WSU Undergraduate Students Awarded $61,000 in Research Fellowship Funding for 2024–25
Forty Washington State University undergraduates engaged in mentored research have received fellowships to support their research, scholarship, and creative activity for the coming academic year.
The fellowships total $61,000 and are associated with many types of awards. Recipients are students from four campuses — Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver — and with majors in five colleges — the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Veterinary Medicine; the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine; and Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture.
“Undergraduate researchers work with faculty mentors across the university, and through their efforts, create new knowledge in their field, or reinforce facts, both valuable to research endeavors,” said Jeremy Lessmann, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. The office and a committee review fellowship applications and determine recipients. First-year students through seniors are eligible.
“The awards allow students to focus on their faculty-mentored research with less worry about their personal finances. They provide a win-win for the students, the faculty, and WSU.”
This year’s recipients, listed by award, are:
Auvil Scholars Fellowship
Yecenia Cortez, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biology
Mentored by Xiaofeng Guo
Macauley Devin, WSU Spokane
Majoring in nutrition and exercise physiology
Mentored by Catherine Jarrett
Casey Frantz, WSU Pullman
Majoring in mechanical engineering
Mentored by Arezoo Zare
Sawyer Hicks, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biochemistry
Mentored by Michael Konkel
Liam Quinn, WSU Spokane
Majoring in nutrition and exercise physiology
Mentored by Catherine Jarrett
Connor Reschke, WSU Pullman
Majoring in materials science and engineering, Spanish
Mentored by Karl Olson
Simon Scheel, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemistry
Mentored by Liane Moreau
Geselle Sotelo Mendoza, WSU Pullman
Majoring in microbiology
Mentored by Anders Omsland
Braeden Stiffler, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biochemistry
Mentored by Janice Parks
Rawan Tanous, WSU Vancouver
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by Jonah Piovia-Scott
Katy Touretsky, WSU Pullman
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by Kristen Delevich
Ethan Villalovoz, WSU Pullman
Majoring in computer science
Mentored by Janardhan Doppa
Scott and Linda Carson Undergraduate Research Excellence Award
Michael Fasci, WSU Pullman
Majoring in bioengineering
Mentored by Ryan Driskell
Nathan Jorgensen, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemical engineering
Mentored by Jacob Leachman
Diego Rangel Monroy, WSU Tri-Cities
Majoring in computer science, mechanical engineering
Mentored by Ryan Learn
Scott and Linda Carson Undergraduate Research Excellence Award and WSU LSAMP Award
Valike Tamakloe, WSU Pullman
Majoring in bioengineering
Mentored by David Lin
Team Mentoring Program Research Award
Riana Abeshima, WSU Pullman
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by Ryan McLaughlin
Lauren Benjamin, WSU Pullman
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by Emily Qualls-Creekmore
Gemini Gutierrez-Zamora, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biology
Mentored by Kulvinder Gill
Aspen Harder, WSU Pullman
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by David Rossi
Molly Lauby, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemistry
Mentored by Liane Moreau
WSU LSAMP Award and Team Mentoring Program Research Award
Samira Diaz De Leon, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biochemistry
Mentored by Arden Baylink
Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Mackenzie Earl, WSU Pullman
Majoring in genetics and cell biology
Mentored by Hanjo Hellmann
Karlye Ebberson, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biology
Mentored by Jesse Brunner
Suzanne Gelston, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemical engineering
Mentored by Haluk Beyenal
Jason Ingram, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemical engineering
Mentored by Su Ha
Kaitlyn Ipsen, WSU Pullman
Majoring in genetics and cell biology
Mentored by Laura Bartley
Bhargav Iyer, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biology
Mentored by Xiaofeng Guo
Peter Martinak, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biochemistry
Mentored by Alan Goodman
Jose Policarpio, WSU Pullman
Majoring in mechanical engineering
Mentored by Kaiyan Qiu
Alejandra Prado, WSU Pullman
Majoring in human development, humanities, and psychology
Mentored by Pilar Fernandez
Ryan Rigos, WSU Pullman
Majoring in bioengineering
Mentored by Alla Kostyukova
David Soto, WSU Pullman
Majoring in neuroscience
Mentored by Rita Fuchs
Hunter Whitlock, WSU Pullman
Majoring in biochemistry
Mentored by Andrei Smertenko
James A. Weir Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Skyler Allison, WSU Pullman
Majoring in organic and sustainable agriculture
Mentored by Kevin Murphy
Trina McConnell, WSU Pullman
Majoring in integrated plant sciences
Mentored by Andrei Smertenko
Akira Park, WSU Pullman
Majoring in English
Mentored by Ashley Boyd
Isabella Santiago, WSU Pullman
Majoring in human development and psychology
Mentored by Kimberly Meidenbauer
DeVlieg Fellowship
Clara Ehinger, WSU Pullman
Majoring in chemical engineering
Mentored by Yong Wang