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UCUR Poster Prize Winners – 2023


UCUR 2023 inaugurated poster prizes which were made possible due to the generous donations from the University of Utah’s Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) and Undergraduate Advancement (Office of Undergraduate Studies).  

Undergraduate research presentation opportunities afford early career researchers an opportunity to practice speaking about their research and makes visible their research; it is an important aspect of research professionalism and a high impact practice. 

100 people served as poster-evaluators from across the state of Utah. The UCUR poster prize committee included Associate Vice Provost Jake Jensen (VPR), Associate Dean Mark St. Andre (Data and Analytics), Associate Dean Annie Isabel Fukushima (Undergraduate Studies and Office of Undergraduate Research), Associate Director Eli Covarrubias (Office of Undergraduate Research), and Academic Program Manager Megan Shannahan (Office of Undergraduate Research). The committee was deeply impressed by the quality of posters submitted for this competitive state-wide undergraduate research poster competition. 

Please join us at UCUR on February 17, 2023 at the Alumni House Ballroom to congratulate the poster prize winners who will be acknowledged during the conference lunch remarks.  

Best: Overall

Claire Park, University of Utah, Poster D17, “An Optogenetic Model of Hemispatial Neglect Permits Real-Time Induction of Rightward Spatial Bias” 

Best: Health Science

Best Health Sciences Winner: Tanner Frahm, University of Utah, Poster D10, “Fully Magnetically Levitated Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device: Are We There Yet? 

Best Health Sciences Winner: Harlan Stevens, Brigham Young University, Poster D42, “Genetic Modification of NMAD-1 Demethylase in C. elegans to Affect Longevity 

Health Sciences Honorable Mention: Hayden Johns, Utah State University, Poster D4, “Vascularization of Renal Organoids Using Chorioallantoic Membrane 

Health Sciences Honorable Mention: Kim Wilson, Utah Tech University, Poster D44, “Bulimia Nervosa and Treatment-Related Disparities: A Review 

Best: Humanities

Best in Humanities Winner: Christine Schmidt, Anita Riddle, Sierra Schmidt, Karson Spencer, Salt Lake Community College, Poster B91, “Alternative, Ergonomic Music Keyboard Designs Suit More People 

Humanities Honorable Mention: Mckenna Goade, Utah Valley University, Poster A5, “The Presence of Absence: Exploring the Shadows of Death 

Best: Interdisciplinary

Best in Interdisciplinary Fields Winner: Nura Mostaghimi, University of Utah, Poster A64, “Increasing Science Self-Efficacy and Identity Through Participation in the Native American Summer Research Internship Program 

Interdisciplinary Fields Honorable Mention: Brynn Pyper, Brooke Curry, Marinne Hammond, Matthew Grendell, Brigham Young University, Poster C34, “The Effects of Writing Tutoring on Perceived Stress 

Interdisciplinary Fields Honorable Mention: Cayden Schroader, Emma Blanch, Kary Makela, Weber State University, Poster C75, “Weber State Student Leadership Social Issues Team: Why Students’ Completion Numbers for FAFSA are at All Time Low 

Best in: Social Justice

Best in Social Justice & Equity Winner: Sarai Silva, Brigham Young University, Poster C60, “Guadalupe Monroy: “Mujer virtuosa, ¿quién la hallará?”” 

Social Justice & Equity Honorable Mention: Andrew Koenig, University of Utah, Poster C63, “New Leadership Academy’s Effect on Leadership 

Best in: Social Sciences

Best in Social Sciences Winner: Kyle Davis, Brigham Young University, Poster C54, “Now Growing Grapes: The Post-2012 Political Realignment of Orange County from Red to Purple 

Social Sciences Honorable Mention: Marissa Larkin, University of Utah, Poster A56, “Associations Among Maternal Trauma History, Prenatal Emotion Dysregulation, and Prenatal Sleep Quality 

Best in: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)

Best in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Winner: Dallin Billings, Southern Utah University, Poster B57, “Investigating the Mechanism of Action of Histidine Ammonia Lyase 

Best in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Winner: Lauren Ford, Erin Taylor, Eliza White, Brigham Young University, Poster B60, “Effects of Immune System Activity and Methamphetamine on Dopamine Terminal Function 

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Honorable Mention: Kamarie Dalton, Southern Utah University, Poster D29, “Prenatal Folate Status Influences Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function 

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Honorable Mention: Megan DuVal, University of Utah, Poster D64, “Exploring Species Boundaries in a Widespread Army Ant Genus Using DNA Barcodes