Author: Adam Neal

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Engaged Learning brings students to National Conference

Exhibition hall filled with hundreds of people looking at student research posters

The first week of April, the Office of Engaged Learning sponsored seven students to present their research at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Pittsburgh. The conference reported about 4,700 people in attendance, including 3,100 undergraduate students from around the country.

Malik Alshaya presented “Wavelength-Dependent Photopolymerization of Ethyl Lipoate: Optimizing Conversion Efficiency and Exploring Photoinitiator Effects.” Malik works with Dr. Nicolay Tsarevsky (Chemistry).

Feaven Fasil presented “Addressing Mental Health Barriers Among Ethiopian-American Youth in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.” Feaven is working with Dr. Elizabeth Berk (Anthropology).

Sahar Khan presented “Exploring the Protein Levels of Astorcytes, Pericytes, and Blood Brain Barrier in WT and C3 Knockout Mice Following Seizure-Induced Brain Injury.” Sahar is working in Dr. Amy Brewster’s lab (Biological Sciences).

Hasun Krisht presented “Identification of Ribosome-associated Quality Control (RQC) genes associated with human diseases via in-silico data analysis and biological validation.” Hasun is working with Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Yuanna Wu in Dr. Zhihou Wu’s lab (Biological Sciences).

Jerry Ma presented “Recommender Systems for University Curriculum Advising.” Jerry, a Mayer Fellow, is working with Dr. Peter Moore (Mathematics) and Dr. Robert Hahsler (Computer Science).

Swarangi Potdar (Engaged Learning Fellow) presented her artwork, “what remains: the cyclicality of the material and the immaterial,” which one First Prize in the visual art division. Swarangi’s faculty mentor is Ian Grieve (Art).

Anish Senthilkumar presented “Bridging Divides: The Impact of EU Immigration Policies on Economic Assimilation and Political Polarization.” Anish’s faculty mentor is Paola Buckley (World Languages and Literatures).

 

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Winners of the Undergraduate Poster Session

2025 poster winners Vivian Thai, Sahar Khan, Veda Ramakrishnan, Regina Moreno Vera, Julian Cabrera
2025 poster winners Vivian Thai, Sahar Khan, Veda Ramakrishnan, Regina Moreno Vera, Julian Cabrera

On Tuesday, the Office of Engaged Learning hosted the annual Undergraduate Poster Session, part of Research and Innovation Week. Our judges recognized the following students’ posters:

1st place: Regina Moreno Vera, “Neuropsychiatric Abnormalities in Kcna1 Mouse Models of Epilepsy and Ataxia.” Faculty mentor: Edward Glasscock, Biological Sciences

2nd place: Julian Cabrera, “From Prompts to Patterns: Exploring AI Responses with Text Analytics.” Faculty mentor: Monnie McGee, Statistics and Data Science

3rd place: Veda Ramakrishnan, “Disrupting Mental Health Stigma: Communication Strategies Used by Mental Health Professionals in South India.” Faculty mentors: Christopher Salinas, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, and Dr. Amy Brewster, Biological Sciences

Honorable mention: Alison Kellom, “Reversing Chemotherapy Resistance in Aggressive Forms of Cancer.” Faculty mentor: Pia Vogel, Biological Sciences

Honorable mention: Sahar Khan, “Exploring the Protein Levels of Astrocytes, Pericytes, and Blood Brain Barrier in WT and C3 Knockout Mice Following Seizure-Induced Brain Injury.” Faculty mentor: Amy Brewster, Biological Sciences

Honorable mention: Vivian Thai, “Paths to Parenthood: In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Narratives from Quy Nhon, Vietnam.” Faculty mentor: Elizabeth Berk, Anthropology

Thanks to the faculty mentors and graduate students who helped these students in their achievements.

Thanks also to our army of judges! This event would not be possible without their enthusiasm and discerning eyes: Rahmat Adesunkanmi, Lida Aeindartehran, Kimia Akhavein, Juliana Antonio, Marshay Booker, Alexander Brandt, Aria Cabot, Sarah Cartwright, Yajaira Diaz, Eric Godat, Arlene Hernandez, Imogen Hoffman, Alexa Jimenez, Ammara Khalid, Junaid Khan, Mateo Langston-Smith, Aishwary Pawar, Amy Richardson, Sharma Chhavi, Angelo Villalobos Claramunt, and David Willhite

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research President’s Scholars

SMU attends its first ACC Meeting of the Minds

Vivian Thai, Brianna Freshwater, Shriya Siddhartha, Vigna Lavu, and Taylor Shimizu giving the "pony up" at the University of Pittsburgth

Last weekend, the Office of Engaged Learning brought five undergraduate researchers to the ACC Meeting of the Minds at the University of Pittsburgh. This annual symposium invites up to five students from each ACC school to deliver oral presentations or posters. Brianna Freshwater, Vigna Lavu, Taylor Shimizu, Shriya Siddhartha, and Vivian Thai represented SMU and networked with students and faculty from across the country.

Shriya Siddhartha presenting her research
Shriya Siddhartha presenting her research

Vigna Lavu, a senior studying Biological Sciences with a minor in Environmental Science, presented a poster about her work with Dr. Alexander Chase’s lab. Vigna said, “Being able to represent SMU and share my research to my peers in the ACC was an incredible opportunity that will stay with me through my academic and professional life. . . . It was also refreshing to being exposed to research being done in the social sciences, business, and other fields as I usually do not have the opportunity to explore those areas.”

Brianna Freshwater presenting her research
Brianna Freshwater presenting her research

Brianna Freshwater, a senior studying Anthropology and Sociology, has been working on a project about AP classes in minority white schools (under the mentorship of Dr. Sondra Barringer). Brianna enjoyed “. . . the intimate nature of the conference, [where] meeting other researchers did not mean quick introductions followed by swapping contact information, but rather long conversations that built real connections.” She found that “people were more willing to share their perspectives and critically engage with everyone’s research which personally strengthened how I communicated my research. I highly recommend it to other students!”

Taylor Shimizu with her poster
Taylor Shimizu with her poster

Taylor Shimizu, a senior in Chemistry and Health and Society, found the conference “extremely rewarding, as I got to learn about and discuss fascinating research that fellow undergraduates are doing. The intimidate conference provided a special opportunity to make connections and friendships with other researchers across the conference!” Taylor presented research she did in Dr. Neely Myers‘s anthropology lab.

Vivian Thai with her poster
Vivian Thai with her poster

Senior Vivian Thai, a Biology and Health and Society major working with Dr. Elizabeth Berk (Anthropology), said that “The ACC Meeting of the Minds was an incredible opportunity to connect with fellow passionate student researchers. From projects like cranial orthosis for babies to explorations of architecture in horror films, the conference gave undergrads a chance to share their work and learn from one another.” Vivian also remarked about the intimate size of the conference. She said,  “By the end of the weekend, we didn’t just leave with new knowledge about interesting research topics. We left with friends from schools across the country!”

SMU students at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Knowledge
SMU students at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Knowledge
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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research University Foundations

Successful pilot of First Year Research Experience

FYRE logo over photo of two students in a chemistry lab

This fall, the Office of Engaged Learning successfully piloted the First Year Research Experience. This program is aimed at engaging high-achieving students who are interested in research but not affiliated with an honors or scholar group.

Fourteen students joined the initial cohort. They took the FYRE course (UNIV 1102) together and worked as research assistants under faculty mentors:

  • Dr. Matthew Boulanger (Anthropology)
  • Dr. Courtney Brown (Creative Computation)
  • Dr. John Buynak (Chemistry)
  • Dr. Maria Langlois and Dr. Milica Mormann (Marketing)
  • Dr. Monnie McGee (Statistics and Data Science)
  • Dr. Christopher Roos and Dr. Kacy Hollenback (Anthropology)
  • Dr. Janille Smith-Colin (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
FYRE class meeting faculty mentors
The FYRE class: students meeting their mentors for the first time

The FYRE class, taught by Dr. Jennifer Ebinger and Dr. Adam Scott Neal, gave students a deeper understanding of the research process through activities and discussions that centered around the mentors’ research. For their final project, each student produced a 3-minute presentation that explained their mentor’s research questions and the methods they used during the semester.

Dr. Caitlin Anderson, Chair and Teaching Associate Professor of University Foundations, attended the final presentations. She said, “It’s clear that the students learned so much through their research experience, as they each had a solid command of the material. I’m looking forward to continuing this partnership [with the Office of Engaged Learning] in future terms!”

For Qien Shensun, who is pursuing statistics and computer science majors, one of the best parts of the class was the panel discussions, “where researchers shared their experiences and insights. They highlighted important aspects of research that I had previously overlooked, such as the influence of pressures, financial constraints, and how these factors can shape a research project’s process and outcomes.”

Qien gained a lot of practical skills in her research with Dr. Brown. “In our Dinosaur Choir project, we had to build and connect various components, including a mouth-tracking camera, sound amplification devices, and the main control screen. . . . I learned how to systematically troubleshoot each piece of equipment, as every device has its own unique and efficient debugging method.”

Sohom Patel, a civil engineering major, is enjoying the FYRE experience. He says, “I loved getting to meet people that were interested in research as a freshman . . . Something interesting I learned from class was all the different types of people and personalities everyone has and how that can drive research as well as relationships.”

The faculty mentors have been impressed with the calibre of these students. Dr. Maria Langlois said, “my FYRE student, Ariadne [Aramayo Abusada], embraced this opportunity wholeheartedly. Her curiosity, adaptability, and eagerness to learn have made working with her a truly rewarding experience as we explore the complexities of consumer behavior and decision-making in research together.”

This first FYRE cohort will continue working with their mentors this spring. OEL is also welcoming a second cohort of students who will be taking the class this spring. Dr. Leanne Ketterlin-Geller (Education Policy and Leadership) and Dr. Brett Story (Civil and Environmental Engineering) will be among the new faculty mentors joining the program.

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Lab Hopping returns October 10

Lab Hopping October 10 2024 4-6pm

The Office of Engaged Learning is hosting the annual Lab Hopping event on Thursday, October 10, 2024, from 4-6 p.m. This event lets students explore open labs and research groups across campus to see how they can get involved.

Please encourage your students to attend! Whether they’re new to research or looking to gain more experience, Lab Hopping is a great way to connect with faculty and peers engaged in scholarly and creative inquiry.

Maps for self-guided tours will be available online, with printed copies outside Clements Hall, Fondren Science, and in the Scholar’s Den. Students can also enter to win a $100 gift card by participating in the QR scavenger hunt.

For more information, visit smu.edu/labhopping.

If your group would like to participate, please contact Adam Neal at asneal@smu.edu.

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Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center Student Academic Success Programs Writing Center

Writing Center announces new scheduling platform WCOnline

SMU writing center has a new scheduling platform smuwriting.mywconline.com

We are excited to announce that The Writing Center will be adopting WCOnline as our new scheduling platform starting in Fall 2024. This innovative tool is designed to streamline the scheduling process for students, faculty, and staff, making it easier than ever to manage appointments and resources. WCOnline offers an intuitive design that simplifies the scheduling process, allowing users to easily book appointments with just a few clicks. With features like reminder emails and a waitlist for services, we believe that the implementation of WCOnline will greatly enhance our scheduling capabilities and improve the overall experience for everyone needing to visit the Writing Center. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to Lydia Allen (lrallen@smu.edu) or Shon Phillips (shonphillips@smu.edu).

smuwriting.mywconline.com

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Dr. Chrystyna Kouros named Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Research

Headshot of Dr. Chrystyna Kouros

The Office of Engaged Learning is excited to announce that Dr. Chrystyna Kouros (Associate Professor of Psychology) will be our new Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Research programs. She succeeds Dr. David Son (Professor of Chemistry) in this role.

Dr. Kouros has served on the Undergraduate Research Steering Team for several years, and received OEL’s Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2019.

Before joining the SMU faculty in 2011, she completed her B.A. at the University of Chicago, M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame, and was a postdoctoral research fellow at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Kouros’s research focuses on learning about how and why the family environment contributes to couples’, parents’, and children’s mental health. Some of the family processes her lab studies are: marital conflict, parental psychopathology, and helicopter parenting behaviors. Her research involves both families raising typically-developing children and children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

As Faculty Fellow, Dr. Kouros will lead the Undergraduate Research Steering Team, consisting of faculty and staff from across campus: Brandi Coleman (Assistant Professor of Dance), Dr. Dustin Grabsch (Assistant Provost, General Education), Dr. Carrie Johnston (Director of Research and Scholarly Initiatives, SMU Libraries), Dr. Allison Kanny (Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, Education Policy and Leadership), Dr. Milica Mormann (Assistant Professor of Marketing), Dr. Eli Olinick (Associate Professor, Operations Research and Engineering Management), and Dr. David Son (Professor of Chemistry).

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

A behind-the-scenes look at an SMU psychology lab

headshot of Morgan Schield
Morgan Schield, Undergraduate Research Assistant in Psychology

Written by Morgan Schield ’25

This summer I worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Health Behavior Lab in SMU’s Department of Psychology. In this lab, we explore various aspects of mental and physical health to see how they affect public health.

My job was to coordinate a study analyzing the effects of guided thinking tasks on physical activity. Dr. Austin Baldwin’s leadership helped me navigate the logistics of the study, and prepared me for future work in a clinical psychology setting. As an undergraduate studying psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and biomedical anthropology, as well as a competitive swimmer, I value the benefits of physical activity on brain health. I believe this study is significant to psychology research regarding brain health awareness.

My summer position was funded through the Office of Engaged Learning’s Summer Research Intensive. Through that program, I also attended weekly workshops and lectures. I learned how to generate a research question, conduct a literature review, create an elevator pitch, develop visual representations of data, and perfect resumes and CVs. I am going to be applying for graduate school for a Master’s in clinical psychology soon. These workshops helped me feel much more prepared for the application process. Moreover, hearing from experienced speakers who have undergone the research process, as well as engaging with students conducting research in various fields, enhanced my ability to communicate fascinating concepts in an academic setting.

As a research assistant, I help recruit individuals who will come to our office and do the following: walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, listen to audio recordings intended to promote physical activity, and fill out questionnaires. The questionnaires assess how well futuristic and imagery tasks improve their motivation. For example, the audio recording asks them to visualize themselves at an event in the future. This hopefully motivates them to exercise now!

After analyzing participants’ data and feedback, we will identify better ways to foster active lifestyles. I am excited to be part of a study that advocates for the wellbeing of society.

My role as an undergraduate psychology research assistant has been inspiring because I have received hands-on experience in groundbreaking research. In a rapidly evolving world, the importance of brain health in relation to physical health is constantly increasing. SMU is dedicated to discovering methods to enhance scientific discovery in all realms. Dr. Baldwin’s research lab and the SRI program helped me be part of something bigger than myself and certainly prepared me for my future career.

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Three Minute “Thesis” caps SRI & REU programs

Group photo of participants and judges at 2024 SRI Three Minute Thesis

Last Thursday, July 25, the Office of Engaged Learning hosted a Three Minute “Thesis” competition. 25 presentations in under 2 hours! This was the culminating event of the Summer Research Intensive and Data Science for Social Good programs.

Along with their research and other activities, students in the programs participated in a 7-week professional development workshop series with Dr. Adam Scott Neal (Program Manager, OEL). They worked through various ways of presenting their research, their experience, and their stories (e.g., presentations, resumes, and elevator pitches).

Students in these programs are all working on faculty research projects, so their presentations needed to give an overview of the project as well as their individual role—and why the research matters.

Winners:

  • 1st place: Sana Omar & Simran Waraich (faculty mentor: Dr. Peng Tao, Chemistry)
  • 2nd place: Paul Rowe (faculty mentor: Dr. Austin Baldwin, Psychology)
  • 3rd place: Ritney Coleman & Jacob Gareis (faculty mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Wheaton-Páramo, Economics)

Judges:

  • Alisha Bailey (Assistant Director, OEL)
  • Adreana Julander (Director, Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center)
  • Stephen Fashoro (Media Relations Manager, Development and External Affairs)
  • Ramón García (Undergraduate Success Librarian)
  • Matthew Nadler (Associate Director, Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility)
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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research Student Academic Engagement & Success

Lunch and Learn at the Summer Research Symposium

Flyer for Summer Research Symposium program (list is repeated in text)

The Office of Engaged Learning invites you to attend the Summer Research Symposium this June and July. The Symposium is a weekly speaker series highlighting research by SMU faculty and invited guests. These “lunch and learn” events are open to the community.

June 12: Dr. Beth Wheaton-Páramo, Economics

June 19: Dr. Peng Tao, Chemistry

June 26: Dr. Alexander Chase, Earth Sciences

July 10: Faculty Panel: How Do I Get a Grant?

July 17: Dr. Jeanna Wieselmann, Teaching and Learning

July 24: Faculty Panel: Resilience in Research