McNair Graduating Scholars

Meklit Aga

PSYCHOLOGY

Photo of Meklit Aga

Meklit Aga is a psychology major from Omaha, Nebraska. Meklit is conducting research with Dr. Kathy Chiou from the Department of Psychology. 

Summer 2024 Research Poster: Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes: Emotion Recognition and Age

Samuel Aguilera Robledo 

BIOCHEMISTRY

Samuel Aguilera Robledo

Samuel Aguilera Robledo is a biochemistry major from Grand Island, Nebraska. Samuel conducted his McNair research with Dr. Jiri Adamec from the Department of Biochemistry.Summer 2022 Research Poster: Elucidating Metabolic Connection Between Liver and Brain via Metabolomics and Integration Modeling in Epilepsy

Angelea Arnett 

PHYSICS

Photo of Angelea Arnett

Angelea Arnett is a physics major from Sidney, Nebraska. Angelea is working with Dr. Herman Batelaan from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Summer 2023 Research Poster: Acoustic Levitation and Quantum-Like Behavior of Styrofoam Balls

Ash Ballentine 

HISTORY

Ash Ballentine

Ash Ballentine is a history major from Las Vegas, Nevada. Ash is conducting research with Dr. Angela Bolen from the Department of History.Summer 2024 Research Poster: The Institute in Basic Life Principles, The Duggars, and Bad Behavior: How Religion, Social Media, and Purity Culture Intersects

Ashley Bruha

CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

McNair Scholar Ashlely Bruha

 Ashley Bruha is a criminology and criminal justice major from Comstock, Nebraska. Ashley is conducting research with Dr. Trisha Rhodes from the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Summer 2024 Research Poster: Pilot Analysis of Mental Health Resource Use and Rural Officer Wellbeing in Nebraska

Marcus Cureton 

FORENSIC SCIENCE

Marcus Cureton

 

Marcus Cureton is a forensic science major from Lexington, Nebraska. Marcus is working with Dr. Charles Murrieta from the Department of Forensic Science.Summer 2024 Research Poster: A Survey of Over-the-Counter Substance Stability in Animal Tissues

Tyler Downey 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Tyler Downey

Tyler Downey is a mechanical engineering major from Fremont, Nebraska. Tyler is conducting research with Dr. Carl Nelson from the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering.Summer 2023 Research Poster: Novel Wheel-Leg Model and Design for a Pipe-Navigation Robot

Cristian Gonzalez 

BIOCHEMISTRY, CHEMISTRY, AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Cristian Gonzalez

Cristian Gonzalez is a biochemistry, chemistry, and biological sciences major from La Vista, Nebraska. Cristian is conducting research with Dr. Joseph Yesselman from the Department of Chemistry.Summer 2024 Research Poster: Applying DMS-MaPseq for Evaluating RNA-Ligand Binding

Furqan Mahdi  

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

McNair Scholar Mahdi Furqan

Furqan Mahdi is a biological systems engineering major from Lincoln, Nebraska. Furqan is conducting research with Dr. Rebecca Wachs from Biological Systems Engineering.Summer 2024 Research Poster: Assessment of macrophage presence and phenotypes at different time points in a rat model of disc-associated pain

Sarah Omar 

PSYCHOLOGY

Sarah Omar

Sarah Omar is a psychology major from Lincoln, Nebraska. Sarah is conducting her McNair research with Dr. Rebecca Brock from the Department of Psychology.Summer 2023 Research Poster: The Role of Parental Trauma-Related Distress in Emotion Socialization and Child Internalizing Symptoms

Faith Podzimek 

ANTHROPOLOGY

McNair Scholar Faith Podzimek

Faith Podzimek is an anthropology major from Wagner, South Dakota. Faith is conducting research with Dr. Phil Geib from the Department of Anthropology.Summer 2023 Research Poster: 3D Documentation of Basketmaker Petroglyph Panel in Southeastern Utah

Karen Rodriguez 

SOCIOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY

Karen Rodriguez

Karen Rodriguez is a sociology and philosophy major from Omaha, Nebraska. Karen is conducting research with Dr. Trey Andrews from the Department of Psychology.Summer 2023 Research Poster: The Role of Social Networks and Loneliness in Discrimination-Related Mental Health Outcomes Among Hispanic Immigrant Women in Nebraska

Maab Shogar  

PSYCHOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS

McNair Scholar Maab Shogar

Maab Shogar is a psychology and community health & wellness major from Lincoln, Nebraska. Maab is conducting research with Dr. Cynthia Willis-Esqueda from the Department of Psychology.Summer 2024 Research Poster: The Influence of Essentialist Ideology on Perceptions of Incarcerated Black Men and Mental Health

Bryan Suriano 

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MICROBIOLOGY

Bryan Suriano

Bryan Suriano is a biochemistry and microbiology major from Grand Island, Nebraska. Bryan is conducting research with Dr. Lindsey Crawford from the Department of Biochemistry.Summer 2024 Research Poster: How Human Cytomegalovirus UL4 Controls the Proinflammatory Cytokine TNFSF10 to Control Cellular Functions

Maya Tanikawa-Brown 

FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

McNair Scholar Maya Tanikawa-Brown

Maya Tanikawa-Brown is a food science & technology major from Princeton, New Jersey. Maya is currently conducting research with Dr. Joseph Baumert and Dr. Amanda-Ramer-Tait from the Department of Food Science & Technology.