INSPIRE Conference Schedule 2026

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Division of Graduate Studies are proud to present the 2026 INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference!

April 13-14, 2026 // Rod Library

  • Poster Presentations: Learning Commons
  • Oral Presentations: Room 287

Please reach out to our conference co-coordinators Helen Harton and Windee Weiss with any questions.

Monday, April 13
Tuesday, April 14
INSPIRE Conference

Monday, April 13

Poster Presentations →

Oral Presentations →

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Elle Eike

Civic Moments at UNI: What Would You Do Next?

  • Major: Finance
  • Faculty Advisor: Allison Rank

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

9 - 9:50 a.m  |  Moderator: Alex Billman

Trevor Towne

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): The Years Before, During and After COVID-19

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Kim MacLin

Aeris Turner

Your Body Belongs to You: An Archival Analysis of Educational Resources on Sexual Abuse for Children in School Settings

  • Majors: Psychology & Family Services
  • Faculty Advisor: Kim MacLin

Saylor Smith

The Decline of School Spirit: Understanding the Role of Morale at the University of Northern Iowa

  • Major: Public Administration
  • Faculty Advisor: Jayme Renfro
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Gavin Reyes

Electronic, Magnetic and Structural Properties of Fe2MoGe

  • Major: Physics
  • Co-Author: Gabby Buhrow
  • Faculty Advisor: Pavel Lukashev
  • Award: National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant

Adalyn Reynolds

Relationship between Pride, Motivation and Training Behaviors

  • Major: Kinesiology
  • Co-Author: Chase Burke
  • Faculty Advisor: Windee Weiss

Alyssa Niemeier

Fatigue Effect on Gait in Younger Populations

  • Major: Kinesiology - Biomechanics
  • Co-Authors: Ella Dorman, Sean Kelley & Lily Ladehoff
  • Faculty Advisor: HyeYoung Cho

 

10 - 10:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Jesse Heath

Madelyn Wells

Effects of Race and Tattoo Status on Criminality Judgments 

  • Majors: Psychology, Criminology, Philosophy
  • Co-Author: Gabriella Haddad
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)
  • Faculty Advisor: Helen Harton 

Lily Stevens

Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Michael Gasser

Kayla Kellogg

A Case Study on Men’s Sheds: Identity, Relationships and Social Cohesion 

  • Program: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz 

Jamie Ross

Trauma and Attachment Outcomes Among Foster Youth

  • Major: Family Services
  • Faculty Advisor: Anne Plagge
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Mary Kelly

Constructing Certainty: The Influence of Legal Practices on Eyewitness Confidence and Credibility

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Kim MacLin

Trina Schmadeke

Perceptions of Money in Politics: Analyzing the Connection Between Knowledge of Congressional Campaign Funding and Political Trust in the United States

  • Major: Political Science
  • Faculty Advisor: Kyle Endres
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship

 

11 - 11:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Courtney Wilson

Mojtaba Alfardan

Academic Use of AI Tools and Willingness to Pay for Premium Subscriptions Among College Students

  • Program: MBA
  • Co-Authors: Tucker Langenberg & Haley Ceruzzi
  • Faculty Advisor: Jiuqing Cheng

Jordan Smith

Predictors of Prejudice towards People with Tattoos

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Helen Harton
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Elivia DiTomaso

How Peer Mentoring Impacts Teaching

  • Major: History Teaching
  • Faculty Advisor: John Ophus

Jadin Grieser

We Don't Get Our Voices Heard, We Work: Power, Perception and the Working-Class

  • Major: Political Science
  • Faculty Advisor: Ana Kogl
  • Award: Boatright Undergraduate Research Award

Vy Van

The Human Connection: Perceptions of Social Health Among Healthcare Workers

  • Major: Public Health & Health Sciences
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz

Kristina Foley

Poster 1: Mapping Student Experience in a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Course in Ireland to Gerontology and Career Readiness Competencies: A Case Study

Poster 2: Exploring the Memorialization of Deceased Partners in Older Adulthood

  • Majors: Psychology, Family Services, Gerontology, Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz 

 

12 - 12:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Elaine Eshbaugh

Emily Forsyth

Examining Burnout in Early- and Late- Career Nurses

  • Program: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Faculty Advisor: Julie Lanz

Anna Kossman

Gait Assessment: Walking with a Dog

  • Major: Kinesiology
  • Co-Authors: Sophie Pepper, Ada Switzer, Derek Hoerner & Magaly Kivi
  • Faculty Advisor: HyeYoung Cho

Leah Hill

The Art of Asking for More Time: How Students Display Facework When Asking for Extensions 

  • Majors: Criminology, Sociology
  • Faculty Advisor: Kimberly Baker 

Carter Hanson

Flow in Climbing: The Role of Mental Preparation and Mind-Body Regulation

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Gary Gute
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Hope Thurm

Conversations on the Wall: Using Public Art to Destigmatize Discussions of Death

  • Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Kassandra McKown

Communicating with Professors In-Person and by Email Regarding Excuses and Absences

  • Major: Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Faculty Advisor: Kimberly Baker

 

1 - 1:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Nick Schwab

Sydney Adair Mast

Understanding the Dilemma of Military Cultural Competency Among Mental Health Professionals

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Julie Lanz

Noah Trucano

Sleep, Anxiety and Decision Making

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Jiuqing Cheng
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Olivia Shannon

Wellness Center

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Madi Block & Miles Matson
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Grace Johnson

Wellness Center

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Lauren Merk, Sydney Cayler & Kyra Anderson
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Favian Zaragoza

Wellness Center

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Davan Smith, Nikola Szlachta & Alisa Friday
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

2 - 2:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Mike Gasser

Hailey Simon

Wellness Center

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Gwenn Moran & Katelyn Moore
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Isabel Carley

Wellness Center - Rooted Valley Wellness

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Mackenzie Knoup, Anika Chesak & Beth Rozendaal
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Danielle Lors

Wellness Center

  • Major: Interior Design
  • Co-Authors: Makenzie Petersen, Olivia Jackson & Dynasty Roundtree
  • Faculty Advisor: Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

 

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

10 - 10:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Brian Warby

10 a.m.

Macy Alexander

Tracking Effects of Graston Technique on Plantar Fasciosis with Diagnostic Ultrasound: A Case Study

  • Program: Master of Athletic Training
  • Co-Author: Sam Axtman
  • Faculty Advisor: Troy Garrett
10:15 a.m.

Catherine Wanyana

Maternal Glow and Family Solutions Organization 

  • Major: Public Health: Community Health
  • Co-Authors: Maud Gladys & Mawora Plaxcedes
10:30 a.m.

Abigail Wendland

The Music Education Gender Divide at the University of Northern Iowa

  • Major: Instrumental Music Education
  • Faculty Advisor: Alison Altstatt

 

11 - 11:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Shahina Amin

11 a.m.

Dennis Nkansah

A GIS-Based Integrated Assessment of Groundwater Potential and Contamination Vulnerability in the Cedar Falls Area, Iowa

  • Program: M.A. Geography
  • Faculty Advisor: Lisa Tabor
11:15 a.m.

Tim Conlon

GeoTREE Center Drone Photography, Modeling and Thermal Analysis on UNI Campus

  • Major: Geographic Information Science
  • Co-Author: Harriet Quarshie
  • Faculty Advisor: John DeGroote
11:30 a.m.

Ruth Abagna

From GIS Story Maps to AI Story Maps: Evaluating Which Digital Storytelling Approach Better Serves Community-Focused Cultural and Heritage Centers in the Arctic

  • Program: M.A. Geography
  • Faculty Advisor: Andrey Petrov

 

12 - 12:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Gabriela Olivares

12 p.m.

Kassidy Patterson

The Impact of Teacher Burnout on Learning Ability in Elementary Children with ACEs

  • Major: Social Work
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship
12:15 p.m.

Doaa Ibrahim

ChatGPT and L2 Writing Development:  A Perception-to-Performance Study with Adult Multilingual Learners

  • Program: TESOL/Applied Linguistics
  • Faculty Advisor: Aliza Fones
12:30 p.m.

Thi Thu Ngan (Brita) Ho

The Role of Google Translate in Supporting Writing Accuracy and Classroom Expectations Among ESL Students: A Qualitative Case Study  

  • Program: TESOL/Applied Linguistics
  • Faculty Advisor: Joshua Gordon

 

2 - 2:30 p.m.  |  Moderator: Jon Specht

2 p.m.

Caden Sadler

Binding Mechanism of Ni and Cu on Layered Semiconductors

  • Major: Physics
  • Co-Author: Ty Porter
  • Faculty Advisor: Pavel Lukashev
  • Award: National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant
2:15 p.m.

Isaac Eshun

Conflict Dynamics and Resistance Mobilization in the Arctic: A Quantitative Examination of Environmental Struggles

  • Program: M.A. Geography
  • Faculty Advisor: Andrey Petrov

Tuesday, April 14

Poster Presentations →

Oral Presentations →

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

10 - 10:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Emily Machen

Shelby Brubaker

Confronting Mortality: College Student Perceptions of Death 

  • Major: Exploratory
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Nate Keenan

Effects of Acute Caffeine Ingestion following Creatine Supplementation on Cognition and Resistance Exercise Performance

  • Major: Kinesiology
  • Co-Authors: David Russell, Cali Prochaska, Owen Dickinson, Carson Allen, CJ Accola & Connor Thorpe
  • Faculty Advisor: Terence Moriarty
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Leah Blaine

State Corporate Crime in Agricultural Markets: An Analysis of the Lynch Family Livestock Fraud Case 

  • Major: Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Faculty Advisor: Casey Schotter

Addison McElrath

Listening to Participants: Improving Dementia Education

  • Program: Recreation Tourism Nonprofit Leadership (RTNL)
  • Faculty Advisor: Elaine Eshbaugh

Lindsey Stabenow

Camouflaging Depression Within the Work and Home Environment

  • Majors: Psychology, Interactive Digital Studies
  • Faculty Advisor: Seth Brown

 

11 - 11:50 a.m.  |  Moderator: Terence Moriarty

Maddie Otto

Youth Social Media Access in Australia

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Jacey Rugg, Alyssa Dieckhoff, Brinley Cleveland & Katie VanDeWoestyne
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Nate VanDyk

Global Issues Project and Presentation

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Alex Dautremont, Lauren Francois & Parker Craighton
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Molly K. Cue

Feminization Poverty in the United States and Afghanistan

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Carley E. Henrickson, Lauren E. Classen, Laursen I. Huston & Swarupa E. Evans
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Kaden Emanuel

Global Issue Project

  • Major: Psychology, Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Stephanie Aguilar Banuelos & Walk Kelly
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Josh Mineart

De-Stigmatization Mental Health in Israeli Jewish Communities

  • Major: Psychology
  • Co-Authors: Essy Smock & Cara Miller
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Kenna Hall-Hoyt

Comparing the Harm Reduction in Substance Abuse

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Shelby Jenkins & Sarah Denin
  • Faculty Advisor: Matthew Vasquez

Logan Houang

Racial Discrimination In The United States 

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Kendyll Pierce & Braden Jensen
  • Faculty Advisor: Jaimie O'Gara

Lillie-Kay Colby

Women’s Access to Education

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Ellie-Lynn Colby & Olivia Clausen
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Olivia Clausen

Women’s Access to Education: a Global Perspective 

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Lillie-Kay Colby & Ellie-Lynn Colby
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Faith Defenbaugh

The Importance of Education: A Comparison of Educational Systems in the United States and South Sudan

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Allie Haughenbury, Emma Randecker, Hadley Farrell & Haylea Tillman
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Kale Rife

The U.S. Prison System Requires Change

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Alayna Boos, Kale Rife, Jeslyn Voogd, Grace Walker, Lydia Whitaker
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

 

12 - 12:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Nilda Rodriguez

Faith Nielsen

Chronic Pain, Flow and Flourishing: A Phenomenological Investigation

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Gary Gute

Gladys Maud Quaye

Sankofa! Remembering Africa’s Ancestral Ethnographic Technologies

  • Program: M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Faculty Advisor: Nathan Arndt

Gabby Buhrow

Effect of Biaxial Strain on Electronic Properties of Fe2CoGe: First-Principles Study

  • Major: Physics: Data Science, Statistics
  • Co-Author: Gavin Reyes
  • Faculty Advisor: Pavel Lukashev
  • Award: National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant

Lily Buchholz 

Fathers’ Perspectives on Fatherhood and Resiliency

  • Program: Master of Social Work
  • Faculty Advisor: Jaimie O'Gara

Erin Dietzenbach

Global Issues Presentation, Analyzing the United States Welfare System

  • Program: Master of Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Makyla O’Donnell-Heifner & Kayla Santosa
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Amber Jones

Geolocating UNI Historical Photos on an Interactive Map

  • Major: Interactive Digital Studies
  • Advisor: Bettina Fabos

 

1 - 1:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Lisa Tabor

Trevor Rial

Differences Between High and Low Mentally Tough Athletes

  • Major: Kinesiology and Athletic Training
  • Co-Author: Claire Bohan
  • Faculty Advisor: Windee Weiss

Rebecca Rainwater

Attachment Style Moderates the Relation Between Exclusion and Psychological Health 

  • Major: Psychology
  • Co-Authors: Quinn Kelly & Pyper Naylor
  • Faculty Advisor: Robert Hitlan

Cameron Fraher

Marked for Bias: Tattoo and Race Effects on Promotion Decisions

  • Major: Psychology
  • Co-Author: Mary Carolus
  • Faculty Advisor: Helen Harton
  • Award: Intercollegiate Academic Fund (IAF)

Sophia Balistreri

The Impact of Dementia Simulations on Different Age Groups

  • Major: Biology; Biomedical
  • Faculty Advisor: Elaine Eshbaugh

Alexanderia Christenson

Access to Mental Health Services Throughout the United States Compared to Sweden

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Grace Upshaw & Cameron Streeper
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

Dona Dinithi Ferdinando

Teachers’ Perspectives on and Experiences with Using AI in Education: A Comparative Study Between China and the US

  • Program: Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
  • Co-Authors: Timea Chen, Yunhan Hwang, Leah Stoeger & Min A Lee
  • Faculty Advisor: Xumei Fan

 

2 - 2:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: HyeYoung Cho

Ella Gunn

Aging Across Cultures: How Cultural Attitudes Shape Senior Care in Japan and the United States

  • Major: Pre-Professional Nursing: Health Sciences
  • Faculty Advisor: Melinda Heinz

Pyper Naylor

Psychological Threat as a Mediator Between Workplace Exclusion and Deviance

  • Major: Psychology
  • Co-Authors: Rebecca Rainwater & Quinn Kelly
  • Faculty Advisor: Robert Hitlan

Quinn Kelly

Cognitive and Behavioral Costs of Workplace Exclusion: Does Neuroticism Matter?

  • Major: Psychology
  • Co-Authors: Rebecca Rainwater & Pyper Naylor
  • Faculty Advisor: Robert Hitlan

Becca Strong

Is a Fun Run Fun?

  • Major: Psychology
  • Faculty Advisor: Adam Butler

Joseph Brinkman

Trafficking Within America in Comparison to India

  • Major: Social Work
  • Co-Authors: Claire Manson & Abbie Peterson
  • Faculty Advisor: Itunu Ilesanmi

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

10 - 10:30 a.m.  |  Moderator: Adam Butler

10 a.m.

Gladys Maud Quaye

Sankofa! Remembering Africa’s Ancestral Ethnographic Technologies

  • Program: M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Faculty Advisor: Nathan Arndt
10:15 a.m.

Connor McGinnis

Counselors-in-Training Perspectives on Neuroscience-Informed Counseling in Counselor Education

  • Program: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Faculty Advisor: Priyanka Jha

 

12 - 12:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Itunu Ilesanmi
12 p.m.

Sammie McDonald

Missing Children: The Underrepresentation of Youth in Mental Health Data

  • Majors: Sociology, Social Work
  • Faculty Advisor: Ashleigh Kysar-Moon
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship
12:15 p.m.

Caitlyn Wylie

When the Conversation Gets Difficult: Navigating Relationships with Belief Differences

  • Major: Sociology
  • Faculty Advisor: Carissa Froyum
12:30 p.m. 

Mikey Brown

Tradition, Transition & Identity: Models of Masculinity in Marvel Superhero Films

  • Major: Sociology
  • Faculty Advisor: Marybeth Stalp
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship

 

2 - 2:50 p.m.  |  Moderator: Marybeth Stalp

2 p.m. 

Wesley Fraiman

Touch with the Soil: Foreign Settings in Contemporary American Expatriate Fiction

  • Program: M.A. English
  • Faculty Advisor: Karen Tracey
2:15 p.m.

Sydney Singh

Do Degrees Really Matter? A Qualitative Study of Correctional Professionals Concerning Higher Education, On-the-Job Training and Career Experience

  • Majors: Criminal Justice, Public Administration
  • Faculty Advisor: Kimberly Baker
  • Award: Fruehling Undergraduate Research Fellowship
2:30 p.m.

Simbarashe Ngonyamo

AI in Insurance: Using Machine Learning to Improve Insurance Risk Predictions

  • Major: Actuarial Science
  • Faculty Advisor: Douglas Mupasiri