Three Sociology majors take home prizes at UURAF
April 28, 2026 - Emily Jodway Patyna
Three Sociology students were among the presenters from the College of Social Science to receive accolades at this year’s symposium.Michigan State’s 28th annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) on April 17, showcasing an array of research projects in the form of posters and presentations.
Students presented outstanding work from research projects and studies they have been working on throughout the academic year. They were supported in their research and mentored by an array of MSU-affiliated faculty, staff, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and student research assistants. Several students presented more than one research project across multiple disciplines.
Held each spring inside the Breslin Center, UURAF brings together a university-wide community of undergraduate students to share their work with faculty, staff, peers, and external audiences. Participants gain experience in presenting their research, answer questions about their work from audience members and guests, and receive constructive feedback from judges. Projects are presented via a poster, oral presentation or visual art display.
Overall, 28 Social Science students took home awards from the event and were honored at the UURAF Awards Ceremony on April 24. These first-place award recipients are eligible to submit their work for consideration for the UURAF Grand Prize, whose winners will be announced in mid-June.
- Tori Bush won the Sociology category with "Leading with Joy: Joy in MSU Leadership" with mentor Dr. Sarah Prior, Associate Professor of Sociology.
- Jacob Doss's presentation "Native and Educated: Understanding the Complexities of Indigenous College Students & Their Identities" took home the prize for Social Science, Arts and Humanities. He worked with mentor and Associate Professor Dr. Ning Hsieh. Doss is also president of the First Gen Honor Society.
- Dual Sociology and English major Roberto Marcos Garcia won first place in Digital Humanities for "Using an AI Chatbot to Address Housing Insecurity."
Also presenting research this spring were Aquinnah Buell, Ada Tussing, Maggie Frost, Arielle Walker, Camden Robbins, Adeline Loftis and Allison Miller.
College of Social Science 2026 UURAF Award Winners
Agriculture and Animal Science, Ariel Ooms: Remote Sensing Approaches For Pre-Harvest Detection Of Root Disease In Sugar Beets
Anthropology and Archaeology, Alicia Spittler: Biological Profile Estimations From Skeletal Remains
Anthropology and Archaeology, Krystin Nelligan: Phytoliths From The Dental Calculus Of Teeth Found In The Caves Branch Rockshelter, Belize
Cell Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Cole Novak: Genomic Architecture Of Resilience: Evaluating Gene Content Variation In Drought-Responsive Loci Of Camelina Sativa
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, Grace Lakinske & Lily Tinnion: Outreach Workers' Challenges Working Within A Focused Deterrence Program
Digital Humanities, Emily Porco, Roberto Marcos Garcia, Sumaiya Imad & Rithi Aree: Using An Ai Chatbot To Address Housing Insecurity
Epidemiology and Public Health, Gabrielle Chamberlin, Izabela Weglarz & Kathryn Norris-Icho: Dead Before Trial: Patterns And Causes Of Mortality In U.S. Jails, 2015-2019
Global and Area Studies, Brooke Winters: The Forgotten War Crime: Violence Against Women During Times Of Armed Conflict
History, Political Science, and Economics, Tyler Webb: Predicting Mlb Arbitration Salaries Through Multiple Regression
Kinesiology, Megan Riley: A Social-Norm Approach To Reducing Antisocial Parent Behaviors At High School Sport Events.
Linguistics, Languages, and Speech, Emilee Allwardt: Rhythm Perception In Children With Developmental Stuttering
History, Political Science, and Economics, Lowell Monis: Policy Impact Of Demographic Diversity In United States Legislatures
Psychology, Aesha Zakaria: Prenatal Healthcare Experiences For Women In Iraq
Psychology, Lauriel Ellis & Nicole Bommarito: A Text Analysis Of National Anthems In Over 190 Countries
Psychology, Peyton McLaughlin: To What Extent Does Your Social Group (Or "Close Others") Agree Or Disagree With Your Political Views?
Psychology, Farra Lie & Tien Nguyen: Which Jobs Are Really Helping Society? (It Depends Who You Ask)
Psychology, Isabella Padula: A Methodological Comparison Of Motion-Based Pupil Dilation Paradigms
Psychology, Ronan Scott: Comparative Effects Of Bmi And Body Fat Percentage On Disordered Eating Symptoms In Adolescent Boys And Girls
Social Science, Arts, Humanities (multiple disciplines), Jacob Doss: Native And Educated: Understanding The Complexities Of Indigenous College Students & Their Identities
Sociology, Sumaiya Imad: The "Freedom" Paradox: Why Survivors Remain Vulnerable Despite Strong Anti-Trafficking Laws In Bangladesh
Sociology, Tori Bush: Leading With Joy: Joy In MSU Leadership
Agriculture and Animal Science, Ariel Ooms: Remote Sensing Approaches For Pre-Harvest Detection Of Root Disease In Sugar Beets
Sociology major Tori Bush is joined by MSU Provost Laura Lee McIntyre, who was interviewed for the research project. Photo by College of Social Science photographer Jackie Belden Hawthorne.