Statewide Campuses Students Present Research at 2026 Statewide Symposium

Students from across Utah State University Statewide Campuses showcased their research at the annual Statewide Campus Student Research Symposium on April 9. The synchronized symposium allowed students taking classes at any USU Statewide campus to present their research, either in oral or poster form.

The Statewide Student Research Symposium is a sister event for the Student Research Symposium, which was April 7-8 on the USU Logan campus. It is an opportunity for USU students doing research across the state to present to their peers, faculty and the general public.

The symposium featured online elements connecting all campuses at once. Seth Lyman, research professor and director of the Bingham Research Center at USU Uintah Basin, gave opening remarks.

The students then presented their research at their respective campuses for all to hear. Organizers appreciated the courage and effort for students to present their research and said all students represented the university well.

"Students at USU Statewide Campuses are doing a wide variety of research, and it was really fun to see what they've accomplished and how it's impacting their education,” Lyman said.

Ten students participated from across four Statewide Campuses: USU Eastern, USU Uintah Basin, USU Salt Lake and USU Blanding. The student oral presentations were 3-4 minute “lightning” talks, with research in the categories of history, social science and natural science.

“I always enjoy presenting at the Statewide Student Research Symposium,” said Michael Davies, a USU Uintah Basin student who presented research in the Natural Science category. “So much of my research is focused right here in the Uintah Basin, and there's something special about presenting that work to the people I hope it's making an impact on in their daily lives.”

Three winners were selected from the oral presenters, all of whom were USU Eastern students who presented in the Natural Science category. These winners were Valerie Orlemann, Jackson Smith and Ethan Sharp.

History

• Jess Prather, USU Uintah Basin: “Rhetoric and Retrenchment: The Lore and Exploitation of the Soviet ‘Night Witches’ in World War II.”
• Zack Baker, USU Salt Lake: “Wreathed in Ivies: Rehabilitating the Historic and Literary Portrait of Alcibiades.”

Social Sciences

• Desiree Benally, USU Blanding: “How Does College Education Influence Cultural Preservation Among Indigenous People?”
• Crystal Holliday, USU Blanding: “How Does Family History of Native American Boarding School Attendance Influence Present-Day Cultural Identity and Participation in Cultural Traditions Among Native American Adults?”
• Troy Whitethorne, USU Blanding: “Between Two Systems: How Does the Availability of Native-Language Advising and Culturally Aligned Mentorship Influence Persistence and Belonging for First-Generation Native American College Students?”
• Kimberly Thomas, USU Uintah Basin: “The Neural Expedition Model of Intentional Interpersonal Modification.”

Natural Sciences

• Michael Davies, USU Uintah Basin: “BasinWX Roads: Automated Road Weather Monitoring Using UDOT Traffic Cameras.”
• Valerie Orlemann, USU Eastern: “Making Emery Gray Ware: An Exploration of the Materials, Production Choices and Distribution of a Fremont Ceramic Variant.”
• Jackson Smith, USU Eastern: “Climatic and Vegetative Influences on Fecal Egg Counts in Wild Horses.”
• Ethan Sharp, USU Eastern: “The Synthesis of Albusamide C.”

Utah State University’s Statewide Campuses create impact by bettering the lives of the people and places they serve. From career and technical certificates to doctorate degrees, USU offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. With multiple locations across 85,000 square miles, USU can be the hometown university to anyone, no matter where they live. Learn more at statewide.usu.edu.