Undergraduate Library Research Prize Winners

Meet the Winners

Congratulations to all the Undergraduate Library Research Prize winners! Be sure to stay in touch with UR to stay updated on all UR opportunities and scholarships.

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Syreeta Nolan

College

Warren

Year

Senior

Major

Psychology with a specialization in Human Health

Area of Research

Methamphetamine and HIV syndemic factors

How did you get into research?

I started by networking with my faculty mentor, Dr Francesca Telese, at the Cell Mapping Symposium in 2018 and I joined her lab in January 2019 during my last semester at MiraCosta College as an internship.

Why are you passionate about the topic in your research project?

I am passionate about this topic because this is an important public health issue. The process of doing a comprehensive systematic review to find out why there is no pharmaceutical treatment and what has been attempted in the past for methamphetamine use disorders is only the beginning for our team. Knowing that my faculty mentor’s colleague, Dr Sara Browne, would like to pursue a clinical trial means that this research has the potential to make a remarkable impact in the lives of those addicted to methamphetamine.

Jack T. Whiteley

College

Revelle College

Year

Class of 2020 Graduate

Major

Physiology and Neuroscience

Area of Research

Neuroscience

How did you get into research?

I’ve always been interested in research, but had never known when the right time to jump into a research role was. However, after my first year at UC San Diego, I realized that there were many research opportunities on and off campus that I could pursue. I applied to a few different positions during the summer before my sophomore year and was lucky enough to end up as a volunteer in the Fred H. Gage Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies to study neurogenetics. Neuroscience had always been my passion and I instantly fell in love with conducting research on this subject. Since applying, I’ve worked in the Gage lab for the last 3 years and have transitioned from being an intern to a full-time Lab Technician. Currently, I am studying genetic determinants in neurodevelopment and stem cell models for psychiatric diseases, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia.

Why are you passionate about the topic in your research project?

I’m extremely passionate about the research project that I presented, "Potassium Chloride-Dependent Activation of Immediate Early Genes in an Induced Neuron model.” This project involved investigating the use of immediate early genes (IEGs) in an induced neuron model. IEG activation has previously been implicated in neuronal activation, so we hope to use what we have learned in this study to investigate induced neuron activation in Autism Spectrum Disorder. As psychiatric diseases have been found to be very prevalent in communities across the world, I feel that this topic of research is important, since any therapeutic advantage that can be gained from research we conduct could help many people living with psychiatric diseases today.

Garrett Martin

College

Warren College

Year

Class of 2020 Graduate (Senior- 4th year)

Major

Sociology with concentration in Law & Society

How did you get into research?

I’m interested in researching the social production of violence, emphasizing the role of culture, language, and identity. My honors thesis research, which argued for a new category of social movement activism that I labeled “mortality salient activism,” started as an in-class project for SOCI 106M Holocaust Diaries. My passion for researching violence has come as a natural consequence of my five year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps.

Ashley Amaladhas

College

Marshall

Year

4th year, graduated this June

Major

B.A. Global Health and B.S. Psychology - Human Health

Area of Research

Public Health Education

How did you get into research?

I first became interested in research through my psychology classes. Many of my professors turned to classic experiments to help explain phenomena such as the development of children or the science behind emotions. I realized through these classes how research plays a significant role in our understanding of the world, and I wanted to get involved and contribute to this search for greater knowledge. As someone who is passionate about examining structures that impact quality of life, adding my global health major only solidified my goal of growing as a researcher. I admire that research can encompass anything from statistical analyses to detailed accounts of lived experiences, and I hope to use the tools I've learned in my courses to advocate for the health and wellness of communities.

Why are you passionate about the topic in your research project?

I developed my research topic after my experience as a Student Health Advocate (SHA) in the sexual health specialty. As an SHA, I was engaged in peer health related work which meant that I was interacting with fellow UCSD students on a regular basis through hosting workshops, planning events, and using social media as a platform. Through these interactions with students, many of whom were learning about key sexual health topics for the first time after coming to UCSD, I became tangibly aware of the fact that UCSD is made up of students with a wide variety of backgrounds, translating into how students understand and approach taking care of their own health. Education before college plays a major role in these differences. Within and beyond the United States, the education system is incredibly varied, this is especially clear when it comes to sexual health. My experience in talking with my peers inspired me to research and advocate for a comprehensive education model that is unbiased and rooted in science. Additionally, this model would be inclusive of topics such as consent and gender equity, which have traditionally been left out of the curriculum. I believe that health education is a significant public health issue, and it is important to prioritize it-- proving this need through research is one of the best ways to enact change. My research project was an amazing opportunity for me to take what I've learned from my time in college and acknowledge how we can improve health education and access.

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