Student Spotlights

Jackie Arnold

Chemical Engineering

Research Advisor: Dr. Cerasela Dinu, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering

New kitten owner and movie buff, Jackie Arnold, is a junior chemical engineering major from Charlestown, WV. She is passionate about research and hopes to contribute to humanity's knowledge and better future generations.

Chris Anderson

Civil Engineering

Research Advisor: Dr. Emily Garner, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Ambitious senior Civil Engineering student, Chris Anderson, has always called West Virginia his home. With aims of attending graduate school for Environmental Engineering, Chris sought out Dr. Emily Garner’s lab to expand his experiences.

Michelle Coleman

Exercise Physiology and Psychology

Research Advisor: Dr. James Lewis, Department of Neuroscience

As a Delaware native, Michelle was first attracted to the small-town atmosphere and pride associated with being a student at WVU. Since moving to Morgantown, she has also found love for the beautiful campus scenery when walking between classes.

Kaley Vestal

English

Research Advisor: Dr. Tom Sura, Department of English

Theatre enthusiast Kaley Vestal is a senior English major from Rainelle, West Virginia. She started doing research in the spring of 2018 through the Research Apprenticeship Program here at WVU alongside Dr. Thomas Sura.

Mitchell Barna

Civil Engineering

Research Advisor: Dr. Dimitra Pyrialakou, Civil and Environmental Engineering

With the goal of positively impacting the lives of the people around him, senior civil engineering student and LSAMP recipient, Mitchell Barna, has spent the past summer as a part of SURE tracking patterns of transportation disadvantages.

Gage Jackson

Chemistry

Research Advisor: Dr. Jessica Hoover, Chemistry

WVU's undergraduate research community is excited to spotlight NSF LSAMP recipient and SURE participant Gage Jackson! Gage is a senior chemistry major working with Dr. Jessica Hoover.

Olga Hawranick

Mathematics

Research Advisor: Vicki Sealey, Mathematics

The big thing I realized when doing research with my faculty mentor was that research takes time. It’s not as quick as you’d think. A lot of work goes behind the scenes and getting to be a part of that is pretty sweet!

Colter Uscola

Sociology

Research Advisor: Dr. Lisa Dilks, Sociology

The process of getting an idea, deciding to test it, and compiling enough knowledge to make it happen is absolutely enjoyable. The end result is an amazing feeling. In the end, I'd say getting a better understanding of the social world is what I love most about doing research.

De’Anthony Morris

Human Nutrition & Foods

Research Advisor: Jacek Jaczynski, Food Science

What I like most about doing research is seeing the results from our experiments. It’s satisfying seeing the results of 8+ hours doing lab work.

Brittany Smith

Public Health

Research Advisor: Dr. Michael Brumage, Public Health

What I like the most about research is being able to prevent suffering through answering questions and digging deeper into some of society’s most pressing issues.

Aerianna McClanahan

English

Research Advisor: Dr. Rosemary Hathaway, English

I like how mutualistic it [research] is - everyone involved has something to gain! By making the decision to participate in or do research, you are stepping into something that requires you to keep your mind open. You get the chance to constantly learn, grow, and find ways to connect with others.

Jessica Hogbin

History, Italian Studies, & Religious Studies

Research Advisor: Dr. Matthew Vester, History

Research has given me the opportunity to expand my horizons and get to read books that I simply wouldn't normally have time for during the school year.

Noah Spencer

Biology

Research Advisor: Rita Rio, Evolutionary Biology/Microbiology/Vector Biology

I absolutely love discussing scientific literature with my lab. Reading other papers from my field really makes me feel like my research is part of this larger narrative that spans across decades and countries.