation in Trisomy 21 and Their Contribution to Elevated Immune Signaling and Inflammation

Recipient: Isabella Perrin
Mentor: Meaghan Courvan
Event: Stanford Research Conference
Location: Stanford, CA
Presentation: Mechanisms of Transcriptional Regulation in Trisomy 21 and Their Contribution to Elevated Immune Signaling and Inflammation

Recipient: Chiara Pesce
Mentor: Michael Hannigan
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Improving Embedded Calibrations in Low-Cost Sensing for Air Quality

Recipient: Ailey Pittman
Mentor: Chris Ray
Event: The Wildlife Society Western Section Meeting
Location: Monterey, CA
Presentation: Winter climate explains American pika (Ochotona princeps saxatilis) habitat occupancy in a southern core of the species range

Recipient: Tâllwyn Powell
Mentor: Azza Kamal
Event: American Research Center in Egypt Meeting
Location: Westminster, CO
Presentation: Blueprints of Power: Modeling Rosetta’s Architecture and Urbanism

Recipient: Katya Presnar
Mentor: Luis Navarro
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Field Testing of an Ultra-Narrowband Filter for Fabry–Perot Interferometer Imaging Systems

Recipient: Aaron Price
Mentor: Kristin Oliver
Event: American Association of Physics Teachers Summer Meeting & Physics Education Research Conference
Location: Washington, D.C.,
Presentation: Analyzing graduate student views on the challenges of self-guided leadership and team structure in a laboratory setting.

Recipient: Maeve Royer
Mentor: Amanda Stewart
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: Stability and Security in Relationships for Queer and Trans Disabled Individuals

Recipient: Kirstie Scott
Mentor: Sarah Wilson Sokhey
Event: Midwest Political Science Association Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Civic Embers in Ukraine: Case Studies of Youth Engagement and Local Civic Support

Recipient: Aryan Sharma
Mentor: Jay McMahon
Event: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Sci-Tech Forum
Location: Orlando, FL
Presentation: Title of My Research Paper: Time-Optimal Control of Axi-Symmetric Rigid Spacecraft Through Uniform Trigonometrization Method

Recipient: Zanghyeoun Shim
Mentor: Eric Bogatin
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Resistance Characterization of PCB Traces and Vias for Improved Reliability in Modern Electronic

Recipient: Kalen Sieja
Mentor: Tamar Malloy
Event: Midwest Political Science Association Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Activism and Efficacy Post-Dobbs: Perspectives from College Students

Recipient: Ana Singureanu
Mentor: Alan Weimer
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Optimizing Reactor for Triamine Film Deposition through Particle Molecular Layer Deposition

Recipient: Josh Smith
Mentor: Wyatt Shields
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Microrobot-Assisted Delivery of Circular RNA-Lipid Nanoparticles for Lung-Associated Diseases

Recipient: Max Soong
Mentor: Lynneatte Quenin
Event: Midwest Political Science Association Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Investigating Strategies for Change Detection Using a Qualitative Approach

Recipient: Annika Stephan
Mentor: Amy Palmer
Event: National Collegiate Honors Council Conference
Location: San Diego, CA
Presentation: Quantification of Metallothionein and its Impact on Breast Cancer Apoptosis

Recipient: Sarah Taylor
Mentor: Annabelle Lewis
Event: Society of American Archaeology Meeting
Location: San Francisco, CA
Presentation: Connecting Rural Lifeways and Mortuary Practices in Nineteenth-Century Upstate New York

Recipient: Maura Thomas
Mentor: Barbra Sobhani
Event: Geological Society of America Connects
Location: San Antonio, TX
Presentation: CARMA: Using Ground Based Spectroscopy to Bring Positive Change in the World

Recipient: Lila Thomasson
Mentor: Rai Farrelly
Event: Teachers of English to Speaker of Other Languages International Convention and Expo
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Presentation: Cross-Institutional Partnerships for TESOL Teacher Development and Multilingual Learner Success

Recipient: Markkus Tong
Mentor: Tom Yeh
Event: Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting
Location: San Diego, CA
Presentation: Supporting Strategies to Address Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations in Fontan Patients

Recipient: Cate Trautman
Mentor: Linnea Helenius
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: Alumina and Iron Aluminate Reticulated Porous Ceramic Fabrication and Characterization for Use in Solar Thermochemistry Reactor

Recipient: Alena Tucker
Mentor: Debanjan Mukherjee
Event: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Summer Bioengineering Conference
Location: Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
Presentation: In Vitro Model of the Human Circle of Willis to Investigate Drug Delivery in the Brain

Recipient: Aspasia Vazquez
Mentor: Alta Howells
Event: Astrobiology Science Conference
Location: Madison, WI
Presentation: Evolutionary Ecology of Formylmethanofuran Dehydrogenase Across Methanogenic Niches in Serpentinizing Systems

Recipient: Nicholas Villagomez
Mentor: Amanda Stewart
Event: Pacific Sociological Association Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Presentation: Ideology and Intimacy: The Intersection Between Politics and Sexual Behaviors

Recipient: Colin Watkins
Mentor: Aseem Visal
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Mechanical Properties of Tough and Stretchable Slide-Ring Hydrogels

Recipient: Trevor Wilson
Mentor: Madelyn Bennett
Event: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
Location: Boston, MA
Presentation: A Novel Experimental Setup for the Collection of Greenhouse Gas Temperatures in Ultra-High Temperature Thermal Energy Storage

Recipient: Beata Wolak
Mentor: Katya Arquilla
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Enabling Health Monitoring in Extreme Environments: A Low-Power Electrocardiogram System for Wearable Applications

Recipient: Avi Wonek
Mentor: Francisco Lopez Jimenez
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Rapid Fatigue Categorization of Metal Alloys

Recipient: Ian Youngblood
Mentor: Hanspeter Schaub
Event: National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Location: Richmond, VA
Presentation: Necessity and Application of Ion Gun Emissions on an Electrostatic Tractor Spacecraft

Recipient: Nick Yurchak
Mentor: Tatsuya Akiba
Event: Annual Meeting of the Division for Dynamical Astronomy
Location: Chicago, IL
Presentation: Tracing a Possible Black Hole Merger Through Stellar Orbits at the Galactic Center

Recipient: Charli Zern
Mentor: Lynneatte Quenin
Event: American Psychological Association Conference
Location: Denver, CO
Presentation: To Trust or Not to Trust: Investigating the Role of Attention in Trust Decisions

Group Conference Travel Grants

Group Grants

Group Funding

$26,000

Event: Colorado Robotics Challenge
Location: Alamosa, CO
Recipient: Barbra Sobhani
Recipient’s Unit: Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Students: 8

Event: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Recipient: Annie Strange
Recipient’s Unit: Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Students: 6

Event: Augmented World Expo
Location: Long Beach, CA
Recipient: Pat Clark
Recipient’s Unit: Critical Media Practices
Students: 3

Event: Association of Writing Programs
Location: Baltimore, MD
Recipient: Jay Ellis
Recipient’s Unit: Program for Writing and Rhetoric
Students: 6

Event: American College Dance Association - Baja Conference
Location: Long Beach, CA
Recipient: Anya Cloud
Recipient’s Unit: Theatre and Dance
Students: 4

Event: American Geophysical Union - Fall Meeting
Location: New Orleans, LA
Recipient: Sean Peters
Recipient’s Unit: Aerospace Engineering
Students: 3

Event: Psychonomic Society Meeting
Location: Denver, CO
Recipient: Frederik Bergmann
Recipient’s Unit: Psychology & Neuroscience
Students: 7

Event: Senior Showcase
Location: New York City, NY
Recipient: Tamara Meneghini
Recipient’s Unit: Theatre & Dance
Students: 22

Event: Percussive Arts Society International Convention
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Recipient: Carl Dixon
Recipient’s Unit: College of Music
Students: 6

Photo Gallery

Student Reflections

Participating at this early point in my career inspired me to stick with my research and continue to graduate school. I felt like I was joining a community. - Aaron Price

The most valuable part of the conference was being able to talk with other people who love research as much as I do. It was a sense of community in academics I have never felt before. - Meghan Densmore

I learned that this field is much bigger than I previously thought; there are so many different paths people can take from an already specialized field, and it was refreshing to see how different people approached problems. - Markkus Tong

I was able to interact with academic professionals from a field I would never have interacted with otherwise. I learned about the incredible scale of the research community. Even just within the field of geology there is a massive amount of variance in topics covered. My project feels like only a small part in a much larger 'big picture'. - Aidan Anderson

Preparing and participating in this conference helped me find my professional strengths through the mock interview I participated in, how to communicate and make strong first impressions on others during the networking event, and how to use technical, concise language to share my research findings with other engineers who may not have as deep of an understanding of my research as I do. - Trevor Wilson

I started to see data science less as a purely technical filed and more as a way to connect ideas, people, and real-world problems. Many projects combined data science with areas like social science, education, and environmental studies. This made me realize that understanding the context of a problem is just as important as having strong technical skills. - Taketo Horigome

Participating in this conference helped me better understand the way I want to market and brand my academic work to appeal to a wide variety of disciplines. - Chloe Els

I connected with a professor at another university whose career trajectory aligns with my goals and whose research I am fascinated by. We began a mentoring relationship. - Kalen Sieja

Attending this conference has made me want to attend more, which I can definitely see myself doing. I believe that I will start researching other conferences to go to and seeing what all they have to offer. - Kayla Gil

Preparing for and participating in the conference altered my mindset on research and chemical engineering from thinking in terms of theories, formulas, and data to understanding how research and chemical engineering jobs engage with and impact the real world. - Cate Trautman

Participating in this conference has given me an opportunity to learn about fields I never would have thought to explore otherwise, and I was able to make many connections that could lead to career opportunities. I also gained a better confidence in presenting in front of others and improved my ability to network at events, both of which are skills I have been struggling to improve upon. - Maura Thomas

I feel that my experience presenting at a professional conference has prepared me for future scenarios in which I will be required to confidently discuss my field of study and answer important and challenging questions. - Claire Koch

The most valuable part of my participation was opening new opportunities for collaboration. I'm currently pursuing new research projects and discussing future directions with connections made at the conference. - Andy Gusty

This experience completely changed my career trajectory. Seeing the scope of what research can be showed me what I want to do with science. Going to class, doing equations, and performing codes can make you feel like a robot. Research fixes all that—and that’s a beautiful thing. - Bri Grindrod

I did not realize how expensive it can be to attend academic events, which makes me so thankful for all of the grant resources available. - Aspasia Vazquez

This conference taught me how to visually present technical work. I learned how to adjust the communication of my research based of the audience's understanding of my field. - Avi Wonek

It was fascinating to see how professionals in the industry interact and present their findings. One of the most interesting things I noticed was unconventional approaches to problem solving often turned out to be the best solutions. - Ryan Koh

Preparing for this conference made me realize how I enjoy thinking through data and developing my own understanding of the material. It has also made me more curious in classes as before I would just learn the material for the exam. - Jordan Pan

My participation in this conference highlighted the intrinsic interdisciplinary nature of research and the way in which the junction of different subjects and perspectives moves research, and science specifically, forward. It was also impactful to hear how individuals found joy and excitement in their research, and it was a strong reminder to me that incorporating play and whimsy into scientific research is worthwhile. - Isabella Perrin

This was one of the most formative experiences of my academic career. Presenting was unlike anything I’d done in class. There wasn’t a rubric or a professor leading the discussion. I had to take full responsibility for my work, answer questions right away, and explain my understanding of a topic I chose myself. That experience gave me a confidence I couldn’t get from regular coursework. - Alex Baker

The feedback I received on my work was very valuable and will shape how I proceed with my work. Other students had processes or thoughts that I didn’t have in my research approach that could help to make it more effective. - Julian Hansell

From deep learning, I built my confidence and identity as a researcher and ultimately solidified my decisions to pursue academics. From networking, I now have multiple connections to explore potential research and potential branches within the field of psychology. - Amanda Lopez

I feel much more confident about attending and presenting at conferences in the future. I am eager to attend more so that I can share my work with others and connect with my fellow researchers. - Ollie Kaplan

Note: Student reflections were excerpted from post-event surveys and edited for length.

Significance of Events

The Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) is the premier and only recurring U.S. conference dedicated to astrobiology, convening every two years to unite researchers across planetary science, microbiology, geochemistry, and evolutionary biology. AbSciCon provides exposure to NASA scientists, principal investigators, and graduate program leaders who fund and study these systems. Presenting original findings at this stage positions the student as an emerging contributor to a high-priority NASA research area. - Alta Howells

AIAA is the premier technical society for the field of aerospace engineering, hosting some of the most widely respected academic journals and conferences within the field. This conference is designed for undergraduate and masters students and acts as a stepping off point to present in bigger conferences. - Andrew Morell

NCUR offers a national platform for students to present original research and engage with the broader scientific community. Participation enhances the visibility undergraduate research while developing essential communication and networking skills. - Austin Smith

I am particularly excited about this venue because it combines cutting-edge research with an environment focused on learning and scientific development. My mentee will be able to have rigorous scientific discussions with other exceptional undergraduates and convey our research to an audience of experts. - Meaghan Courvan

AIChE is an international organization that connects chemical engineers doing a wide range of work. The student conference gives undergraduates a great opportunity to learn about career paths for chemical engineers. Most graduate students and undergraduates who are seriously involved in research are expected to attend. - Madelyn Bennett

This is the flagship event of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Bioengineering Division. The student paper competition is one of the most prestigious bioengineering student events in the community. Selection as a finalist itself is a high recognition. - Debanjan Mukherjee

DDA's annual meetings are one of the most well-known and well-attended conferences in the field of dynamics, and most of the dynamicists in my professional network regularly attend DDA meetings. DDA meetings are very impactful in keeping researchers in the field up-to-date, starting or continuing research collaborations, and networking. - Tatsuya Akiba

SPIE astronomical telescopes is the most relevant conference for astronomical instrumentation in the world. It is only held every other year and is attended by some of the most important people involved in the Habitable Worlds Observatory, as well as the broader astronomical instrumentation community. - Brian Fleming

The Annual Conference of the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) is one of the prominent and specialized gathering of professionals from across the world. These professionals are experts in preservation, documentation, archeological work, and restoration. Attending and presenting their work in this event will be a remarkable contribution to their professional growth and learning. - Azza Kamal

Engagement supports capacity building as a developing researcher and fosters confidence in engaging with the broader scientific community. Participation promotes the exchange of new ideas and methodological advances. Such opportunities are critical for integrating education with research and for preparing students to contribute to future advances in atmospheric sciences. - Luis Navarro

The Pacific Sociological Association brings together academics in various areas of expertise. It is considered the most important regional meeting for academics in the Rocky Mountain and Western regions in sociology. It is also very supportive of undergraduates. - Glenda Walden

The IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) is the leading conference for the advancement of systems and control theory and practice. Acceptance is quite competitive, with a rate around 55% after rigorous peer review. - Emily Jensen

NCUR plays an important role in training emerging researchers to articulate technically complex ideas to diverse audiences—an essential skill in security and cryptography, where real-world impact depends on clear understanding beyond expert communities. - Divya Vernerey

The Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) is a major psychological conference in the field of psychology. It is one of a few conferences that invites speakers and presenters across all fields of psychology and openly encourages graduate and undergraduate students to present their research. There are also tons of resources available for undergraduate students as well, especially those who are pursuing graduate school. - Lynneatte Quenin

This is the flagship conference for American archaeology, and is a major networking and professional development avenue for our subfield. In addition to sharing her research, Sarah will attend multiple information sessions, covering both archaeological and career-related topics. The SAAs provide multiple networking events focused on undergraduates. - Annabelle Lewis

The Annual TESOL International Convention is the premier professional meeting of our field. It will have a huge impact on Lila's sense of belonging in this community of practice and very likely open doors for her as she pursues a career path in teaching English as an additional language in the US or abroad. - Rai Farrelly

SPIE Photonics West is widely regarded as the premier international forum for ultrafast optics and laser engineering, bringing together fundamental science, enabling technologies, and real-world applications. It fosters strong interactions between academia, national labs, and industry, accelerating the translation of ultrafast-optics innovations into next-generation laser systems, instrumentation, and commercial technologies. - Shu-Wei Huang

GSA is an organization with extensive reach. This event is highly interdisciplinary and supports students with professional opportunities. It's an ideal setting for students to gain exposure to professional research. - Barbra Sobhani

Note: Mentor comments on the significance of events were excerpted from funding proposals and edited for length.

Locations

Cities

States/Provinces

Countries

Students	City	State/Province	Country
23	Richmond	Virginia	US
22	New York City	New York	US
13	Long Beach	California	US
9	Denver	Colorado	US
8	Alamosa	Colorado	US
8	Boston	Massachusetts	US
6	Chicago	Illinois	US
6	Indianapolis	Indiana	US
6	Baltimore	Maryland	US
6	The Woodlands	Texas	US
5	San Antonio	Texas	US
3	San Diego	California	US
3	New Orleans	Louisiana	US
2	San Francisco	California	US
1	Monterey	California	US
1	Stanford	California	US
1	Boulder	Colorado	US
1	Westminster	Colorado	US
1	New Haven	Connecticut	US
1	Washington D.C.	District of Columbia	US
1	Orlando	Florida	US
1	Atlanta	Georgia	US
1	Ames	Iowa	US
1	Cambridge	Massachusetts	US
1	Santa Ana Pueblo	New Mexico	US
1	Salt Lake City	Utah	US
1	Madison	Wisconsin	US
1	Rio de Janeiro	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil
1	Copenhagen	Hovedstaden	Denmark

Events

Students	Event
23	National Conference on Undergraduate Research
22	Senior Showcase
8	Colorado Robotics Challenge
8	American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Conference
7	Psychonomic Society Meeting
6	Pacific Sociological Association Conference
6	Percussive Arts Society International Convention
6	Association of Writing Programs
6	Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
5	Midwest Political Science Association Conference
5	Geological Society of America Connects
4	American College Dance Association, Baja Conference
3	Augmented World Expo
3	American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
2	National Collegiate Honors Council Conference
2	American Psychological Association Conference
1	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: Decision and Control
1	The Wildlife Society Western Section Meeting
1	Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting
1	Society of American Archaeology Meeting
1	Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers Photonics West
1	Stanford Research Conference
1	Strings of Motion: An Exhibition on Puppetry’s Lineage in Dance
1	American Research Center in Egypt Meeting
1	Yale Undergraduate Research Conference
1	Space Telescopes and Instrumentation: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
1	American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Sci-Tech Forum
1	Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting & Exposition
1	Am. Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Student Conference
1	Annual Meeting of the Division for Dynamical Astronomy
1	National Collegiate Research Conference
1	Am. Society of Mechanical Engineers Bioengineering Conference
1	Teachers of English to Speaker of Other Languages Convention
1	Astrobiology Science Conference
1	Am. Association of Physics Teachers Summer Meeting

Funding Details

These conference travel grants are supported by two endowments that provide approximately $10,000 in distributions annually: 1) Boettcher Foundation Fund and 2) University of Colorado Matching Fund. Additional funding is provided from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) general fund, which is housed in the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE). Demand for funding continues to increase and now significantly outpaces endowment distributions. This year, UROP contributed almost $45,000 to close the gap and provide enabling support for these transformative experiences. We encourage you to consider giving to enable transformative learning.

History

The Boettcher Foundation provided seed funding to establish programming, originally referred to as the Professional and Academic Conference Endowment (PACE), with many alumni and friends contributing to the matching fund over the years. The program has been managed by UROP since inception and recently rebranded to align with other grant offerings and avoid confusion with the establishment of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s Office of Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES).

Eligibility

All current degree-seeking undergraduates at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� in good academic standing are eligible for funding to share original work at academic/professional conferences and exhibitions. Tenured/tenure-track research and teaching faculty, professional researchers and practitioners, and postdoctoral scholars at the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� and Anschutz Medical Campus are eligible to apply for Faculty Grants. Student and Faculty Conference Travel Grants are accepted and awarded on a rolling basis.

Thanks

This program would not be possible without our campus partners in the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE), Human Resource Service Center (HRSC), and International Education. We deeply appreciate OUE's Lory-Ann Varela (Assistant Vice Provost Academic Support and Enrichment) and Anna Zurek (Senior Finance & Accounting Professional), HRSC's Judith Bean, Senior Coordinator, as well as International Education's travel registration team: Dianne Fraser, Kelsey Mark, Hannah Farrar and Michal Greenberg. We're also grateful for the mentors who guided and supported student presenters through these meaningful experiences. Many others provided encouragement and operational support throughout the university.

Historical Data

Year	Amount Awarded	Students Supported
FY2026	$54,700	135
FY2025	$46,750	133
FY2024	$41,050	85
FY2023	$25,250	36
FY2022	$1,342	11
FY2021	$6,080	35
FY2020	$22,100	48
FY2019	$29,470	69
FY2018	$19,000	38
FY2017	$15,000	15
FY2016	$12,250	29
FY2015	$15,700	21
FY2014	$11,550	19
FY2013	$9,300	21
FY2012	$5,820	13
FY2011	$2,000	3

Total Amount Awarded

$317,362

Total Students Supported

711

Related Resources

Individual Conference Travel Grants

Group Conference
Travel Grants

Presentation
Opportunities

How to Design & Present a Research Poster

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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.

Curtis Anderson

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Griffin Wagner

Natan Anisimov

Mentor: John Anderson, Environmental Design

Alex Dickhans

Mentor: Alessandro Roncone, Computer Science

Row Dyer

Mentor: Jaroslav Tir, Political Science

Sabine Erikson

Mentor: Alison Hilger, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Andrew Fox

Mentor: Bor-Yuh Evan Chang, Computer Science

Charlie Ghrist

Mentor: Mirela Alistar, ATLAS Institute

Max Iranmanesh

Mentor: Peter Hunt, Classics

Mahi Kathait

Mentor: Debanjan Mukherjee, Mechanical Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Adiba Ashrafee

Robbie Mair

Mentor: Vignesh Kasinath, Biochemistry
Additional Supervisor: Mark Matyas

Jovanni Marquez

Mentor: Christopher Lowry, Integrative Physiology

Aidan Olsson

Mentor: Melanie Peffer, Institute of Cognitive Sciences

Isabella Perrin

Mentor: Meaghan Courvan, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Eli Pinsky

Mentor: John Cumalat, Physics

Oscar Rosas

Mentor: Mark Rentschler, Mechanical Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Mitchell Murray

Jamie Sikorski

Mentor: Allison Hilger, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Payton Silver

Mentor: Jingshi Shen, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Josh Smith

Mentor: Wyatt Shields, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Bianca Santana

Tyler Southworth

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry; BioFrontiers Institute

Suryha Venkataramani

Mentor: Christopher DeSouza, Integrative Physiology

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.

Charlotte Anderson

Mentor: Angie Crews, Center for National Security Initiatives

Lily Arndt

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Anna Poslednik

Tessa Awald

Mentor: Emily Schell, Psychology and Neuroscience

Ashton Barcelona

Mentor: Jennifer Hill, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; Bio Frontiers Institute

Jay Booth

Mentor: Valentine Combaudon, Geological Sciences
Additional Supervisor: Alexis Templeton

Oliver Bunnell

Mentor: Niels Damrauer, Chemistry
Additional Supervisor: Jill Addington

Luis Carale

Mentor: Alexandra Whiteley, Biochemistry

Bela Chaudhuri

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry; BioFrontiers Institute

Isa de la Huelga

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Clara Denham

Mentor: Susan Massey, Environmental Design

Hayden Eason

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry; BioFrontiers Institute

Amanda Frank

Mentor: Kyri Baker, Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Anna Van Boven

Sam Garmany

Mentor: Caleb Vogt, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Zoe Donaldson

Nathan Geuzaine

Mentor: John Farnsworth, Aerospace Engineering Sciences

Jack Goldberg

Mentor: Stacey Smith, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Kyla Grace

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Paige Mccreadie

Merrit Hale

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Anna Poslednik

Julian Hansell

Mentor: Robert MacCurdy, Mechanical Engineering

Elise Jensen

Mentor: Stacey Smith, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Ruby Jimenez

Mentor: Robert Wyrod, Women and Gender Studies; International Affairs

Caleb Law

Mentor: Meenakshi Pardasani, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Anna Lazewski

Mentor: Karen Bailey, Environmental Studies

Ofri Leshem

Mentor: Stacey Smith, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Sonya Li

Mentor: Shelley Copley, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Daniel Hassell

Sophie Lorman

Mentor: Caleb Vogt, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Zoe Donaldson

Taylor Lozowick

Mentor: Kenneth Wright, Integrative Physiology

David Marquez

Mentor: Erin Manzitto-Tripp, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Museum of Natural History
Additional Supervisor: Jacob Watts

Jayden Miller

Mentor: Mikki McComb-Kobza, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

ShaeAnne Miner

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry

Michael Muller

Mentor: Marielena Sosa, Psychology and Neuroscience

Colm Murphy

Mentor: Loren Hough, Physics

Katherine Murphy

Mentor: Alison Hatch, A&S Honors Program

Emmalyn Nono

Mentor: Anu Sharma, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Additional Supervisor: Carly Schimmel

Nathalie Cristina Orozco-Fersiva

Mentor: Christopher DeSouza, Integrative Physiology

Samantha Patten

Mentor: Justin Brumbaugh, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Erin O'Connor

Ingrid Pehrson

Mentor: Zannah Matson, Environmental Design

Lucas Raulerson

Mentor: Lisa Corwin, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Mariah Rosensweig

Mentor: Lisa Corwin, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Manuela Mejia

Daniel Saeb

Mentor: Nicole Friend, Chemical and Biological Engineering; BioFrontiers Institute
Additional Supervisor: Kristi Anseth

Stephanie Schmitt

Mentor: Shawhin Roudbari, Environmental Design

Noah Schwartz

Mentor: Sriram Sankaranarayanan, Computer Science

Rob Silverman

Mentor: Shelley Copley, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Ashley Azadeh

Laila Smith

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Maggie Smith

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Anna Poslednik

Bo Thorstenson

Mentor: Justin Brumbaugh, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Alex Unangst

Mentor: Maciej Walczak, Chemistry

Gabe Warkentin

Mentor: Markus Raschke, Physics

Kadyn Warner

Mentor: Case Lindberg, Environmental Design

Lance Yang

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry; BioFrontiers Institute

Zayne Yeager

Mentor: Maciej Walczak, Chemistry
Additional Supervisor: Hanuman Singh

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

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 36.27%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	91.04%
No Offer:	78.91%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	9
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	39
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	11
Social & Behavioral Sci.	11

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 69.61%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	85.04%
No Offer:	82.71%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	42
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	14
Social & Behavioral Sci.	9

Faculty Grants

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 70.37%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	88.55%
No Offer:	74.88%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	10
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	3
Social & Behavioral Sci.	1

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 76.00%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	90.20%
No Offer:	74.54%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	7
Business	0
Education	1
Life/Bio-Sciences	5
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	0
Social & Behavioral Sci.	6

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.

Rafal Algahtani

Mentor: Amanda Carrico, Environmental Studies

Francesca Berk

Mentor: Katharine Suding, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Advyth Ramachandran

Will Burczyk

Mentor: Vignesh Kasinath, Biochemistry
Additional Supervisor: Keagan Hesse

Sawyer Fewell

Mentor: Nancy Emery, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Katie Bardsley

Hailey Geva

Mentor: Vignesh Kasinath, Biochemistry
Additional Supervisor: Jessica Song

Zexiang Guan

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry

Saanvi Gudreddi

Mentor: Susanna Molas, Psychology and Neuroscience

Christi Jo Hahn

Mentor: Alan Weimer, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Taylor Johnson

Ava Hickey

Mentor: Joseph Falke, Biochemistry

Ellery Hora

Mentor: Eve-Lyn Hinckley, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Asher Marvy

Razan Ibrahiem

Mentor: Zoe Donaldson, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Michael Kelberman

Noah Isakson

Mentor: Alan Weimer, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Carter Wilson

Seneca Joslyn

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry

Jack Lawrence

Mentor: Allison Hilger, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Alice Ly

Mentor: Alan Weimer, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Summer-Solstice Thomas

Paul Masters

Mentor: Christy McCain, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Nadia Alhassani

Daphne Parker

Mentor: Madeline Stanger, Psychology and Neuroscience
Additional Supervisor: Angela Bryan

Kiera Simmons

Mentor: Eve-Lyn Hinckley, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Zachary Schwartz

Josiah Slater

Mentor: Nicholas Campbell, Aerospace Engineering Sciences

Carter Telep

Mentor: Stephanie Bryant, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Yashveer Soni

Anika Voskuil

Mentor: Corrie Detweiler, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Lexi Carey

Ben Weiss

Mentor: Roselinde Kaiser, Psychology and Neuroscience
Additional Supervisor: Alicia Sepulveda

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.

Meriahna Adams

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Benjy Albuisson

Mentor: Benjamin Hernstrom, Cinema Studies

Tom Alexander

Mentor: Dang Pham, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences

Adilana Anderson

Mentor: Kira Hall, Linguistics

Rose Atwood

Mentor: Rosie Cowell, Institute of Cognitive Sciences
Additional Supervisor: Katherine Walsh

Andy Better

Mentor: Ryan St. Laurent, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Museum of Natural History
Additional Supervisor: Samuel Ramsey

Brevan Bunch

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Isabella Demartin

Mentor: Elena Sabinson, Environmental Design

Tia Egan

Mentor: Mitzi Lee, Philosophy

Maia Fell

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Ben Forman

Mentor: Michael Burns, Communication

Kody Fung

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Anna Poslednik

Zach Gillings

Mentor: Michael Gil, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Joshua Manning

Charlie Hatch

Mentor: Jingchun Li, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Cate Hensley

Mentor: Marissa Ehringer, Integrative Physiology
Additional Supervisor: Myra Bower

Riya Kakkar

Mentor: Erik Knight, Psychology and Neuroscience

Vivaan Kalura

Mentor: Kira Hall, Linguistics

Zayaan Khan

Mentor: Zoe Donaldson, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; Psychology and Neuroscience
Additional Supervisor: Will Sheeran

Caroline Lester

Mentor: Luke Evans, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Institute for Behavioral Genetics

Jude Lineer

Mentor: Melissa Davis, Mechanical Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Sarah Calve

Jake Litov

Mentor: Jingchun Li, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Museum of Natural History
Additional Supervisor: Andy Tan

Annalise Lockhart

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Dane Macdonald

Mentor: Amy Palmer, Biochemistry; BioFrontiers Institute

Anna Mahlin

Mentor: Alvin Gregorio, Art and Art History

Noah Mendez

Mentor: Noah Fierer, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
Additional Supervisor: Andrew Blakney

Savannah Mommens

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Anna Poslednik

Percy Nizamova

Mentor: Eric Zimmerman, Physics
Additional Supervisor: Lu Ren

Arin Oberley

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Ella Henry

Molly Pullen

Mentor: Corrie Detweiler, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Shruthi Rajesh

Mentor: Wyatt Shields, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Collin Kemper

Sofia Reyes

Mentor: Lee Frankel-Goldwater, Environmental Studies

Landry Saul

Mentor: Kira Hall, Linguistics

Emma Scifres

Mentor: Deborah Whitehead, Religious Studies

Shivani Selvan

Mentor: Kelsie Eichel, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Jackie Griswold

Amaya Sonoda

Mentor: Erik Knight, Psychology and Neuroscience

Jenna Stapp

Mentor: Pieter Johnson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Supervisor: Dana Calhoun

Matthew Stelzner

Mentor: Wyatt Shields, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Additional Supervisor: Matthew Kwan

Ronan Stone

Mentor: Jade Polizzi, Environmental Design

Brandon Stup

Mentor: Christy McCain, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Museum of Natural History

Aspasia Vazquez

Mentor: Alta Howells, Geological Sciences

Sofiya Velychko

Mentor: Amanda Carrico, Environmental Studies

Maggie Watson

Mentor: Kate Fischer, A&S Honors Program

Silas Wills

Mentor: Kelsie Eichel, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Additional Supervisor: Mitchell Leih

Mengze Wu

Mentor: Matthew Rossman, Integrative Physiology
Additional Supervisor: Sanna Darvish

Note: Some students aren't listed because they opted out of the Publicity Release.

Details

Spring 2026 Review Cycle

Student Grants

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 36.27%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	91.04%
No Offer:	78.91%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	9
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	39
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	11
Social & Behavioral Sci.	11

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 69.61%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	85.04%
No Offer:	82.71%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	42
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	14
Social & Behavioral Sci.	9

Faculty Grants

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 70.37%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	88.55%
No Offer:	74.88%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	10
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	3
Social & Behavioral Sci.	1

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 76.00%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	90.20%
No Offer:	74.54%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	7
Business	0
Education	1
Life/Bio-Sciences	5
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	0
Social & Behavioral Sci.	6

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 Summer & 2026-27 Academic Year UROP Grants

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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

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 36.27%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	91.04%
No Offer:	78.91%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	9
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	39
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	11
Social & Behavioral Sci.	11

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 69.61%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	85.04%
No Offer:	82.71%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	42
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	14
Social & Behavioral Sci.	9

Faculty Grants

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 70.37%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	88.55%
No Offer:	74.88%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	10
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	3
Social & Behavioral Sci.	1

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 76.00%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	90.20%
No Offer:	74.54%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	7
Business	0
Education	1
Life/Bio-Sciences	5
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	0
Social & Behavioral Sci.	6

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 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

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 36.27%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	91.04%
No Offer:	78.91%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	9
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	39
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	11
Social & Behavioral Sci.	11

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 69.61%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	85.04%
No Offer:	82.71%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	42
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	14
Social & Behavioral Sci.	9

Faculty Grants

2026 Summer

Award Rate: 70.37%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	88.55%
No Offer:	74.88%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	5
Business	0
Education	0
Life/Bio-Sciences	10
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	3
Social & Behavioral Sci.	1

2026-27 Academic Year

Award Rate: 76.00%

Average Proposal Scores
Awards:	90.20%
No Offer:	74.54%

Awarded Project Categories
Arts & Humanities	7
Business	0
Education	1
Life/Bio-Sciences	5
Math, Physical Sci. & Engineering	0
Social & Behavioral Sci.	6

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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Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2026

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UROP Celebrates the 2026 Savit Scholars

2026 Savit Scholars

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UROP Celebrates the 2026 Mentor Award Recipients and Honorable Mentions

2026 Mentor Awards

Deanna Gelosi

Lynneatte Quenin

Lottie Steward

Shantae Gallegos

Maya Paulson

2026 Honorable Mentions

Michael Baratta

Nathaniel Hamel

Cindy Wong

Amanda Carrico

Karen Bailey

Katie Snell

Valentine Combaudon

Loren Hough

Mina Griffioen

William Frantz

Joshua Johnson

Rachel Rowe

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Undergraduate Conference Presentations Funded by UROP in FY2025

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