2021 Research Day at the Capitol Winners Announced
Presidents of 16 Oklahoma institutions of higher education nominated the top 21 undergraduate student researchers in the state to participate in the 2021 Research Day at the Capitol. The prestigious 26th annual event has hosted a breadth of diverse and relevant research, including using dandelion extract to treat cervical cancer and the development of a new mesoscopic carbon material that could prove useful in battery electrodes and hydrogen storage. You may view the entire group of exciting undergraduate research projects via the virtual poster site at https://www.posterpresentations.com/research/groups/epscor/epscor-virtual-poster-session.html. Posters will be available online until May 29, 2021.
"All of the student nominees are to be commended for being selected to represent their institutions at Research Day at the Capitol," said Kevin Wagner, project director and principal investigator, OK NSF EPSCoR. "They represented their colleges and universities exceedingly well!"
As a component of the event, students presented their work to an independent panel of judges on March 30th live via Zoom. The judges have identified the top three students in each of two categories— (1) Regional, Community, and Tribal Colleges (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) and (2) Research-Intensive Institutions (1st, 2nd, 3rd place). One overall Grand Prize Winner was also selected—that winner could be chosen from either category. These students will receive the following awards:
- Grand Prize is a $500 award plus $4,000 summer research internship; $2,500 award goes to the sponsoring Oklahoma college/university lab to offset expenses of hosting the internship.
- First ($500), second ($250), and third ($250) place will be awarded in each of the following two categories: 1) Research Intensive Institutions and 2) Regional, Community and Tribal Colleges.
Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and the National Science Foundation are proud to sponsor this important event and we are pleased to announce the following 2021 Research Day at the Capitol award winners:
GRAND PRIZE – OVERALL – WINNER
GRAND PRIZE WINNER – EMILY BEDEA
Institution: Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Research Topic: Infectious Disease
Hometown: Clinton
Poster
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REGIONAL, COMMUNITY, AND TRIBAL COLLEGE CATEGORY
(1st, 2nd, 3rd Place)
FIRST PLACE: KAYLEY McBRIDE
Institution: University of Central Oklahoma
Research Topic: Cancer
Hometown: Edmond
Poster
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SECOND PLACE: AMANDA LISKE
Institution: Northeastern State University
Research Topic: Solvent Synthesis
Hometown: Pauls Valley
Poster
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THIRD PLACE: MELANY OPOLZ
Institution: Cameron University
Research Topic: Photophysical Properties
Hometown: Lawton
Poster
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RESEARCH-INTENSIVE INSTITUTION CATEGORY
(1st, 2nd, 3rd Place)
FIRST PLACE: AARON J. AUSTIN
Institution: Oklahoma State University
Research Topic: Mesoscopic Structures
Hometown: Edmond
Poster
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SECOND PLACE: SIERRA X. POSEY
Institution: Oklahoma State University
Research Topic: Anti-Fungal Activity
Hometown: Coweta
Poster
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THIRD PLACE: DANIEL A. CHEONG
Institution: University of Oklahoma
Research Topic: Functional Brain Imaging
Hometown: Muskogee
Poster
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Questions? Contact Gina Miller, outreach coordinator, at gmiller@okepscor.org.