This year’s fall Undergraduate Research Scholarship awardees have been chosen. Four University of New Mexico students are supported in their pursuit of research with a UNM faculty member. Winners are given a $500 departmental award.
The proposed research may be conducted as an independent study, a departmental honors project or any other avenue that is currently unpaid. The Undergraduate Research Scholarship is intended to support students who currently have no recourse to be paid to conduct research in their area of interest.
This year’s awardees are Sarah Lee, Lucien Gil Rey, Paniz Aghapour Maleki, and Ava Clayton. For more information about scholarship opportunities, visit URAD’s website and sign up to be notified through the newsletter.
Sarah describes her research as rigorous scientific evidence emphasizes the devastating effects and future harm of anthropogenic climate change on the Earth and its inhabitants; however, collective action and support for climate policy remain insufficient. The Climate Activism Study investigates communicative, psychological, and sociodemographic factors that may mitigate gaps between climate change knowledge and activism. Ultimately, the research aims to advance climate education and policy strategies to motivate pro-environmental attitudes and behavior.
"I'm thrilled for the opportunity to conduct research on the psychological components of climate change activism. In a busy world that is increasingly challenging to keep up with, it can be difficult to allocate space, time, and energy to the issues that matter most to us. As climate change can be especially overwhelming, I am excited to work with the great faculty and resources at UNM to understand and tackle this issue from a transdisciplinary approach."
My proposed research explores whether individuals with a higher sensation seeking tendencies experience an increased risk of substance use among individuals with dissociative symptoms.
“This project is one of the steps to achieve my academic objectives, as well as an excellent opportunity to start working on my areas of interest, and to learn new skills that will help me in future endeavors.”
My work focuses on isolating and identifying compounds from Ericameria nauseosa to determine whether it contains molecules with known or potential antibacterial properties, as part of a broader research initiative to ethically investigate Navajo medicinal plants for alternative antimicrobial agents. As antimicrobial resistance becomes a growing global issue, I aim to identify possible novel drug leads from the isolated natural products while increasing engagement with Indigenous communities in scientific research.
"This research project has taught me that the material I’ve learned in my coursework—chemistry, biology, statistics, and even ethics—come together in a meaningful way. It’s one thing to study these subjects in class but applying them to real-world drug discovery has increased my understanding of each subject and their broader impact."
My research focuses on ticks in New Mexico and the western U.S. and what pathogens they transmit. We are aiming to identify the most common species in the region so we can focus on finding strategies to interrupt or reduce tick-borne disease transmission.
“I’m deeply grateful to the Honors community for connecting me with incredible mentors and opportunities like this research, which has shown me the real-world impact science can have and has pushed me to further pursue my education.”
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