The University of Louisiana at Lafayette presented its inaugural Leaf Awards for Excellence in Research, Creativity and Scholarship in recognition of undergraduate student projects.
Twenty-nine honorees were recognized in 13 categories during a recent ceremony at University’s Alumni Center. The awards will be held yearly in acknowledgement of projects completed the previous academic year. Student projects are eligible for recognition in more than one category.
Leaf Awards – whose name represents history and traditions surrounding the campus’ oak trees – reflect UL Lafayette’s Quality Enhancement Plan, “Advance: Student Research Experience.” Student research experiences, or SREs, are coordinated through the University’s Student Center for Research, Creativity and Scholarship. 2023 Leaf Awards honorees and a brief description of their projects are below.
Business
- Victoria Marks, a senior finance major, investigated the proposed outcomes of tort reform legislation in Louisiana.
Creative Work and Media Production
- Emily LeBlanc, a senior strategic communication major, is archiving materials for The Greg Guirard Collection of documentary photography from the Atchafalaya River Basin.
- Avery Miller, a junior industrial design major, designed the Leaf Award plaque given to winners of the 2023 awards.
- Virginia Tyler, a senior visual arts major, created an exhibit of wearable and sculptural objects that deal with heritage, memory and reconstruction of lost relationships.
Education
- Monica Guidry, a senior elementary education major, completed an action research project that examined changes in dysgraphia handwriting.
- Kirstin Wilson, a junior elementary education major, studied the impact of adverse experiences such as abuse, neglect and family dysfunction on children.
Engineering and Technology
- April Bourlet, a senior chemical engineering major, earned a Louisiana Board of Regents grant to research morphological carbon templates on coating performance.
- Grayson Lanza, a senior chemical engineering major, is studying the application of a protein-based bioadhesive formulated from brewery waste.
- Emmanuel Nwogu-Agbakwuribe, a senior electrical engineering major, developed an automated machine learning-based system for use in 3D printing.
Health
- Julian Cecil, a nursing graduate, researched music’s effect on physical and mental health in older adults and implemented music therapy in long-term care facilities.
- Research by Bailey Nguyen, a freshman kinesiology major, focused on determining the molecular target to treat muscle wasting due to cancer.
Humanities
- Gabrielle Hoffpauir-Rosatto, a senior English major, worked on the “Queering the Collection: Expanding & Archiving LGBTQ+ History in Southwest Louisiana” project.
- Alaina Markey, a senior early childhood education major, created a digital collection in UL Lafayette’s Institutional Repository.
Sciences
- Ethan Horn, a senior biology major, contrasted the effectiveness between fish and artificial dry baits to attract red swamp crawfish at winter water temperatures.
- Bailey Meche, a senior mathematics major, established a technique for solving systems of ordinary differential equations.
- Jordan Richard, a senior biology major, examined the effect of factors such as a high fat diet upon maternal behaviors in mice to study brain function.
Social Sciences
- Vivian Barrilleaux, a senior general studies major, researched and implemented a campaign for recruitment of potential students to the Department of Communication.
- Aidan Guidry, a senior psychology major, examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness and suicidality among college students.
Community Impact
- Lydia Desormeaux, a senior anthropology major, conducted ethnographic research about bousillage – walls made of mud and grass – building traditions in Louisiana.
- Forest Greene, a senior architectural studies major, created a gender-neutral restroom and lactation space survey and map for the University’s Office for Campus Diversity.
Diversity and Social Justice
- Monica Bourque, a senior sociology major, discovered a relationship between peer influence and gang involvement among racial groups.
- Gabrielle Hoffpauir-Rosatto, a senior English major, worked on the “Queering the Collection: Expanding & Archiving LGBTQ+ History in Southwest Louisiana” project.
- Cydnei Meredith, a senior psychology major, researched workplace perceptions related to first names as part of a project to examine employment discrimination.
Exceptional Performance in Dissemination of an SRE
- Braden Doucet, a biology graduate, investigated the genetic basis and physiological mechanisms of drought resistance in a model plant species.
- Kaeryel Dowl, a senior biology major, completed a survey of blue and green crabs across the Plum Island Sound estuary in Massachusetts.
Evergreen Award
- Haley Benoit, a senior geology major, is developing a new geothermometer – a groundbreaking spectroscopic method that yields highly reproducible results.
- Jason Funderburgh, a senior architectural studies major, performed materials and systems research and produced construction drawings for an artist’s retreat.
Provost Award
- Elise Baranco, a senior architectural studies major, led a student design team who created materials for deaf and hard of hearing performing artists in Washington, D.C.
- Carson Hebert, a senior biology major, investigated why people with diabetes are susceptible to urinary tract infections caused by a specific type of bacteria.
- Gabrielle Hoffpauir-Rosatto, a senior English major, worked on the “Queering the Collection: Expanding & Archiving LGBTQ+ History in Southwest Louisiana” project.
- Mynmayh Khamvongsa, a senior chemical engineering major, researched mimicking the flow properties of blood with sickle cell disease using synthetic fluids.
Learn more about the Leaf Awards and projects.
Photo caption: UL Lafayette has awarded its inaugural Leaf Awards for Excellence in Research, Creativity and Scholarship in recognition of undergraduate student projects. 2023 Leaf Awards honorees were recognized in 13 categories during a recent ceremony at University’s Alumni Center. Photo credit: Doug Dugas / University of Louisiana at Lafayette