Nova Brown

Nova Brown is a graduating senior at the University of Saint Joseph. For the past three years, they have been focusing on the relationship between microorganisms, environmental change, and the impact of these factors on human health. Her publication explores how climate change influences the growth, distribution, and public health consequences of 5 different pathogenic fungi. Through this research opportunity, Nova has developed an interest in studying more about microbial ecology and will be pursuing a Ph.D. studying in that field.  

Nathaniel Dent

Nathaniel Cornell Dent is an honors junior psychology student from Norristown, Pennsylvania, attending Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Being the first in his family to attend a 4-year institution, his academic journey wasn’t traditional; adjusting to college life was a struggle at first, along with learning about academia and conferences. Nathaniel’s passion for research started when he submitted his first proposal to attend KU Inspires, an entry-level local research and creativity conference. Along with that conference, Nathaniel had the honor of attending The Washington Center’s annual National Security Seminar, which opened a whole new world of practical application for him. Most of Nathaniel’s research focuses on somatic therapy, a newer approach to psychotherapy that concentrates on the mind-body connection. Nathaniel is currently working on a literature review essay on somatic therapy and its potential effectiveness on generalized anxiety disorder and other mental afflictions, in preparation for his honors capstone, which is an experiment functionally testing a pilot somatic intervention.

Ava Figueroa

Hi! My name is Ava Figueroa, and I am a senior studying psychology at Point Park University. I am currently enrolled in the 4+1 Community Psychology B.A./M.A. program and hope to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology in the human science orientation. I am heavily involved in Point Park’s Honors Program, as I have served as Secretary, President-Elect, and now President of the Honors Student Organization, along with working as an Honors Assistant in the campus office and serving 3 years as an Honors Mentor. For the past few years, I have also served on the executive boards of Confluence Psychology Alliance, Latinx Student Association, and the Student Advisory Board for the School of Arts and Sciences. Fun fact: I love to dance! I have been dancing since I was 4 years old, and have now been competing on Point Park’s dance team. 

CeCe Grimberg

CeCe Grimberg is a junior at Loyola University Maryland pursuing a dual degree in Data Science and Information Systems & Data Analytics with a minor in Finance. She is a member of the Sellinger Scholars and Hyman Science Scholars programs and has been named to the Dean’s List. At Loyola, CeCe serves as Head of Marketing for the Loyola Consulting Group, Vice President of the Information Systems Student Organization, and an intern with the Simon Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Her academic interests center on using data and technology to better understand economic and social challenges. Outside the classroom, CeCe is captain of Loyola’s women’s ice hockey team and also plays field hockey. Following graduation, she hopes to combine her interests in data, technology, finance, and business to solve complex problems and create meaningful impact.

Lily Kearney

Lily Kearney is a junior at Montclair State University majoring in Music Performance with a minor in Japanese. She is fascinated by the intersection of language and the performing arts, with a focus on fostering cross-cultural understanding through music and storytelling. Her long-term goal is to pursue graduate study and build a career that strengthens connections between Japan and the United States through artistic and educational initiatives, while continuing to engage in research related to music and intercultural communication. She enjoys writing fiction and exploring the ways writing can capture personal experiences and connections between people, as seen in her short story, “Abjection.”

Uma Kuwar

Uma Kuwar recently graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from The College of New Jersey. As a premed researcher, her interests have focused on the intersection of women and biomedical systems, centering on equity for marginalized populations. She currently works as a Research Coordinator for an orthopedics scoliosis surgery practice, expanding on her clinical experience by conducting mentor-led research and participating in longitudinal patient care. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, hiking, and playing the piano.

Samantha Lewis Bullen

Samantha Lewis Bullen is a junior in Macaulay Honors at Lehman College. She is pursuing a
major in Environmental Science with a minor in Public Health on the pre-medical track. She has
completed several faculty-mentored research projects under the guidance of her college's
Honors program director, exploring topics that reflect her broader academic interests.In addition
to her studies, she is an intern in the ED-CEMP program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
She hopes to pursue a career in medicine focused on improving Black maternal health
outcomes and addressing the racial and socioeconomic disparities that affect maternal
healthcare. Her interest in Black maternal health also extends to her research, where she
explores the historical and social conditions that have shaped Black motherhood and family
structures. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, she contributes to a Bronx-based
immigration journal by assisting student writers with research and article development.

Michael Lott

Michael Lott is currently a student at the Community College of Allegheny County studying computer information systems and mathematics. Once they finish their associate's degrees this school year, they plan to transfer to the University of Pittsburgh to study computer science. They are deeply interested in computer graphics and hope to pursue a development or research role in this field. They also serve as the president of the CCAC Computer Club, and they are working with one of their professors to teach game programming to their peers through a series of small workshops. Alongside these interests, they love photography, especially landscapes and wildlife. Michael spends much of their free time hiking and biking in new places while working on their photography skills. 

Justin Marracchini

Justin Marraccini is a 1L candidate for Juris Doctor at Widener University Delaware Law School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Elizabethtown College, where he majored in Legal Studies, minored in Economics, and competed as a collegiate varsity baseball player. His academic research centers around legal regulation, economics, and intercollegiate athletics, with an emphasis on legislative reform and athlete empowerment. In his thesis, Leveling the Field: Evaluating the Impact of the Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act and Other Legislation on NCAA Governance and Athlete Rights in College Sports, Justin analyzes how federal statutory proposals, state legislation, and evolving antitrust scrutiny challenge traditional NCAA governance models and redefine economic and legal protections for student-athletes.

Prakriti Nepal

Prakriti Nepal is an undergraduate student at William Paterson University of New Jersey pursuing degrees in Finance and Mathematics with a minor in Economics. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of mathematics, finance, economics, and data analysis. Her work, “Optimal Investment Portfolio Design via Mean-Variance Optimization,” explores the mathematical foundations of portfolio selection and the relationship between risk, return, correlation, and diversification. She presented this research at the 2026 Mathematical Association of America MathFest Undergraduate Student Poster Session in Boston. Prakriti has also worked as an Economic Research Assistant at Haver Analytics, where she analyzed macroeconomic and financial data. She is a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honor society, and serves as President of William Paterson’s Data Analytics and Science Club. She plans to pursue a career in economic and quantitative research.

Adriana Palagano

Adriana Palagano is an undergraduate student studying Clinical Psychology at Monmouth University and is a member of the Honors School and Psi Chi Honors Society. Her academic interests include clinical psychology, interpersonal relationships, and neuropsychology. She had examined the relationship between attachment styles and the identification of problems in romantic relationships. She has also gained research experience through Monmouth University's Clinical Psychology Research Laboratory, where she assists with psychological research and academic conferences. Beyond research, Adriana currently serves as President of the Psychology Club at Monmouth University and is also beginning a clinical experience at Hackensack Meridian Health, where she will gain exposure to mental health services in a hospital setting. Through these experiences, Adriana hopes to continue developing her understanding of clinical psychology and pursue a doctoral degree in providing mental health care. 

Jaden Razum

Jaden Razum is currently a student at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) in Pittsburgh, PA. They are studying Culinary Arts, as well as Foodservice Restaurant Management. Jaden Razum graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County in May of 2026 with an Associates of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts, and decided to go back to CCAC to finish their two other culinary degrees. They partake in their school's honors program and helps the program out as an Honor's Ambassador.  In their free time, Jaden Razum loves to take photos of everything they see, and loves to capture the best moments in life.

Allison Spong

Allison Spong is a May 2026 graduate of Dominican University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in Public Health Informatics and Technology. She is a registered nurse with a strong interest in patient-centered care and the methods in which nurses can address the whole person beyond their physical health needs. Her undergraduate research, “Nurses’ Perceptions of Faith, Religion, and Spirituality in Healthcare,” explores nurses’ perspectives on incorporating faith and spirituality into clinical practice, as well as the role of education in supporting spiritual care. As a new graduate nurse, Allison hopes to continue learning and advocating for holistic, patient-centered nursing practice that recognizes each patient’s individual values, beliefs, and needs.

Hayden Tucker

Hayden Tucker graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian from Thiel College in May 2026, earning a B.S. in Neuroscience and Biology and a B.A. in Philosophy as a member of the Dietrich Honors Institute. As an undergraduate, he conducted structural biology research at Case Western Reserve University on LptH, a protein involved in lipopolysaccharide transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, where he developed the isolation method described in this paper. He is currently a Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, studying helminth immunology in the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases. Hayden plans to pursue an MD/PhD, with the long-term goal of leading a lab focused on neural repair. Outside the lab, he focuses on game design and storytelling in handcrafted worlds. 

Julianna Vockroth

Julianna Vockroth is a writer and editor with a B.A. in English Literature from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she graduated summa cum laude from the University Honors Program, with minors in Cinema Studies and British Studies. Her academic interests include Victorian literature, feminist writings, and the intersection between literature and culture. Her thesis examines representations of women's mental health in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. She formerly served as Editor-in-Chief of FDU's literary magazine, Cygnus, and currently works as an Editorial Associate in publishing. She hopes to continue her career in publishing and editorial work, and further her education in literature. 

Cloe Loosz

Elisabeth Wachter is a community college STEM student. Currently, she is earning her
associate’s in STEM technology, but her goal is to transfer to a four-year university and major
in aerospace engineering or astrophysics. Once she earns her bachelor's, her aim is to work at
NASA, either in spacecraft design or astrophysics research. Alternatively, the aviation nerd in
her dreams of piloting X-planes for NASA as a test pilot (right now she’s trying to earn her
civilian pilot's license on small aircraft). Outside of being a student, she is a lifelong runner who
ran a half marathon a few years ago, which she plans to repeat to improve her time. Elisabeth
enjoys playing with her cats and reading (any genre, but especially science nonfiction and
fiction). She is also a collector of vintage cassette tapes and loves scavenging in old thrift
shops for her next listen.

Coco Wallace

Coco Wallace is a junior psychology major at Stevenson University. She also has a triple-minor in communications, entrepreneurship, and marketing. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in psychology as well. She is a right-forward on the NCAA field hockey team and participates in many other extracurriculars. One extracurricular of note is the American Sign Language (ASL) Club that she founded in which she serves as president. She wishes to pursue ASL interpreting as part of her future career path. She enjoys writing, trying new hobbies, learning Spanish, and working out in her free time. She is excited to continue her growth as a person and writer by maintaining her curiosity and exploring the world.

Mackenzie Wheelock

Mackenzie is a first year student at Stetson University College of Law. She graduated summa
cum laude from Salisbury University in May of 2026 completing the Clarke Honors College with
a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Law, Justice, and Advocacy, as well as a B.A. in Political
Science with a minor in Business Administration. During her undergraduate career, she was
inducted into four academic honors societies and had the honor of receiving the Justin Y. Shen
Award for academic excellence in the political science program. She has published research on
university accommodations for students with disabilities and presented both her disability
research and drunk driving reform research at multiple conferences. She further hopes her
research on drunk driving legal reform can be utilized in her career as a criminal prosecutor and
eventually as a judge in criminal court.

Jawad Zaman

Jawad Zaman is a senior undergraduate Honors student at St. Joseph's University, New York, majoring in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Business Administration. On campus, he serves as the President of the Student Government Association and Chair of the Food Pantry Committee. Originally from Bangladesh, Jawad moved to the U.S. in 2024 and recently returned from a semester studying abroad in Japan. With over a decade of coding experience, he is passionate about participating in research conferences, hackathons, science summits, and robotics competitions. His primary interests include machine learning, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic bias, and he plans to pursue a Ph.D. after completing his undergraduate studies. Outside of academia, Jawad values meaningful personal connections and enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and mentors.