URF Ambassadors

Our Undergraduate Research Fellowship Ambassadors are here to help students learn about the program and get involved. Reach out for guidance in understanding research, applying for the fellowship, and learning about the undergraduate research experience. As current outstanding research fellows, ambassadors are the best source for an inside perspective on research at Utah State University.

Jeremy Case headshot

Jeremy Case

Major: Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

Jeremy is from Twin Falls, Idaho and is in his third year of the Biotechnology program. He is a member of the USU Western Equestrian Team and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity on campus. Jeremy and the Benninghoff Lab introduce certain functional foods to experimental mouse models on a Western diet to determine if they alter the gut microbiome and reduce colorectal inflammation. The pre-clinical research aims to lower colon cancer risk via diet.

In his free time, Jeremy enjoys skiing, quilting, and spending time with his horse out at the farm. He wants to attend vet school after his undergraduate and practice mixed animal or emergency room medicine.

Ta'Mariah Jenkins headshot

Ta’Mariah Jenkins

Major: Political Science

Minors: Leadership/Management, Anticipatory Intelligence

Born in Anchorage, Alaska Ta'Mariah is an individual that continually strives to conduct a high level of involvement for herself as a USU student and within. She believes that education is a privilege and an opportunity that must be taken full advantage of! She started research in high school as an AP Research student studying SRO officer interactions with high school students and has since presented at the I3SC symposium at a university level on the packaging systems for retail fulfillment centers for companies through the lens of Amazon.

Ta'Mariah's goal in the future is to obtain her master's and is considering attending law school. She is looking into a career in education on a government level or working for a corporate position at a company. Some things she enjoys are reading, fishing, and working towards growth for herself and others.

Radeyah Kaplan headshot

Radeyah Kaplan

Major: Art History

Minors: Psychology, Museum Studies (Certificate)

Radeyah is from Layton, Utah, and enjoys drawing, hiking, playing video games, doing anything that involves animals, and participating in a variety of USU’s activities. Radeyah wants to use research to explore the connections between art and the mind, and gain a deeper understanding of humanity throughout different cultures and time periods. Art History is all about the preservation of culture, and making sure that the stories told by artists, both ancient and modern, continue to be told, and Radeyah finds this particularly important. Radeyah plans to attend graduate school, and eventually pursue a career as either a museum curator or a university professor.

Carter Ottley headshot

Carter Ottley

Majors: Journalism, Political Science, Digital Writing and Publication, Nonprofit Organization and Social Entrepreneurship

Minors: Marketing, Marketing Design

Carter is an undergraduate research fellow and Honors student studying journalism with a public relations and social media emphasis. He is also minoring in political science, marketing design, and digital writing & publication. Following graduation he hopes to work at a public relations agency.

He has been involved in undergraduate research his whole time at USU, and he presented research on pandemic's impacts on media and technology usage in college students at the National Conference of Undergraduate research in 2023.

Beyond research involvement, he has been highly involved in the USU Student Association as the current Public Relations director, the 2022-2023 Academic Senator for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and a variety of other committees. With his very limited free time outside of school, he enjoys reading, hiking and going to chilis.

Spencer Mullen headshot

Spencer Mullen

Major: Public Health

Spencer is from Pocatello, Idaho. He is a junior studying Public Health with an emphasis in Industrial Hygiene and minors in Chemistry and Spanish. He is currently involved in antiviral research, specifically focusing on the adaptation of certain strains of influenza and the COVID virus to develop more effective vaccines for the general population.

Spencer hopes to attend medical school after graduation from USU. As a dedicated ski bum, avid Aggies sports fan, passionate ice cream eater, and enthusiastic learner, he enjoys taking advantage of the experiences and opportunities available through the university and its beautiful surroundings.

Paul Bradford headshot

Paul Bradford

Major: Electrical Engineering

Paul grew up in Logan, Utah in the shadow of Utah State University and just couldn't bring himself to go anywhere else. He is studying electrical engineering. His research focuses on using Machine Learning to estimate electric vehicle battery capacity, as well as evaluating the reliability of electric vehicle chargers.

Paul plans to attend graduate school here at Utah State to continue studying electrical engineering and hopes to end up working with electric vehicles. Outside of research and school Paul enjoys running, being outside, and getting schooled in Battlefront by his wife.

Cristina Chirvasa headshot

Cristina Chirvasa

Majors: Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Wildlife Ecology and Management

Minors: Sociology, Art, Criminal Justice

Cristina is from Timisoara, Romania but has been living in Utah for the past 12 years. She loves traveling, attending concerts, engaging in climate and social justice advocacy, and creating art of all sorts. She has been involved in several research projects in the natural resources and queer studies. Her current primary project studies how plant characteristics are adapting to climate change impacts (warming, flooding, and changes in herbivory) in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.

Cristina hopes to dedicate her career to studying environmental changes that are forcing migration of human communities and using her research to advocate for global policy changes.

Cassey Ivie headshot

Cassey Ivie

Major: Psychology

Minors: American Sign Language, Computer Science

Cassey is from West Jordan, Utah. She is a Senior and absolutely loves being an Aggie. She has enjoyed being involved in UTF, Honors, Blue Crew, Collegiate 4-H, and USU Miracle Club over the years. Academically, she loves learning about languages, cognition, and the brain. She also is passionate about Students Events and Community Engagement. In her free time, she likes hiking, card games, and playing the harmonica.

Cassey hopes to attend graduate school to earn a PhD in Neuroscience.