2025 undergrad research and creativity expo winners announced

The Office of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity has released the winners of the 19th Annual Carolyn and Norwood Thomas Research and Creativity Expo.

“Join us in celebrating this year’s winners, their dedicated faculty mentors, and all the remarkable participants who contributed to the Expo’s success,” said URSCO Assistant Director Traci Miller.

The campus-wide celebration on Thursday, April 10, showcased the outstanding work of UNCG students engaged in faculty-mentored research, scholarship, and creative endeavors. Participants competed for recognition across five award categories, with monetary prizes.

FIRST PLACE 🏆

Kalib Cormican, Aidan Kinsey, McKenna Dvorak, Aiden “Javier” Feria, Kennedy Fowler & Kelliann Jones, Performing Arts

Jasmine Doctor, Visual Arts Exhibition

Jia Emaus, Business, Economic, Education, Behavioral and Social Sciences

Quinrose Mvuri & Adrianna Mims, Humanities

Kaela Pena, Mathematics, Life and Physical Sciences (STEM)

1st Place
Jia Emaus, Senior in Political Science & Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies
Mentor: Michael Broache, Political Science
United States’ municipal government responses to the conflict in Gaza

2nd Place
Yazmia Snipes, post-Baccalaureate in Chemistry, & Avianna Russell, senior in Psychology
Mentor(s): Frances Lobo, Psychology, UT Austin, HDFS) & Dr. Gabriela Stein UT Human Development and Family Sciences, HDFS)
Preparation for bias and youth coping efficacy in African American families

3rd Place
Melissa Silva-Sanchez, senior in Kinesiology, & Emmalyn Drollette, freshman in Middle College
Mentor: Eric Drollette, Kinesiology
The moderating effects of positive affect on inhibitory control and event-related potentials (ERPs) following acute exercise

1st Place
Quinrose Mvuri, Senior in African American and African Diaspora Studies, & Adrianna Mims, Junior in Biology
Mentor: Hewan Girma, African American Studies
A taste for change: Improving dining experience in the UNCG cafeteria

2nd Place
Jamie Fedor, senior in Human Development and Family Studies
Mentor: Bridget Cheeks, Humans Development and Family Studies
An examination of racial and ethnic socialization through various family members among African American first-year college students

3rd Place
Blake Charles, senior in Interior Architecture, & Ayana Arrington, senior in Interior Architecture
Mentor: Amanda Gale, Interior Architecture
Visualizing wellbeing in educational spaces through virtual reality: Investigating differences amongst disciplines

1st Place
Kaela Pena, senior in Biology
Mentor: Nick Ader, Biology
Analysis of Alx1 as a key regulator of nuclear envelope ESCRT activity

2nd Place
Ethan Duarte-Nirenberg, junior in Mathematics
Mentor: Alicia Aarnio, Physics and Astronomy)
Planetary formation over short timescales in a B-type star: The case of MWC 789

3rd Place (tie)
Sydney Jones, junior in Biochemistry
Mentor: Mitchell Croatt, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Towards the total synthesis of the epoxyquinone natural product Jesterone dimer

3rd Place (tie)
Janae Wofford, junior in Biochemistry
Mentor: Nadja Cech, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Exploring Fagus grandifolia as a source of new antibiotics to address rising resistance

1st Place
Kalib Cormican, Senior; Aidan Kinsey, Junior; McKenna Dvorak, Senior; Aiden “Javier” Feria, Junior; Kennedy Fowler, Senior, & Kelliann Jones, Senior in Drama
Mentor: Ashley White, Theater
Momento

2nd Place
Caleb van Doornewaard, Sophomore, Drama & Ainsley Goodyear, sophomore in Drama
Mentor: Mya Brown, Theater
36

3rd Place (tie)
Jessi McManus, junior in Dance
Mentor: Teresa Heiland, Music, Theatre, and Dance 
Art as one

3rd Place (tie)
Malikhai Walton, senior in Popular Music and Technology
Mentor: Gavin Douglas, Music
Border corridos: Themes of US-Mexico relations and how the corrido may help inform our perspective on the political state of the border and immigration policy today

1st Place
Jasmine Doctor, senior in Art
Mentor: Dan Hale
“Why can’t I just be me?!”

2nd Place
Jessica Pontoriero, sophomore in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies
Mentor: Melanie Carrico, Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies
The price of overconsumption

3rd Place
Mckenna Dvorak, senior in Acting
Mentor: Robi Arce-Martínez, School of Theatre
Different are the faces of our stage