Posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2026
For the 10th consecutive year, the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research has awarded Summer Research Fellowships to student-faculty research teams.
This year, the highly competitive fellowship was awarded to 10 teams, enabling ¾¨Ó㴫ý faculty and students to engage in significant projects during the summer. Collaborators from all academic disciplines were encouraged to apply.
This year’s fellowship winners and research projects are:
Kamryn Taylor, a rising senior honors student and English major from Erie, Pa., and Dr. Trisha Cowen, associate professor of English, on the project, “‘War Was Always Here’: A Study of Brutality and Dispossession in Southwestern American Literature.”
Emily Marchlewski, a rising senior biochemistry major from Lower Burrell, Pa., and Dr. Pete Smith, professor of chemistry, on the project, “Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Industrial Waste Products.”
Laci Marstellar, a rising junior music education and instrumental music performance double major from Hadley, Pa., and Dr. Aaron Himes, assistant professor of music, on the project, “From Past to Present: Women in Brass Performance.”
Rosh Talla Defo, a rising senior individual interdisciplinary major from Parkville, Md., and Dr. Robert Badowski, associate professor of business administration, on the project, “Designing a Consulting Agency Dashboard.”
Benjamin Burke, a rising senior music education and instrumental music performance double major from Crafton, Pa., and Dr. Aaron Himes, assistant professor of music, on the project, “Participant Perceptions of Musical Benefits Derived from Exploring Pre-Modern Instruments in Lesson Contexts.”
Trinity Lin, a rising junior biology major from Taipei, Taiwan, and Dr. Joshua Corrette-Bennett, associate professor of biology, on the project, “Inhibiting Streptococcus Mutans Biofilm Using Peptide Fragments and Green Tea Extract.”
Nathan Barber, a rising junior honors student and biochemistry major from Grove City, Pa., and Dr. Erin Wilson, associate professor of chemistry, on the project, “Examining the Structure of Osteocalcin Under Physiologically-Accurate Conditions.”
Ava Konton, a rising senior honors student and psychology major from Canonsburg, Pa., and Dr. Jessica Rhodes, associate professor of psychology, on the project, “The Core of Substance: The Role of Negative Core Beliefs on the Relationship between Insecure Attachment and Nicotine Consumption.”
Nolan Martin, a rising senior honors student and biology major from Wexford, Pa., and Dr. Marosh Furimsky, associate professor of biology, on the project, “Impact of Enzymatic PET Breakdown Products on Zebrafish Health.”
Jacob Wagner, a rising junior honors student and history major from Pittsburgh, Pa., will be working with Dr. Shannon Smithey, professor of political science, and Dr. Patricia Clark, associate professor of history, on the project, “How has Social Media Impacted the Way We Learn about American Social History?”
The fellowship includes stipends for undergraduate researchers and their faculty mentor to work on a research project lasting four to six weeks. Housing costs for students who wish to remain on campus during their research are also covered by The Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research.
For more information about the program, please contact Dr. Patrick Lackey, director of the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research, at lackeyp@westminster.edu.
