Symposium Award Winners

Award Winners

2026 Event

First Author, $1000: Alison McCracken

Title: Using Freeze-Drying to Increase Shelf Life and Accessibility of Spent Grain Flour

Mentor: Michelle Tu

Best Oral Presentation (STEM), $500: Quinn Busher

Title: Engineering Off-the-Shelf Solutions: A Proof of Concept for Undergraduate Research Demanding Custom-Made Instrumentation in High Stakes Missions

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Second Place Oral Presentation (STEM), $250: Quinlynn McCarthy

Title: Correlation Between Tidal State and Behavior of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Mentor: Karen Baker

Best Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $500: Samuel Levine

Title: Little House on the Campus: Intersection of OCC and Orange County History

Mentor: Melissa Broox and Brent Rudmann

Second Place Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $250: Brianna Garcia

Title: Beyond the Theory: The Real-World Impact of Broken Windows Policing

Mentor: Rachel Ridnor

Best Oral Presentation (Arts & Humanities), $500: An Nguyen

Title: The Problem of Astronomical Metaethics: Ethically Transition to A Post-Anthropic Moral Framework

Mentor: Jessica Asbell and Jessica Gonzalez

Best Poster (STEM), $500: Marina Redfearn

Title: The Question At The Heart of Every Galaxy

Mentor: Jessica Asbell

Second Place Poster (STEM), $250: Naol Dufera

Title: Conceptual Design and Performance Evaluation of a Stirling-Driven Small Modular Nuclear Reactor

Mentor: Jerome Fang

Best Poster (Social Sciences), $500: Mason Alexis

Title: Risk Perception and Cognitive Reflection as Predictors of Decision Accuracy In Poker-Based Decision Problems

Mentor: Daniel Kuo

Second Place Poster (Social Sciences), $250: Courtney Roum

Title: Exposure & Response Prevention vs Other Treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Mentor: Jarren Gonzales

Best Exhibition (STEM), $500: Samuel Elzanny

Title: Ferox CNC V2

Mentor: Angelo Esposito and Daniel Kreun

Best Exhibition/Performance (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), $500: Gretchen Lerma

Title: Chance

Mentor: Kevin Scianni
2025 Event

First Author, $1000: Danny Luu , Christy Martin, Kyle Huynh, David Duong, Chau Huynh, Slater Schaaf, Ashley Tran, Ana Huynh, Chloe Pham, Jason Wang, Kyle Harris, Anthony Wainess, and Giovanni Padron

Title: From Shelf to Surface: Building an Affordable Rocker-Bogie System for Martian Navigation

Mentor: Vu Phan

Best Oral Presentation (STEM), $300: Emma Suchowski and William Greco

Title: The Impact of Human Activity on Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Habitat at Goff Island in Laguna Beach, CA

Mentor: Jeff Armstrong and Karen Baker

Second Place Oral Presentation (STEM), $100: Eman Balkis

Title: Microplastics in the Placenta: Implications for Fetal Development

Mentor: Jill Parsell

Best Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $300: Kyla Mello

Title: The Psychedelic Approach to Treating Depression

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson

Second Place Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $100: Hannah Egar

Title: The History of Water Rights on Navajo Nation - A Literature Review

Mentor: Jordan Stanton and Rachel Ridnor

Best Oral Presentation (Arts & Humanities), $300: Kais Shalizi

Title: Wuthering Heights

Mentor: Laura Wagner

Best Poster (STEM), $300: Elizabeth Mcmahon

Title: Investigating the Comorbidity of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Mentor: Laura Millard

Second Place Poster (STEM), $100: Connor Schwengel, Jason Graessle, and AJ Juarez

Title: Dawn of the Exomoon Era: How Aurorae Reveal Exoplanet Satellites

Mentor: Jessica Asbell

Best Poster (Social Sciences), $300: Joanna Jackson

Title: Finding Fie

Mentor: Andrea Eke-Amacker

Second Place Poster (Social Sciences), $100: Rebekah Sundukovskiy and Josias Smit

Title: Effects of Distractions and Divided Attention on Memory Recall and the Creation of False Memory

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson

Best Exhibition (STEM), $300: Graham Anderson

Title: Custom Computer Interface Devices

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Best Exhibition/Performance (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), $300: Thanuri Vithana Arachchige

Title: ADHD Chaos – A Neurodiverse Perspective

Mentor: Kevin Scianni
2024 Event

First Author, $1000: Omar Abou-Harb and Ashley Tran

Title: EKG Simulator As a Training Tool

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Best Oral Presentation (STEM), $300: Eryn Oelstrom

Title: Habitat Use by Raptors at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve as a Model for Estuary Restoration

Mentor: Kelli Elliott

Second Place Oral Presentation (STEM), $100: Joshua Sheldon and Dylan Plantinga

Title: Effects of Temperature on Growth Rates and Dietary Habits of Atractoscion nobilis

Mentor: Mary Blasius and Rob Ellis

Best Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $300: Aleigh Lamis

Title: The Indigenous Ati People of the Philippines and their Image in the Media

Mentor: Rachel Ridnor

Second Place Oral Presentation (Social Sciences), $100: Anastasia Levenets Fedortsova

Title: Historic Preservation for Minority Culture

Mentor: Jon Mochizuki

Best Oral Presentation (Arts & Humanities), $300: Kyra Spoon

Title: Beyond the Lyrics: A Transformation of Inferno's Francesca in Songwriting

Mentor: Andy Stuart

Second Place Oral Presentation ( Arts & Humanities ), $100: Oie Mendoza

Title: Ostracization: A Philosophical Analysis of "Cancel Culture"

Mentor: Philip Simpkin and Jessica Gonzalez

Best Poster (STEM), $300: Jason Graessle

Title: Autonomous Lunar Lava Tube Rover

Mentor: Erik Bender

Second Place Poster (STEM), $100: Raoul Kelly

Title: High Clarity Mid-Range Ceramic Glaze

Mentor: Kevin Scianni and Kyle Caris

Best Poster (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), $300: Lily Alonso and Vanessa Rodriguez

Title: The Effect of a Self- Compassion Exercise on Students Anxiety

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson

Second Place Poster (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), $100: Ivy Nguyen

Title: Socioeconomic Background on Second-Generation Vietnamese Americans’ Perceptions of Mental Health Stigma

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson

Best Exhibition (STEM), $300: Graham Anderson

Title: Keyboard Layout Optimization

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Best Exhibition/Performance (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), $300: Suzanne Hoey

Title: “How Emily met Gooper”: Creating a children’s book about friendship

Mentor: Ulrike Green
2023 Event

Winners:

First Author, $1500: Lorielle Morgan and Yarin Hagay-Nevel

Title: What Factors Predict Beliefs in Psychological Myths?

Mentors: Edward Chen and Melissa Ferguson

Best Oral Presentation, $750: Andrew Nasr

Title: A Comprehensive Summary of the Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether on Breast Cancer

Mentor: Kelli Elliott

Second Place Oral Presentation, $400: Ann Tran and Andrea Santos

Title: StudySesh: Improving Students' Study Habits Though a Web Application

Mentor: Edward Chen

Third Place Oral Presentation, $250: Tila Tran

Title: Lifeguards and Students: Who did Sunscreen Better?

Mentor: Michael Sutliff

Best Poster & Exhibition, $750: Michael Shokoohi, Sajjad Sharif, and Tam Vo

Title: Ocean Curiosity

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Second Place Poster & Exhibition, $400: Chaya Rice and Adrian Palmgren

Title: Vegan Leather

Mentors: Cecilia Schreyer and Amy Wilsom

Third Place Poster & Exhibition, $250: Keegan Heagerty

Title: Food Preservation and Preparation During the Golden Age of Sail
Mentor: Brent Rudmann
2022 Event

Winners:

First Author, $1500: Devon Brosnan & Christina Sheradon

Title: Effects of a Brief Online Self-Compassion Intervention in College Students

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson

Best Oral Presentation, $750: Nhu Quyen Nguyen

Title: A Traumatic Brain INjury: Memory Loss and Treatment

Mentor: Michael Sutliff and Melissa FErguson

Second Place Oral Presentation, $400: Aynsley Ramsaur

Title: The True Cost of Fast Fashion

Mentor: Amy Hellman

Third Place Oral Presentation, $250: Jacob Chang

Title: New Approach to Spinal Topography with Machine Learning

Mentor: David Giordano

Best Poster Presentation, $750: Cameron Law, Evanglea Shread, and Trevor Weiss

Title: Correlations Between Cold Gas Content and Galaxy Structural Parameters

Mentor: Jerome Fang

Second Place Poster Presentation, $400: Maylee Tan

Title: The Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide in Basalt

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Third Place Poster Presentation, $250: Van Khoi Vu

Title: A Study on Balancing Self-Driving Bicycle

Mentor: Angelo Esposito

Best Exhibitions & Performances, $750: Violette Remington

Title: Sleeping Beauty: an Ancient Story Reimagined
Mentor: Ulrike Green
2021 Event

Winners:

First Author, $1500: Morgan Reyes

Title: A Comparative Approach To The Treatment Options For Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome

Mentor: Michael Sutliff, Kinesiology

Best Oral Presentation, $750: Jillian Paul

Title: An Examination Of The Current Understanding Of The Biochemistry Of Endometriosis

Mentor: Mickey Laux, Chemistry

Second Place Oral Presentation, $400: Kimiya Mansour

Title: The Brain Never Rests: How Sleep Deprivation Impacts the Glymphatic System

Mentors: Allisa Blystone, Biology & Melissa Ferguson, Social & Behavioral Science

Third Place Oral Presentation, $250: Sarah Groff

Title: Somatic Psychotherapy for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder of Sexual Assault

Mentors: Michael Sutliff, Kinesiology & Melissa Ferguson, Social & Behavioral Science

Fourth Place Oral Presentation, $100: Luke Lyons

Title: Brains In A Dish: The Fidelity Of Cerebral Organoids As Models For Human Disease

Mentor: Allisa Blystone, Biology

Best Poster Presentation, $750: Sarah Guidroz

Title: Who Killed Kennedy: A Re-Examination Through The Lens Of Power And Politics

Mentor: Mario Do, Social & Behavioral

Second Place Poster Oral Presentation, $400: Matthew Sereno & Amber Gan

Title: The Relationship Between Extraversion And Satisfaction With Life Amidst The COVID-19 Pandemic

Mentor: Melissa Ferguson, Social & Behavioral Science

Best Exhibition/Performance, $750: Marimar Lopez Tovar

Title: Who Killed Kennedy: Glitch in the Brain

Mentor: Jose Costas, Dance

Second Place Exhibition/Performance, $400: Kaylan Billings

Title: Reviving Historical Methods of Paint Making; A Comparative Body of Work

Mentors: Angela Plunkett, Visual & Performing Arts
2020 Event

Abstracts: 2020 List of Presenters and Abstracts (PDF)

Event:

Winners:

First Author, $1,500: Bodhi Edwards ()

Title: Computational Fluid Dynamic Comparative Analysis of Common Surfboard Tail Designs

Mentors: Angelo Esposito, Engineering & Steve Fuchs, Architectural Technology

Best Poster or Exhibition of Work, $700: Laura Liptrap

The Underground Railroad: Non-Written Narratives, and Confronting History’s Erasures, Mentor, Jon Mochizuki, History.

Best Original Research or Performance (Oral/Performance), $700: Devin Ardalan

International Students' help-seeking behavior, perceived adjustment, and academic success, Mentor, Alix Ziff, International Studies

Best Review (Oral/Performance), $700: Omar Al-Muhtasib

The Ugly Truth About Crooked Teeth: The Effects and Causes of Malocclusion, Mentors, Nakisa Nowroozi, Biology & Erin Walsh, English

Runner-up Poster or Exhibition of Work, $400: Maegan Aronson

Nurture the Mother

Mentor, Rachel Ridnor, Sociology

Runner-up Original Research or Performance (Oral Performance), $400: Clara Passos Xavier Alonso

How Graphic Design Played an Important Part on World War II, Mentor, Steve Cox, Digital Media Arts and Design

Runner-up Review (Oral/Performance), $400: Connor Cuomo

Use of Fentanyl Test Strips to Prevent Drug Overdose, Mentor, Amy Hellman, Chemistry
2019 Event

Abstracts: 2019 list of presenters and abstracts (PDF)

Event:

Winners:

First Author, $1,000 plus $500 from an anonymous doner: Olivia Jäggi ( )

Title: A Comparative Study on Suicide Prevention

Mentor: Ulrike Green, Anthropology

Best Poster & Exhibition of Work, $500: Caitlin Bates

Mantle Xenoliths of the Mojave Desert, Mentor, Erik Bender, Geology

Best Oral Presentation of Original Research, $500: Alice Dang

Residential Segregation and the Effect on Education of High School Students in the Newport-Mesa, Mentors, Jordan Stanton, History & Rachel Ridnor, Sociology

Best Oral Presentation of Literature Review, $500: Matt Morton

How Deforestation Negatively Affects Local Climates, Mentor, Ulrike Green, Anthropology

Runner-up Poster & Exhibition of Work, $100: Maher Hussein

Homemade Solar Cell Efficiency

Mentor, Taylor Fry, Astronomy

Runner-up Oral Presentation of Original Research, $100: Laura Minor

The Light We Cannot See: Variation of Biofluorescence and Coloration of Captive Condylactis Gigantea Anemone, Mentor, Robert Ellis, Marine Science

Runner-up Oral Presentation of Literature Review,$100: Trent Stradley

Proposal for Public Artwork on Campus, Mentor, Tyler Stallings, Doyle Arts Pavillion Director
2018 Event

( )

Abstracts: 2018 list of presenters and abstracts (PDF).

Winners:

First Author, $1,500: Jonathan Stockman ( )

Title: Accommodating the Baby-boomer Generation

Mentors: Rachel Ridnor, Sociology & Chris Quinn, Geography

Best Poster Presentation, $500: Mahdokt Hamidan

Fruit Preservation Cream,

Mentor, Amy Hellman, Chemistry

Best Presentation of Project, $500: Lyvia Yoho

Media and its Selective Reporting of Crime, Mentor, Ulrike Green, Anthropology

Best Presentation of Research, $500: Jonathan Stockman

Accommodating the Baby-boomer Generation, Mentors, Rachel Ridnor,

Sociology & Chris Quinn, Geography

Runner-up Poster Presentation, $100: Adolfo Alan Garduno, Alondra Chavez, Trang Troung, Khiara Bankston, James Kerrigan, Oceana Russo, and Jolly Tardos

How Social Media Use Influenced by Self-Esteem and Underlying Internal Factors Affects Social Relationships and Psychological Health in College Students,

Mentors, Lien Pham, Psychology & Ura Masako, Psychology ( )

Runner-up Presentation of Project, $100: Jocelyn Rodriquez

The Evolution of Anxiety, Mentor, Jan Goerrissen, Biology

Runner-up Presentation of Research, $100: Jonathan Sorenson

Aquaponics as a preferential alternative to traditional farming methods in regards to plant growth,

Mentor, Robert Ellis, Marine Science

Event Organizers:
2017 Event

Abstracts: 2017 list of presenters and abstracts (PDF).

Winners:

Best overall presentation: Ryan Banh

Affordable Housing & Housing Affordability in Orange County, Mentor, Chris Quinn, Geography

Best Poster Presentation: Katherine Conway

The Cause and Effect Relationship Between Exercise and Depression in Community College Students, Mentor, Hannah Kang, Psychology

Best Presentation of Literature Review: Sebastian Valadez

Fermentation & The Microbiome, Mentor, Richard Pittman, Food & Nutrition

Award of Merit: Jessica Vieira

Utilizing Priming to Determine Cultural Effects on Narcissism, Mentor, Hannah Kang, Psychology