SRF 2026

Note: Campus Center = "Cube". O'Connell Hall = "OC".

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors! Dr. Russ and Sharon Bell.

Session 1: Posters
(8:30-9:30 AM) Upper Cube

Katharine Fihre, Anna Hume
Neuroscience
The Effects of Ocimum tenuiflorum on Sleep Deprivation and Anxiety-related Behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster

Emma Barron, Willa Albrecht
Biology
Effects of Ashwagandha on Anxiety, Motility, and Reproductive Behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster

Megan Davies
Accounting & Strategic Finance
Social and Economic Implications of a Flat Tax System in Montana

Ellie Paris, Kennedi Neimann, Kaden Huot, Jaxson Washington, Zack Schlottmann
Business: Management & Marketing
North Western Energy Community Out Reach Maximization

Hunter Gum, Spencer Berger, Reuben Hornby, Caleb Spangler
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Renewable Micelles from Camelina for Drug Delivery

Anna Terry, Devon Baney, Wyatt Ehredt, Janey Adair, Jon Slivinski
Business: Management & Marketing
Drake Law Estate Planning Billing Process Project

Rachel Smith, Leevi Bohrer
Elementary & Special Education
The Inadequacies of Rural Education: Funding and Teaching Ability

Clarissa Ball
Chemistry
Study of Carbene Intermediates from Sulfonium Ylide Precursors

Maggie Pluhar
Gender Studies
"Cowboy Up" A Look at Rancher/Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Rates

Cole Andres, Sean Balen
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Effects of Norharmane on Serotonin Signaling in Heat Stressed

Olivia St. Marie
Chemistry
Kinetic Analysis of a Solid-State Isothiocyanate–Amine Reaction by ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy

Jenna Castro
Chemistry
Synthesis of a Chlorine-Sulfonium Slide Precursor for the Study of Carbene Intermediates

Sean Balen
Health Sciences
The Impact of an Active Lifestyle on Blood Pressure in Women: A Systematic Review

John Goodwin
Environmental Science
Terracette Formation and Freeze-Thaw Cycles on North-versus-South Facing Slopes

Rylee Herbstritt
Health Sciences
Myofascial Release as Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review

Ella Hubach
Gender Studies
Femininity and the Forms of Violence Women Use Through History

Finley Hester
Biology
Beyond Fertility: Clinical Bias and Access to GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in PCOS Care

Brad Tomasovic
Political Science
Healthcare Provider's Political Identification, A Systemic Review

Trey Melton
Environmental Science
Burn and Soil Tests for Linum perenne as a Greenstripping Plant

Trey Melton
Biology
Interfacing Metabolic Models of Maize and its Root Microbiome to Investigate Interkingdom Interactions

Maximillian Gawlik
Chemistry
Optimization of Metal Catalysts in Luminol Chemiluminescence for Monitoring Site-Specific Drug Release

Chloe Wegener-Smith, Hank Stabolepszy, Harlie Jackson, Michelle Quinn
Business: Management & Marketing
Process Improvement at Shodair Children's Hospital Genetics Lab

Kirsten Girolami, Sophia Maes
Nursing
Effects of Maternal Positioning on Second-Stage Labor Duration

Brynn Bohrer, Madelyn Eggers
Biology
The Effects of ‘Serenifly’ Oil Blend on Heat Shock-Induced Anxiety in Drosophila melanogaster

Tehya Schweitzer, Tess Guerrara
Environmental Science
Black-capped Chickadee Abundance in a Fragmented Landscape

Jackson Barney
Biology
Evaluating Harmful Algal Bloom Biomass as a Fertilizer for the Biofuel Crop Camelina

Marco Gonzalez-Sosa
Health Sciences
Benefits of Magnetic Resonance-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy (MRgART) for Liver Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review

Bennett Ford, Connor Stearns
Biology
Metabolic Exchanges Between Cyanobacteria and Snow Algae in Beartooth Mountains: A Focus on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling

Makena Trumbull
Chemistry
Synthesis of a Protected Aromatic Intermediate for the Preparation of Antibacterial Oxadiazole Derivatives

Betcy Matthews
Health Sciences
Effect of Plant-Based Diets on Cholesterol Levels in Adults: A Systematic Review

Kaiden Horner, Spencer Berger
Biology
Influence of Temperature and Precipitation on the Taxonomic Diversity of Snow Algae Microbial Communities in the Beartooth Mountains

Shea Ostberg
Health Sciences
Effectiveness of Personalized Cancer Vaccines for Treatment of Advanced Melanoma: A Systematic Review

Natalia Thomas, Ariana Bublitz
Nursing
Effects of Digital Medication Adherence Interventions on Adherence Rates in Adults with Chronic Illness

Paphada Phansombun
Health Sciences
Aquatic Therapy versus Land-based Therapy affecting Chornic Lower Back Pain. A Systemetic Review

Emma Wald, Samantha Abell, Katie Gilb, Elisabeth Llyod
Nursing
Postpartum Depression in Relationship to Sleep

Chloe Raats, Annika McCulloch, Peter Fiocchi, Elizabeth Grieshaber, Katelyn Christensen
Business: Management & Marketing
Carroll College Credit Card Process Improvement

Session 2: Presentations
(9:45-11:00 AM) Avila/Desmet, Rice, OC 101, OC 102, OC 106, OC 107, OC 119

Asher Casey
Catholic Studies
O Happy Fault
Location: Avila/Desmet

Ashlynne Jeffries
International Relations
Pandemic Politics: How Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina Leveraged Populist and Technocratic Styles of Political Leadership during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Location: Rice

Deidra Thompson
Theology
Gregory of Nyssa’s Life of Macrina and the Praiseworthiness of Women
Location: O’Connell 101

Brenna O’Leary
Spanish
El Revolver: the Impact of Firearm Ownership on Domestic Violence
Location: O’Connell 102

Davis Greenwood
Honors Scholars Program
Aquinas & Dante: The Meeting of Theology, Philosophy, and Poetry
Location: O’Connell 106

Ingrid Carlson
Honors Scholars Program
Shared Human Responsibility in a World of Gender Inequality According to Carey and Woolf
Location: O’Connell 107

Olivia Smith
Mathematics
Artificial Intelligence in Undergraduate Mathematics Education: Student Perspectives on Learning, Academic Achievement, and Math Anxiety
Location: O’Connell 119

Catherine Dudley
Hispanic Studies
An Impossible Life: Confession as a Framework for Guilt and Absolution in Manuela Martelli’s Chile, 76’
Location: Avila/Desmet

Trey Melton
Philosophy
How Contemporary Author Robin Wall Kimmerer Communicates with Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Location: Rice

Grace Nilsson
Honors Scholars Program
Enlightenment and Modern Thinkers on Freedom
Location: O’Connell 101

Baylee Herman, Olivia St. Marie, Cassandra Ball
Chemistry
Multi-Media Assessment of Dissolved Metal Contamination in Park Lake, Montana Following the 2024 Arctic Grayling Fish Kill
Location: O’Connell 102

Frank Pope
Data Science
Analyzing  Galaxy Morphology and Orientation Using Machine Learning
Location: O’Connell 106

Clare Converse, Brycen Gardner
Engineering
Water Balance Cover Design for Mitigating Acid Mine Drainage at the Perry Canyon Mine in Washoe County, Nevada
Location: O’Connell 107

Emma Matthiesen
Hispanic Studies
Operation Pedro Pan: The Overlooked Legacy
Location: O’Connell 119

Amaya Fischer
Honors Scholars Program
Confronting Dissatisfaction to Improve the Human Condition as Seen through Marlowe and Hurston
Location: Avila/Desmet

Jack Conway, Molly O’Connor
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Investigating the Effects of Naturopathic Supplements on Microgravity-induced Mitochondrial Stress in Tetrahymena thermophila
Location: Rice

Rebekah Bursese
Public Health
Upstream Health Prevention of Heart Disease Among Males on the Crow Reservation
Location: O’Connell 101

Alyssa Sabol
Anthrozoology
Signs, Not Sounds: Exploring ASL as a Tool for Dog Training
Location: O’Connell 102

John Goodwin
Fine Arts
How Camille Saint-Saens Life Shaped and Constrained his Organ Composition
Location: O’Connell 106

Paxton Sheppard
Political Science
Making Nostalgia Great Again: How Party Platforms Sell the Past
Location: O’Connell 119

Session 3: Posters
(10:45 AM-11:45 PM) Upper Cube

Jenna Castro, Sadie Filius, Kailei Kackley, Sidney Gulick
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Development of a Chlorophyll-Based Enviromentally Friendly Sunscreen

Mikaela Grzelak, JacksonTarum
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Impact of 5-HTP on Ciliary Recovery in T. thermophila

Avery Lambourne, Brynn Johnson, Zoe Hagan, Sydney Gutierrez
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Investigation of Hill Reaction Efficiency in Chloroplasts Isolated with Three Buffer Systems Under Dark and Cold Conditions

Jacob Bates
Anthrozoology
Dogs effect on ROTC Cadets

Clarissa Ball
Chemistry
Kinetic Analysis of the Electrochemical Oxidation of 2-methylthiophene via Cyclic Voltammetry

Cormac Dunstan, Ethan Hull, Matthew Golik
Biochemistry-Molecular Biology
Synthesis of Environmentally-Friendly Nylon Derivatives

Trey Melton, Keegan Treptow
Biology
Snow Algal Community Diversity and Pigment Expression in Response to Light Intensity

Trey Melton
Chemistry
Time-Resolved Far-IR Spectroscopic Analysis of Mechanochemical Prussian Blue Synthesis

Joel Moore, Tiffany Altermatt
Environmental Science
Snow Algae: Skier’s Friend or Foe

Kennedy Engstedt
Gender Studies
"The Gendered Dimensions of Gun Violence in the United States"

Norah Allen
Health Sciences
The Influence of Blue Light Exposure Versus Reading Printed Material on Sleep Patterns in Children: A Systematic Review

Brynn Notbohm
International Relations
A Thematic Analysis of Non-State Actors in International Relations

Tyler Baerlocher
Mathematics
Discovering Algebraic Shortcuts Using Monte Carlo Tree Search

Alexandra Barua, Haley Jose
Nursing
Preoperative Forced-Air Warming and the Incidence of Perioperative Hypothermia

Mark Ahner
Philosophy
Grounding Reason: Evaluating the Naturalist’s Faith in Their Rationality

Sophie Bliss
Psychology
Personality Characteristics and Response to Others’ Good Fortune

Bella Harris
Public Health
Early Menarch and the Risk of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Janey Adair
Sociology
Violent Videogame's Impact on Youth in America

Alan Gutierrez
Health Sciences
Media Use and Sleep Outcomes Among Adolescents : A Systematic Review

Alannah Govier
Catholic Studies
Tridentine Right vs Novus Ordo Rite

Maxwell Brubaker, Evan Anglin
Biology
Effect of Manuka Honey on Metabolic Rate and Mobility in Oxidatively-stressed Tetrahymena thermophila

Henry Gross
Chemistry
Synthesis of a Fluoro-Sulfonium Ylide Derivative for the Study of Carbene Intermediates

Trinity Roeper, Kathryn Quinn, Moira McGuire, Jon Smith, Gina Piffarerio
Psychology
Concussion History and the Long-Term Effects on Balance and Symptomology

Jaydee Huschka
Health Sciences
Male Fertility and GLP-1 Administration - A Systematic Review

Maggie Harvey, Kayla Almquist, Davina Lee
Nursing
Effect of Music Therapy on Alzheimer's Disease SPH CAUTI Improvement Project

Julia Farrington
Health Sciences
Endurance Sports and Colorectal Cancer Prevention: A Systematic Review

Mikayla Hatzopoulos, Anders Hedstrom
Nursing
Sepsis Bundle Use and Mortality Outcomes in Adults with Sepsis

Annemarie Johnston, Corinne Anderko
Nursing
Effectiveness of Gate Control Theory–Based Pain Management on Labor Pain in Nulliparous Women

Kennedy Vogl
Public Health
Prenatal Acetaminophen Exposure and Risk of ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children: A Systematic Review

Sarah Friendshuh, Willa Albrecht
Biology
Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Metabolic Activity in Hypothermic T. thermophila

Sorren Reese
Health Sciences
Are early preterm infants at higher risk for ADHD than term-born infants? A Systematic Review

Cameron Wong, Joey McFault
Nursing
Effects of Prone Positioning on Respiratory Status in Adults with ARDS

Connor Tuss
Health Sciences
In collegiate athletes, is sport-related concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) a risk factor for impaired classroom performance?

Wyatt Rutledge
Mathematics
Mathematics of RSA Encryption

Andrias Zelele
Computer Science
Project Baymax: Designing an AI Companion for Emotional Support and Therapy-Inspired Care

Session 4: Presentations
(12:40-1:35 PM) Avila/Desmet, Rice, OC 101, OC 102, OC 106, OC 107

Megan Davies
Catholic Studies
Progressive Taxation and Catholic Social Teaching: A Moral Case for Proportional Contribution
Location: Avila/Desmet

Amaya Fischer
Hispanic Studies
Infrahumanization and Marginalization of "the Other” in “Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes” by Gabriel García Márquez
Location: Rice

Asher Casey
Philosophy
The Opposite of Love
Location: O’Connell 101

John Goodwin
English
How Our Commodification of Water Has Changed the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo)
Location: O’Connell 102

Trey Melton
Chemistry
Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Aqueous and Solid Systems
Location: O’Connell 106

Brynn Johnson
Honors Scholars Program
What Do We Owe in Love?: Ethical Tension in Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Talmud
Location: O’Connell 107

Katharine Fihre
Honors Scholars Program
Virginia Woolf and Jonathan Swift: Is the Pursuit of Knowledge Necessarily Elitist?
Location: Avila/Desmet

Deidra Thompson
Theology
Washed in Time: An Invitation to Participation
Location: Rice

Lauren Melvin
Anthrozoology
Canine Tail Docking: Analysis of the Issue
Location: O’Connell 101

Sean-Paul Brown
Data Science
Analyzing Baseball Umpires Using Machine Learning
Location: O’Connell 102

Brad Tomasovic
Honors Scholars Program
How Paradise Lost and The Arabian Nights Characterize Evil
Location: O’Connell 106

Jaden Brown
Hispanic Studies
Movement Is Life: Dance, Identity, and Displacement in I’m No Longer Here by Fernando Frías de la Parra
Location: O’Connell 107

Ashlynne Jeffries
Global Learning & Study Abroad
Pathogen Genomic Surveillance as a Tool of Public Health Intelligence in Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023)
Location: Avila/Desmet

Olivia Richardson
Sociology
The Effects of Counseling Modality on Sense of Self
Location: Rice

Nicholas Clouse
Data Science
Evaluating Machine Learning for Daily Avalanche Danger Forecasting in Northwest Montana
Location: O’Connell 101

Chase Kilcup, Connor Marland
Engineering
Conceptual Steel Bridge Design over the Rio Grande
Location: O’Connell 102

Lola Baerlocher
Environmental Science
Habitat Changes Across a Forest-Steppe Ecotone in Central Montana
Location: O’Connell 106

Trey Melton
Philosophy
The Coevolution of French Art and Philosophy into 20th Century
Location: O’Connell 107

Session 5: Posters
(1:45-2:45 PM) Upper Cube

Jacob Sweatland
Chemistry
Chemical Characterization of Snowpacks in Semi-Remote Recreational Hub

Brenna O’Leary, Autumn Bailey, James MacDonald, Valerie Fritz
Nursing
Pharmacological versus Combined Thromboprophylaxis on Mobility-Impaired Inpatients

Marcus Evans, Forrest Suero, Dayne Barbie, Connor Curnow, Luke Frampton, Josiah Cuaresma
Business: Management & Marketing
Enhancing Faculty Compliance in Textbook Adoption Processes

Trey Melton
Chemistry
Limitations in Determining Stoichiometry During H2O to NH3 Exchange in Co2+ Solution

Ella Hubach, Olivia Violett
Environmental Science
Lake Helena Charcoal and Macrofossils as Indicators of Paleoclimate

Jacob Yaeger
Health Sciences
Does Covid-19 Infection Increase the Risk for Cognitive Decline?  A Systematic Review

Rylee Herbstritt, Sidney Gulick
Biology
The Effects of Kalium phosphoricum on Mobility Limitations in Tetrahymena thermophila

Evelyn Dachs
Communication Studies
Trends and Patterns in AI Publishing Policy in Mainstream Media

Abbie Amend, Amelia Carstens
Biology
Determining the Location of Snow Algae After Snow Recession: Sequencing snow algae genomes in snow, soil and meltwater pools

Isaac Rahman
Environmental Science
Baseline study of diatom populations in Tenmile Creek near Helena, MT. What are the implications?

Aryana Jones
Gender Studies
The Effects of Childhood Abuse on Fatherhood

Cassandra Ball
Chemistry
Spectroscopic Investigation of Water-Ammonia Ligand Exchange in Ni(II) Complexes

Rachael Yanchura, Taysa Conger, Meagan Karstetter, Kyle Pacak, Carson Remillard
Business: Management & Marketing
SPH CAUTI Improvement Project

Tiffany Altermatt, Joel Moore
Biology
Investigating the relationship between soil microbiome diversity and immune function in deer mice

Nina Badger
Health Sciences
The Effects of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training on Quadriceps Strength Following ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Review

Sofia Contreras, Abigail Bennett, Jenavie Hammond, Erin Johnston
Nursing
CRISPR in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia and Improved Life Quality

Leah Melvin
Political Science
Policy Design and Preventive Care: The Governance Deficit in Lifestyle Medicine

Christine Gastello, Grace Gastello, Hallie Miller
Nursing
Among elementary school students, does implementing daily structured physical activity compared to no mandated daily activity reduce rates of overweight and obesity within 6 months?

Sydney Coulter, Lena McKee
Biology
Tired of Pollution: The Hidden Costs of Tire Particles, 6PPD-quinone, and the Grass Beneath Our Tires

Jack Lindberg
Chemistry
Quantitative ICP-OES Analysis of Cadmium and Lead Accumulation in Hydroponic Phytoremediation Systems

Jadon Sheveland
Environmental Science
Indices of Wildlife Presence on Terracettes of North Versus South Facing Slopes

Walker Jump
Health Sciences
The Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation in Enhancing Muscle Recovery Following Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage (EIMD): A Systematic Review

Victoria Jeffs, Amaya Fischer, Kassandra Price
Nursing
Diagnostic Accuracy of the WBAIL-2 Blood Test in Celiac Disease

Paydin Dodds, Jack Garvin
Biology
Examination of Astaxanthin Production in Snow Algal Communities

Maylah Thorne
Public Health
Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Its Effects on Frailty: A Systematic Review

Chloe Fitzmeyers
Biology
Effects of astaxanthin on ROS-induced oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Gina Leveque-Zapata
Health Sciences
Food For Thought: Reviewing the Evidence on the Impact of Diet on ADHD

Treyton Graham, Gabriella Bombach
Biology
Harmful Algae Blooms

Madeline Olson
Health Sciences
Sleep and ACL recovery time

Katie Stokes, Claire Cooke, Jerny Crawford, Liana Durward
Nursing
GLP-1 Therapy Influences Body Weight Reduction and BMI

Cadence Zellmer, Natalie Taylor, Abbie Virts
Nursing
In hospitalized adults, how does sleep disruption due to environmental noise, compared with a reduced-noise environment, affect sleep quality?

Meredith Varady
Health Sciences
The Impact of Progestin-Based Contraceptives on Bone Mineral Density Compared to Estrogen-Based and Non-Hormonal Methods: A Systematic Review

Carter White
Health Sciences
Mental Health in Injured Athletes

Session 6: Presentations
(2:55-3:50 PM) Avila/Desmet, Rice, OC 101, OC 102, OC 106

Kaylee Little, Ashlynne Jeffries
Political Science
Uncharted Frontiers: A Policy Analysis of 3D Bioprinting in Microgravity on Human Organ Transplantation
Location: Avila/Desmet

Catherine Dudley
Environmental Science
Encroachment: Age Structure Analysis on a Forest-Grassland Ecotone
Location: Rice

Ethan Eades
Honors Scholars Program
Fragments Shored Against Ruin: Destruction and the Possibility of Restoration in King Lear and “The Waste Land”
Location: O’Connell 101

Damhye Kim
Environmental Science
Is the Pre-Lake Bottom ‘Landscape’ Causing Persistent Melt Features in the Ice of Lake Helena
Location: O’Connell 102

John Goodwin, Ayden Durkin
English
The Colonial Gale: A Comparative Analysis of Nature Through Colonial and Decolonial Perspectives in The Tempest vs. A Tempest
Location: Avila/Desmet

Gabriela Doran
Hispanic Studies
Improving the Reproductive Health for Pregnant and Pre and Post Menopausal Women: An Exchange of Western and Hispanic Indigenous Medicine
Location: Rice

Henry Foy
Mathematics
Exploring the Economics of Tolls on the I-5 Bridge
Location: O’Connell 101

Grace Bock
Honors Scholars Program
The Prince Understood Through Utilitarianism
Location: O’Connell 102

Molly O’Connor
Data Science
Stats and Brackets
Location: Avila/Desmet

Kate Wilkins
International Relations
Women, Workforces, and Windows of Opportunity
Location: Rice

Trey Melton
French
The Process of Translation Explored through 19th Century French Poetry
Location: O’Connell 101

Anthony Wilson
Theology
Kakure Kiristans: Why They Choose to Remain Hidden
Location: O’Connell 102