Sigma Zeta Research Awards
The Sigma Zeta Research Awards were initiated by the 2011 National Convention to help support quality research by Sigma Zeta members. Awards granted range from $250 to $500. Applications are accepted anytime up until October 22 of this year for review at the annual November executive meeting. Awards are announced annually in December.
Most Recent Research Award Recipients
Research Award Application Information
Research Award Application Form
Submitted by the Applicant
Research Award Application Criterion for Review Rubric
Research Award Advisor/Mentor Letter of Support Form
Submitted by the Research Advisor
Research Grant Recipient Report forms and Deadlines
Submitted Research Award Progress Reports
Submitted Research Award Final Reports
Due Dates 2021 Applicants:
- Application and Letter of Support - October 22, 2021
- Progress Report by recipients - March 15, 2022
- Final Research Report by recipients - December 4, 2022
Due Dates 2020 Applicants:
- Application and Letter of Support - October 25, 2020
- Progress Report by recipients - March 15, 2021
- Final Research Report by recipients - December 4, 2021
Previous Award Winners
2018
Nicholas Arroyo. Gamma Sigma.
Reversing cancer phenotypes in Vero cells by overexpressing tumor suppressor, p16INK4a.
Rachel Hurrell, Christopher Jones, Jackson Miller. Rho.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
Sonja Gilje. Gamma Gamma.
Using Radio Telemetry to Assess the Behaviors and Habitat Use of Urban Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and Potential Competition with Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
Aaron Williams. Sigma.
Caenorhabditis elegans Health and Longevity on the Bacteria Citrobacter freundii in Comparison to Escherichia coli.
Stephanie Martinez. Sigma.
Dietary Effects of Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli on C. elegans Health.
WuShuang Yang, Htoo Thu, Brittany Fahringer, and Mason Mockobee. Gamma Eta.
Supplementation of Metformin with Vitamin D to Improve Glucose Uptake and Lower Triglyceride Levels in Drosophila melanogaster.
Isaac Lies. Gamma Mu.
Comparison of different engineering models of Narrow Bipolar Pulses.
Olivia Sirpella. Beta Chi.
Functional Aspects of SOX18 variant E137K on Transcriptional Activity.
Shannon Taylor, Kyle Palermo, and Adam Schuder. Gamma Eta.
Elucidating L-Leucine Protein Synthesis Pathways in Yeast Using Gcn4 Depletion Strain and Rapamycin.
Abbegale Reeves. Gamma Kappa.
3D Printing of Upper Extremity Prosthetics and Translation of Pressure Sensors to Activation.
2017
Lucinda Adams, Beta Chapter
An Analysis of Human Salivary Protein in response to Olfactory Stimuli
Jessica Agama and Hannah Sproull, Beta Eta Chapter
Binding Affinity of CYP4X1 with Arachidonic Acid and Anandamide
Cheyenne Anderson, Gamma Lambda Chapter
Developing a protocol to preserve long-term viability of the microalgal species, Chlorella protothecoides UTEX 25
Kristen Bricker Beta Chi Chapter
Generation of Native and Mutated pEF1/SOX18 Myc-His Expression Constructs to Determine the Impact of a Glutamic Acid to Lysine Amino Acid Exchange on Nuclear Localization
Luke Elsener and Paige Swan, Gamma Eta Chapter
Effects of available L-Arginine on β-Amyloid plaque formation in C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease
Mollie Francis, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Comparative Analysis of Squirrel Behavior and Habitat use in Light of Climate Change
Marcel Gonzalez, Osvy Rodriguez, Sabrina Romero, Gamma Rho Chapter
Image Segmentation Ensemble via Clustering
Ruthann Gorrell, Gamma Eta Chapter
Developing novel strategies to reduce age- related bone loss
Britta Lokken, Alpha Chi Chapter
A Newly Emerging Pathogen: Analysis of Cotton Leaf Curl Gezira Virus Within Plants Using Fluorescent Tagged Protein”
Charissa Lord, Beta Eta Chapter
Expression and purification of transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) to determine crystal structure
Kegan Main and Aidan Washer, Gamma Eta Chapter
The Effects of Nitric oxide and Lactate on Human Keratinocyte Proliferation
Katelyn Parsons, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Differentiation between Elodea canadensis and Elodea nuttallii using known ITS DNA sequences and morphological characteristics
Rebecca Riley, Rho Chapter
Examination of cellular-based mechanisms by which anthrocyanin changes occur in Saponaria officinalis during transition from male to female
Bianca Stockmeier, Gamma Eta Chapter
Low Doses of Actinomycin D Selectively Inhibit Cancer Cells with Nucleolar Amplification
Matthew Thiemsen, Alpha Chi Chapter
Visualization of coat proteins from cotton leaf curl Gezira virus in infected plant tissue
Laura Tweedie, Alpha Gamma Chapter
Improving Metabolic Analysis using GC-MS
2016
Julianne Ankrom, Halie Suttle, and Heather Culbertson, Beta Eta Chapter
Human Airway Trypsin-like Protease Cloning
Caitlin Behme, Rho Chapter
Development of Instrumentation and Software to Economically Measure Solar Cell Properties
Andrew Conboy, Gamma Alpha Chapter
Exploration and Genomic Analysis of Arthrobacter Bacteriophage Isolates
Katherine Crank, Beta Eta Chapter
Seeds vs. Stems: Two Economical Water Purification Methods
Broderick Deno, Rho Chapter
Uncovering Hidden Spider Diversity in Indiana Forests
Dianessa Dizon, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Analysis of Gray Squirrel Behavior on an Urban College Campus
Marisa Egan, Gamma Omicron
Investigation of the Roles of ler and grlRA in Regulating the LEE in the Emerging Pathogen, Escherichia albertii
Katrina Estrada, Beta Iota Chapter
Independent Measurements of Lipids in Mixed Cell Populations
Caresse Hollendoner, Beta Chapter
Plant-Pollinator Mutualisms and Diversity in Prairie Restorations
Margaret Houston, Alpha Gamma Chapter
A Standardized Modeling System for Assaying tau Toxicity in Drosophilia melanogaster
Kelly Jacobson, Alpha Nu Chapter
Acquisition and Analysis of Burn Data for Materials Coated with Non-brominated Flame-resistant Polymers
Marek Lisek, Gamma Eta Chapter
The Effects of DFMO on Inhibiting -Amyloid Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans CL417
Aundrea Marsh, Pi Chapter
PCR Screening of Red Blood Cells to Determine Ranavirus presence in Easter Box Turtles and Painted Turtles in Central Illinois
Brooke Maruska, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Characterization of Gray, Red, And Flying Squirrels Nesting Sites on an Urban College Campus
Delmar Oropeza, Rho Chapter
Analysis of the Linkage Between the OR6A2 Olfactory Receptor Gene and Taste Preference for Coriandrum sativum: Testing for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Madison Piassek, Gamma Theta Chapter
Origins of Specificity of Cytosolic Pyrimidine 5’-nucleosidase III
Beth Ringwelski, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Behavioral Profile of Red Squirrels (Tamiascurus hudsonicus) on an Urban College Campus
Sara Siegfried, Pi Chapter
An Essential Solution: Toxicity of Five Essential Oils in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Cancer Cell Lines
Taylor Uccello, Alpha Rho Chapter
Amphibian CD4 as a Receptor for IL-16
Jade Wilson, Gamma Alpha Chapter
Understanding the Differences in Heterochromatin Organization Between Human and Mouse Cells
Ashlyn N. York (Raymond), Rho Chapter
Analytical Progress Towards the Functionalization of Epigallocatechin Gallate from Camellia sinensis
2015
Sonia Adamidis, Gamma Iota Chapter
Amphipathic Dimers: a New Class of Antibiotics
Maria Donnay, Beta Eta Chapter
Effects of organic material on emergence of pigeon pea and corn
Aubrey Masterson, Beta Chapter
Seasonal Analysis of Estradiol Levels and Movement Responses in Northern Copperhead Snakes (Agkistrodon contortrix)
Peter Piers, Pi Chapter
Lysis of liposome and nanoparticle composites by laser and thermal heating
Benjamin Stubbs, Gamma Gamma Chapter
A Comparison of Bird Communities on Restored and Remnant Prairies in Northwestern Minnesota
Ally Walsh, Beta Eta Chapter (Quinton Barnes, Charis Guinto, Joel Manzi, Brittany Miller, Ben Moore, Cheyenne Parker, and Janna Walla)
Gene Sequencing of Genetic Markers for Panthera tigris Phylogeny
Jessica Watson, Gamma Gamma Chapter
Spatial and Behavioral Interactions Between American Red (Tamiasciurus hudonicus) and Eastern Gray (Sciurus carolinensis) Squirrels on an Urban College Campus
Ashlyn York, Rho Chapter
Functionalization of Epigallocatechin gallate from Camellia sinensis
2014
Ashley Flores, Pi
Structural Analysis of Tellurium (VI)-Containing Double Perovskites
Kyleray Katherman, Beta Beta
Comparative Growth Analysis of Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, using 3H-Hypoxanthine Incorporation and SYBR Green Fluorescence
Jonah Netland, Beta Beta
Development of SYBR green fluorescence growth assay in Plasmodium falciparum
Christopher Potter, Pi
Energetic Effects of Metal Nanoparticle Fuel Additives on the Combustion of Ethanol
Haley Thomas, Alpha Pi
The effect of high fructose corn syrup on THF101 esophageal cancer cells
Jessica Watson, Gamma Gamma
Nest characteristics and Habitat Use of Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and American Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on an Urban College Campus
2013
Kelly Dunlevy, Gamma Alpha
Mutagenesis of Evolutionarily Conserved Sequences in PRR14
Chelsea Hadsall, Pi
The Effect of Molecular Branching on specific Rotation in Isomers of Alcohols: Separation of Racemic Alcohols into Pure Enantiomers
Christopher Himes, Alpha Gamma
An Investigation into the Formation of Subtelomeric Heterochromatin in Drosophila melanogaster: the Role of SU(VAR)3-9
Caitlan Hinton, Gamma Gamma
Spatial and Behavioral Ecology of American Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in an Urban Setting
Andrea Kanani, Beta Iota
Correlation of Passivation Treatments of 316L Stainless Steel with Electrochemical Behavior
Shannon Leipus, Gamma Gamma
Comparison of Cellulose Acetate Electrophoresis of Salivary Amylase and Mitochondrial DNA Analysis to Differentiate White-footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus) from Deer Mice (P. maniculatus)
Jonathan Miller, AlphaGamma
Computational Modeling of Sphingosine-1-phosphate, FTY720, and both (R) and (S)-FTY720P with the Five Human Sphingosine-1-phosphate Receptors for the Determination of Binding Affinity
Nicole Olsen, Beta Iota
In vitro Study of the Contractile Effects of Lippia alba on Colonic Tissue of Mus musculus
Katelin Smith, Beta Chi
Comparing the Expression of Heat Shock Protein 90 During Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1Strain KOS-79 Versus Culture-Adapted HSV-1Strain KOS
2012
Megan Birchmeier, Rho
Expression of the Anthocyanidin Synthase Gene During Gender Transition of Flowers of Protandrous Saponaria officinalis Brandi Bonfert, Alpha Gamma
Analysis of Effects of Environmental Factors on Sf9 Cell Growth and Baculoviral Infection Rates Robert Buch, Alpha Gamma
Growth and Morphological Effects of Varied Culture Conditions on Sf9 Cells Kyle Fulghum, Beta Eta
The Effect of Molecular Branching on specific Rotation in Isomers of Alcohols: Separation of Racemic Alcohols into Pure Enantiomers Andrew Rearick, Alpha Gamma
Analysis of Apoptosis Induction by UV Light in Sf9 cells Cody Smith, Pi
Novel Solvent Bar Microextraction of Acetaminophen and Azithromycin from Water
2011
Christina Nowicki, Bethel University, The Effect of Aspartame on Integrin-Mediated Cell Adhesion to the Extracellular Matrix in Human Kidney Epithelial Cells Madeline Knott, Millikin University, Differential Avian Immune Response in Illinois Feeder Birds Kelly Commons, Millikin University, How does wild bird feeding affect the wild bird community?