Author: c923e646@wichita.edu

Faculty are invited to apply for the 2027 FYRE in STEM program. You can go directly to the FYRE in STEM Mentor application or at wichita.edu/fyre for full information and links for both the mentor and mentee applications.

Applications are due by Oct. 20 so organizers can make mentor-mentee matches by early November. Feel free to forward this information to any STEM colleagues you think might be interested in mentoring FYRE students in spring 2027. For any questions, contact Moriah Beck, Talaty Endowed Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at moriah.beck@wichita.edu.

This session with the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA) Hub brings faculty and students together to explore the value, methods and impact of research in the humanities.

The event will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9 in Ablah Library, Digital Scholars Commons. RSVP for the event by Friday, Sept. 4, as space is limited. Refreshments are available on a first-come basis.

Panelists for this session will be Dr. Rocío Del Águila, chair and associate professor of Spanish, Dr. Jean Griffith, associate professor of English, and Dr. Mythili Menon, associate professor and director of linguistics.

The Goldwater Scholarship supports undergraduates interested in research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub will host two sessions:

• 2-3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28 in the Digital Scholars Common in the Ablah Library
• 2-3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31 online. RSVP to receive a calendar invite

For more information, visit the Goldwater Scholarship website.

Learn more about the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA) Hub, the Connect Database, upcoming events and more at its online open house from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 online. RSVP for the open house.

Are you an undergraduate student interested in research? The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA) Hub’s has opened its Connect Database for the semester. Fill out the interest form to be entered into the Connect Database and get connected with a faculty member for a research project.

If you have any questions, email undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu.

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub (UReCA) is hosting a research social in the summer. Research socials provide students and faculty the opportunity to connect, build relationships and learn more about campus life and different academic departments.

These events create a welcoming space for undergraduate students to meet new people, play games, enjoy light snacks and engage with faculty in a relaxed and supportive environment. Join the social from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 in Ablah Library’s Digital Scholars Commons, behind the front desk.

On Friday, April 24 in Woolsey Hall, 70 undergraduate students presented their research to faculty and staff in conjunction with GRASP. Students competed in three categories, “Natural Sciences and Engineering,” “Social Sciences and Humanities” and “Creative Activity and Performance.” Students had the option to present orally or with a poster. Creative activities included presentations of music composition and live performance.

Cash awards will be presented to first and second place winners. Thank you to all judges, volunteers and faculty mentors. Congratulations to all URCAF participants. Abstracts will soon be made available in the Shocker Open Access Repository.

Natural Sciences and Engineering:

• First place: Elliott Chambon, Nicholas Atanasio, Drew Perez, Korben Schrotberger, “Student Designed, NASA Approved: WSU’s Next Gen Spacewalk Tool”
• Second place: Jonathan Nichols, “Remnants of the deep: a preliminary map of mafic enclaves near the vent of Big Obsidian Flow, Newberry Caldera, Central Oregon”
• Third place: Lauren Hughes, “What’s Linker Got To Do With It? Examining the Mechanical Stability of Palladin’s Ig3-4 Linker Region”

Social Sciences and Humanities:

• First place: Conner Murphy, “Quantifying Tillage Intensity as a Contributing Factor to Tillage Erosion at Archaeological Sites in Kansas”
• Second place: Braeden Miller, “Exploring Predictors for Online Disordered Gambling”
• Third place (tie): Grace Brabander, Aubrey Eilers, Addison Francis-Wilcox, Kellen Peri, Samantha Silva, “The Silent Epidemic: Bright Care, Healthy Smiles”
• Third place (tie): Elijah Jenkins, “Self Disclosing Behaviors with Robots”

Creative Activity and Performance:

• First place: Ethan Grohe, “Runnin’ on Fumes – Piece for Unaccompanied Alto Saxophone”
• Second place: Jasper Fast, “Why Do They Shut Me Out of Heaven?”
• Third place: Sophia Hart, ”Cosmos Laundromat: The Full Process of Scoring a Film”
• Fourth place: Grace Schulze, “Blues and Variations for Monk”

Join the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub (UReCA) for its upcoming lunch and learn from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 in the Ablah Library Digital Scholars Commons as participants explore diverse careers within research.

The panel will feature Javier Martinez, Mary Tran and Geoff Vail, who bring expertise in criminal justice, electrical and computer engineering, and reverse engineering. Bring your lunch and come ready to learn — snacks will be provided.

Bring your lunch and learn about the many career paths in research and how undergraduates can get started. Join UReCA from 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 8 in Ablah Library in the Digital Scholars Commons Area and bring your friends.

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF) offers undergraduates the chance to present their work through posters or oral presentations, with additional opportunities for those who want to share creative activity and performance.

Abstracts for URCAF are due April 8, and the event will take place April 24. Network with peers, graduate students and faculty, and compete for a cash prize of up to $500. Held alongside the Graduate Research and Scholarly Project (GRASP) event, URCAF is a great opportunity to share your research or creative work.