Majors: Biological Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology
Minors: Spanish, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship
AJ was inspired by Jurassic Park to become a genetic engineer. His research works to mine the incredible genetic diversity found in nature using bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and biochemistry. By genetically engineering microorganisms he hopes to produce enerty while treating wastewater, produce fertilizer for the Mars missions, and produce medically relevant compounds.
AJ plans to go on to MIT or Stanford for a PhD in Biological Engineering and Artificial Intelligence and eventually to work in his field as a researcher or owner of a biotechnology company. When he isn’t researching, AJ enjoys the outdoors, snow sports, and is a Search and Rescue Member.
Major: Nursing
Minor: Psychology
Nicole’s current research focuses on the use of story-writing as a pedagogical tool for long-term knowledge retention in students. She has also worked in a biochemistry lab and on an Alzheimer’s Disease trial study during her time at USU. Alongside being a student and researcher, Nicole has worked as a dietary aide in an assisted living home and is currently a medical assistant at a local clinic.
When she isn’t researching, Nicole enjoys tennis, rock climbing, and singing.
Major: Journalism
Minors: Computer Science, Music
Aleksander comes to USU from American Fork, Utah. His research trajectory began with work on the Digital Folklore Project in the English Department, tracking and documenting trends, memes, and hashtags on social media. His current research looks at the effects of social media on those with disabilities and their families.
Aleksander plans to attend graduate school before working for a non-profit organization. When he isn’t researching, Aleksander enjoys dogs, books, running, music, national parks, and Netflix.
Majors: Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering
From Sandy, Utah, Fiona’s academic focus is on aerospace engineering. Her research focuses on shiempflug lenses, evaluating the effectiveness of this type of lens to analyze the depth of field and accuracy. She has also done a project on the evolution of women in the Star Trek series.
Fiona plans on going to graduate school for astrophysics and to find a career in that field. When she isn’t researching, Fiona enjoys playing her flute and saxophone, gardening, and reading.
Major: Civil Engineering
Minor: Computer Science
You might recognize Paul from his Ignite talk in April of 2018—he describes himself as a ‘flamboyant, dancing, and overly excited engineering student who would love nothing more than to be everyone’s friend.’ Paul’s talk and his research focus on data analysis methods for residential water use, though he also studies the determinants of road use through GPS-enabled vehicles, such as bikes within a bike share system.
Paul hopes to find a civil engineering job that will allow him to apply his large dataset analysis skills. When he isn’t researching, Paul enjoys bowties, music and poetry, hiking and climbing, and reading.
Majors: Political Sciences, Art History
Katie’s unique degree combinations work perfectly for her; while she was interning for a political consulting firm in Washington, D.C., she was able to spend all of her free time in the National Gallery of Art. Likewise, her research includes both her major passions. She is currently working as a writer for the Aggies Geopolitical Observatory analyzing global politics and current events, but will be starting some art history research in the coming year.
Katie hopes to go to law school and end up in the capitol. When she isn’t researching, Katie enjoys reading, painting, traveling, and her pet fish William Beebe.
Major: Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science
Anneka is from Richland, WA. She loves spending time with friends and family, making food, exploring nature, reading, and enjoying all that USU has to offer. Anneka loves studying just about anything having to do with medicine and healthcare, but is especially excited by public health, genetics, and nutrition. She is also very interested in research on patient provider interactions, healthcare disparities, and what can be done to improve both.
Anneka hopes to attend graduate school and work in the medical field to improve the lives of those in underprivileged communities.
Majors: Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences, Wildlife Ecology
Minors: Statistics, Geographic Information Science
Kenen has been working on density-dependent fecundity in Common Carp, aging June Sucker, and Colorado Pikeminnow movements. He’s currently working on a project looking at how the microbes on salamander skin vary across life stages, through time, and with environmental factors. He has also volunteered on a number of nature service projects, working with animals from wolverines to sheep to pika.
Kenen’s career aspirations are to work directly for the conservation of aquatic organisms, especially amphibians. When he isn’t researching, Kenen enjoys running, skiing, and searching for reptiles and amphibians.
Majors: Biology, Public Health
Minors: Chemistry, Sociology
Rachel considers herself to be a little obsessive in putting hours into the projects she starts. This is useful in her research, as she is currently working on one project looking at why birds collide with glass windows and another on a health intervention pilot program. She has also worked in smaller research labs, but realized that she prefers the fieldwork and big-picture projects that impact public health and epidemiology.
Rachel plans to attend medical school after a public health master’s degree, with the eventual goal of becoming a public health physician and epidemiologist. When she isn’t researching, Rachel enjoys leisurely outdoor activities, hand embroidery, playing the clarinet, and her kitten Theo.
Majors: Conservation & Restoration Ecology, Wildlife Ecology
Minor: Statistics
Ethan moved to USU from Iowa, and has been amazed at the opportunities here for student involvement in research, especially fieldwork. His own research has taken him to Cedar Breaks National Monument, where he uses remote cameras to track wildlife distribution. His fieldwork has also given him the opportunity to hone a hobby of his, wildlife photography.
After graduate school, Ethan plans to conduct research on how encroachment impacts mammals on protected lands in the United States of America and on effective management actions to protect these species at a university. When he isn’t researching, Ethan enjoys being a trip leader in the USU Outdoor Program, backpacking, and hiking.
Major: Psychology
Minor: Statistics
Haylee is from Denver, Colorado. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, camping in the middle of no where, and a good cup of coffee. Broadly, she seeks to understand why people behave in ways that are not beneficial in the long run. She is currently examining impulsive decision making in the context of delay discounting. The delay discounting framework can be applied to behavioral problems such as drug addiction, obesity, smoking, and pollution.
After she graduates, Haylee plans to attend a PhD program in behavioral economics or experimental psychology, with hopes to eventually become a research professor.