The annual McNair Scholars’ Research Symposium will take place Thursday, December 2 and Thursday, December 9 from 5-6:45pm. This year, the McNair Symposium will be held both in person and via Zoom. There will be limited seating in Schneider 319 for those who wish to join us in person. Those who prefer to join via Zoom, may use the links below. Scholars will present for 7-10 minutes followed by a short Q&A.
Thursday, December 2
Savanna Bonlender is a senior biology major from West Bend, Wisconsin. She is working in collaboration with her mentor, Dr. Tali Lee, to investigate the effects two common pharmaceuticals, atropine and diphenhydramine, have on the Daphnia magna heart rate. Savanna’s post-baccalaureate goal is to attend medical school to become a board-certified Neurologist. She aspires to become a neurologist because she loves the variety of both chronic and acute conditions a neurologist can treat. Ultimately, Savanna hopes to conduct research in the field of cognitive neuroscience in addition to treating her patients.
Brandon Wegner is a senior social work major from Shawano, Wisconsin. Upon graduation, Brandon plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work and work on mental health policy reform on a state and national level. Brandon worked with mentor Joshua Potter-Efron to research the lived experience of LGBTQIA+ students enrolled at Midwestern Universities. His work identified possible patterns within their family experiences and social supports in the coming out process, as well as their current experiences within their college communities.
Andrea Peterson is an undergraduate psychology major with a minor in Spanish at from Hatfield, Wisconsin. After graduation, she plans on moving forward with her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis, eventually becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Andrea and mentor Dr. Jamie Tester used Adverse Childhood Experiences scores to explore the effect trauma has on academics and relationships.
Adamary Rosas is currently a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a chemistry minor from Winona, Minnesota. With mentor Dr. April Bleske-Rechek, sought to better understand burnout and identify aspects of the work environment that could be modified to buffer against burnout while also enhancing engagement at work. Upon Completing her bachelor’s degree, Adamary is planning on working as a research assistant before applying into a Ph.D program for Clinical Psychology.
Emma Vega Martinez is from St. Paul, Minnesota and a biology major. After college, Emma plans to earn her master's degree in forensic science. Emma’s research, under the guidance of Dr. Derek Gingerich, analyzes the growth responses of Arabidopsis thaliana under different temperatures and light conditions.
Meeting ID: 996 9053 2066; Passcode: 578415
Thursday, December 9
Harry Mateski is a political science and broad field Social Studies teaching education major from Stanley, Wisconsin. Upon completing his undergraduate degrees he aspires to become a high school teacher and later pursue a graduate degree in school administration. Under the guidance of Dr. Eric Kasper, Harry’s research examines the constitutionality of public universities limited speech through bans on dorm window displays on the basis of the First Amendment.
Jaden Mikoulinskii is a sociology major from Neenah, Wisconsin and is mentored by Dr. Jeff Erger. Her research focuses on the first-generation college student experience at UW-Eau Claire. Through a mixed methods approach, Jaden hopes to magnify room for improvement in supporting first generation college students at UW-Eau Claire. Jaden is applying to graduate programs in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Analysis with the terminal goal to work in upper-level University Administration, particularly in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs contexts.
Celia Dickey is a biology major and Spanish minor from West St. Paul, Minnesota. With Dr. Brad Carter, Celia is investigating gene-environment interactions affecting methylmercury toxicity during embryonic development in zebrafish. After graduation Celia plans to attend graduate school to pursue a Master’s degree in Genetic Counseling. In the future she hopes to obtain a PhD in Human Molecular Genetics.
Cliff Hayes is a criminal justice/pre-law major from Nekoosa and Rome, Wisconsin. Under the guidance of Dr. Jason Spraitz, Cliff’s research uses a comparative analysis to draw attention to a specific and unfrequented area of corrections—Carceral Firefighting programs. Upon graduation Cliff hopes to attend Law School and participate in the Special Forces Assessment and Selection for the 19th Special Forces Group.
Meeting ID: 925 5835 6916; Passcode: 012602
