Current Scholars
We are quite proud of our current McNair Scholars. Meet these leaders of tomorrow:
- Michael Burton
- Sydney Carter
- Miran Clark
- Emmanuel Dairo
- Cole Dumas
- Amilia Estrada
- Laura Haryono
- Aiyana Houston
- Austin Ingram
- Armani Lewis
- Raistlin Noll
- Santonio Resonno
- Dylan Sneed
- Dennis Sturkey
- Damian Wagoner
- Jordan Ptak
- Alayjah Williams
- Jordan Brooks
- Ayanna Burnett
- Taylor Meyers
- Nicholas Owens
- Mia Johnson
Michael Burton
Major: Cinema
College: Arts & Media
Mentor: Karla Berry
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Coming-of-Age Films with the Use of Cinematography
This research explores the role of cinematography in shaping emotional storytelling within contemporary coming-of-age films. Focusing on Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, Call Me by Your Name, and The Photograph, the study investigates how visual techniques such as camera movement, framing, color palette, and editing rhythm articulate themes of identity, memory, transformation, and emotional intimacy. Using a qualitative, comparative film analysis approach, each film was examined through a coding framework that highlights recurring cinematographic strategies and their emotional function. Findings suggest a shared visual language across these films that emphasizes emotional presence through fluid camera work, proxemic framing, symbolic use of color, and rhythmic editing. These techniques collectively serve to externalize internal character experiences, particularly for Black and queer subjects often underrepresented in cinematic analysis. The project culminates in a creative short film that applies this toolkit, testing the replicability of these strategies in original work. By bridging scholarly theory with practical application, this research contributes to both film studies and creative production, reaffirming cinematography’s power to visually frame the coming-of-age experience.
Sydney Carter
Major: Physiology
College: School of Medicine
Mentor: Dr. Joseph L. Cheatwood
SRI 2024 Research Title & Abstract: Effects of CBD on mRNA Markers of Hippocampal Neurogenesis in the Rodent Model of Chemo-brain
Chemotherapy, being the leading way to treat cancer, has proven effective in lengthening the lives of cancer patients. Still, it has the issue of causing several post-treatment cognitive deficits. One of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs, Doxorubicin (Dox), can cause several physiological and neurological disorders, including cognitive deficits. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, has been used as a possible neuroprotective agent against neurodegenerative disorders, including Chemo[1]brain. For the current study, Dox was administered to rats along with CBD given orally. Several rodent model-based behavioral tests were administered to assess anxiety and depression-like behaviors resulting from Dox administration. After completing behavioral tests, the hippocampal tissues were isolated from rats. We performed RT[1]qPCR analysis to study the mRNA expression of several markers of hippocampal neurogenesis. The experiment herein will provide insights into how CBD can improve changes in the specific biomarkers of hippocampal neurogenesis following chemotherapy. This also provides evidence supporting our behavioral tests of cognition, stating neurogenesis as one of the mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective effects of CBD against Dox-induced chemo-brain. Understanding the mechanism associated with CBD alterations on the behavior deficits related to anxiety and depression in our rat model can provide future avenues for translational studies to evaluate the efficacy of CBD in human chemo-brain studies.
Miran Clark
Major: Sociology
College: Liberal Arts
Mentor: Dr. Christina Ivey
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: A Preliminary Look at the Nonbinary College Student Experience
Nonbinary is an identity under the transgender umbrella that broadly represents genders outside or beyond male or female. The concept of being beyond gender binaries is not new; however, the language used to talk about nonbinary genders in our 21st-century Western context is a new development. Nonbinary people experience high levels of discrimination, and college is no exception to that. This project examined current literature about the experiences of nonbinary college students with a focus on how discrimination manifests and the sources of it on campus. By synthesizing existing research alongside my own lived experience as a nonbinary student, I propose a new set of interview questions designed to guide future studies and better capture the complexity of nonbinary student experiences in higher education.
Emmanuel Dairo
Major: Electrical Engineering
College: Engineering, Computing, Technology, & Math
Mentor: Dr. David Paper
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Can AI Give Moral Advice? Testing Ethical Consistency of AI
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are becoming a regular part of our lives, helping with tasks like writing, planning, and answering questions. However, people are starting to use these tools for more serious things like making moral decisions. This study explores how consistent ChatGPT is when it comes to giving ethical advice. I focused on three major ethical frameworks: utilitarianism (doing what helps the most people), deontology (following moral rules no matter the outcome), and virtue ethics (acting in a way that shows good character). I tested how ChatGPT handled well-known moral dilemmas by changing the tone and wording of each question. I also reviewed academic articles about AI, bias, and ethical reasoning. The results showed that ChatGPT often changed its answers depending on how the question was asked. It switched between different moral frameworks without a clear reason. This inconsistency suggests that ChatGPT does not follow a real moral system, it just gives responses that sound right in the moment. This matters because people might take its advice seriously without realizing that it is not grounded in true understanding. As AI tools continue to shape how people think and decide, we need to pay close attention to their limitations. My research highlights the need for better AI systems and more critical thinking when using them for moral or ethical questions.
Cole Dumas
Major: Computer Science
College: Engineering, Computing, Technology, & Math
Mentor: Dr. Iraklis Anagnostopoulos
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Implementation and Optimization of Vision Language Models
This research explores how to improve the way that vision-language models (VLMs) solve problems that require action or decision-making on low-powered devices such as smartphones. We aim to achieve this goal without having the model learn and improve on its own. Specifically, the project examines if pre-computed computer vision outputs enhance the performance of vision language models when it comes to image-based decision-making. This approach will inform how vision language models can be used on small devices with limited power, as well as inform how these tools are utilized in a real-world situation. To do this, an Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano was utilized in tandem with smolVLM and a custom interface. A camera provided the image, then we asked the VLM a question, and it generated responses. This setup allows us to evaluate the practical applications of VLMs and explore how to maximize their utility on constrained devices.
Amilia Estrada
Major: Journalism
College: Arts & Media
Mentor: Julia Rendleman
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Establishing Space: Representation and Resistance in African American Women’s Curatorial Practices
This research investigates how African American women artists and curators establish space for marginalized voices through visual storytelling, curatorial intention, and institutional critique. Rather than assimilating into dominant art institutions, these practitioners reimagine and reshape cultural spaces to reflect their own histories and identities. Fern Logan, an African American artist and curator working in Southern Illinois, exemplifies this approach by centering BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists within predominantly white institutions. As part of this study, I traveled to Memphis to deepen the regional context by interviewing artist-curator Jay Etkin and Keyana Dixon, the sister of Tyre Nichols and cocurator of an exhibition honoring his life and work. This project highlights the labor required to achieve visibility and the critical role of African American women curators.
Laura Haryono
Major: Biomedical Sciences
College: Agriculture, Life & Physical Sciences
Mentor: TBD
Aiyana Houston
Major: Zoology
College: Agriculture, Life & Physical Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Frank Anderson
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Multigene Analysis of Decapodiform Cephalopod Phylogenetics
Cephalopods (octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and nautiluses) are highly diverse and known for their intelligence, speed, and complex traits like camouflage and color change. However, understanding how these traits evolved is still difficult due to incomplete phylogeny. Although past studies have clarified relationships among the major cephalopod groups, many questions remain. This project focuses on Decapodiformes, the group that includes squids and cuttlefish. Studying this group is challenging due to rapid trait evolution (Douglas et al., 2025), RNA editing (Alon et al., 2015), and a limited fossil record. To clarify the evolutionary relationships among this clade, I conducted a multi-gene phylogenetic analysis using published mitochondrial (e.g., atp6, cox1, nad1, rrnL) and nuclear (e.g., octopine dehydrogenase and rhodopsin) gene sequences from GenBank. After aligning the data, I constructed a species-level phylogenetic tree for Decapodiformes. This analysis will help clear up the relationships within this group and provide insight into how they evolved. This analysis contributes to a clearer understanding of decapodiform evolution and helps resolve key questions about how their distinctive traits have emerged over time.
Austin Ingram
Major: Zoology
College: College of Agriculture, Life & Physical Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Frank Anderson
SRI 2024 Research Title & Abstract: Mapping Terrestrial Snail Diversity Across Habitats In Eastern North America
Some species have global distributions while others are highly localized, with ranges of only a few square meters. These distributions are driven by a suite of environmental variables and geological processes, and assessing the phylogenetic diversity of different habitats can help us understand the drivers of species distributions and assemblages. Eastern North America habitats harbor high levels of terrestrial species diversity; these habitats are characterized into ecoregions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on shared environmental variables, land cover, etc. Land snails are an important component of eastern North American terrestrial ecosystems, but they are often overlooked in ecological research. They are also amenable to investigations of the drivers of species distribution due to their low vagility/high endemism and high representation in research collections. To investigate the drivers of land snail species assemblages in eastern North America, I compiled all land snail observations from eastern North America and built a phylogenetic tree using COI sequences. For each EPA Level III Ecoregion, I pruned the tree to only species found within, which allowed me to assess the phylogenetic diversity of that particular habitat type. The resulting map of eastern North American land snail phylogenetic diversity could be used to assess correlations between land snail diversity and environmental and historic factors.
Armani Lewis
Major: Radio, TV & Digital Media
College: Arts & Media
Mentor: TBD
Raistlin Noll
Major: Psychology
College: Health & Human Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Stacy Thompson
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: Father-Infant Attachment through Paternal Feeding Choices
Early attachment relationships are crucial to a child’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. While maternal roles have been widely studied, this mixed-methods research explores how feeding method (exclusive vs. non-exclusive breastfeeding) and paternal engagement influence father-infant attachment. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews (n=42) revealed key themes of bonding, shared caregiving, and emotional involvement. Notably, non-exclusive breastfeeding created more opportunities for direct paternal connection, supporting greater involvement in early caregiving routines. Quantitative analysis included 79 fathers who completed the Father-Infant Attachment Inventory (FIAI). A one-way ANCOVA tested the effect of feeding method on attachment while controlling for paternal attitudes (Role of Father Questionnaire), infant feeding attitudes (Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale), caregiving frequency, father’s education, age at child’s birth, and number of children. The model was significant, F(7,71) = 44.98, p < 0.001, R² = .816. Paternal attitudes significantly predicted attachment (F = 203.81, p < 0.001), whereas feeding method did not (F = 0.78, p = .381). Regression analysis confirmed that positive paternal attitudes strongly predicted greater attachment (β = .890, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of fathers’ beliefs and caregiving roles in early attachment and offer insight for educational and policy efforts aimed at increasing paternal involvement from infancy.
Santino Resonno
Major: Zoology
College: College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences
Mentor: TBD
Research Interest: TBD
Dylan Sneed
Major: Psychology/ Sociology
College: College of Health and Human Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Yueh-Ting Lee
SRI 2024 Research Title & Abstract: Exploring the Influence of Race, Gender, Age, and Media on Empathy Among College Students
This study investigates how race, gender, age, and media exposure influence empathy among college students. Using Davis's Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the research isolates two key subscales of empathy: Empathic Concern (EC) and Perspective Taking (PT). A cross-sectional survey of 466 participants was conducted using a stratified sampling approach. Data was analyzed via three-way ANOVA to assess the main effects and interactions. The results indicated that sex had a significant effect on EC, with post hoc comparisons showing that women reported significantly higher levels of empathic concern than men. Race and age showed no significant main effects, although media perception strongly correlated with empathy responses. These findings contribute to the growing understanding of how social and demographic variables shape emotional cognition in emerging adults.
Dennis Sturkey
Major: Africana Studies
College: Liberal Arts
Mentor: Dr. Ted Cohen
SRI 2025 Research Title & Abstract: The Criminalization of Black Liberation by the Media and the Legal System
This research looks at how the legal system and the media have worked together over time to criminalize Black liberation movements, focusing on the assassination of Fred Hampton as a key example. Fred Hampton, who led the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party, was a strong and inspiring leader in the fight for Black freedom. He helped create important community programs like the Free Breakfast Program, health clinics, and the Rainbow Coalition. His death on December 4, 1969—planned by law enforcement and supported by false stories in the media—shows how government power and media messages were used to silence Black activists. This project uses news articles, court records, interviews with former Black Panther members, and historical documents to study the methods used to take down the Black Panther Party. It shows that this kind of targeting was part of a bigger system that still affects how Black resistance is seen and treated today. By looking at Hampton’s life and the ways he was unfairly labeled, this research hopes to teach future activists how to protect their stories, understand the legal system, and stay strong in the ongoing fight for justice.
Damian Wagoner
Major: Biomedical SciencesCollege: Agriculture, Life & Physical Sciences
Mentor: TBD
