The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) congratulates the following 41 teams accepted to be a part of the 2023-24 Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR) Program. The STR Program is a competitive application-based professional development opportunity for teams consisting of a campus representative and one to three undergraduate students. These teams will participate in a six-month program aimed at developing their communication and advocacy skills which will empower them to convey the power of the high-impact practices of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry experience to diverse stakeholder groups.
“We need civically engaged researchers now more than ever. As we enter into our second year of the STR Program, I look forward to working with these 2023-24 STR participants as they learn how to elevate their engagement skills and spread the word about the importance of undergraduate research.”
Lindsay Currie, CUR executive officer
These teams represent 35 institutions from 19 states and are made up of 41 Campus Representatives and 90 undergraduate researchers.
Alabama
- Helena Heiberger | University of North Alabama
- Hanna Jefcoat | University of North Alabama
- Cynthia Stenger | University of North Alabama
- Scarlett Swinea | University of North Alabama
Arizona
- Jose G. Moreno | Northern Arizona University
- Sophia Zuniga | Northern Arizona University
Arkansas
- Maureen Dolan | Arkansas State University
- Paige Fithen | Arkansas State University
- Drew Fleming | Arkansas State University
- Mishka Jeevan | Arkansas State University
- Landon Rogers | Arkansas State University
- Hannah Seats | Arkansas State University
- Emilio Soriano Chavez | Arkansas State University
- Carli Tackett | Arkansas State University
California
- Yumi Aguilar | California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- Jay Bettergarcia | California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- Chenin Gelera | California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- Amrit Pradhan | California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- Subodh Bhandari | California State Polytechnic University
- Hetkumar Ghadia | California State Polytechnic University
- Bazil Alvarez | California State University – Fullerton
- Megan Liang | California State University – Fullerton
- Jatin Mahey | California State University – Fullerton
- Ankita Mohapatra | California State University – Fullerton
- Taylor Gomez-Douglas | University of California – Los Angeles
- Kelly Kistner | University of California – Los Angeles
- Madison Lee | University of California – Los Angeles
- Citlali Tejada | University of California – Los Angeles
Florida
- Skylar Butler | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Benjamin Chaback | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Georgia
- Daniel Farr | Kennesaw State University
- Hannah Walden | Kennesaw State University
- Sarah Bauer | Mercer University
- Xzavier Longacre | Mercer University
- Anna Ruth Madera | Mercer University
- Shay Bataille | Piedmont University
- Addie Bowen | Piedmont University
- Julia Schmitz | Piedmont University
- Imani Vincent | Piedmont University
Louisiana
- Justin Anderson | Southeastern Louisiana University
- Victoria Debarbieris | Southeastern Louisiana University
- Kolby Sheets | Southeastern Louisiana University
- Breanna Statum | Southeastern Louisiana University
Maine
- Cayson Hamilton | The Jackson Laboratory
- Laura Muller | The Jackson Laboratory
- Elisa Saint-Denis | The Jackson Laboratory
- Michelle Seeler | The Jackson Laboratory
Maryland
- Sumra Chaudhry | Towson University
- Eber Guzman-Cruz | Towson University
- Dajaha Kenney | Towson University
- John Weldon | Towson University
Nebraska
- Alice McQueney | University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Suzanne Sollars | University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Gavin Toews | University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Brandon Villanueva Sanchez | University of Nebraska at Omaha
New Hampshire
- Crystal Bickford | Southern New Hampshire University
- Ester Mills | Southern New Hampshire University
New York
- Megan Dennis | Marist College
- Maggie Gravano | Marist College
- Chelsea Venters | Marist College
- Ryan Wise | Marist College
- Charly Campanella | St. John Fisher University
- Zachary Murphy | St. John Fisher University
- Kristina Wilson | St. John Fisher University
- Kodjo Adabra | SUNY Geneseo
- Genesis Flores | SUNY Geneseo
- Jessica Gilbert-Overland | SUNY Geneseo
- Seynha Jean Coute| SUNY Geneseo
- Olaocha Nwabara | SUNY Geneseo
- Arianna Whittaker | SUNY Geneseo
- Nora Whorton | SUNY Geneseo
- Emily Rendek | University of Rochester
- Lilli Tamm | University of Rochester
- Stephanie Wang | University of Rochester
Ohio
- Jeff Dusek | Baldwin Wallace University
- Nicole Schwartz | Baldwin Wallace University
- Julia Stein | Baldwin Wallace University
- Zach Hooten | Ohio State University
- Ray Mathew-Santhosham | Ohio State University
- Erin Murray | Ohio State University
- Kamorah Ryhlick | Ohio State University
Pennsylvania
- Kylie Calogero | Millersville University
- Ty Geiger | Millersville University
- Tatiana Pashkova-Balkenhol | Millersville University
- Sarah Qundes | Millersville University
- Sydney Rauchut | Millersville University
- Julissa Rodriguez | Millersville University
- Carrie Smith | Millersville University
Tennessee
- Maryam Gerges | Lipscomb University
- Leah Jacobs | Lipscomb University
- Joshua Owens | Lipscomb University
- Chad Phan | Lipscomb University
- Abby Powell | Lipscomb University
- Amanda Williams | Lipscomb University
- Edmund Zhu | Lipscomb University
- Mina Abdulkareem | Middle Tennessee State University
- Jamie Burriss | Middle Tennessee State University
- Brooke Busbee | Middle Tennessee State University
- Maxwell Brown | Milligan University
- Hailey Hetzler | Milligan University
- Thomas Johnson | Milligan University
- Kristen Mudrack | Milligan University
- Peyton Caroline Crates | University of Tennessee
- Vermont Dia | University of Tennessee
- Naylen Bryce McKenzie | University of Tennessee
- Alex Becker | Vanderbilt University
- Madison Roy | Vanderbilt University
Texas
- Nathan Abalos | Lamar University
- Ian Lian | Lamar University
- Morgan Luke | Lamar University
- Zaid Mohammed | Lamar University
- April Andreas | McLennan Community College
- Gisela Delfin | McLennan Community College
- Lum Kari | McLennan Community College
- Paloma Pena | McLennan Community College
- Alexandria Bell | University of Texas – Permian Basin
- Sarah Cho | University of Texas – Permian Basin
Utah
- Cristina Chirvasa | Utah State University
- Matteo Petit Bon | Utah State University
Virginia
- Connor Eickelman | Hampden-Sydney College
- Luis Meza | Hampden-Sydney College
- Andrew Winans | Hampden-Sydney College
- Michael Wolyniak | Hampden-Sydney College
- Ashley Glover | Radford University
- Sekyung Jang | Radford University
- Stockton Maxwell | Radford University
- Mira Smith | Radford University
Wisconsin
- Stephanie Beckman | Madison Area Technical College
- Robyn Deters | Madison Area Technical College
- Nikki Luck | Madison Area Technical College
- Danica Washington | Madison Area Technical College
Building from the success of the inaugural 2022-23 class of the STR Program. The STR program begins in October 2023 and concludes in April 2023 with a celebration of the program graduates during a spring capstone presentation activity.
Founded in 1978, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) focuses on providing high-quality and collaborative undergraduate research, scholarly, and creative activity. Among the many activities and networking opportunities that CUR provides, the organization also offers support for the professional growth of faculty and administrators through expert-designed institutes, conferences, and a wide-range of volunteer positions. The CUR community, made up of nearly 700 institutions and 13,000 individuals, continues to provide a platform for discussion and other resources related to mentoring, connecting, and creating relationships centered around undergraduate research. CUR’s advocacy efforts are also a large portion of its work as they strive to strengthen support for undergraduate research. Its continued growth in connections with representatives, private foundations, government agencies, and campuses world-wide provides value to its members and gives voice to undergraduate research. CUR is committed to inclusivity and diversity in all of its activities and our community.
CUR focuses on giving a voice to undergraduate research with learning through doing. It provides connections to a multitude of campuses and government agencies, all while promoting networking and professional growth to its community.