The UROP program promotes intensive undergraduate research opportunities for university students. Through these research experiences, our goal is to enhance the recruitment and retention of undergraduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, particularly those related to solar energy and its effects on water resources and the environment in general.

Summer 2016 – Lower Division

Jose Garcia, Water Resource Impact Due to Climate Change, Mentor: Douglas Sims, College of Southern Nevada

Lucas Houston, Examining the Role of Speech Patterns in HRI, Mentor: David Feil-Seifer, University of Nevada, Reno

Sasha Ortega, The Quantitative Relationship Between Litter Moisture Content and CO2 Efflux, Mentor: Jay Arnone, Truckee Meadows Community College and Desert Research Institute

Dustin Parker, Stanford Rock Ridge Volcanic Vent, Mentor: Winifred Kortemeier, Western Nevada College

Presley Williams-Conrad, Human Perception of the Red-Tailed Hawk, Mentor: Scott Bassett, University of Nevada, Reno

James Condie, Fluctuation of Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation Across Las Vegas, Mentor: Eric Wilcox, Truckee Meadows Community College and Desert Research Institute

Summer 2016 – Upper Division

Cameron Berg, A Potential Photo-Switching System, Mentor: Robert Sheridan, University of Nevada, Reno

Kara Bonham, Developmental Sensitivity to Stimulated Climate Warning in a Tropical Pseudoscorpion, Mentor: Jeanne A. Zeh, University of Nevada, Reno

Kirsten Casey, The Search of Corrections to Newtonian Gravity, Mentor: Andrew Geraci, University of Nevada, Reno

Wynona Dizon, Determining the Association Between Serum Levels of Circulating Cell-Free DNA and Sarcoma, Mentor: Yu Kuang, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Kasey Hewson, Diurnal Streamflow Can Improve Watershed Estimates of Evapotransportation and Snowmelt, Mentor: Adriana Harpold, University of Nevada, Reno,

John Kearney, Band Gap Turning and Phase Evolution of Sn3N4 Under Pressure, Mentor: Asukan Salamat, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Alena Lee, Epigenetic Rule of Thrombospendin 4 in Intestinal Muscular Hypertrophy, Mentors: Sungil Ro & Lai Wei, University of Nevada, Reno

Brandon Lopez, Life Cycle Energy and GHG Impacts of Utility Service Solar, Wind & Geothermal Electricity in Nevada, Mentors: Kent Hoekman & Xiaowei, Liu, University of Nevada, Reno

Matthew Mahaffey, Mitochondria and Oxidative Metabolism: The Role of O-GIcNAc Enzymatic Cycling, Mentor: Patricia Berninsone, University of Nevada, Reno

Kegan Rahe, Reaction of Ketone Donors and Aldehyde Acceptors in the Synthesis of Unique Aldol Products, Mentor: Laina Geary, University of Nevada, Reno

Herugo Sato, Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles to Combat Water Pollution, Mentor: Erick Bandala, University of Nevada, Las Vegas & Desert Research Institute

Cale Seymore, Analysis of Ecological Function in Western Great Basin Hot Spring Microbial Communities, Mentor: Brian Hedlund, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

John Whitefield, The Effects of Burn Severity on Nutrient Availability and Seedling Establishment, Mentors: Elizabeth Leger & Beth Newingham, University of Nevada, Reno

Morgan Remick, Granlibakken Ridge Vent Geological Mapping, Mentor: Winifred Kortemeier, Western Nevada College

Academic Year 2016-2017 – Lower Division

Cilla Jose, High Temperature Spectrally-Selective Absorber Coatings for Efficient Concentrated Solar Energy Conversion, Mentor: Jaeyun Moon, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Tyler Ewing, Computational Study on Hydrogen Binding to Rudredoxin Active Site, Mentor: Sergey Varganov, University of Nevada, Reno

Lindsey Grimes, Identification, Extraction, Purification, Synthesis and Screening of Novel Phytochemicals for Antimicrobial Activity, Mentors: Patricia Santos & Dylan Kosma, University of Nevada, Reno

Jamie Poston, The Effect of Varied Height on the Perception of Telepresence Robots, Mentor: David Feil-Seifer, University of Nevada, Reno

Cassandra Ramage, Integrin Regulation of Birth Timing in Mice, Mentors: Heather Burkin & Ian Buxton, University of Nevada, Reno

Laura Llanza, Experimental and Theoretical Solar Cell Degradation Under Monte-Carlo Modeled Dust Deposition, Mentor: Hans Moosmuller, Truckee Meadows Community College & Desert Research Institute

Academic Year 2016-2017 – Upper Division

Gary Alexander, Mapping Solar Energy Potential for Nevada Using Numerical Weather Prediction Model, Mentor: Heather Holmes, University of Nevada, Reno

Britney Khuu, The Effects of Climate on Single Leaf Pinion Pine Cone Production Across an Elevation Gradient, Mentor: Peter Weisberg, University of Nevada, Reno

Erin Cassin, Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance in Paenibacillus Larvae in the Presence of Bacteriophage, Mentor: Penny Amy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Joseph Cheung, Synthesis of Canabinoid Heteroanalays for Medical Screening, Mentor: Laina Gary, University of Nevada, Reno

Cayla Harvey, Viscoelasticity and High Buckling Stress of Dense Carbon Nanotube Brushes, Mentor: Siddhartha Pathak, University of Nevada, Reno

Jaclyn McBride, Therapeutic Role of Parasitic Worms in Autoimmune Diseases, Mentor: Patricia Berninsone, University of Nevada, Reno

Jennifer McCracken, Paths to Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency Improvement via Surface Functionalization, Mentor: Sean Casey, University of Nevada, Reno

Sabrina Novenschi, Machanochemistry of Cardiac Myosin Filaments, Mentor: Christine Cemo, University of Nevada, Reno

Nicholas Winner, Plasmonic Properties of Copper Nanoparticles and Their Application to Improved Photovoltics, Mentor: Ghassan Jabbour, University of Nevada, Reno

Angela Garcia, Bioavailability of Mineral Bound Iron to a Snow Algae Community with Implications for Earth’s Albedo, Energy Balance and Water Resources, Mentors: Elisabeth Hausrath & Zoe Harrold, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Thomas Stafford, Studying the Cost Efficiency of Placement of Building Using Passive Solar Energy, Mentor: Jinho Jung, Great Basin College

Amber Zaidi-Consul, Characterization of Alcohol Dehydrogenase by Bie Salts, Mentor: Amber Howerton, Nevada State College