Alex Vanover
Year in School
Senior
Major Degree Program / Department
Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Barry Edwards, Biochemistry
Why did you want to become an ambassador?
“I always knew that research was going to be important to me. Getting hands-on experience in a real laboratory is completely different from what you learn in classroom labs, and getting that experience as an undergraduate would help me get a head start on becoming a great scientist. I became ambassador because I love working in research and want to encourage anybody who thinks scientific and experimentally give research a try.”
Bethany Moore
Year in School
Junior
Major Degree Program / Department
Public Administration and Policy
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Fiorella Carlos Chavez
Why did you want to become an Ambassador?
“Participating in research was the best experience of my Freshman year. I was able to develop skills in communication, leadership, and collaboration; meanwhile, I made lasting academic connections and gained personalized mentorship. I wanted to become an ambassador to encourage other undergraduates to pursue research opportunities. Coming to college, I thought “research” was solely defined by lab experimentation with test tubes and microscopes; I quickly learned that there is a vast space and great need for research in all areas of study. As an ambassador, I hope to demonstrate that people of all majors and all interests – whether STEM, humanities, or anything in between – have a place in undergraduate research.”
Crystal Rein
Year in School
Senior
Major Degree Program / Department
Environmental Studies
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Alba Argerich
Why did you want to become an ambassador?
“When first posed with the common obstacles of starting research, it was extremely intimidating, but the Office of Undergraduate Research allowed me to take a step-by-step approach to research which was very appealing. By breaking down the elements of research in easy workshops geared toward accessibility I knew that I could also influence individuals who may be overwhelmed with the idea of research.”
Devanshi Patel
Year in School
Junior
Major Degree Program / Department
Health Science
Faculty Mentor(s)
Gary Baker
Why did you want to become an ambassador?
“The desire to make it easier for freshman to get into research is how I reached out and became an ambassador.”
John Hagler
Kameron Hahn
Year in School
Sophomore
Major Degree Program / Department
Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Laura Schulz
Why should students get involved in undergraduate research?
“I would recommend that you attend workshops. We have plenty of workshops through the Office of Undergraduate Research, as well as the S.T.A.R. program. If you attend five of these workshops, you receive a S.T.A.R which verifies that you’re interested in joining a lab.”
Kristen Barwick
Year in School
Junior
Major Degree Program / Department
Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Antje Heese
Why is undergraduate research at Mizzou important?
“There are a lot of unanswered questions we have about biological systems and in biological research that need to be answered. I want to help to understand our growing population, and understand how to improve biochemical processes we already have.”
Leah Lepore
Year in School
Junior
Major Degree Program / Department
Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Chris Lorson
Why did you want to become an Ambassador?
“The task of finding your niche of research can be a rewarding feat, but also serve as a daunting task. Being a point of contact as someone who has gone through the experience, I hoped to do something to make it more navigable for students who want to learn more about the realm of possibilities in research. By becoming an ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Research, I can do just that.”
Morgan Linneweh
Year in School
Junior
Major Degree Program / Department
Communication Science and Disorders
Faculty Mentor(s)
Milli Kuruvilla-Dugdale
How did you get started in research?
Going into college, I had no idea what undergraduate research was. Frankly, I didn’t care either. I thought it was just one of those lines on college tours that would get you hooked and make you go to school there. I didn’t see research in my future, and I didn’t think twice about it.
Well, that’s until I thought twice about it. At the end of my first semester at Mizzou, I got an email from a professor that came and spoke in one of my classes. She mentioned that the essay I turned in caught her eye and that she could see me fitting in well in her research lab. It made me excited that she saw my genuine passion for speech pathology in just a short, 1-page essay. After a few emails back and forth, we met over zoom to discuss her lab and the opportunities it may present in the future. Just like the cheesy line on the campus tour, I was hooked, and I started in the lab the following semester.
Randi Noel
Year in School
Sophomore
Major Degree Program / Department
Plant Sciences
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Richard Ferrieri
How can students get started with undergraduate research?
“Go to all the research fairs you can and all the career fairs you can. They always have something going on at Mizzou that connects you to clubs, opportunities, and specific organizations here on campus.”