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SURF Stories 2024

07/11/2024


Alexander Smith, a senior biology major and recipient of one of the OUR’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), spent the summer studying the effect cicadas had on the Triangle’s food web, and his research has been featured by the College of Arts and Sciences. Alexander hopes to present his findings at next year’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research. Read more about Alexander’s research in a story by Jess Abel.

Ria Patel, a junior neuroscience and nutrition major used her SURF to analyze “brain scans and participant questionnaires to study the possible effects of food insecurity on structural brain development from childhood to adolescence.” Ria valued the independence her SURF provided her as a researcher, and Ria also hopes to share her findings at next year’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research. Read more about Ria’s research in a story by Jess Abel.

Rachel Geyer works in the Castillo Lab, and she used her SURF to research coral skeletal growth in an effort to “help tropical coral species threatened by rapidly warming waters and excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” Read more about Rachel’s research in a story by Scott Jared.

Violeta Gonzalez Toro completed a SURF under the guidance of Professor Hilary Lithgow in the English department, and Violeta’s researchinvolved interviewing veterans to learn more about their experience in the military and their return to civilian life. Read more about Violeta’s research in a story by Jess Abel.

 

 

Lilly Nekervis does research in the Interactive Robotics and Novel Technologies (IRON) Lab, led by Dr. Daniel Szafir, and her work is focused on Spot robots and their potential to assist people with visual impairments. Read more about Lilly’s research in a story by Megan Mendenhall.

 

 

 

Please check out our website to learn more about SURFs and the Celebration of Undergraduate Research.