Undergraduate Research News
Abigail Pitts, a senior Medical Humanities major, won the Best Poster Award at the 14th Annual Activity-Based Protein Profiling Conference in London, England for her research on the health benefits of Brassica vegetables. Her project, supported by a Spring 2025 URSA Grant, uses innovative chemoproteomics techniques and has significant implications for drug discovery and public health.
The Baylor Lariat highlights Baylor's four recent Goldwater Scholars, along with Baylor's growing success in undergraduate research.
Baylor undergraduate STEM researchers have kicked off the spring major fellowships and awards season by earning a record four Goldwater Scholarships, the preeminent undergraduate award that supports outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing STEM research careers.
Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activities (URSA) Scholars Week 2025 highlighted the exceptional work of Baylor students, showcasing a diverse array of research projects across various disciplines.
Scholars Week 2025 begins next Monday, Mar. 31 and runs through Wednesday, Apr. 2, and we're looking for faculty and graduate student judges to help us evaluate student presentations. Undergraduate students from across the university will deliver over 100 poster presentations in the BSB and over 35 oral presentations in the SUB.
The Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) recently hosted the Students Transforming Research (STR) conference, bringing together over 100 student advocates from across the nation, including representatives from seven Texas schools. The conference aimed to highlight the critical role of undergraduate research in higher education and advocate for continued federal support.
Research by first-year biology students has the potential to advance the scientific understanding of bacteriophages and their role in combating antibiotic-resistant infections.
Abstract submission is open through March 17th for URSA Scholars Week.
The Office of Engaged Learning is excited to announce the Baylor Summer Fellows Program for 2025, offering funded opportunities for Baylor undergraduate students to engage in internships and research experiences that promote the public good.
Abstract submission form for the Baylor Engagement and Research Symposium that will take place on March 27th & 28th, 2025 is now available. This is a collaborative effort between Anthropology, Biology, Environmental, Geological, and Statistical Sciences graduate programs at Baylor University. Undergraduates are invited to join in!
We are excited to announce the Spring 2025 URSA Award winners: Abigail Pitts, Anna Pinchen, and Lily Lobo. Their innovative research proposals explore diverse topics including health benefits of Brassica vegetables, resilience in WWII evacuees, and Athenian greed in Plato's dialogues.
John Austin DeLozier was a recipient of a 2024-25 URSA grant for his interdisciplinary humanities research. As a senior University Scholar with concentrations in Political Science, Great Texts, and Sociology, and a minor in Greek, he is exploring a career in journalism, research, or teaching. His research, titled “Advocacy as Solidarity: Liberation Theology & Pro-Democracy Movements in Haiti during the 1980s,” examines the relationship between the Haitian pro-democracy movement and Catholic social teaching.
Leah Kalinoff, a senior neuroscience major at Baylor University, combines her passion for science and sustainability as an aquaponics research assistant at Urban REAP in Waco. Contributing to the organization’s mission of “Loving our neighbor by loving our earth,” she helps grow plants for community sale, researches fish well-being, and inspires others to adopt sustainable practices.
Senior Stephen Phillips is an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Leila Romero’s group who has earned a year-long URSA grant to study a series of reactions to, “expand chemistry’s toolbox.”
Madison Andrews is a Science Research Fellow who earned 2nd place in the recent ACS SWRM 2024 Undergraduate Poster Symposium for her research on refining Activity-Based Protein Profiling under Dr. Aaron Wright.
On November 8th 2024, Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science & Technology (BURST) hosted its annual Research & Internship Day symposium at the Hurd Welcome Center.
Aron Basurto, a standout senior in Medical Humanities and a Provost’s Scholar at Baylor University, has been recognized with an URSA Mini Research Grant for Fall 2024.
The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science will be in Waco! This is a great opportunity for undergrads (and grads!) to make presentations – posters and orals in ALL disciplines.
Greg Zaharas was awarded the URSA grant to support his microbiology research with the mentorship of Dr. Leigh Greathouse.
Berkley Ponce was awarded a 2024-2025 URSA Research Grant to further her research on the role of social apps in political polarization under the guidance of Dr. Patrick Flavin.
The American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) South Regional Meeting is an APSA-sponsored conference designed to facilitate mentorship and collaboration for those interested in physician scientist careers.
Research Internship Day in The Hurd- Friday November 8. 3:00-8:00
Nick Storti received a 2024-2025 URSA Grant, "AC Induction Motor with Superconducting Windings," to support his research with Dr. Emmanuel Agamloh, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is currently accepting applications through December 6 for its SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program for STEM students completing high school, college undergrad, grad, and doctoral degrees at: https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart/en
University Scholar, Felise Bressler, received the URSA Travel Mini-Grant to attend a Weill-Cornell Summer Internship program. She conducted research in the Pleil lab and investigated the neural circuitry of reward.
The Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) is celebrating the selection of a Baylor team for the prestigious Council on Undergraduate Research’s advocacy program - Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR).
The Social Sciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is offering a limited number of grants, up to $400 each.
The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students.
The summer of 2024 proved to be a transformative time for over 50 Baylor University students participating in the Office of Engaged Learning’s Baylor Summer Fellows Program. These undergraduate students worked in a variety of internships and research experiences, cultivating scholarly interests and addressing community needs.
The first time Auldynn Chambers heard someone suggest he consider pursuing his doctorate after graduating from Baylor, his immediate thought was, “Only really smart people get Ph.D.s. I’m not smart enough to do that.”
Soon, Chambers will be doing just that, and pursuing a passion he discovered at Baylor — artificial organ development.