40 Huskers chosen for First Year Research Experience Program

Student Research

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, October 4, 2024

40 Huskers chosen for First Year Research Experience Program

Forty Husker undergraduates have been selected for the First Year Research Experience Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Each fall, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships — in collaboration with TRIO Student Support Services and STEM-POWER — matches eligible first-year students with faculty mentors to engage in manageable research or creative projects during the academic year. With support from federal work-study awards, participants connect with faculty to learn how the university’s research innovations help solve global challenges.

FYRE students also participate in monthly skill-building workshops, complete a professional development course and present their research at the FYRE Mini-Symposium in late spring. Many students continue their research through programs such as the Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences Program, STEM-POWER and the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program.

Following is a list of students who received research placements as part of the 2024-25 FYRE cohort. The students are listed alphabetically by hometown, with their academic major(s) and project title.

Nebraska

Bellevue: 

  • Jacki Petrow, environmental studies, “Refugees in Nebraska and the Great Plains.”

Clarkson: 

  • Isaac Baumert, biological sciences, “Mosquito-borne Virus Interactions with Mosquito and Vertebrate Hosts.”

Denton: 

  • Jennifer Gamez Martinez, biological sciences, “The Development of DNA Template for mRNA Vaccine Production.”

Lincoln: 

  • Shereen Ahmed, nutrition and health sciences, “Mosquito-borne Virus Interactions with Mosquito and Vertebrate Hosts.”
  • Ruqiah Al-Ramahy, biological sciences, “Determining the Medical Applications of Fungal Melanin.”
  • Danya Alderoubi, pre-health, “Brain Imaging Research and Early Childhood Emotion Processing.”
  • Jackson Birch, electrical engineering, “Development of Biosensors for Space Travel.”
  • Mason Chandler, economics, “Data Visualization Effectiveness (Past and Present).”
  • Izy Corio, undeclared, “Parent-Child Interactions in Preschool.”
  • Ben Hoover, biochemistry, “Understanding Bacterial Interactions Through Biomolecular Structure and Function.”
  • Henry Le, computer science, “Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Research of Genomic Sequences.”
  • Mimi Mi, biochemistry, “The Genetics and Evolution of Selfish Genomic Elements in Drosophila simulans.”
  • Eh Ta Taw, finance, “Refugees in Nebraska and the Great Plains.”
  • Adam Tong, nutrition and health sciences, “Creating and Testing a Next-Generation Feeder Data-Logger.”
  • Handsone Tong, chemistry, “Animating History.”
  • Chloe Toomey, architectural studies, “Data-Driven Building Performance by AI Techniques.”
  • Ali Waly, secondary education, “Opening up a Dual-Language, Particularly as it Relates to an Arabic Language Program in LPS.”

McCook: 

  • Abbey Diaz-Parra, animal science, “Understanding the Biology of the Mammalian Testis: Benefits for Agriculture and Human Health.”

Norfolk: 

  • Jason Nunez, political science, “Refugees in Nebraska and the Great Plains.”

Omaha: 

  • Bryan Anguiano-Rivera, fisheries and wildlife, “Urban Impacts on Monarch Butterflies.”
  • Charlie Herron, plant and landscape systems, “Plant-Insect interactions.”
  • Penelope Johnson, microbiology, “Evolutionary Ecology Research Assistant.”
  • Kenia Morales, biochemistry, “Virus-Host Interactions and Human Diseases.”

Papillion: 

  • Brandon Blodgett, electrical engineering, “Scanning Probe Microscopy Studies of Nanoscale Ferroelectrics.”
  • Jayla Hancock, pre-health, “Carbon Nanotube Sensors: Determining Disease Function and Optimization of Treatment Modalities.”
  • Kinley Harris, biological systems engineering, “Structural and Evolutionary Mechanisms of Transmembrane Signaling in Human Health and Disease.”
  • Kayley Kubela, fisheries and wildlife, “Biochemical and Molecular Techniques in Insect-Based Research: Applications in Medical, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences.”

Rushville: 

  • Allan Tullis, pre-health, “Measuring Contacts Made by the Photosynthetic Membrane.”

Seward: 

  • Oliver Gray, fisheries and wildlife, “Biochemical and Molecular Techniques in Insect-Based Research: Applications in Medical, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences.”

South Sioux City: 

  • Yovanny Rodas Moreno, electrical engineering, “Course Document Detective.”

Wahoo: 

  • Jesse Stebbing, physics, “Scanning Probe Microscopy Studies of Nanoscale Ferroelectrics.”

ELSEWHERE:

Bloomington, Illinois: 

  • Cori Sanders, communication studies, “Understanding Reproductive Health Choices: Narratives of Childbirth among BIPOC Women.”

Pella, Iowa: 

  • Lauren Winn-Fogle, psychology, “Brain Imaging Research and Early Childhood Emotion Processing.”

Shreveport, Louisiana: 

  • KayLei Svendsen, psychology, “Brain Imaging Research and Early Childhood Emotion Processing.”

Taneytown, Maryland: 

  • Dane Lyons, sports media and communication, “Undergraduate Research Assistant in Broadcasting, and Sports Media and Communication.”

Liberty, Missouri: 

  • Olivia Walker, physics, “Data Visualization Effectiveness (Past and Present).”

Rapid City, South Dakota: 

  • Kaden Wangen, computer science, “Smart Lock for e-Bikes.”

Houston, Texas: 

  • Macey Moore, biological sciences, “Engineering Sustainable Bioenergy and Biofuels.”

San Antonio, Texas: 

  • Noor Hammad, biological sciences, “Evolutionary Conservation of Ribonucleoproteins.”

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: 

  • Trecie Bosa, psychology, “Studying the Behavior and Neurobiology of Drosophila Species Using Computer Science.”

Learn more about undergraduate research at Nebraska.