On July 25, 2025, Marshall University’s Summer Research Undergraduate Experience (SURE) students presented their final summer projects at the Chemistry Symposium. The summer program also included biweekly presentations of students’ work and a paintball event as a social activity.
The SURE fellowship stipends were funded through the West Virginia Challenge Fund, which is administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Science, Technology and Research Division.
The students, their project titles, mentors and departments are listed below:
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Teaghan Beasley — “Utilizing Lewis Acids in Polyfluorinated Carboxylic Acid Activation,” Dr. Wade Wolfe, chemistry.
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José A. Buxó — “Investigating the Binding Interaction Between Carnosine and Proteins,” Dr. Frost, chemistry.
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Braxten Green — “Decoding KaiA’s Role in the Cyanobacterial Circadian Clock,” Dr. Kim, chemistry.
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Aaron Grimmett — “Identification of Reactive-Oxygen Species Production Sites Essential to Osmobiosis,” Dr. Kolling, chemistry.
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Jessi Lin — “Facilitation of Olfactory Valence in Fruit Fly Rhagoletis pomonella Through Maxillary Palps, Co-receptors and the Serotonergic System,” Dr. Tait, biological sciences.
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Aslynn Mills — “Investigating Selectivity for OCF₃⁻ of PFMPA Degradation Methods,” Dr. Wade Wolfe, chemistry.
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Raghav Puri — “Study to Regulate the Chemokine Binding Protein to Restrain Inflammation,” Dr. Rahman, biomedical engineering.
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Abigail Roberts — “Development of a Generalized Coupling Reaction to Synthesize Oligorylenes,” Dr. Markiewicz, chemistry.
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Victorino Santillan — “Disruption of Key Microtubule Proteins in C. elegans,” Dr. Spitzer, biological sciences.
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Elise Shamblen — “Analysis of the Chemical Composition and Ecological Role of Preen Oils in Local Bird Species,” Dr. Kolling, chemistry.
More details about the program and the annual competition, which opens each March, are available at www.marshall.edu/sure.