Drawing on our expertise and research, our faculty is dedicated to enabling students to use scientific approaches to discovery and understanding.
It defines the successes of students at UNK, whether in the humanities, sciences, education, or business.
Curriculum at UNK is designed to be student-centered and intellectually challenging, while preparing students through field and internship experiences.
We provide value to Nebraska by preparing students to compete in dynamic professional environments and by promoting academic, social, technological and economic development.
UNK’s Research Day is an annual event held each spring for students in all disciplines to present their scholarly work. Students’ research accomplishments and the important role faculty play as mentors are both highlighted. Any UNK student engaged in mentored research or creative activity is eligible and encouraged to participate, even if their work was not funded through UNK.
Presentations include oral presentations, poster presentations, poster gallery, musical performances, and art exhibitions. Poster and oral presentations are judged and awards are given at a reception at the end of the event.
For additional questions:
Dawn Simon (simondm@unk.edu)
Mark R. Ellis (ellismr@unk.edu)
Natural and Physical Sciences Poster Awards
1st Place:
Karissa Finke
Department: Chemistry
Advisor: Dr. Allen Thomas
Title: Substituted Amino Acids as LAT-1 Substrates For Use in Drug Delivery
2nd Place:
Becca Best
Department: Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kim Carlson
Title: Pathogenicity of Nora virus in germ-free Drosophila melanogaster
3rd Place:
Jocelyn Dolphin, Primary Presenter
Matt Moore and April Maschmann, Co-Presenters
Department: Chemistry
Advisor: Dr. Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer
Title: Development of 3D Printed Devices to Extract DNA Molecules
Behavioral and Social Sciences
1st Place:
Andrew Fields
Department: Political Science
Advisor: Dr. Satoshi Machida
Title: The Effects of the Modern Indian Caste System on Christian Evangelism
2nd Place:
Shelby Study
Department: Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Megan Strain
Title: More than Purity: Exploring Feminine Honor as a Complex Construct
3rd Place:
Fletcher Sheridan
Department: Geography & Earth Science
Advisor: Dr. Paul Burger
Title: If You Build it Will They Come: Using a GIScience Gravity Model to Estimate Retirement Community Demand in Salt Lake City, Utah
Fine Arts & Humanities
1st Place:
So-Young Chun
Department: Music & Performing Arts
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Campbell
Title: Cinderella: The Madang Nori
2nd Place:
Amanda Slater
Department: English
Advisor: Dr. Marguerite A. Tassi
Title: Love, Otto Frank: Understanding a Father’s Editorial Judgments
Professional & Applied Studies
1st Place:
Alexa Kasl
Department: Kinesiology & Sports Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Kazuma Akehi
Title: Thigh muscular architecture changes during season-long college soccer participation
2nd Place:
Meghan Rockefeller
Department: Family Studies & Interior Design
Advisor: Dr. Mickey Langlais
Title: How SnapChat Behaviors Influence Relational Conflict
3rd Place:
Brian Szekely
Department: Kinesiology & Sports Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Brown
Title: The Effects of Creatine, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Caffeine on Blood Lactate Concentrations During a Wingate Bicycle Test
Graduate Research Posters
1st Place:
Marissa Bongers
Department: Kinesiology & Sports Sciences
Advisor: Gregory Brown
Title: Dietary Habits and Nutrition Knowledge in Female Collegiate Distance Runners
2nd Place:
Tabitha Rasmussen
Department: Counseling & School Psychology
Advisor: Carmelo Callueng
Title: Family Involvement, Life Satisfaction, and Academic Achievement of Children
3rd Place:
Haley Strobel
Department: Counseling & School Psychology
Advisor: Tammi Ohmstede
Title: Using High-Stakes Assessment to Evaluate System-Wide Improvement Plan of A Rural Midwestern School District
Undergraduate Oral Presentation
1st Place:
Anna Wagemann
Department: English
Advisor: Dr. Michelle Beissel Heath
Title: The Monstrous, The Mysterious, and The Mystic: Reanimating Childhood Classics through The Feared City
2nd Place:
Anthony Donovan
Department: Chemistry
Advisor: Dr. Annette Moser
Title: Measuring Binding Interactions Between HSA And Deisopropylatrazine Using High Performance Affinity Chromatography
Graduate Oral Presentation
1st Place:
Kaley Hodgen
Department: Management
Advisor: Dr. Srivatsa Seshadri
Title: Organizational Audit: Honors Program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney
Behavioral and Social Sciences
1st Place:
Samanthat Baumert, Primary Author
Caitlyn Graf, Co-Author
Advisor: Krista Fritson
Title: The Effects of Mindful Meditation via Mobile App on Graduate Students
2nd Place:
Lacey Johnson
Advisor: William Wozniak
Title: Effects of Types of Distractor on Performance in a Driving Course
3rd Place:
Connor Gosnell
Advisor: Paul Burger
Title: Locating a Community Garden Using GIScience in Omaha's Food Dessert
Natural and Physical Sciences
1st Place:
Megan Hunke, Primary Author
Wuilian Martinez, Co-Author
Advisors: Surabhi Chandra & Mahesh Pattabiraman
Title: Antineoplastic Properties of Cinnamic Acid Dimers and Cinnamic Acid Dimer Derivatives in Breast Cancer Cells
2nd Place:
Evan Folk
Advisor: Jeremy Armstrong
Title: Harmonic Oscillator's Utility in Predicting Vibrational Spectroscopy
3rd Place:
Drew Thompson, Primary Author
Joshua Lallman, Co-Author
Advisor: Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer
Title: Determination of Electroosmotic and Electrophoretic Mobility of Dyes in Kelcogel F for a Dynamic Range of Ionic Strength Solutions
Professional/Applied Sciences
1st Place:
Callen Maupin
Advisor: Scott Unruh
Title: Outcome Measure for Post-Surgical Shoulder Rehabilitation
2nd Place:
Stephanie Paulson, Primary Author
Dakota Waddell, Co-Author
Advisor: Gregory Brown
Title: Comparing the Effects of Coffee to a Pre-Workout Drink on Resting Metabolic Rate
3rd Place:
Danielle Tilley
Advisor: Megan Adkins
Title: The Evaluation of Home School Physical Education Participant Perceived Versus Actual Level of Physical Activity
Fine Arts and Humanities
1st Place:
Emily Hemmer
Advisor: Marguerite Tassi
Title: Religion in Game of Thrones and Shakespeare's First Tetralogy
2nd Place:
Tiffany Vavricek
Advisor: Susan Honeyman
Title: The Adventurous Monster
Graduate Studies and Research
1st Place:
Ava Coughlin
Advisors: Todd Bartee, Kate Heelan & Paul Burger
Title: Analysis of Cancer Survivor's Accessibility to Exclusively Tailored Exercise Programs in Nebraska
Undergraduate Oral Presentation
1st Place:
Tatiana Moore
Advisor: Jeff Wells
Title: One Man, the Media, and Morale: S.Sgt. Hugh Benson and the Kearney Army Air Field
2nd Place:
Caleb Capellen, Primary Author
Jose Ortega & Jane Morwitzer, Co-Authors
Advisors: Surabhi Chandra, Matthew Dunworth & Robert A. Casero Jr.
Title: Polyamine Pathway as a Player in Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation in Diabetic Conditions
Calvin T. Ryan Research Award
Shelby Hinrichs
Advisor: Whitney Schneider-Cline
Title: Screening Speech, Language, and Reading Abilities of Home-Schooled Children
Diversity Award
Graduate Student:
John Rech
Advisor: Megan Adkins
Title: Motivated to Move: An Application of Older Adults and Motivation to be Physically Active
Undergraduate Student:
Miranda Ketteler
Advisor: Christina Sogar
Title: Faculty and Student Views of Accommodation Policies