The 52 students selected for the 2026 Undergraduate Summer Opportunities for Applying Research (U-SOAR) will present their original research projects during the U-SOAR Research Symposium on August 19 from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Sutton Hall’s Blue Room.
The Research Symposium is open to the community; it is the final event for the U-SOAR program.
U-SOAR is a 10-week summer program that offers selected undergraduate students, working with a faculty mentor, to engage in original, inquiry-based research, scholarship, or creative endeavors. Students also have the opportunity to attend professional development workshops and complete a number of enrichment programs related to research and career success.
The program is open to students in all disciplines who are academically qualified, but students are chosen through a competitive application process. IUP’s U-SOAR program is one of only a few summer university-wide research programs with participants from across all colleges and majors.
Associate Vice Provost for Libraries and Research Support Services Kelly Heider coordinates the U-SOAR program.
“The record-breaking 2026 U-SOAR cohort demonstrates that undergraduate research is thriving at IUP,” Heider said. “With 52 students representing disciplines across the university, this year’s program showcases the remarkable curiosity, talent, and dedication of our students. Their work, guided by outstanding faculty mentors, is preparing the next generation of researchers, professionals, and leaders.”
In addition to working on their individual research projects, students in the U-SOAR program attended presentations and seminars through the summer, including “Library Research and Literature Reviews,” “Thinking about the Research Design Process: Logic and Alignment,” “Introduction to STEAMSHOP,” and workshops on poster presentations and public speaking. Students also participated in a research panel discussion with students and faculty mentors who completed U-SOAR projects during previous summers.
The 2026 U-SOAR student researchers are:
Shahd Abulaila
Senior computer science cybersecurity major from Indiana
Shahd Abulaila
Abulaila’s project is “Deep Learning for Reliable Pneumonia Detection in Chest X-Ray Images.” Her faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
“Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of illness and death among children worldwide, making early and accurate diagnosis an important challenge in modern healthcare,” Abulaila said. “My project aims to develop a deep learning-based system for classifying pediatric chest X-ray images as either normal or pneumonia. By comparing multiple deep learning models, I hope to identify an approach that provides accurate, reliable, and efficient pneumonia detection. This work has the potential to support healthcare professionals by assisting with early diagnosis and improving medical decision-making, particularly in settings where access to experienced radiologists may be limited.”
Abulaila is the daughter of Ahlam Abulaila and Khaled Abulaila and is a 2024 graduate of Indiana Area Senior High School. She is the recipient of a Sutton Scholarship.
Hayden Anderson
Sophomore biology pre-medicine major in the Cook Honors College from Greencastle
Hayden Anderson
Anderson’s project is “Characterizing Enzymatic Activity in Echinocandin-Resistant FKS1 Mutants.” His faculty mentor is Cuong Diep from the Department of Biology.
“Fungal pathogens account for more than 3.8 million deaths annually and affect more than 1 billion people globally,” Anderson said. “Current first-choice treatments like echinocandins (which target the FKS1 protein) are losing effectiveness as new resistance strains are evolving due to mutations in the FKS1 gene. It is imperative to understand how these mutations affect the drug binding process in order to design new therapeutics.
“To understand the mechanism of drug-resistant mutations, I will generate mutant yeast strains and characterize the enzymatic activity of FKS1 in these mutants (one hotspot mutant and five non-hotspot mutants),” he said.
“I had always been motivated to ask questions in my high-school science classes, but at the time, I did not yet have the tools to answer them. During IUP’s Welcome Week, I began reaching out to professors, taking the initiative to see how I could get involved with providing meaningful contributions to science. Dr. Diep allowed me to begin training under his mentorship to work on pathogenic fungal resistance.
“Throughout my freshman year, I have been learning the techniques required to work on my project of Characterizing Enzymatic Activity in Echinocandin-Resistant FKS1 Mutants. Dr. Diep trained me in techniques such as inoculating yeast cells, DNA transformation, creating and running my own PCR products, and gel extraction. I also learned how to use a variety of equipment, such as a centrifuge, the autoclave, and the incubator. Through this training, I now understand that research is more than just techniques; it is about resilience when troubleshooting and how to think critically with experimental design.
“Because of Dr. Diep’s mentorship, I feel comfortable in all steps of the scientific process, and I have developed the skills that will make me self-sufficient in the lab. I believe that obtaining the lab experience this summer will be crucial in jump-starting my career and allow me to collect data to be able to apply for more grants in the future.
“This project provides a meaningful path into a future medical career for me. I believe that undergraduate research experience will make me a competitive applicant to programs like MD and PhD programs where I can pursue a career as a medical scientist. This would allow me to have my dream career combining patient care with research,” he said.
Anderson, son of Lance Anderson and Christine Anderson, is a 2025 graduate of Greencastle High School. He is a dean’s list student, an IUP Ambassador, and a member of the American Medical Student Association and the University Band. He has been a chemistry tutor and has volunteered at the Indiana Regional Medical Center Emergency Room and the Indiana Community Garden.
Evan Boose
Sophomore biology pre-medicine major from Altoona
Boose’s project is “Oxidation Synthesis,” and his faculty mentor is Justin Fair from the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
The project explores the development of chiral oxidants through the use of nitroxide chemistry as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional oxidation methods. Overall, the research seeks to expand the application of green, chiral oxidation catalysts in modern synthetic chemistry and ultimately, help to change the way that drugs are designed to change their effectiveness in treating diseases.
“My ultimate goal in life is to become a doctor, and I believe this research will help me achieve this goal,” Boose said. “I think that this experience will prepare me and set me aside from other professional school applicants. It will also help me to get valuable hands-on experience that will shape my future,” he said.
Boose, son of Dennis and Melanie Boose, is a 2024 graduate of Altoona High School. He is a dean’s list student.
Lauren Bryant
Junior theater major in the Cook Honors College from Rehrersburg
Lauren Bryant
Bryant’s project is “Creative Women’s Care: Art as a Radical Tool in Maternal Health.” Her faculty mentor is BA Harrington from the Department of Art and Design.
For her project, Bryant explores the need for accessible perinatal support systems and the use of “birth art” to fill this gap. Her exploration is primarily based on experiential research in the “Birthing from Within” birth art professional training.
“Birth art is a guided creation process using mediums such as pastels, chalk, and clay to explore the emotional and intuitive aspects of the perinatal experience,” Bryant said. “Birthing from Within’s birth art process is unique in its ability to de-pathologize and normalize the hopes, fears, and struggles of motherhood, thus destigmatizing and creating safe spaces for women to explore their experiences, while also equipping their trainees with trauma-informed care practices, enabling us to refer out when necessary, and providing mothers with accessible resources for their well-being.
“I found deep inspiration during my time training with them this summer, and my explorations led to further applications of the process in women’s health. Art can be incredibly wide-reaching, and I believe that it is an incredible tool for creating accessible community women’s care,” Bryant said.
Bryant was a 2024 and 2025 U-SOAR participant. In 2024, her U-SOAR research explored principles of neurosomatic acting in relation to somatic therapy techniques and the overlapping concepts as investigated during an in-person neurosomatic acting workshop. In addition, she conducted research in the form of an academic inquiry paper over the course of the fall 2024 semester. She also explored the use of drama therapy techniques in doula and birth-coaching work.
During the 2025 U-SOAR program, she developed original drama therapy activities and exercises based on biopsychology and neurosomatic principles, and during the 2026 spring semester, she received an undergraduate research grant for her performance research and development of a prenatal and labor high-fidelity theatrical simulation for the purpose of more effective birth doula training. Within this simulation, she explored theater training techniques as comfort measures to be implemented during labor and childbirth.
Bryant, daughter of Sara and Gregory Bryant, is a 2023 graduate of Tulpehocken High School. She is a dean’s list student and provost scholar and received the 2026 Eisen Scholarship for Academic Achievement, the 2026 IUP Theater Department Outstanding Playwright Award, the 2026 Outstanding Achievement as a Creative Scholar Award, a 2026 Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award for her performance in By the Time We Got to Woodstock, and the 2025 Michael Hood Theater Scholarship, and she was a 2026 nominee from IUP for the American College Theater Festival Irene Ryan competition.
She was a member of the Simulated Patient-Applied Theater Ensemble and completed the Erasmus+Neurosomatic Acting Workshop. She also completed the 2024 International Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Training Conference, Birthing Gently LLC conferences and trainings, and Flow of Life Doula trainings. She received the Childbirth Educator scholarship from Birthing from Within and is currently pursuing certification. Bryant hopes to attend St. Catherine University next fall for her master of arts in holistic health studies.
Caden Croft
Junior software engineering and data science mathematics major from Johnstown
Caden Croft
Croft’s project is “Old Ships and New Tech: Finding Great Lakes Shipwrecks with Machine Learning.” His faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
“There are about 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, and many have still not been found,” Croft said.
“Traditional search methods take a long time because researchers must scan small sections of the lake floor at a time. However, new multibeam sonar technology allows much faster data collection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recently surveyed large areas of the Great Lakes. Although this is the case, there is now more sonar data than experts can realistically analyze by hand, which allows for new opportunities for analysis using intelligent computer models,” Croft said.
“Using machine learning to identify shipwrecks in sonar data could help researchers find new wrecks more efficiently,” Croft said. “By training a model with data from known shipwrecks, the system could detect possible wreck locations in unexplored areas. This would help protect and manage shipwrecks under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act and improve our understanding of history. Shipwrecks are important because they show technological changes, preserve artifacts from the past, and help scientists study underwater environments. Finding and studying these wrecks can also increase public interest in history, science, and STEM fields, and also teach people how computer science can be applied to real-life situations,” Croft said.
This U-SOAR project continues Croft’s ongoing research with Grieggs and IUP Distinguished University Professor Ben Ford through the National Science Foundation Pennsylvania Science DMZ program.
“As a software engineering and data science mathematics student, I am very interested in gaining research experience that allows me to apply programming, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills to real-world challenges,” he said.
Croft plans on continuing his research project throughout the upcoming semesters through IUP’s EXPANDS Opportunities Scholarship Program. “I am determined to continue making progress with my advisor to produce results that will further help my community,” he said.
Croft is the son of Karin Croft and Jeffrey Croft and is a 2024 graduate of Central Cambria High School. He is a dean’s list student, a recipient of the Emily Lee Scholarship, a tutor for the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, a member of the IUP Competitive Programming Team and the IUP Sign Language Club, and a notetaker for students through IUP’s Department for Disability Access and Advising. He is a Bible study leader and communications coordinator for the IUP Coalition of Christian Outreach.
Cameron Danchanko
Junior geology major from Johnstown
Danchanko’s project is “Evaluating Identification Methods for Microplastics within the Two-Lick Creek Watershed.” Her faculty mentor is Katherine Farnsworth from the Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences.
Danchanko’s study will continue the work started by a former U-SOAR student and Farnsworth to identify microplastics in stream beds and refine the overall lab procedure to better assess the presence of microplastics in stream beds.
“A series of refined methods will be tested and compared, and more advanced equipment will be utilized to identify any smaller particles,” Danchanko said. “By comparing the accuracy and efficiency of these methods to our previous project, this research aims to contribute to the development of more standardized protocols for microplastic detection in freshwater environments. This project is important because it contributes to the developing understanding of microplastic presence in freshwater systems,” she said.
Danchanko, daughter of Caryn and Mike Danchanko, is a 2023 graduate of Westmont Hilltop Junior-Senior High School. She is a dean’s list student and a provost scholar. She is vice president of the Geological Society of IUP and participated in a community service project to remove invasive species from an area nature center.
Kylie Diem
Sophomore music education and music performance major from Rochester Mills
Kylie Diem
Diem’s project is “Understanding and Addressing Mental Health Challenges Among Undergraduate Music Students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.” Her faculty mentor is Dr. Craig Denison from the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance.
Her project will investigate the mental health challenges, stressors, and support needs of undergraduate music students at IUP. While existing research suggests that musicians experience elevated levels of anxiety, burnout, and performance-related stress, there is currently no localized data that reflects the specific experiences of IUP music students. This study will use an anonymous, survey-based design to assess levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout and to identify contributing factors such as academic workload, performance pressure, and time demands.
The survey will also explore students’ use of coping strategies and support systems, along with perceived gaps in available resources. In addition to surveying current students, this project may incorporate responses from recent alumni to provide insight into long-term impacts and reflections on their undergraduate experiences.
“The ultimate goal of this research is not only to better understand the scope of mental health challenges within the IUP music department, but also to develop practical, student-informed recommendations that can improve wellness, support systems, and educational practices within the department,” Diem said. “This project is important because it provides data-driven insight into the mental health challenges faced by music students, allowing for the development of targeted, practical strategies to improve student well-being and success within the department.”
Diem, daughter of Ken and Karen Diem, is a 2024 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. She is a dean’s list student and recipient of the Sutton Scholarship. She participated in U-SOAR in 2025. She is the executive drum major of the IUP Marching Band after serving as the assistant drum major in 2025, is president of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association, and is the region 2 and 3 coordinator and state secretary treasurer of the organization. She is an instructor in the IUP String Project and is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota (Kappa Beta chapter).
Samantha Fogle
Junior early childhood-special education major from Chest Springs
Samantha Fogle
Fogle’s project is “Improving a Rural School District by Interpreting and Analyzing Data.” Her faculty mentor is Susan Sibert from the Department of Professional Studies in Education.
For her project, Fogle and her faculty mentor will work with the superintendent of an area school district, with the goal of helping to improve the district and benefit students.
“I am incredibly excited to be a future educator; it is important to me that I do all the research I can to help my future students and be the best educator I can be,” Fogle said.
Fogle, daughter of Sharon and Dan Fogle, is a 2023 graduate of Cambria Heights High School. She is a dean’s list student, a member of Kappa Delta Pi education honor society, the IUP Pennsylvania State Education Association, and a photographer for the IUP Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) group.
Tracy Gordish
Senior sociology major and religious studies minor from Creekside
Gordish’s project is “Breaking with Tradition: Millennial Attitudes Toward Parental and Grandparental Norms.” Her faculty mentor is Hilario Molina from the Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology.
Her study is intended to learn and understand how parents and grandparents of the millennial generation are dealing with and trying to understand millennial resistance and complete mindset departure from the logic of past practices. She will use autoethnography to contextualize the researcher’s lived experiences with intergenerational tension and gather data through a structured interview process.
“This study is significant because it provides insight into why millennials adopt different values and practices,” Gordish said. “Future studies may build on these findings by developing and evaluating strategies that promote mutual understanding between millennials and their relatives.”
Gordish, who works at IUP, plans to pursue a master’s degree in criminology in the fall.
Gordish graduated from Homer Center Junior Senior High School in 1990. She is a dean’s list student and a provost scholar.
Liam Gray
Junior computer science software engineering major from Tarentum
Liam Gray
Gray’s project is “Using Artificial Intelligence to Support Early Alzheimer’s Detection Through Brain Imaging and Cognitive Assessment Scores.” His faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
His project will explore how artificial intelligence can be used to help to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by analyzing brain imaging data alongside cognitive test and evaluation scores. It will focus on whether combining medical imaging information, such as MRI or PET scan features, with cognitive assessment scores can improve early classification of Alzheimer’s risk compared to either type of data alone.
“The goal of this research is to compare different machine learning approaches, including imaging-only models, test-score-only models, and combined models,” Gray said. “This project is important because early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can help patients, families, and healthcare providers make informed decisions sooner.”
Son of Laura Gray, he is a 2021 graduate of Deer Lakes High School.
Teedra Harvey
Senior sociology major from Pittsburgh
Harvey’s project is “How Does Experiencing Household Isolation Within Marriage Affect the Emotional Well Being of Women.” Her faculty mentor is Hilario Molina from the Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology.
“I chose this topic because I wanted to shed some light on how married women are expected to manage households independently, even when financial responsibilities are shared,” Harvey said.
She will use an autoethnography methodological approach. Her project is designed to help society shed light on the invisible labor and emotional strain on women in a marriage and serve as a foundation for future research on gender inequality and mental health.
Harvey, daughter of Roger and Sonja Harvey, is a 2023 graduate of Penn Hills High School. She is a dean’s list student.
Isabella Johnson
Junior languages and systems major in the Cook Honors College from New Bethlehem
Johnson’s project is “Field and Value Extraction from Heterogeneous Paperwork Using a Large Language Model.” Her faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
Her project explores the use of a large language model to identify and extract key fields and corresponding values from documents of diverse formats, including forms, scans, and semi-structured text. This approach reduces the need for format-specific extraction rules and offers a flexible alternative for automating document processing workflows.
Johnson has been working with Grieggs on the project for the past semester and presented her work at the IUP Women in STEM Summit and the Scholars Forum.
“My research is designed to reduce data entry, making it easier for small to large businesses to handle various types of ever-changing paperwork without requiring a full software overhaul or changing templates for every small change in company formats,” Johnson said. “It will also be a tremendous tool for businesses still trying to switch from filing cabinets of documents to digital systems.”
Johnson, daughter of Kevin and Shannon Johnson, is a 2021 graduate of Christ Dominion Academy. She is a dean’s list student and is a member of the IUP Competitive Programming Team.
Joshua Kanezo
Senior computer science major from Pottsville
Kanezo’s project is “Using Machine Learning to Detect Dark Patterns in Digital Interface Language.” His faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
His project will investigate whether machine learning can be used to identify dark patterns in short pieces of website or app interface text. The study will focus on language-based examples, such as fake urgency, scarcity warnings, guilt-tripping opt-out buttons, misleading consent prompts, and subscription-related pressure. A dataset of dark pattern and non-dark pattern interface text will be collected from public examples, research sources, and manually created neutral comparison examples.
“The goal is not to create a perfect detection system, but to explore how AI can help identify manipulative digital design practices and where automated detection may have limitations,” Kanezo said. “This research could contribute to broader conversations about ethical technology, user privacy, and responsible AI. Dark patterns can manipulate users into making choices they did not fully intend, such as accepting privacy settings, signing up for subscriptions, or paying hidden fees. Using machine learning to detect these patterns could support more ethical technology design and help protect users from deceptive digital practices,” he said.
“As a student with an interest in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, I want to better understand how research projects are developed from an initial question into a final presentation, and U-SOAR offers that kind of experience,” he said.
Son of Amy Kanezo and Keith Kanezo, he is a 2022 graduate of Pottsville Area High School.
Sofia Kelly
Senior psychology and biology major in the Cook Honors College from Erie
Sofia Kelly
Kelly’s project is “I-Sharing and Interpersonal Connectedness: Exploring Shared Subjective Experiences.” Her faculty mentor is Anson Long from the Department of Psychology.
I-sharing is the experience of sharing subjective experiences with another person. Kelly’s research will include reading and analyzing published research articles related to I-sharing to develop a strong understanding of the existing literature and current findings in this area of psychology, ultimately resulting in designing a research study that can be conducted during the fall semester.
“Understanding I-sharing can contribute to a greater understanding of social behavior and interpersonal relationships, which are important aspects of psychological well-being,” Kelly said.
Kelly has worked with IUP professor of psychology William Farrell on research related to prosthetic vision and perception, serving as a lab assistant on a prosthetic vision study aimed at improving visual implants for individuals who are blind; that research examined which phosphenes were most accurately and easily recognized.
Kelly, daughter of Robin Page Kelly and Brian Kelly, is a 2023 graduate of Mercyhurst Prep. She won “Program of the Year” for her creation of the IUP Women in STEAM program in 2025 (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and serves as president of the organization. She is president of IUP’s Phi Eta Sigma honor society, a member of Psi Chi psychology honor society, a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and a member of the Biology Club. She is a dean’s list student and provost scholar. In 2026, she was a nominee for the IUP Community Impact Award, Allyship Award, Legacy of Leadership Award, and the Thomas C. Segar Student Leader Award. She was an intern at the community’s Open Door Crisis and Intervention Center during the 2026 spring semester.
Rheia LaRose
Junior computer science cybersecurity major from Homer City
LaRose’s project is “Evaluating the Impact of Data Quality on Model Performance in Deep Learning Systems.” Her faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
The project explores how data quality influences the performance, reliability, and generalization of deep learning models across multiple image classification datasets. It examines how poor data quality contributes to issues such as underfitting (when a model fails to learn meaningful patterns) and overfitting (when a model memorizes training data but performs poorly on new data).
“Rather than simply comparing models, this project allows me to analyze the underlying factors (such as data quality) that directly impact model performance and reliability,” LaRose said. “I am especially interested in understanding how issues like overfitting and underfitting emerge in different conditions. I am eager to further develop my experimental design, data preprocessing, and data analysis skills through the U-SOAR program.
“This project is important because it examines how data quality impacts model performance, generalization, and susceptibility to underfitting and overfitting, which are critical factors in building reliable real-world machine learning systems,” LaRose said.
LaRose, daughter of Lora Sasala-LaRose, is a 2022 graduate of Homer Center Junior Senior High School. She is a dean’s list student. In addition to her work in U-SOAR, she is participating in the summer 2026 Discover Beijing faculty-led program.
Adiayah Lewis
Sophomore anthropology major from Aliquippa
Lewis’s project is “College Without a Map: Race, Class, and Identity Among First-Generation College Students.” Her faculty mentor is Abigail Adams from the Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences.
Her study examines how first-generation college students experience and navigate college life through qualitative, semi-structured interviews.
“While access to higher education in the United States has expanded since its early foundations, inequalities related to class, race, and family educational background continue to shape student experiences,” Lewis said. “Drawing on an anthropological perspective, I am researching universities as cultural systems with norms that may be difficult for first-generation students to navigate. This project is important because it helps explain how first-generation college students experience and navigate college, especially challenges that are not always visible. Understanding these experiences can support efforts to make higher education more inclusive and supportive for all students,” she said.
Lewis has completed two ethnographic projects in her anthropology classes and, as part of her spring semester coursework, spent 10 days at the Navajo Nation in Arizona with Adams.
Lewis, daughter of Cara Babinec and Patrick Lewis, is a 2023 graduate of Aliquippa Junior Senior High School. She is a dean’s list student. She is secretary of the Anthropology Club and social media chair for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Matthew Lin Xu
Junior chemistry major from Indiana
Lin Xu’s project is “Applying Python-based computational methods to analyze and model trends in a decade-long local water monitoring project.” His faculty mentor is Nate McElroy from the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
His research will apply Python-based computational methods to analyze and model trends in a decade-long (2011–22) water monitoring dataset from the Beaver Run Reservoir in Westmoreland County. The dataset incorporates water quality measurements over the course of the installation of 47 Marcellus shale gas wells and three Utica shale gas wells over seven pad sites adjacent to the reservoir, while also capturing other stressors, including abandoned mine drainage, agricultural runoff, road salt, and septic system influences. The project aims to characterize spatial and temporal trends in key water quality parameters relative to fracking pad locations, distinguish potential fracking-related signals, and develop a robust model capable of predicting water quality for long-term environmental datasets.
“This project is important because it informs people of the water quality that they are consuming, and provides a way for predictions on the impact of human activities such as fracking to be made,” Lin Xu said.
Lin Xu is the son of Renee Lin and Jack Xu. He is a 2025 graduate of Indiana Area Senior High School. He is a dean’s list student and received the American Chemical Society Analytical Division Award. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, Society of Physics Students, and is a tutor for the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
Mukhammed Mamatysaev
Junior computer science and software engineering major in the Cook Honors College from Monroeville
Mamatysaev’s project is “Early Dementia Risk Prediction Using Interpretable Machine Learning Models.” His faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
This project is investigating the use of machine learning to predict dementia onset based on clinical and cognitive test results. Overall, this project aims to study the application of artificial intelligence technologies in a practical healthcare setting in a responsible and interpretable manner. Specifically, instead of developing a purely black-box algorithm, the goal is to create explainable machine learning techniques capable of producing more interpretable results.
“Overall, apart from developing my technical competencies in the areas of data science, machine learning, and modeling, I would like to contribute to this socially relevant field of study,” Mamatysaev said. “The significance of this project lies in its role of being able to identify early on whether there exists a possibility for developing dementia. This will contribute towards the better understanding of cognitive decline and help to implement early measures to deal with it.”
Mamatysaev is the son of Zhyldyzkan Berdalieva and is a 2024 graduate of the Community College of Allegheny County. He is a dean’s list student and a recipient of the IUP Transfer Scholarship. While attending CCAC, he earned the Russ Meritorious Achievement Endowed Scholarship and the Larry Pollock Endowed Scholarship. He was also selected as a member of the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team, a statewide recognition honoring outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement among Pennsylvania college students.
At CCAC, Mamatysaev participated in the Honors Program and helped cofound a student Computer Club. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and completed the TechWise Program through Google, TalentSprint, and Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science. He is an active member and officer of the IUP Martial Arts Club.
Cass Marshall
First-year chemistry pre-pharmacy and medical laboratory sciences major from Indiana
Marshall’s project is “Organic Compound Computational Modeling,” and the faculty mentor for the project is Nathan McElroy from the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
The project uses linear and nonlinear computational methods to create a predictive model that applies to the air-to-blood partitioning coefficients of small organic molecules in rats and humans. The Python programming language will be utilized in transcribing the necessary code to develop this predictive model.
“It is my ultimate goal to utilize the education I receive at IUP in the pharmaceutical industry by aiding in research to develop preventative and curative measures against Alzheimer’s Disease,” Marshall said.
Marshall is a 2022 graduate of Indiana Area Senior High School.
Charles Marshall
Sophomore accounting major from Home
Marshall’s project is “Trading Tomorrow for Today: An Analysis on Boeing’s Capital Allocation.” His faculty mentor is Veronica Paz from the Department of Accounting and Information Systems.
He will examine patterns in capital allocation between shareholder returns and corporate reinvestment. Focusing on Boeing, the study analyzes the firm’s use of dividends and stock buybacks relative to research and development.
“This project is important because it provides a stark analysis of the long-term implications and safety consequences that occur when a corporation prioritizes short-term financial engineering, such as stock buybacks, over sustained research and development investment,” Marshall said. “A lack of investment in research and development overall can lead to negative impacts such as failed systems, loss of financial stability, and much more.”
Marshall, son of Doug and Amanda Marshall, is a graduate of Marion Center Area High School. He is a dean’s list student and a member of the IUP brass quintet.
Elaina Nickles
Junior communications media major in the Cook Honors College from Cranberry Township
Nickles’s project is “Building Your Own Future: Starting from the Ground Up.” Her faculty mentor is John Lipinski from the Department of Management.
Her project is a research-based case study looking into how a small business operates and functions and what goes into owning a small business, gathering qualitative data on Dexter’s Cat Café in Indiana.
“I believe research, especially personalized research, can lead to real-life enrichment,” Nickles said. “This research will provide me with hands-on entrepreneurial experience while having an entrepreneurial professor as my mentor.”
Nickles, daughter of Lori Nickles and Brian Nickles, is a 2023 graduate of Seneca Valley Senior High School. She is a dean’s list student, works with IUP-TV student television station, and volunteers with Indiana County’s Four Footed Friends.
Katherine Powell
Senior mathematics major in the Cook Honors College from Pittsburgh
Powell’s project is “Examining Position Bias in OpenRouter LLMs.” Her faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
“In large language model recommender systems, LLMs can suffer from position bias, which is when a model relies more on the order of the candidates rather than their actual relevance to the prompt given,” Powell said. “My project focuses on examining different LLMs offered through the API, OpenRouter, for position bias in the LLM recommender system of the AI stylist. Since LLMs are being increasingly used in recommender systems, this project further investigates any positional biases LLMs may have,” she said.
Powell began research on large language models, creating an AI fashion stylist during the 2025 U-SOAR program.
“While I was able to produce a working demo through my last U-SOAR experience, there were quite a few limitations, such as closet size and contextual awareness. In this U-SOAR experience, I am working towards expanding the AI stylist’s closet size and its contextual awareness using tool calling and other methods,” she said. “This project uses large language models to make outfit planning easier and more fun, while also showing how machine learning can be used in creative, real-life ways to support self-expression and personal style. Expanding the AI stylist to increase closet size, contextual awareness, and creating a user-friendly application allows more people to be able to access and use this tool to support their own self-expression,” she said.
During the past academic year, Powell has continued the research project with Grieggs, including presenting the AI stylist at Kinbercon in October 2025. She and Grieggs authored a paper on their continued research, which was published through the Pennsylvania Association of Computer and Information Science Educators conference. She also presented the research at the 2026 Annual Women in STEM Summit, the 2026 Scholars Forum, and the PACISE conference.
Daughter of Michelle McSwigan and Richard Powell, she is a 2023 graduate of Baldwin High School. She is a dean’s list student and provost scholar. She is a member of the IUP Student Programming Team and of Creative Mix and is a founding member and first treasurer of Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics).
Willow Reed
Sophomore biology pre-medicine major from Greensburg
Reed’s project is “Optimizing DNA Barcoding of Stream Macroinvertebrates.” Her faculty mentor is Sarah Emel from the Department of Biology.
The objective of her project is to optimize DNA barcoding in stream macroinvertebrates by comparing different DNA sampling and extraction methods. The results of this study will allow for more successful species identification methods, maximizing the yield and accuracy of DNA recovered, and minimizing the cost and time taken to DNA barcode.
“Stream macroinvertebrates are useful as bioindicators of stream health, with species diversity and composition being correlated with levels of human disturbance and pollution affecting the ecosystem. Optimizing DNA barcoding methods of stream macroinvertebrates will improve our ability to identify stream conservation needs in Indiana County and across Pennsylvania,” she said.
Reed, daughter of Jennifer Reed and Tracy Reed, is a 2024 graduate of Hempfield Area Senior High School. She is a member of the IUP Promising Scholars Program, is philanthropy chair of the American Medical Student Association and social media chair of the American Medical Students Association, and is a blood drive volunteer and a volunteer for the hospital emergency room.
Caleigh Robb
Junior honors psychology major from Kittanning
Caleigh Robb
Robb’s project is “Exploring College Students’ Awareness and Use of AI Wellness.” Her faculty mentor is Meigan Robb from the Department of Nursing.
Her research will examine college students’ awareness and use of AI tools for mental health and well-being by recruiting undergraduate students at IUP to complete an online survey exploring their familiarity with AI-based wellness tools, how often and in what ways they use them, and whether they find them helpful. This project will provide practical information about how college students are engaging with these emerging tools.
“Ultimately, the results might contribute to a broader understanding of how AI might serve as an accessible resource for mental health support for individuals who may not otherwise have access to traditional care,” Robb said. “The clinical use of AI in psychology is not well understood; therefore, building a better understanding of how individuals are currently using AI for mental health purposes can help lay the groundwork for future research as this technology continues to develop and become more widely used.”
Robb, daughter of Meigan Robb and Dan Robb, is a 2023 graduate of Armstrong Junior Senior High School. She is a dean’s list student and provost scholar, won the 2026 Scholars Forum Dean’s Award for Excellence in the College of Health Sciences, and is a Sutton Scholarship recipient. She is a member of Psi Chi psychology honor society, participated in a program at IUP for high school students learning about health careers in 2025 and 2026, and is a tutor for IUP Deaf Studies, Psychology, and Statistics. She worked with IUP professor of psychology William Farrell and presented “The Effect of Phosphene Characteristics on the Perception of Letters Designed to Simulate Prosthetic Vision.” She presented a program on tutor and supplemental instruction services provided by the Career and Professional Development Center at IUP for the First-Year Learning Experience at IUP and was a student orientation panelist in 2025 and 2026.
Megan Seaman
Senior computer science major in the Cook Honors College from Bethel Park
Seaman’s project is “Trusting the Tissue: Using Explainable Segmentation in Breast Cancer Imaging to Foster Human-AI Collaboration and Confidence.” Her faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
Seaman’s project will work on developing an uncertainty-aware ensemble system for medical image segmentation, specifically breast cancer imaging, that directs physician attention to ambiguous regions, reducing review time while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.
“Our objective is to ultimately build a visual report interface that will overlay segmentation results on source images,” Seaman said. “This feature will allow physicians to visualize region confidence. With this research, it is possible to integrate a human-feedback loop where practitioners could be prompted for input that can be used to further refine the model.
“Artificial intelligence’s unique ability to analyze subtle features and patterns can positively impact cancer detection and biomedical imaging, but the unpredictability of these systems leads healthcare professionals to distrust such tools,” she said. “Therefore, creating an accurate, collaborative AI-based detection tool can increase confidence in such systems and encourage their implementation in the healthcare field, leading to reliable patient diagnoses, faster review times, and early detection.
Seaman’s 2026 U-SOAR project builds on her 2025 U-SOAR research, when she created a project that utilized artificial intelligence in breast cancer diagnoses. Since that time, she has continued this research with Grieggs.
She presented her 2025 U-SOAR work at the 2026 Scholars Forum, Kinbercon, and was selected to present her work at the Undergraduate Research at the Capitol event in Harrisburg in March.
Seaman, daughter of Lori and Kevin Seaman, is a 2023 graduate of Bethel Park High School. She is the recipient of the Scholars Forum Dean’s Award for Excellence. She is the technology chair for the IUP Women in STEAM Club (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), is a member of the IUP Programming Team, and was an IUP Welcome Week student leader.
Ethan Shaw
Senior computer science major from Jeannette
Shaw’s project is “Anomaly Detection in Network Traffic Using Deep Learning.” His faculty mentor is Soundararajan Ezekiel from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
His research project proposes the development and evaluation of a deep learning-based anomaly detection system trained on the CICIDS 2017 dataset—a widely used, publicly available benchmark containing labeled real-world network traffic across multiple attack categories, including DDoS, brute force, port scanning, web attacks, and botnet activity. Over the course of U-SOAR, his goal is to identify which model architecture best balances security performance with operational usability.
“Intrusion detection is one of the most critical and actively researched problems in cybersecurity, yet most deployed systems still rely on outdated, signature-based methods that fail against novel attacks,” Shaw said. “Developing and evaluating deep learning approaches that can detect unknown threats through behavioral pattern recognition has direct implications for how organizations protect their networks in an increasingly hostile threat landscape.”
Shaw, son of James Shaw and Peggy Shaw, is a graduate of Hempfield Area High School. He is a dean’s list student. He was a member of the IUP football team from 2023 to 2025, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletics, and volunteers with the Veterans Leadership Program.
Ira Sickles
Senior mathematics and computer science dual major in the Cook Honors College from Nanty Glo
Sickles’s project is “Old Ships and New Tech: Finding Great Lakes Shipwrecks with Machine Learning.” His faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
Noting that there are an estimated 6,000 shipwrecks on the bottoms of the Great Lakes, of which thousands have yet to be located, and that the advent of multibeam sonar technology has allowed much more rapid data collection, Sickles’s project will explore applying a machine learning approach to identifying shipwrecks within these data.
“This project is important because it teaches us about human history and progress,” Sickles said. “It helps us visualize the progression and failures of boats through history. It also allows us to potentially locate especially problematic areas in the Great Lakes with multiple shipwrecks.”
Sickles’s U-SOAR project continues his ongoing research with Grieggs and with Distinguished University Professor Dr. Ben Ford from the Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences, and with U-SOAR student Caden Croft.
Sickles, son of Jerry Sickles and Rhonda Sickles, is a 2023 graduate of Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School. He is a dean’s list student, a recipient of the Sutton Scholarship award, a member of the IUP Ambassadors student-alumni group, and president of the Ultimate Frisbee Club. Additionally, he has spent time as a welcome week leader, a mathematics undergraduate assistant, a resident assistant, and as a member of the residence hall council.
Ruby Singleton
Sophomore chemistry major from Clearfield
Singleton’s project is “Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis Using Polystyrene Resin.” Her faculty mentor is Justin Fair from the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
“Gaining hands-on experience in the synthesis of antibody-drug conjugates will allow me to apply my academic background in organic chemistry and physics to real-world pharmaceutical challenges,” Singleton said. “This project will specifically refine my technical skills in solid-phase assembly, providing the professional foundation necessary for a career in complex molecular research.”
Singleton, daughter of Donald and Jessica Singleton, is a 2024 graduate of Clearfield High School. She is a dean’s list student. She is a member of the IUP softball team, is a supplemental instruction leader, and does volunteer community outreach.
Julia Spade
Sophomore chemistry major from Honey Brook
Spade’s project is “Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis Using Polystyrene Resin.” Her faculty mentor is Justin Fair from the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics.
Spade, daughter of Jennifer Spade and Harry Spade, is a 2024 graduate of Pequea Valley High School. She is a dean’s list student. She received the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Award in 2025 and 2026 and the William I. Heard Memorial Scholarship. She is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority.
Kasha Stokes
Junior history major from Papamoa, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Stokes’s project is “Crowdsourcing History: The Need to Digitize New Zealand’s Past.” Her faculty mentor is Carrie Bishop from the IUP Libraries.
Her project includes establishing a needs assessment in Aotearoa, New Zealand, on whether there is space in the archival field for a program similar to the Citizens Archivist online program in the United States.
“This research is important to me, as working with Citizens Archivist in the US has sparked the idea of bringing the concept ‘home.’ Having a baseline idea would be infinitely helpful for enriching the public history field in New Zealand, as this makes a difference not just in the present but also the past and future.”
Stokes is the daughter of Sophie Stokes and Brian Stokes. She is a graduate of Mount Maunganui College. At IUP, she is a dean’s list student and member of the swim and dive team, earning All-American honors and PSAC Athletic of the Year and PSAC Freshman of the Year awards. She is a member of the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee and a member of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society.
Skye Swartz
Senior communications media/media production major from Manorville
Skye Swartz
Swartz’s project is “The Coalport Chronicles,” and the faculty mentor is Vicky Ortiz from the Department of Communications Media. Swartz’s project is designed to preserve the history and genealogy of the town.
“With so many small towns disappearing, helping them put together and memorialize this history is crucial,” Swartz said. “Coming from a small town myself that nobody’s heard of, I want to tell the story of another small town, especially one with a rich history like Coalport. I love hearing people’s stories about their families and their personal history.”
Swartz, child of Rachel and Shawn Swartz, is a 2021 graduate of Armstrong Junior Senior High School. The station manager of IUP’s student-operated television station, IUP-TV, and producer of the show Animation Nation, Swartz has won several awards for work with IUP-TV, including a 2025 Bronze Telly Award and Best IUP TV Producer Award. Swartz has also worked on the IUP-Indiana Regional Medical Center’s Rural Health Pulse podcast.
Jacob Vanluven
Junior computer science and mathematics major from Indiana
Vanluven’s project is “Unsupervised Learning for Handwriting Identification.” His faculty mentor is Samuel Grieggs from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
His project is a computer-vision-based research project that detects handwork styles. The system will use unsupervised learning techniques to group various high-resolution, scanned samples of ancient handwriting. He will specifically focus on the age of Chaucer, with a goal to contribute to the study of the works and the scribes of that time period by adding the results of an advanced computer-vision analysis.
Vanluven has worked with Dr. Grieggs on computer-vision-based research for the past two years and was a 2025 U-SOAR participant.
Vanluven, son of Jason Vanluven and Lori Kimmel, is a 2023 graduate of Indiana Area Senior High School. He is a dean’s list student. He is a member of the Competitive Programming Team, which achieved first place at the spring Pennsylvania Computer and Information Science Educators conference.
Jolena Wintermyer
Junior nutrition and dietetics major from Punxsutawney
Wintermyer’s project is “Assessment of Fueling Behaviors, Nutrition Knowledge, and Performance-Related Beliefs Among Student-Athletes at IUP to Inform Targeted Sports Nutrition Interventions.” Her faculty mentor is Lei Hao from the Department of Allied Health.
Her research study will collect original, self-reported data from IUP student-athletes on dietary intake, hydration practices, fueling strategies, and nutrition-related beliefs, with the goal of identifying current fueling behaviors, assessing nutrition knowledge and awareness of available resources, detecting trends across sports and training demands, and identifying barriers to proper fueling in order to generate a data-driven hypothesis and implement targeted sports nutrition interventions.
“This project is important because it uses original, real data from IUP student-athletes to understand how they’re actually fueling and where there are gaps that are affecting their performance and overall health,” Wintermyer said. “From there, it can help us create realistic, easy-to-follow strategies that improve their energy, recovery, performance, and overall health.”
Wintermyer, daughter of Joanne Wintermyer and Devin Wintermyer, is a PA Cyber graduate. She is a dean’s list student and provost scholar and is the recipient of the Trustees Scholarship. She received a Certificate of Multicultural Engagement in 2023, is vice president of the Student Association of Healthcare Simulations Club, and is the lateral networking chair and former fundraising chair of the Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics Club. She was a student lab assistant under the mentorship of Hsiao, assisting with the “Little Hands, Big Impact” homeschool student cooking class and nutrition education project held during the spring semester.
She is a sports nutrition educator, developing and delivering interactive sports nutrition presentations for IUP athletic teams. She co-led the reestablishment and relaunch of the IUP Fueling Station in 2024 following its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now serves as manager of the program, which provides access to sports nutrition resources and fueling support for student athletes. In fall 2025, she was the football team filmer, assisting the coaching staff with practice and game film operations and supporting student-athlete development and performance analysis. She volunteers with the Chevy Chase Community Center in Indiana through the Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics, assisting with meal preparation and services. She was also a dietetic student worker intern with Camp Hamwi.
Ethan Yingling
Senior early childhood education major from York
Ethan Yingling
Yingling’s project is “Designing Accessible Fraction Manipulatives Through Digital Fabrication Using Universal Design for Learning.” His faculty mentor is Holly Rougeaux from the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
His project will explore how digital fabrication can be used to create physical manipulatives for early childhood math classrooms. Using 3D printing, he will design and produce manipulatives aligned with Pennsylvania State Standards for kindergarten through grade four mathematics. He will also research classroom needs and address gaps in existing instructional materials to create learning tools that support effective mathematics instruction through Universal Design for Learning, and create a lesson plan that incorporates these manipulatives into effective and engaging instruction for students.
During his 2025 U-SOAR research, he focused on creating play-based, educational games for early childhood, and this year’s project will build on this previous experience with creating play-based games.
“This project is important because it explores how digitally fabricated physical fraction manipulatives can enhance early childhood math classrooms. Designed using principles of Universal Design for Learning, these manipulatives will increase accessibility and support conceptual understanding for all learners,” Yingling said.
Yingling, son of Elke and Ted Yingling, is a Pa Cyber school graduate.