2024 Cohort - McNair Scholars

Major: Biochemistry
Mentor: Emma Loveday

Hi! My name is Sophia-Kouko Adams. I was born in Japan but am most recently from the Seattle area of Washington. I’m in my senior year of a biochemistry degree and currently work with Dr. Emma Loveday, researching the molecular differences in avian influenza infections across various host species using cell culture models. After graduation, I am eager to further explore the field of virology. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, and running!

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Mentor: Brittany Fasy

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Mentor: Jackson Rose

Major: Geology
Mentor: Madison Myers & Natali Kragh (grad student)

Hey there! My name is Natalie DeMarco and I am a fourth year undergrad studying geology here at MSU. My passion for geology stems from my love and admiration for Earth’s surface processes. More specifically, my research mainly pertains to unraveling tectonic provenances through petrographic analysis of volcaniclastic rocks. While doing research at MSU, I am also involved with a lot of extracurricular activities on campus. During my first year at MSU I was always involved with the TRIO SSS program and a committed member to their organization. Since then, I became even more passionate about my identity as a first-generation student within this resource and co-founded my own student organization. The First-Generation Students Association (FGSA) was created in Nov 2022 by myself and graduate student Flor Vega-Castillo. Since its creation, I have been the founding VP and now hold the 2024 Presidential term. I am also a primary member on two committees that also thrive to support first-generation students during the month of November (Nov 8th - national first-generation student day) and throughout the academic year. Outside of these resources, I am now recognized as the only student on campus who gets paid to support first-generation efforts through an AmeriCorp program, A role I have taken part in since my junior year. Due to my efforts towards the first-gen movement at MSU, I have won two awards by the state of Montana and MSU, and published a blog on NASPA’s official website which talks about the successes first-gen students can achieve after overcoming barriers. I look forward to what McNair and I can accomplish in my senior year!

Major: Early Childhood Education
Mentor: Christine Lux

I am a first-generation college student from Helena, Montana, currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education P-3, with minors in Psychology and Human Development. My passion for working with children fuels my career aspirations to become a teacher and/or play therapist. I have been a dedicated peer mentor at Montana State University for the past three years, where I’ve enjoyed giving back to the community and supporting fellow students. I am actively researching trauma-informed care in K-12 Montana school districts and hope to inspire the implementation of these practices to create safer, more supportive learning environments. Upon completing my bachelor’s degree, I plan to continue my education in graduate school.

Major: Financial Engineering
Mentor: Wendy Stock

Born and raised in Venezuela, I arrived in Bozeman in 2018 after completing an exchange program and decided to make it my permanent home. I joined Montana State University in Fall 2022 and am currently a junior pursuing a major in Financial Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management. As a McNair Scholar, I have been working as a research assistant while exploring various Master's programs. Outside of McNair, I am an active member of the Society of Professional Engineers (SHPE) and serve on the board of English para Todos, a nonprofit dedicated to providing holistic, accessible, and affordable English language education.

Major: History Teaching
Mentor: Robert Bennett

I grew up in Billings, Montana, and came to Bozeman for the beautiful views and rigorous course studies. I am currently a junior majoring in history teaching as a part of the Department of History & Philosophy at Montana State and am heavily involved in clubs across campus, mainly the Creative Writing Club, Model United Nations, and Debate at Montana State. I am also an avid hiker, reader, and writer, and I hope to publish my creative work after graduation. Academically, I am currently conducting research with Dr. Robert Bennett of the English department about Tolstoy translations, particularly the role of the translator and their culture in impacting word usage and cover art in War and Peace. In addition, I anticipate earning my Bachelor's here in Montana and then traveling outside the state to pursue a Ph.D. in History, emphasizing Russian and Eastern European Studies.

Major: Animal Science
Mentor: Tim DelCurto

I grew up in a little town in Northwest Montana called Ronan. I am studying Animal Science with a concentration in sciences. After I graduate with my bachelors I want to attend veterinary school. I grew up on a horse ranch and was raised around livestock my entire life so I have always had a passion for animals and particularly in animal health and the ways we can improve livestock production. This past summer my research with Dr. DelCurto was focused on precision agriculture, essentially, new ways that we as ranchers can utilize technology to better livestock production. With this research we specifically were testing a new cattle ear tag manufactured by 701x. These ear tags have the capability of GPS locating cattle as well as tracking a few key characteristics such as time spend eating/drinking, traveling and most importantly when that animal is breeding. Currently I am an Undergraduate Research Assistant under Dr. DelCurto and working in his Beef Cattle lab, assisting in analyzing data for graduate students as well as analyzing my own data from my study.

Major: Industrial Management Systems Engineering
Mentor: Brooke Lahneman

My name is Karen Nunez Michel and I’m a senior in Industrial Management Systems Engineering. I’m an international student from Guadalajara, Mexico, and before coming to the U.S., I lived in Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Israel for seven years. I earned my Associate of Science in Pre-engineering at Pierce College, Washington, and moved to Bozeman in 2022. My research focuses on how B-Corp certification impacts sustainable practices in manufacturing, particularly within the circular economy and Industry 4.0 technologies. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling with my husband, learning languages, spending quality time with friends, being outdoors, and painting.

Major: Cell Bio & Neuroscience; Hispanic Studies 
Mentor: Sally Mayce

Hello! I was born and raised in Mexico City until I was twelve. Since then, Bozeman has become my home. I am a sophomore double majoring in Cell Bio & Neuroscience and Hispanic Studies. I conduct research with Dr. Sally Moyce at the Immigrant Health Lab. We conduct projects to help reduce health disparities for underserved communities, with a special emphasis on the Latinx population. Our current project aims to investigate new outreach opportunities to promote mental health education. I have a long-term academic plan of obtaining a master's degree and then pursuing medical school or a PhD program. Being accepted into the McNair Scholars Program has been an honor and has led me to a path of hope toward pursuing my goals. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, being active in my community through volunteering, and getting myself a sweet treat every time I can!

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Mentor: Anton Vorontsov

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Mentor: Lindsey Albertson

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Mentor: Will Fassbender

I am currently living in Bozeman, MT while attending MSU, but home and where I plan to go back is the Crow Reservation and Hardin, MT. I am a junior studying English-teaching with a minor in Reading K-12, and after graduating I am planning on heading back to Crow Country to teach in the rural Indigenous community where I was raised. Throughout this year, Dr. William J. Fassbender and I have been exploring current New Materialism Literature while also carefully employing Native American Epistemological research and lens to understand the limitations and critiques of New Materialism; in the hopes that we can begin focusing on its educational merit and applications in reservation-based schools in Montana. In the future, after applying to a Native American Studies graduate program, I am planning on continuing my research of learning how we can better incorporate our local tribal knowledge into classrooms to better support our indigenous youth.

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Mentor: Maddy Brown

Major: Food and Nutrition
Mentor: Wan-Yuan Kuo

I was born and raised in Arlee, MT, and I am currently a senior majoring in Food and Nutrition with an emphasis in dietetics, aspiring to attend PA school. Since 2022, I have had the opportunity to work as an undergraduate research assistant in the Food Product Development Lab under Dr. Wan Yuan Kuo. In this role, I have contributed to the project, "Developing Indigenous Plant-Enriched Yogurt to Enhance Iron Solubility—A Collaboration with Senegalese Women Farmers," and I am excited to travel to Senegal in early 2025 to support the project's implementation. Additionally, I was afforded the opportunity to conduct my research, "Analyzing Heavy Metals in Conventionally and Regeneratively Produced Foods," furthering my experience as an undergraduate researcher.

Major: Psychology 
Mentor: Kalli Decker

Hi! I am Taylor Young, and I am from Livingston, Montana. I am pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in human development, and I am currently working on a research project with Dr. Kalli Decker. We are investigating caregivers’ perspectives on early learning programs in museum settings. Our goal is to understand how these community-based programs influence children and their families. In the future, I plan to build a career where I can continue to focus on supporting families.