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2026 Summer SAMURS will be held on
Friday, August 21 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM in Milgard 110
Welcome to the Sciences and Mathematics Undergraduate Research Symposium!
The University of Washington Tacoma Environmental Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Environmental Sustainability, and Mathematics majors host an Environmental Research Symposium, Sciences and Mathematics Undergraduate Research Symposium (SAMURS). This event showcases the capstone research projects of our undergraduate students. The presentations by our undergraduate students, cover a broad range of questions and projects related to the environment, mathematics, sustainability and much more. Projects are conducted in the lab, in the trees, in the mud, in the classroom, at an aquarium, on the water, underwater and on land. Some are original research with a faculty mentor, pushing the boundaries of what is known in their fields. Others participate in internships, where they help community partners further their missions through service. What all these diverse students have in common is the determination and dedication to complete an independent study as part of their undergraduate education. We hope you are inspired and educated by what they have accomplished.
Students presenting at Summer 2026 SAMURS can use Student Submission Portal (CLICK HERE).
Future SAMURS Dates (subject to change):
- Summer 2026: August 21st at MLG 110
- Autumn 2026: December 18th at TPS Lobby
- Spring 2027: June 10th at MLG 110
- Summer 2027: August 20th at MLG 110
Summer 2026 - Abstracts and Posters
| Student Name | Mentor | Capstone course | Title and Abstract (click on title for abstract) | Photo and Poster (click on photo for poster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ada Austin | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Particle-Based Delivery Systems for Antigen-Specific Tolerance and Symptomatic Reversal in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) | |
| Sirith Bahia | Sarah Alaei | TBIOMD 495 | The Oral Microbiome in Periodontal Disease: Interactions Between Porphyromonas gingivalis and Commensal Bacteria | |
| Claire Gilmore | Sarah Alaei | TBIOMD 495 | Effects of Polymicrobial Interactions on Porphyromonas gingivalis Biofilm Formation | |
| Kolby Maxine Hall | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Home-Based Telerehabilitation as an Effective Alternative to In-Clinic Therapy for Stroke Survivors | |
| Shirin Jhuty | Sarah Alaei and Marc Nahmani | TBIOMD 495 | Arsenic-Induced Gut Dysbiosis and Behavioral Activity in Chinese Mystery Snails: Exploring the Microbiome–Nervous System Link | |
| Jaismeen Kaur | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | The Role of Porphyromonas gingivalis in Endothelial Dysfunction and Vascular Cognitive Impairment | |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | Anna Maria Groat Carmona | TBIOMD 495 | Functional Role of Conserved RNA Sequences in the DENV2 Genome | |
| Lauren Nahema Kouassi | Leighann Chaffee | TBIOMD 490 | Exploring the Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Access to Preventive Healthcare in Tarija, Bolivia | |
| Salome Latiyu-Wilson | Alison Gardell | TBIOMD 495 | Perchlorate Pressure: Altering Gene Expression and Lipid Storage without Morphology | |
| Aubrey Lund | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 494 | Formulation and Implementation of Standardized Musculoskeletal Injury Treatment Plans in a High School Athletic Population | |
| Mya Isabella Mackowski | Marc Nahmani | TBIOMD 495 | Impacts of Arsenic Exposure on The Behavior of Chinese Mystery Snails | |
| Tisha Otila Manase | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Environmental Effects on Human Placental DNA Methylation and its Role in Development of Preeclampsia | |
| Kara Mattingly | Eric Anderson | FHL 492 | Comparisons of Harbor Seal Haul-out Behavior among Mother-Pup Pairs, Lone Pups, and Lone Adults in the San Juan Islands | |
| Emmet Theodore Meenk | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Transgenerational Environmental Toxin Exposure and Susceptibility to Avascular Necrosis of the Hip Through Epigenetic, Vascular, and Bone-Metabolic Mechanisms | |
| Mattley Mesubed Minor | Sarah Alaei | TBIOMD 495 | Investigating the links between arsenic exposure and behavioral impairment in Chinese mystery snails | |
| Brianna Nicole Newell | Alison Gardell | TBIOMD 495 | Perchlorate Pressure: Altering Gene Expression and Lipid Storage without Morphology | |
| Jack James Nims | Tawanda Chivese | Are We Missing People With Diabetes? The Diagnostic Accuracy of HbA1c vs Oral Glucose Tolerance Test | ||
| Ellen Pak | Cassandra Donatelli | TBIOMD 499 | Tales of Scales: The Relationship Between Hydrodynamics and Antifouling of Pleuronectidae | |
| Bryan Payo-Duran | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Populations in Clinical Trials | |
| Dia Sharma | Hannah Baughman | TBIOMD 495 | Improving Purification and Investigating Substrate Specificity of Plasmodium BEM46-Like Protein (PBLP) | |
| Mallori Jean Standley | Megan Schwartz | TBIOMD 499 | Integrating Environmental DNA and Traditional DNA Barcoding Reveals Higher Zooplankton Species Richness | |
| Samantha Terrones | Leighann Chaffee | TBIOMD 490, 491 | Healthcare Access: Evaluating the US and Bolivia through Global Learning | |
| Andrea Thompson | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Hepatocellular Carcinoma is a High-risk Side Effect of Thalassemia Disease | |
| Han Gia To | Hannah Baughman | TBIOMD 495 | Solubilization and Refolding of Plasmodium BEM-46-Like Protein (PBLP) from Inclusion Bodies | |
| Nicholas Tran | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 495 | The Molecular Switch: Targeting AMPK–mTOR Signaling to Drive Stress Adaptation Across Tissues | |
| Izabelle Vlad | Joan Bleecker | TBIOMD 496 | Riboflavin Concentrations in Lactating Women over the First 8 Months Postpartum | |
| Zac Wold | Jutta Heller | TBIOMD 492 | Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections: a promising dose-dependent treatment for osteoarthritis pain |
| Student Name | Mentor | Capstone course | Title and Abstract (click on title for abstract) | Photo and Poster (click on photo for poster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatuma Ali | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Chlorophyll in Bed Sediments of The Salish Sea | |
| Sierra Rebecca Coleman | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of TOC in Bed Sediments of the Salish Sea | |
| Kristina Conrad | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Microplastics in Bed Sediments of the Salish Sea | |
| Kayden Edgeworth | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | Effect Of Warmer Oceans on Marine Surface Chlorophyll Levels | |
| Kamille Foronda | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Microplastics in Bed Sediments of the Salish Sea | |
| Stella Lindberg | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 analysis of chlorophyll in bed sediments of the salish sea | |
| Sonam Sherpa | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 analysis of chlorophyll in bed sediments of the salish sea | |
| Sharon Dee Strohm | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Alexandrium Cysts in Bed Sediments of The Salish Sea | |
| Sophia Weaver | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Microplastics in Bed Sediments of the Salish Sea | |
| Clara Jordan Wessells | Julie Masura | TESC 495 | 2026 Analysis of Total Organic Carbon in Bed Sediments of the Salish Sea |
| Student Name | Mentor | Capstone course | Title and Abstract (click on title for abstract) | Photo and Poster (click on photo for poster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Name | Mentor | Capstone course | Title and Abstract (click on title for abstract) | Photo and Poster (click on photo for poster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SAMURS Archives
Each year, SAM posts the results of our student work. Within the SAMURS Archives you can find a variety of research that our students and faculty have engaged in throughout the years in the Puget Sound and beyond.
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Secord Environmental Excellence Operating Account that supports UW Tacoma Sciences and Mathematics student initiatives
