Beyond the Lab Bench: B-TRUE Participants Explore Research as a Path to Impact

August 18, 2025

This summer, 15 Baylor undergraduates and one student from Puerto Rico, participated in the B-TRUE (Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience), an immersive 10-week program that places students at the heart of scientific inquiry. But beyond the data and experiments, these young scholars are discovering that research is not just about discovery - it's also about making a difference.

Hosted by Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning, B-TRUE empowers students to conduct independent research across disciplines, from chemistry and neuroscience to biology and astrophysics. Undergraduates work alongside faculty mentors, engage in journal clubs, and present their findings at the Summer of Discovery Research Symposium on September 12th. The program emphasizes not only academic excellence but also the social impact of research.

The follow excerpts from six student reflections, illustrate the transformative power of an internship. Common themes of Research as Service, Curiosity with Purpose, and Inclusive Science, can be found throughout.

Miracle Bain articulates a powerful vision of scholarship rooted in community after researching The Effects of Race and Ethnic Identity on Discrimination Perception . “A scholar's reach should not live and die at publication,” she writes. “It should be immortalized through the lives of people it impacts.” Her reflection highlights the importance of inclusive language, cultural sensitivity, and trust-building, especially when working with marginalized communities. For Miracle, research is not meant for prestige, but for purpose.
McKenzie Webb, who modeled the unusual binary star system Gaia22ayj, found meaning in the struggle. “Science isn’t necessarily about being right,” she writes. “It’s more important to be curious why and how you got lost.” Her work in stellar evolution taught her that research is both leadership and service, a process of learning, sharing, and helping others navigate complexity.
Evan Roos entered the lab with no prior experience and left with a new perspective on teamwork, application, and impact. “Whether that was deepening our understanding of environmental pollutants or analyzing human stool samples to treat incurable diseases,” he writes, “I can see the long-term vision of how to improve people’s lives in a way that only we can.” Evan’s journey reflects the transformative power of hands-on research.
Paulina Yao rediscovered the boldness of childhood curiosity. “I had to relearn how to ask questions with the confidence of a child,” she wrote. Through the B-TRUE journal club, Paulina found a space where questions sparked dialogue and discovery. Her reflection reminds us that research is not just about data and results. It’s also about daring to wonder.
Paige Badinger’s work on neurodegenerative diseases and her lab’s outreach to blind and low-vision students exemplify inclusive innovation. “I know in my heart how my research will help those in need,” she wrote. Paige’s experience underscores how science can be accessible to all.
Ian Stahl learned that even statistically insignificant results have value. “They could save other scientists significant time, money, and labor,” he reflected. His insight captures the essence of scientific service: contributing to a collective body of knowledge, even when the results aren’t headline-grabbing.

The following list of students, mentors and their projects showcases the breadth of student research across disciplines.

Summer 2025 B-TRUE Participants

Paige Badinger

Mentor: Dr. Bryan Shaw
Project: Methods of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) Analysis

Miracle Bain

Mentor: Dr. Jo-Ann Tsang
Project: The Effects of Race and Ethnic Identity on Discrimination Perception

Kristen Briggs

Mentor: Dr. Kevin Pinney
Project: Synthesis of Payloads: KGP03, KGP413, and KGP369

Ana Ching

Mentor: Dr. Elisabeth Vichaya
Project: The role of HFD and hyperglycemia on mitochondria dysfunction in APOE4 female mice

Caden Hendrix

Mentors: Dr. Hull and Dr. Romo
Project: Synthesis of a Derivative of Girolline

Trent Johnson

Mentor: Dr. Aaron Wright
Project: Spatial Functional Profiling of Murine Intestines Using Activity-Based Probes

Mayukhi Katragadda

Mentor: Dr. Joe Taube
Project: Mechanistic Insights into Cell Death Pathways Activated by Natural Compounds in Breast Cancer Cells

Jonathan Khayat

Mentor: Dr. Bryan Shaw
Project: Culturing and Purification of TDP-43 for CE Analysis of LLPS Formation

Meera Phanse

Mentor: Dr. Francesca Penner
Project: An LPA of Parenting Styles and its relations to Eating Disorders and Emotion Regulation

Steven Podczerwinski

Mentor: Dr. Michael Trakselis
Project: Mutagenicity of Decoupled E.coli Mutants and Their Reliance on SOS Polymerases

Nailiet (Zoe) Rodriguez Cotto

Mentor: Dr. Dwayne Simmons
Project: Localization of TLR4 in Cochlear Tissue of Mice

Evan Roos

Mentor: Dr. Aaron Wright
Project: Development of Activity-based Protein Probes

Ian Stahl

Mentor: Dr. Dwayne Simmons
Project: Cellular Senescence and Afferent Synaptophagy in Cochlear Hair Cells

Paulina Yao

Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Kelber
Project: Analyzing the Role of ITGA1 in Pancreatic Cancer through the Isolation of Integrin Adhesion Complexes

McKenzie Webb

Mentor: Dr. Barbara Castanheira
Project: Modeling Gaia22ayj-Like Systems

Sophia Wright

Mentor: Dr. Jacque Nguyen
Project: Lasting effects of early life nicotine e-cigarette inhalation on behavior and on microglial and astrocytic function

For more information, contact Dr. Simmons or Dr. Adair in the Office of Engaged Learning.