Students highlighted at inaugural Regionals at the Rotunda
Research by six Indiana University Kokomo students were showcased at the Indiana Statehouse Wednesday, March 26, in the inaugural Regionals at the Rotunda.
The event celebrates undergraduate research and the faculty members who support those efforts at IU Kokomo, IU East, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. It also demonstrates how regional campus students are emerging as scholars and addressing the interests and needs of their regions, the state, and the country.
IU Kokomo’s representatives included:
• Alex Carie, Noblesville and Lea Mummert, Fort Wayne: The Evaluation of Mycobacterium Immunogenum in the Presence of Different Metalworking Fluid Chemicals, with Christian Chauret, professor of microbiology.
Carie is a graduating senior majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. He’s a four-year athlete on IU Kokomo’s cross-country and track and field teams, serving two years on the leadership team. He has worked as an on-campus math tutor for two years. During three years on the Student Government Association, Carie served as president of the Student Athletic and Wellness Board and attended the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) convention to identify what types of programming he could bring to campus. He also is the social media manager for the cross-country and track and field teams, The Correspondent student newspaper, and his own club.
Mummert will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a goal to become a physician assistant. After graduating from Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, she came to IU Kokomo to earn her degree and continue her volleyball career. She’s proud to have achieved outstanding results both in the classroom and on the court, having been on the dean’s list and earning NAIA Scholar Athlete honors each year on campus. During her time on the volleyball team, the Cougars were three-time conference champions and attended the NAIA National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, and twice achieved the Sweet Sixteen, finishing at No. 11 in the country.
• Benjamin Earl, Noblesville: Accretion Belt Characteristics in a Hydrodynamic Evolution of a Contact Binary, with Patrick Motl, professor of physics and dean of the School of Sciences.
Earl is a senior majoring in computer science, with minors in mathematics and physics. During the last two years, he’s built his understanding of these three subjects of interest by working as a tutor for math and physics, as well as working as a supplemental instruction leader for a Java 2 informatics class. Along with these campus jobs, he’s been involved in several research projects. Notably, he worked with Md Nour Hossain, assistant professor of computer science and informatics, to develop a virtual reality education game to help first and second graders understand math by allowing them to learn in a fun way. He helped pilot the project at Western Primary School.
• Brandy Hayes-Manning, Winamac: Inter-Tribal Conflict and Its Impact on Indigenous Tribes of the Great Lakes Region, with Peter Sposato, associate professor of history.
Hayes-Manning graduated in December 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in art history, complemented by a strong focus on anthropological studies. During her time at IU Kokomo, Brandy was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Scarpino Fellowship. Her academic journey was marked by significant achievements, including presenting research on industrial archaeology at the 2024 Indiana Landmarks Preserving Historic Places Conference. This presentation stemmed from her internship with the Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DNR-DHPA), which focused on southern Indiana’s lime industry. She further contributed to the field with an article on lime kilns, published by both the Indiana DNR and the Putnam County Museum.
• Cristian Juarez Mora, West Lafayette: Nylon-11: Reprocessing and Degradation
Cristian Juarez Mora will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in May. After graduation, he plans to work in a lab setting before returning to complete pharmacy school. During his years at IU Kokomo, he has enjoyed attending events and presentations relevant to the science field or his personal hobbies. He also appreciated the opportunity to present at the IU Kokomo Undergraduate Research Symposium. His favorite event attended was the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference.
• Ashlyn Morrical, Kokomo: Egg Content Consumption and the Origin of Embryo-egg Size Correlation in the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), with Michael Finkler, professor of physiology.
Morrical will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in biology in May. She plans to attend graduate school to become a sonographer or physician assistant. A graduate of Mississinewa High School, she lived in Marion, then moved to Kokomo when she enrolled at IU Kokomo. As an IU Kokomo student, she participated in the fitness club and crocheting club and presented at the IU Undergraduate Research Conference.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.