2025 Scholars

Michael Angelo De La Cruz Ortiz,
Electrical Engineering
Michael Angelo De La Cruz Ortiz

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ulrich Zurcher (Physics)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Adam Sonstegard (English Literature)

Summer Research Project (2025): "An Iterative Quadratic Solution to the True Anomaly for Keplerian Orbits"

Summer Research Project (2024): "Thought Recognition with Machine Learning and a non-surgical BCI"

Former Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eric Schearer (Mechanical Engineering)


Dalton Hundt,
Psychology
Dalton Hundt

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Goncy (Psychology)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Linda M. Quinn (Mathematics and Statistics)

Summer Research Project (2024): "Examining the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma, Attachment, and Help-Seeking Self-Efficacy"


Elisha (Kat) Sledge,
Psychology
Elisha (Kat) Sledge

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Shereen C. Naser (Psychology)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brittany Wishart (Psychology)

Summer Research Project (2025): "Religious Practices and Faith Alongside Queer Identities: Understanding Queer Muslims"
 

Summer Research Project (2024): "Assessment of the Intersection of Muslim and Queer Identities"


David Stack
David Stack,
Electrical Engineering
David Stack

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mehdi Rahmati (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sara Froelich (Mathematics and Statistics)

 

Summer Research Project: "Underwater Adaptive Relay Optical Wireless Networking"


Lewis Davis
Lewis Davis,
Computer Science
Lewis Davis

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sunnie Chung (Computer Science)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

Summer Research Project (2025): "Enhancing Intellectual Property Recommendation Systems Through Preprocessing Replication and Updating Data"

Summer Research Project (2024): "Generating a Dataset for Deep Reinforcement Learning"

Former Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sathish Kumar (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)


Dominique Ryder,
Anthropology
Dominique Ryder

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Linda Goodall-Martin (Theological and Pastoral Studies, Ursuline College)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeff Karem (English)

Summer Research Project (2025): "Extra-Liminal Adaptation: Resilience in Hostile Sociopolitical and Digital Environments"

Summer Research Project (2024): "The Examination of the Forbidden Fruit"


Justin Gliha
Justin Gliha,
Mechanical Engineering
Justin Gliha

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hanz Richter (Mechanical Engineering)

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jessica Bickel (Physics)

Summer Research Project (2024): "Hybrid Electric Aircraft Propulsion Motor Design"

 


Evelyn Buchanan
Evelyn Buchanan,
Social Work
Evelyn Buchanan

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Maria Rowlett (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Beth Nagy (Urban Studies)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Parenting and the Self: Examining the Impact on Self-Esteem, Guilt, and Shame"


Nyana Campbell
Nyana Campbell,
Psychology, Criminology
Nyana Campbell

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Horvath (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Interviewing AI: Exploring Large Language Model Decision-Making"


Layla Seder
Layla Seder,
Biology
Layla Seder

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Hammonds (Human Performance)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Merlin Gnanaprakasam (Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Percent-Change Normalization of IL-6 Following Brainstem Stimulation in Mice"


Picture of our scholar, Merel Walker
Merel Walker,
Social Work
Merel Walker

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eunice Lee (Social Work)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Racial Disparities in Rape Reporting in Cleveland: A Quantitative Analysis of Black Women's Reporting Rates"


Picture of Scholar Latifa Z
Latifa Zakaria, Psychology
Latifa Zakaria

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Olivia Pethtel (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

 


 

Picture of Scholar Daysean Scott
Daysean Scott, Africana Studies 
Daysean Scott

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bynum (Africana Studies)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Black Power Movement and Black Nationalism Impact on the Black Community in Cleveland, Ohio"


Picture of Scholar Nikylah
Nikylah Smith, Psychology
Nikylah Smith

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Wendy Bilgen (Social Work)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Prof. Denise Sadler (Social Work)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Homeless in Cuyahoga County: A Case Study of One Mother Accomplishing Family Preservation"


Picture of Scholar Rebecca (Maria) Shields
Rebecca (Maria) Shields, Biology
Rebecca (Maria) Shields

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Severson (Biology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

 


Picture of scholar Jashona Broome
Jashona Broome, Psychology
Jashona Broome

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Blair Baker (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gwen Hullman (Public Affairs and Education)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Racial Discrimination in the School System: A Policy Review of Northeast Ohio Schools"


Picture of scholar Aaliyah Bird
Aaliyah Byrd, Health Sciences
Aaliyah Byrd

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anne Su (Health Sciences)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vania De Paoli (Chemistry)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Segregated in Life, Divided in Death: Mortality and Racial Trauma in Cleveland Cemeteries"


Nichole Gamble Scholar Picture
Nichole Gamble, Psychology
Nichole Gamble

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Julia Phillips (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Feelings of Inclusivity and Sense of Belonging for Students with Physical Disabilities on College Campuses"


Claude Brown scholar picture
Claude Brown, Psychology
Claude Brown II

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Blair Baker (Psychology)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

 


Keroles Beshay scholar picture
Keroles Beshay, Computer Engineering & Computer Science
Keroles Beshay

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zhiqiang Gao (Computer Engineering)

Pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Engineering and a B.S. in Computer Science

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "From Ladder Logic PID to Generic PID: Developing a PLC-Based Control Testbed"


Jakobe Cook scholar picture
Jakobe Cook, Music Therapy
Jakobe Cook

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carol Olszewski (Music Therapy)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor:

 

 


Natasha Lopez scholar picture
Natasha Lopez, Social Work
Natasha Lopez

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kimberly Fuller (Social Work)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Olivia Pethtel (Psychology)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "The Sociological Effects of Witnessing Domestic Violence on Romantic Relationship Development Among Young Hispanic Adults Age 18-26"


Joshua Loomis scholar pic
Joshua Loomis, Environmental Science
Joshua Loomis

Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ruchi Bhattacharya (Biology, Geology, Environment)

 

Non-Discipline Faculty Mentor: Dr. Julie Wolin (Biology, Geology, Environment)

 

Summer Research Project (2025): "Assessment of Shifting Precipitation Regimes in Western Lake Erie Basin"

Mailing Address
McNair Scholars Program
2121 Euclid Ave., SR155
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Campus Address
Science Research, Room 155

Contact Us
Phone: 216.802.3360
Fax: 216.802.3368
mcnairprogram@csuohio.edu