There are four Excellence in Student Research awards presented at each symposium; Best Presentation, Best Poster, Best Creative Work and Best Graduate Work. Presenters are scored by a panel of judges, and each winner receives $100. Additionally, symposium attendees vote for their favorite presentation, and that individual is awarded the People’s Choice Award.
Past Excellence in Student Research Award Winners:
Fall 2023
Best Poster: Felipe Souza and Raphael Battini for “Sensory Rooms.”
Best Presentation: Sage Carter “Irish Astronomy: Analyzing the Ancient Irish Passage Tombs.”
Best Creative Work: Shane Rodriguez “Logo Branding Process.”
Graduate Capstone: Alexis Livingston “Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Utilizing the Anion Gap for Treatment.”
Honorable mentions in the poster category were awarded to Georgi Vlahov for “Ebola”; and Ashton Doran for “Investigating HIV/AIDS”; honorable mentions in best presentation went to: Valentine Laser for “Sports-Related Injuries and their Effects” and Lorenzo Celiento for “What’s in the Matrix:’ Honorable mentions in Best Creative Work went to DeRel Morris for “Who Are You, Truly?” and Chane Higgo for “Formula 1 Stickers.”
Fall 2022
Creative Works Winner: Kristina K C: “In My Universe Poetry Podcast;” Creative Works Honorable Mentions: Shu’Ron Thompson: “Let’s talk about Sex” film documentary, Harrison Boynton: An excerpt from Returning of the Lost and Kristin Boynton: Chapter Reading from A Reason to Kill.
Presentation Winner: Izak Johnson: “Distribution of Darters (Percidae) in the Salt Fork Creek, Saline County, Missouri”
Presentation Honorable Mentions: Eva Agcailoli and Camden Philips: “Our Role as Political Subjects,” Sidni Hunter: “Imperialist Propaganda and the Central Intelligence Agency’s use of Neoliberal Rebranding,” Dajah Robinson: “Let’sTalk About Sex WORK.”
Poster Winner: Taylor Curry: “Bubonic Plague”
Poster Honorable Mentions: Lorena Piaggi: “College students have more risks in suffering mental health problems,” Mackenzie Murphree (Graduate student): “Five Lessons learned from Dr. Perry and Oprah” and Addie Mejia: “Toxoplasmosis.”
Fall 2021
Best Presentation – Zachary Baker
“How Nutrient Over-enrichment from Agricultural Practices Affects the Distribution and Composition of Fishes in Salt Fork Creek.”
Best Poster – Camden Phillips
“Solar Blockchain: Hashing Out Clean Energy.”
Best Creative Work – Cuauhtémoc Olvera
“Hooray for Teacher Day.”
Best Documentary Film – Austin Bohlen
Jim: The Wonder Dog.
People’s Choice Award – Jamyce Marshall
“Ozone Depletion.”
Spring 2021
Best Poster – Cassandra Fuentes
Best Presentation – Loanne Martino, Edgar Naen, and Ana Paula Torresbaca
Best Creative Work – Sara Pruther Vasquez
Best Graduate Capstone Presentation – Danielle Riley
