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Indiana University of Pennsylvania continued its celebration of student research and faculty mentors during an awards event on April 23.

Students selected for awards for their original research presented during IUP’s Scholars Forum during the university’s Research Appreciation Week, along with their faculty mentors, were honored during the annual event. Over 30 students were recognized for their high-caliber projects and excellent presentations.

Research posters and presentations were judged by volunteer faculty, staff, and alumni for awards in each college, and special awards were sponsored by offices across campus.

Research Appreciation Week spotlights the spirit of innovation and collaboration in disciplines throughout the university and recognizes the contributions that IUP’s original research and scholarship make to this region, commonwealth, and world.

Award Winners for 2025:

College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs

  • Dean’s Award (undergraduate): Madelyn Yaremcho, “3D Printed Rescue Albuterol Sulfate Inhaler Holder with Keyring;” mentor: Sharon Massey, Department of Art and Design

  • Dean’s Award (graduate): Brian Sateriale, “Androgynism: Recognition of the Internal Hieros Gamos upon Western Civilization;” mentor: Christopher Orchard, Department of Literature, Language, and Writing

  • Outstanding Podium Presentation: Kaylee Becker-George, “Student Governance at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania: The Evolution of the Student Government Association into the Organization it is Today;” mentor: Scott Moore, Department of History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies.

Eberly College of Business

  • Dean’s Award: Emily Schumacher, “Recidivism and Correctional Cost Incurrence Among Indiana County’s Individuals Under Supervision;” mentor: Brandon Vick, Department of Finance and Economics

  • Outstanding Poster: Malaika Nyange Wilmore and Allison Johnson, “A Diverse Portfolio Focused on the Distinction Between Day Trading and Long-Term Investing;” mentor: Yaya Sissoko, Department of Finance and Economics

  • Outstanding Podium Presentation: Emily Schumacher and Micaela Jebitsch, “NHL Attendance, Will You Be There?” mentor: James Jozefowicz, Department of Finance and Economics

College of Education and Human Services

  • Dean’s Award (undergraduate): Emily Seebold, “Prevalence of Violations of Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA Crimes or VUFA Offenses) That Are ‘Co-Charged’ with Specific Violent Criminal Offenses in Pennsylvania;” mentor: Alex Heckert, Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology

  • Dean’s Award (graduate): Lauren Lucas, “Manipulating the Dosage of an Explicit-Timing and Goal-Setting Mathematics Intervention;” mentor: Lynanne Black, Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology

  • Outstanding Poster: Lamia Dawood, “Did the Arab Spring Introduce a New Type of Leadership?” mentor: Alex Heckert, Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology

College of Health Sciences

  • Dean’s Award: Olivia Jean Gambill, “Evaluating a Forum-Style Simulation for Enhancing Interprofessional Attitudes on Communication and Collaboration Among Healthcare Students;” mentor: Pao Ying Hsiao, Department of Allied and Public Health

  • Outstanding Poster: Symia Taimuty-Loomis, “Trends Associated with the Inclusion of a Court Order to Relinquish Weapons as Part of a Protection from Abuse Order in Armstrong, Clarion, and Indiana Counties;” mentor: Robert Orth, managing director, Administration and Leadership Studies Research and Training Center and Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology

  • Outstanding Podium Presentation: Ashtyn Hileman, “The Effects of Parent and Child Gender on Parental Mediation Strategies;” mentor: Tara Johnson, Department of Psychology

John J. and Char Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

  • Dean’s Award (undergraduate): Catherine Martsolf, “The Efficacy of Bupropion and Naltrexone in Treating Methamphetamine Addiction;” mentor: Dan Widzowski, Department of Biology

  • Dean’s Award (graduate), tie:

    • Elena Frye, “Reconstructing Urban Geography: Spatial Analysis of Homestead, PA from 1891 to 1901;” mentor: John Benhart, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

    • Emma Kinsinger, “From Quarry to Village: Lithic Resource Exploitation in Monongahela Cultural Tradition Johnston Phase Sites;” mentor: Lara Homsey-Messer, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • Outstanding Poster (undergraduate): Noah Mattingly, Erin Himes, and Allison Krape, “Analyzing Known Cytokine Inhibitors for Their Affinities Towards Receptor A Site A;” mentor: Justin Fair, Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics

  • Outstanding Poster (graduate): Dakota Dickerson, “Fetal Pig Decomposition in Western PA: Characterization of Burial Environment and Decomposition Processes in Western Pennsylvania Non-Human Outdoor Decomposition Facility;” mentor: Andrea Palmiotto, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • Outstanding Podium Presentation (undergraduate), tie:

    • Seth Koch, “Roots in the Wild: A Students Journey with Nature;” mentor: Abigail Adams, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

    • Steven Simonetti, “Effects of Transit on Traffic: A Case Study of the Metro A Bus Rapid Transit Line in Minneapolis, MN;” mentor: Sudeshna Ghosh, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • Outstanding Podium Presentation (graduate): Samantha Miron, Ashley Moll, and Colton Moyer, “Testing a Rapid Assessment Protocol for Quality of Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma Magister) Habitat in Southwestern Pennsylvania;” mentor: Joseph Duchamp, Department of Biology

In addition to the awards presented by colleges, a number of special awards were presented:

Excellence in Data Analysis Awards

(sponsored by the Applied Research Lab)

  • Undergraduate: Alexander Tseng and Kasey Boring, “Should We Be Worried About Inflation? An Analysis of U.S. Inflation Time Series Data;” mentor: Frederick Adkins, Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences

  • Graduate: Lauren Lucas, “Manipulating the Dosage of an Explicit Timing and Goal-Setting Mathematics Intervention;” mentor: Lynanne Black, Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology

Excellence in Mathematical Computation Award

(sponsored by National Science Foundation and Scholarships Creating Opportunities for Applying Mathematics)

  • Grace Modlin and Lauren McIntosh, “Scheduling High School Using Markov Chains;” mentor: Yu-Ju Kuo, Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences

IUP Libraries’ Research Award

(sponsored by IUP Libraries)

  • Undergraduate: Catherine Martsolf, “The Efficacy of Bupropion and Naltrexone in Treating Methamphetamine Addiction;” mentor: Daniel Widzowski, Department of Biology

  • Graduate: Emmanuella Musiime, “Qualitative Exploration of Women Faculty Experiences in Hybrid Classrooms: Navigating Job Demands and Wellness;” mentor: Crystal Machado, Department of Professional Studies in Education

Women in STEM Awards

(sponsored by Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics)

  • Undergraduate Poster: Danica Stroup and Matthew Gaul, “Imagery Intelligence to Track Development of Gaza Refugee Camps;” mentor: Christopher Schaney, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • Undergraduate Podium Presentation: Abigail Trimble, “Learning from the Land: The Role of Gendered Recreation in Environmental Stewardship and Gas Well Monitoring in Appalachia;” mentor: Amanda Poole, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • Graduate Poster: Ashley Moll and Samantha Miron, “The Effectiveness of Using Selfie Cameras to Monitor the Movement of Allegheny Woodrats;” mentor: Joseph Duchamp, Department of Biology

  • Graduate Podium Presentation: Angel Alcantara, “We All Want to Retire: Diverging Paths Leading to Retirement;” mentor: Yu-Ju Kuo, Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences

Three Minute Thesis

(sponsored by IUP Research and Innovation)

  • Judge’s Award: Dakota Dickerson, “Fetal Pig Decomposition in Western PA: Characterization of Burial Environment and Decomposition Processes in Western Pennsylvania Non-Human Outdoor Decomposition Facility;” mentor: Andrea Palmiotto, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

  • People’s Choice Award: Ashley Moll, “The Effectiveness of Using Selfie Cameras to Monitor the Movement of Allegheny Woodrats;” mentor: Joseph Duchamp, Department of Biology

The Kopchick Scholars were also honored during the event. The funding for the Kopchick Scholars program is from John and Char Kopchick, graduates of IUP and long-time IUP supporters. The Kopchicks made a $23-million donation to IUP in April 2018 for science and mathematics initiatives at IUP. John Kopchick earned a bachelor’s degree in 1972 and a master’s degree in 1975 from IUP, both in biology. Char Kopchick graduated from IUP with an education degree in 1973 and has a master’s degree from Ohio University. John Kopchick earned his PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of Texas and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Roche Institute of Molecular Biology in New Jersey.

Outstanding Kopchick student scholar awards are given on an annual basis. Recipients are chosen through a competitive application process.

  • John J. and Char Kopchick Graduate Student Fellow for 2024–25: Rachana Bharadwaj

  • John J. and Char Kopchick Undergraduate Scholar for 2024–25: Trinity Burbank

  • John J. and Char Kopchick Undergraduate Scholar for 2024–25: Makenna Hockenberry

  • John J. and Char Kopchick Student-Faculty Research Fellow for 2024–25: Alexxa Kowalski (faculty member Cuong Diep, Department of Biology)

Research Appreciation Week began with the twentieth annual Women in STEM Summit featuring keynote presenter Bonnie Anderson, a 1980 IUP medical technology graduate, 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award winner, and 2023 honorary doctorate recipient. A native of Indiana, Anderson is a veteran diagnostics industry leader and cofounder, chairwoman, and CEO of PinkDX Inc., an early-stage diagnostics company focused on addressing unmet medical needs for women. The Women in STEM Summit also featured the presentation of the Dr. Patricia Hilliard Robertson Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Female Science Student Award to Anna Cutshall, a biology major and business administration minor.

A total of 192 students, faculty, and staff attended the second annual IUP AI Summit, sponsored by the IUP Center for Scholarly Communication in IUP’s Research and Innovation. Digital badges for completing three or more sessions of the AI Summit were earned by 70 attendees.

In 2022, IUP was designated as a Doctoral University-High Research Activity (R2) by the National Center for Postsecondary Research’s Carnegie Classification in recognition of its commitment to research and student success; this ranking was reaffirmed in February 2025. 

IUP is one of only two public universities in Pennsylvania and one of only 97 public universities with this ranking in the United States. More than 3,900 colleges and universities are included in the ranking system.