THIRTY-SIX UA STUDENTS RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS STATE AWARD

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - For a ninth consecutive year, the University of Arkansas set a record for the number of students that received State Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), totaling 36 this year compared to last year's record of 31.

Awards range up to $2,900 for the student and $1,000 for the faculty mentor. Undergraduate students who are planning a research or artistic project for the coming year with a 3.0 GPA from any discipline are eligible to apply. Those selected from the University of Arkansas this year included students from anthropology, astronomy, biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, English, horticulture, international relations, microbiology, political science, psychology and others. The grant period begins this month.

"State Undergraduate Research Fellowships were created in 1992 with a start up grant from the National Science Foundation," said Colis Geren, dean of the UA Graduate School and longtime member of the state SURF committee. "We were the first ever statewide undergraduate research program. The fellowship was intended to foster active student/mentor relationships and to encourage undergraduate research. We received two years of funding from NSF, now the funding comes from the state. It has been a wildly successful program."

A faculty mentor nominates a student who then submits a five-page project/research proposal along with additional letters of recommendation. According to Suzanne McCray, director of the Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships, the University of Arkansas really began to encourage students to apply for the grant in 1994.

"Each year more undergraduates become involved in research at the University of Arkansas," McCray said. "The success our students have enjoyed in the SURF program is one result of that involvement, and the faculty support has been unstinting. Faculty members, like Mark Cory who is mentoring three SURF recipients this year, encourage students to get involved early, and they do.

"These SURF researchers have gone on to be Rhodes, Marshall, Barry Goldwater (math, science and engineering), Morris Udall (environmental studies), and Fulbright, National Science Foundation Fellows, and they have gone on to prestigious graduate, medical and law school programs. The SURF program has really provided critical support to the students of this state, helping to make them nationally competitive."

SURF began on the University of Arkansas campus in 1992 with a total of six winners in 1993. The grant goes through Henderson State University, and the annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference is held at Henderson's campus where most of the UA SURF recipients present their research.

To find out more information on this year's conference April 19-20, 2002, visit www.hsu.edu/dept/unr/index.html. A journal of student papers are published from those proceedings.

For more information about these UA students, their proposals and their faculty mentors, visit www.uark.edu/admin/fellows.

 

SURF Fellowship recipients are as follows, dating back to 1994:

2001-2002

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

HOMETOWN

Anthropology

George Sabo III

Edward Tennant

Springdale

Anthropology

Joann D'Alisera

Rachel Driver

Fayetteville

Astronomy

Claud Lacy

Ben Hood

Benton

Biochemistry

Roger E. Koeppe II

Erin Scherer

Little Rock

Biology

Kenneth Korth

Sara Doege

Fayetteville

Biology

Cynthia Sagers

Heather Cook

Hot Springs

Biotechnology (ENG)

James Mac Stewart

Bill Hendrix

Prairie Grove

Chemistry

Charles Wilkins

Charles Surber

Pinellass Park, Fl.

Chemistry

Ingrid Fritsch

Ellen Pennington

Conway

Chemistry

Wesley Stites

Kristina Partrick

Fort Smith

Computer Science

Amy Apon

Brent Shores

Russellville

Earth Science

Steven Boss

John Gates

Mena

Embryology

Claudia Bailey

Laura Huber

Mountain Home

English

Dorothy Stephens

Meredith Leach

Fayetteville

English

Sidney Burris

Bryan Charles Hembree

Eureka Springs

European Studies

Mark Cory

Kathleen Blankenship

Fayetteville

European Studies

Mark Cory

Shauna Copeland

Danville

European Studies

Mark Cory

John Hulsey

Pangburn

Genetics (Agri)

Ines Pinto

Cynthia Thomson

Fayetteville

Geography

Fiona Davidson

Jessica Nichols Brooks

Conway

Geology

Doy Zachry

Jo Ann Teas

Fayetteville

History

Henry Tsai

Camille Edmison

Perryville

History

Lynda Coon

David Williams

Hot Springs

Horticulture

Jon T. Lindstrom

Meagan Love

Rogers

INEG

Richard Cassady

Kellie Schnieder

Fayetteville

Mathematics

Luca Capogna

Diana Dunn

Douglasville, Ga.

Microbiology

David McNabb

Robin Reed

Foreman

Physics

Reeta Vyas

Brian Sawyer

Pine Bluff

Political Science

Conrad Waligorski

Sara Finan

Chesterfield, Mo.

Political Science

Janine Parry

Carolyn Fiddler

Warsaw, Va.

Political Science

William Schrekchise

Tai Tomasi

Fayetteville

Political Science

Stephen Sheppard

James Boeving

Springfield, Mo.

Psychology

Denise Beike

Karen Naufel

Broken Arrow, Okla.

Psychology

Eric Knowles

Christine Rufener

Hartford, Wis.

Psychology

Jeffery Lohr

Travis Byram

Fayetteville

Sociolinguistics (Educ)

Barbara Shadden

Amanda Melton

North Little Rock

       

2000-2001

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

HOMETOWN

German

Todd Hanlin

Andrea Baer

Little Rock

Psychology

Eric Knowles

Melissa Brannan

Huntsville

Landscape Architecture

Karen Crocker

Janet Coleman

Fayetteville

Chemistry

Roger Koeppe

Elizabeth Dunn

Douglasville, Ga.

Art

Marilyn Nelson

Amjad Faur

Fayetteville

Anthropology/Zoology

Peter Ungar

Erica Findley

Prarie Village, Kan.

Political Science

Janine Parry

Autumn Floyd

Berryville

Poultry Science

Mark Parcells

Lynne Gardner

Rudy

Electrical Engineering

Alan Mantooth

Chris Gathercole

Fort Smith

Environmental Science

David Stahle

Richard Griffin

Marion

Microbiology

Matt McIntosh

Tiffany Hargis

Springdale

Chemistry

Ralph Henry

Stephen Harrison

Hot Springs

Microbiology

Mack Ivey

Caroline Hart

Lansing, Kan.

Business Economics

Norma Mendoza

Daniel Hazman

Fort Smith

Psychology

Denise Beike

Melissa Huitt

Newport

German

Donald Kelley

John Hulsey

Heber Springs

Anthropology

JoAnn D'Alisera

Shireen Husain

El Segundo, Calif.

Microbiology

Mack Ivey

Zach King

Hot Springs National Park

 

Doug Rhoads

Kevin Lollar

Hazen

English

Mohja Kahf

Rebecca Longstreth

Laurel, Md.

Communications

Myria Allen

Daniel McQueen

Little Rock

Chemistry

Neil Allison

Traci Means

Russellville

Electrical Engineering /

     

Physics

William Oliver

David New

Fayetteville

English

Joseph Candido

Phyllis Nichols

Fayetteville

Physics

Mark Filipkowski

David Norris

Little Rock

Mathematics/Physics

Rajendra Gupta

Brian Sawyer

Pine Bluff

Comp. Scien. /

     

Comp. Engineering

Doug Blank

Eric Skaug

Jonesboro

Journalism

Louise Montgomery

Susan Smith

Kirby

International Relations

Jeff Ryan

Erin Stone

Houston, Texas

Microbiology

R.D. Evans

Nicholas Willis

Maumelle

       

1999-2000

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

International Relations

Sidney Burris

Angie Maxwell

 

English

Robert Cochran

Blaine Waide

 

Political Science

Patrick Conge

Erica Edwards

 

Anthropology

Mark Cory

Marlie McGovern

 

Chemistry

Jeannine Durdik

Eric Goodspeed

 

Microbiology

Gisela Erf

Brant Ward

 

Biology

William Etges

Christina Veenstra

 

Chemistry

Ingrid Fritsch

Stephanie Evans

 

Mathematics

Chaim Goodman-Strauss

Adam L. DeLisse

 

Sociology

Lori Holyfield

Robyn White

 

Biology

D. Mack Ivey

James Edward Cassat

 

Chemistry

Mike Johnson

Shoreh Kooshesh

 

Political Science

Brinck Kerr

Nickolas Zane Wilson

 

Chemistry

Roger Koeppe II

Nicole Reed

 

Psychology

James Lampinen

Jamie Marie Huffman

 

Art

Marilyn Nelson

Karen Vaughan Dick

 

Physics

William Oliver III

Laura Fields

 

German

Judith Ricker

Rebecca L. King

 

Physics

Gay Stewart

Steven Sandh

 

Chemistry

Wes Stites

Anna Terry

 

History

Henry Tsai

Clarissa C. Smith

 

Biology

J. McClintock Turbeville

Amir Saif Khan

 

Chemistry

Charles Wilkins

Gregory G. Polkowski, II

 

Psychology

Kenneth Witte

Jimmie Rhinehart

 
       

1998-1999

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

Communications

Patricia Amason

Alev Akyuz

 

Economics

Craig Schulman

Jean Biondi

 

Biology

Clint Turbeville

Brandon Chism

 

Political Science

Conrad Waligorski

Nate Davis

 
 

Jeffrey Ryan

Elizabeth Evans

 

Anthropology

Jerry Rose

Kelly Gilbride

 

Microbiology

Michael Johnson

John Hettiarchchy

 

History

Tom Kennedy

Joanna Jansen

 

Political Science

Janine Parry

Kezia Johnson

 

German

Todd Hanlin

Jeremy Lehrman

 

Physics

Paul Thibado

Brent Ragar

 

Mathematics

Serge Tabachnikov

Jason Reed

 

Political Science

Will Miller

Thomas Riner

 
 

Luis Restrepo

Jennifer Runkles

 

Biology

Mack Ivey

Sarah Shepardson

 

 

Claudia Bailey

Rebecca Simmons

 

 

Jeannine Durdick

Matthew Sparks

 

Anthropology

Jerry Rose

Paulette Steeves

 

History

Lynda Coon

Suzanne Stillman

 

Mathematics

Vladimir Rerakh

Tracey Szabo

 

Psychology

James Lampinen

Sandra Tilley

 

Biology

Jeannine Durdick

Charles Tindell

 

Chemistry

Donald Bobbitt

Jonathan Townley

 

Anthropology

Peter Ungar

Brandon Wheeler

 
       

1997-1998

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

Chemistry

Neil Allison

Jamie Leigh Wilson

 

English

Robert Cochran

Sarah Mazer

 

Humanities

Mark Cory

Scott D. Stephens

 

Biology

Jeannine Durdick

Renee Peldun

 

Mathematics

Chaim Goodman-Strauss

Adam Delisse

 

Psychology

Mark Hilsenroth

Ryan Baldrachi

 

 

Mark Hilsenroth

Jill Clemence

 

Anthropology

Michael Hoffman

Eleanor Johnson Hill

 

Biology

Mack Ivey Thomas

Bradley Raper

 

Food Science

Michael Johnson

John Hettiarachchy

 

Mathematics

Dmitry Khavinson

Jason Reed

 

Chemistry

Roger Koeppe

Amy Young

 

Foreign Languages

Daniel Levine

Jeff Conway

 

Chemistry

Matthias McIntosh

Tracey Humphrey

 

Political Science

Steven M. Neuse

Anna Falkner

 

Chemistry

David Paul

Jonathan Norman

 

Biology

Doug Rhoads

Ildiko Stone

 

Foreign Languages

Judith Ricker

Karla A. Barker

 
       

1996-1997

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

English

Chuck Adams

Jennifer Novak

 

Chemistry

Neil Allison

Keith Stanger

 

Communication

Patricia Amason

Melissa Delay

 

English

Sidney Burris

Lindsay Willimams

 

Geology

Ralph Davis

Demetra Salisbury

 

Microbiology

Jeannine Durdick

Tim McGarity

 

Botany

R.D. Evans

Julie Spears

 

Chemistry

Gary Felton

Ruth Plymale

 

Microbiology

Mack Ivey

Michael Cassat

 
 

Michael Johnson

John Hettiarachchy

 

English

Susan Marren

Carrie Carr

 

Political Science

Steven Neuse

Tamara Ward

 

Mathematics

John Ryan

Robert Quinn

 

Political Science

Robert Savage

Kelly Gruesbeck

 

Chemistry

Derek Sears

Anne Taunton

 

Anthropology

Pete Ungar

Rebeccah Lamascus

 
       

1995-1996

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

Anthropology

Jerome Rose

Sarah K. Moore

 
 

Mary Jo Schneider

Sadie Moore

 

Biology

Jeannine Durdick

Morgan Sauer

 
 

Mack Ivey

Janette Myers

 

Chemistry

Ingrid Fritsch-Faules

Tracey Jackson

 
 

Roger Koeppe

Joseph Lindquist

 
 

Kenneth Turnbull

Damon Armitage

 

English

Sidney Burris

Chris Lee

 
 

Sidney Burris

Celisa Steele

 

Foreign Languages

Judith Ricker

Chad Keiffer

 

Geology

Ralph K. Davis

Demetra Salisbury

 

Political Science

Steven Neuse

Eric Carter

 

 

Jeffrey Ryan

Sunshine Ward

 

Psychology

Walter Danforth

Susan Clemons

 

Sociology

Betty Guhman

Candace Benhan

 
       

1994-1995

     

DEPARTMENT

MENTOR

STUDENT

 

Chemistry

Wesley Stites

Bao Dang

 

Biology

Bill Durham

Eli Loots

 
 

Susan Foster

Joseph Thies

 

Chemistry

Roger Koeppe

Nam Le

 

History

Henry Tsai

Brian Schoen

 

English

Charles Adams

Tanya Threlkeld

 
Contacts

Suzanne McCray, Director, Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships 501-575-4747, smccray@uark.edu

Jay Nickel, Assistant Manager of Media Relations 501-575-7943, jnickel@uark.edu

 

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