Pinnacle 2024 Presenters

Franke Honors Pinnacle Graphic

PRESENTING!
THE 2024 FRANKE HONORS PINNACLE PRESENTERS

Each year, Franke Honors students have the chance to present their work at Franke Honors Pinnacle. This year, we have nearly 100 students presenting work in Bear Down Gym on April 24 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. 

1:00 - 1:55 pm

Honors Thesis

FREYA ABRAHAM

Developing a Literature Review Protocol on Health Research Tools for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Faculty Mentor: Ahlem Saleh, Yumi Shirai, Julie Armin, and Michelle Thompson

ANISSA FERRIS

Creating a Children's Book on Grief with Research Backed Coping Mechanisms   

Faculty Mentor: Adam Clark 

ELIANA FIFE

The Effects of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound on Individual Alpha Frequency

Faculty Mentor: John Allen

SKYLAR FRY

Dirt Rocks & Shells

Faculty Mentor: Pete Figler

ESMERALDA GAMEZ GONZALEZ

Can Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training Improve Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?

Faculty Mentor: Dawn Coletta

RAHUL GUPTE

Titin regulates longitudinal hypertrophy in muscle

Faculty Mentor: Henk Granzier

HANNAH HAYDEN

Active Shooter Safety at the University of Arizona

Faculty Mentor: Laura Gronewold

MOLLY HOFER

How the Law Impacts Service Animal Handlers

Faculty Mentor: Marguerite O'Haire

ANNA IM

Family Talk: Family Systems Theory Education in Podcast Form

Faculty Mentor: Timothy Ottusch

GEORGINA KARTSONIS

Food for Thought: Dietary Management of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Faculty Mentor: Zoe Cohen

ANNE LEDNICKY

The Role of the Clinician in Caring for Disabled Patients: Narrative Review with a Case Study

Faculty Mentor: Yumi Shirai

THEO MOYSE-PECK

The Fight for Recognition: Arabic-Speaking Anglicans and the Jerusalem Bishopric, 1947-1949

Faculty Mentor: Maha Nassar

JACKSON OSBORN

Exploring the Impact of Attendance on Health Outcomes at Camp Wellness

Faculty Mentor: Randa Kutob

ESHA RAJADHYAKSHA

Characterization of Protein Markers in Oral Epithelial Tissue

Faculty Mentor: Koenraad Van Doorslaer

GWEN RAMIN

Navigating Social Media Marketing: A Workshop for 7-10th Grade Students

Faculty Mentor: Jen Savary

ELLA RANDOLPH

How Swimming Affects Gist vs Explicit Memory amongst Children with Down Syndrome vs Typically Developing Children

Faculty Mentor: Matt Grilli

ELI SHLIMOVITZ

The Effects of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound on Alpha Power

Faculty Mentor: John Allen

KAVYA SHRI

Judging a book by the color of its cover: Diversity in the Book Publishing Industry

Faculty Mentor: Mo Xiao

NATHALIE SOTELO

 Non-Human Primate Interoception Affects Decision-Making During Approach-Avoidance Conflict Task

Faculty Mentor: Katalin Gothard

SARAH STAMER

Analyzing Student Reasoning in Astrobiology MOOC Writing

Faculty Mentor: Chris Impey

ZOIE STRICKLING

Music Unchained: An Exploration of Black Expression

Faculty Mentor: Bayo Ijagbemi

RAYDON TRAN

Cadmium exposure effects on ribosomal DNA stability and methylation in human cells

Faculty Mentor: Bernardo Lemos 

UDBHAV VENKATARAMAN

Relation of signal type to perceived roughness in older adults

Faculty Mentor: Robin Samlan

JORDAN WIGHT

Oppression and Stress: Exploring the Connection Between Minority Stress Theory and the Activation of the HPA Axis

Faculty Mentor: Martha Bhattacharya

BRIDGET ZIMMERMAN

Preliminary Analysis of Terahertz Emission by the Interstellar Medium from the GUSTO Mission

Faculty Mentor: Chris Walker

Quest Project
 

COLTTON KIRKPATRICK

Chicken Gene Identification and Characterization of Scavenger Immune Receptors

Faculty Mentor: Fiona McCarthy

Exploratory Mini-grant

GAVIN ARNOLD, CATHERINE JEZERC, & KAITLYN LAI

Investigating the Potential of Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Primer for Neural Plasticity

Faculty Mentor: Ying-hui Chou

EMMETT BAUER

Quantifying influences of soil types and related permafrost dynamics for endophytic and epiphytic fungi of Arctic cryptogams

Faculty Mentor: Betsy Arnold

ZANE BURROWS

User Engagement in a Digital Mental Health Intervention for Underserved Populations

Faculty Mentor: Zachary Cohen

EMMERY CRESS

How Does Scientific Research Shift? The Case of Medtronic and the Mazor Robotic System

Faculty Mentor: Daniel Menchik

ALEXANDRIA HALVERSON & ANGELA WHITE

Project LEAD: Leveraging Exercise for Anxiety and Depression

Faculty Member: Zachary Cohen

NATHAN MIRANDA

Exploratory Mini Grant - Young Voters of Color

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

COLTER THOMAS

Infrastructures of Control

Faculty Mentor: Stefano Bloch

AMANDA ADAMS

Effects of Wood Fire Smoke Exposure on Ovarian Reserve

Faculty Mentor: Zelieann Craig

KAVYA SHRI

Judging a book by the color of its cover: Diversity in the Book Publishing Industry

Faculty Mentor: Mo Xiao

RAYDON TRAN

Cadmium exposure effects on ribosomal DNA stability and methylation in human cells

Faculty Mentor: Bernardo Lemos 

Special Projects

GENESIS BENEDITH

Decoding the Sims: Analyzing Game Design and User Experience through Gamification Frameworks

Faculty Mentor: Drew Castalia

GRACE HARRINGTON

The Montgomery Experience: The Death Penalty for Children

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

NEVE JOHNSON

The Montgomery Experience: The Music of Movements 

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

LANDEN KNUTSON

Montgomery Experience: Black Healthcare

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

AASTHA MAMIDI

Effect of Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Exposure during Pregnancy on Maternal Uterine Artery Function in Mice

Faculty Mentor: Chi Zhou 

REGINA RIVAS

Montgomery Experience & Social Movements

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks 

ANNABELLE ROLDAN

Understanding Trauma Patient Health Literacy and Patient Discharge 

Faculty Mentor: Abdul Tawab Saljuqi 

OJAS SANGHI

A Data Generation Pipeline to Accelerate the Development of Printable Solar Panels 

Faculty Mentor: Adam Printz

AUDREY SWETEN

Investigating Tailocin Killing Activity Against E.coli O157:H7  

Faculty Mentor: David Baltrus


2:05 - 3:00 pm

Honors Thesis

KAILAH ALVAREZ

Saccharomyces boulardii & Kluyveromyces lactis Utilization to Promote Probiotic Levels for Commercial Dairy Products

Faculty Mentor: Tedley Pihl

EMMA BARNARD

How Parenting Styles Impact Emotional Behaviors and Academic Performance in Adolescent Foster Children

Faculty Mentor: Timothy Ottusch

JUSTIN BEGAY

Do Native Americans at Non-Tribal Universities Maintain Cultural Ties to Their Families?

Faculty Mentor: Louise Roth

CATHERINE BROSKI

The Split Incentive Obstacle to Clean Energy for Renters in Tucson, Arizona

Faculty Mentor: Brian Mayer

JACQUE CHAU

The Impact of Naps on Word Learning and Integration in Four-Year-Old Children

Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Gomez

EMILY DAVIS

3D cell culturing of Penaeus vannamei hemocytes 

Faculty Mentor: Arun Dhar

MADDIE GUSTAFSON

Unraveling the Red Thread: Identity Development in International, Transracial, Chinese Adoptees

Faculty Mentor: Patrick Baliani

CAMDEN HARADEN

Innovating Instruction: A Literary Investigation into AI's Application in Medical Education

Faculty Mentor: Carrie Langley

VIRGINIA JAVIER

Understanding Stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifer) Responses to Drought in Populations Across the Southwest USA

Faculty Mentor: Rachel Mitchell

PRAGNYA KARLAPUDI

Residency Applications in Medical Students after Dobbs v. Jackson

Faculty Mentor: Frank Gonzalez

SUN WOO KIM

How Brain Maturation of Adolescent Primates Influences Reward Processing

Faculty Mentor: Katalin Gothard

ELLIE MOUER

Leave No Trace: Removing Trace Organic Contaminants From Wastewater via Direct and Indirect Photolysis

Faculty Mentor: Eduardo Saez

AVA ORDOG

Faculty and Food Insecurity: An Insight into Faculty Roles Influencing Food Stigma Culture at the University of Arizona

Faculty Mentor: Jake Harwood

KAELIE ZELMS

Assessing Candidate Proteins Identified by Quantitative Proteomics For a Role in Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake

Faculty Mentor: Paul Langlais

ANDREW PROUTY

Navigating Healthcare Inequities: An Examination of Barriers Faced by Transgender Individuals and the Integration of Standardized Patient Cases in Medical Education

Faculty Mentor: Zoe Cohen

ANNA RAMSOOK

The Effect of pH Environments on Aryl Diazonium Ion Release from Triazabutadienes on DNA

Faculty Mentor: John Jewett

LUCY SIECZKA

Preschool Accessibility in the United States

Faculty Mentor: Lori Poloni-Staudinger

JAIDEN SINGH

Standardization, Transparency, and Quality Improvement: An Argument for Language Access Plans in Local Health Departments

Faculty Mentor: Laura Gronewold

CATHERINE THEBERT

Native American stereotypes in the US: What they are and why they matter

Faculty Mentor: Kristin Doran

ALY TORRES

Pattern Separation

Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Gomez

PALOMA VALENCIA

The Significance of Health Narratives in Patient-Centered Care

Faculty Mentor: Melissa Goldsmith

JOSH WEINBERG

The Impact of Automation on Accountant and Auditor Employment: An Analysis of Historical Trends

Faculty Mentor: Shyam Sunder

DAKOTA KIRK

Having scales in the the game: The influence of the pet trade on exotic companion animal welfare

Faculty Mentor: Leigh Combrink

Quest

OLIVIA GIBBONS

Intergenerational Music Performance: A Potential Driver for Well-being and Reduced Ageism

Faculty Mentor: Jake Harwood

TAYLOR RANEY

Beyond Words: Interdisciplinary Conversations about Mental Illness through Poetry & Collage

Faculty Mentor: Claire McLane

MAYA RODRIGUEZ

The Impacts and Issues of Lead Agencies in Archaeological and Cultural Resource Management

Faculty Mentor: Matthew Rowe

ERIN SCHUETTE

Promoting embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocyte maturity by gene editing sarcomeric proteins 

Faculty Mentor: Jared Churko

Exploratory Mini-Grant

BRANDON FRIEND

Quantum Computing of Nuclear Physics Problems

Faculty Member: Sean Fleming

DARYL IJAOLA

Daryl's Poetry Workshop

Faculty Mentor: Claire McLane

TAYLOR RANEY

Beyond Words: Interdisciplinary Conversations about Mental Illness through Poetry & Collage

Faculty Mentor: Claire McLane

SOPHIE SHOMPER

Are plants listening to each other?: Corn and green leaf volatiles

Faculty Mentor: Chris Frost

FAWAZ STIPHO

Cooking with Purpose - a Culinary Education Program

Faculty Mentor: Martha Moore-Monroy

JACOB AYARS & CYNTHIA NAVARRO

Designing Cooling systems for outdoor spaces in Arizona

Faculty Mentor: Steven Papajohn

JUSTIN BEGAY

Do Native Americans at Non-Tribal Universities Maintain Cultural Ties to Their Families?

Faculty Mentor: Louise Roth

JACQUE CHAU

The Impact of Naps on Word Learning and Integration in Four-Year-Old Children

Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Gomez

EMILY DAVIS

3D cell culturing of Penaeus vannamei hemocytes 

Faculty Mentor: Arun Dhar

VIRGINIA JAVIER

Understanding Stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifer) Responses to Drought in Populations Across the Southwest USA

Faculty Mentor: Rachel Mitchell

ALY TORRES

Pattern Separation

Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Gomez

ERIN CHOI

Cultivating Academically Beneficial Traits in College Students: An Investigation of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE)

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Teske

HUNTER GIBBS

An Analysis of Water Policy Efforts in Baja California Sur and the American Southwest

Faculty Mentor: Trevor Hedberg

HEATHER JENSEN

Palestine is a Verb: Cultural Production as Palestinian Nation-Making Outside of the Middle East

Faculty Mentor: Maha Nassar

Special Projects

 

ARYAN EKSAMBE

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment with Mandibular Advancement Devices

Faculty Mentor: Salma Patel

LAUREN FULLEN

Montgomery Alabama Experience

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

ARIEL HEINRICH

Characterizing The Role Of Flagellar Motility In Facultative Symbiosis Between Endophytic Pestalotiopsis And Endohyphal Luteibacter

Faculty Mentor: David Baltrus

YONA KLEINERMAN

Nanosilk: A Novel Preventative Therapy for Pressure Injuries 

Faculty Mentor: Jimena Canchis Green

KAYLEE KOVACS

The Montgomery Experience: The Racial Divide in Mass Incarceration and Solitary Confinement 

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

AASTHA MAMIDI

Effect of Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Exposure during Pregnancy on Maternal Uterine Artery Function in Mice

Faculty Mentor: Chi Zhou 

NATHAN MIRANDA

Montgomery Experience - Policing Black Bodies

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks 

ALLISON ROMAN PEREZ

Montgomery Experience: Expressing Trauma Through Art 

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks

MIA SPONSELLER

Spatial Working Memory Differences Between Young and Old F344 Rats 

Faculty Mentor: Carol Barnes

RUBY STULTS

Montgomery Experience and Addressing the School to Prison Pipeline in the Ninth Circuit  

Faculty Mentor: Cheree Meeks