Scholarly Efforts of Students Earn Recognition at annual Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity

The expansion of knowledge in a wide variety of academic disciplines was on display April 27 at The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) Hattiesburg campus during its annual Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity (UGS), with students presenting and discussing their work while competing for awards and monetary prizes.

Sponsored by USM's Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research and the Honors College, the event is also supported by Southern Miss alumnus and Drapeau Center namesake, Donald Drapeau.

“I have participated in planning the UGS since 2012, and consider this annual event the highlight of my spring semester,” said Dr. Sabine Heinhorst, associate dean for Undergraduate Research and Outreach in the USM Honors College. “It is amazing to see the breadth and quality of research projects our undergraduate students are pursuing.

“Of course, having Mr. Drapeau attend the symposium is always a special treat. His continued generous support makes it possible for us to award many sizable presenter prizes.”

Students earning awards at the 2019 UGS include those placing in the following categories:

*Aesthetics and Cultural Criticism
First place: Ashley Hobson
Second place: Hannah Jane LeDuff

*Artist Practice as Research
First place: Alex Townsend

*Behavioral Sciences: Memory and Learning
First place: Promise Lemoine, Laterrica Moore
Third place: Tatum Freeman

*Biomedicine or Health
First place: Natalie Hosch

*Business or Public Policy
First place: Trevor Terry

*Environment/Sustainability
First place: Cody Pope
Second place: Patrick Burden
Third place: Beckah Campbell

*Gender and Sexuality Studies
First place: McKenna Stone
Second place: Annie Hendricks

*Global Cultures and Contacts
First place: Ana Chua

*History, Heritage and Legacies
First place: Billy Loper

*Local/Regional Topics
First place: Cameron Kenney

*Materials and Structures: Analysis and Performance
First place: Rimsha Bhatta
Second place: Jordan Winetrout
Third place: Michelle McCullum, Christopher Miller

*Materials and Structures: Design and Synthesis
First place: Zachary Rodgers
Second place: Brittany Thompson
Third place: Dane Wedgeworth

*Mathematical and Computational Topics
First place: Chuan Chen, Andrew Fink
Third place: Pujan Paudel

*Molecular Structure, Functions and Interactions: Gene and Protein Functions
First place: Sanchirmaa Namjilsuren
Second place: Austin Ross
Third place: Gabriella Reyes

*Molecular Structure, Functions and Interactions: Synthesis and Analysis
First place: Caroline DeGraw
Second place: Mary Maddox
Third place: Sudishka Rathan Kumar, Sara Dao, Grae Dittmar, Giorgi Kenkebashvili, Breanna Smith

*Topics in Law and Society
First place: Kristen McGuire
Second place: Jonathan Puckett

*Mississippi INBRE: Best Presentation on a Biomedical Topic
First place: Clayton Johnson
Second place: John Michael Stork

*The Dale Center for the Study of War and Society
Jack Lucas Award: Billy Loper
Virginia Culpepper Memorial Award: Lily Brady

For information about the Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research, visit https://www.usm.edu/research/center-overview.