DSU Undergrad Grant Recipiants

Each fall, Dakota State University offers funded research opportunities to undergraduate students through the Undergraduate Student

Mentored Research Initiative (SRI) program.

 

This program allows students to conduct hands-on research with a faculty mentor.

 

Thirteen undergraduate students were awarded funds to complete their research

projects for the 2023-24 academic year.

 

The students will present their research results in March 2024 at the annual Research Symposium.

The award winners for the 2023-2024:

 

College of Arts & Sciences:

• Denyce Bravo, a Biology major mentored by Dr. Andrew Sathoff. Project title:

“Exploring Antimicrobial Potential of Honey from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Against Both Human and Alfalfa Pathogens.”

 

• Rook Wiese, a Cyber Leadership & Intelligence major mentored by Dr. David Kenley. Project Title: “Is Cybercrime More Prevalent in Individualistic or

Collectivistic Cultures?”

 

• Carter Gordon, a Sound Design major mentored by Dr. Tate Carson. Project

Title: “Resonant Landscapes: Soundscapes of South Dakota.” This project is

linked to Dr. Tate Carson’s Faculty Research Initiative grant.

 

• Adam Peak, a Biology major mentored by Dr. Andrew Sathoff. Project title:

“Surveying for Ophidiicola ophidiomyces, the Causal Agent of Snake Fungal

Disease in South Dakota.”

• Alex Rachynska, a Biology major mentored by Dr. Kristel Bakker and Dr. Jeffrey Elbert. Project title: “Difference in the Chemical and Molecular Composition of Berries from Introduced vs. Native Woody Species Available During Fall Bird Migration.”

College of Business & Information Systems

• Ephrata Yared Feyissa, a Management & Marketing major mentored by Dr. Robert Girtz. Project title: “The Effect of Family Background on Wages.”

The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences

• Grace Schofield, a Computer Science and Cyber Operations double major mentored by Dr. Austin O’Brien. Project title: “AI-Generated Political Advertisements’ Influence on Voter Opinion.”
• Joseph Boyd, a Cyber Operations major mentored by Dr. Robert Richardson. Project Title: “Assessing Security Flaws in Modern Precision Farming Systems.”

 

• John Brumels, a Network Security Administration & Cyber Operations double major mentored by Dr. Andrew Kramer. Project Title: “Assessing Security Vulnerabilities in Wireless IoT Devices.”

 

• David Medin, a Computer Science major, and Aiden Schramm, a Cyber Operations major mentored by Dr. Andrew Kramer. Project Title: “Designing and Building an Autonomous MicroMouse Robot.”

 

Beau Miller, a Computer Science major mentored by Dr. Mark Spanier. Project title: “Evolving Language within Natural Language Processing.”

 

• Tristan Stapert, a Cyber Operations major mentored by Dr. Andrew Kramer. Project title: “Do Online Test Proctoring Services Abide by Standard Data Protections in Collecting Identifiable Information.”