The Office of Research and Creative Activity is pleased to announce the return of Research and Travel Grants for our students, mentored by faculty members, working on research or creative activity beyond the classroom. We will begin accepting applications for Academic Year 2024-25 starting on August 19, 2024.

Before you begin your submissions on this Digital Commons page, be sure to download and complete either the Travel Grant form (click to access) or the Research Grant form (click to access). Use the Research application if you are applying for funds to conduct research (even if that includes travel). Use the Travel application if you have been accepted to present at a professional conference. Once the appropriate document is completed, submit it to this page by going to "Author Corner" in the left sidebar and clicking on "Submit Research and Travel Grant Application."

Accepted award funding information will be displayed on this page, including the student's name, faculty mentor name, and a brief student-submitted abstract or summary of the research or creative activity. Read more about the grants here.


Questions? Contact us.

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Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2024

Horse Hair Cortisol Concentration in University Owned Horses as a Potential Influence on Management Strategies, Grace Robertson

Determining Soil Quality Indicators in No-tillage Farming Practices in Western Kentucky, Disha Ande

Educating Boldly: Enhancing the Social Studies Classroom with Real-World Examples and Safeguarding from Negative Indoctrination, Micah Brown

MSU Trumpet Ensemble at the National Trumpet Competition, Eric Swisher, Alyssa Shrader, Max Welch, Zack Mitchell, Slown Andy, and Wyatt Williams

Microcanonical Analysis of Semiflexible Homopolymer Model With Variable Width Bending Potential, Michael Gray and Matthew Williams

The Dynamics of Bulk Density and Porosity in Corn and Soybean Fields under Two Soil Water Index (SWI) Environments, Madison Westerfield and Iin Handayani

The Philosophy of Slavery from Prussia to Virginia: Friedrich Nietzsche, George Fitzhugh, and Aristocratic Radicalism, David Adams

Mid-America Print Council 2024 Printmaking Conference, Lee Bezehertny, Raini Evergarden, and Daisy Grimes

Structure-Property Relationships of Ionic-Liquid-Functionalized Cellulosic Materials, Alexandria Evans, Jordan C. Pierce, and Kevin M. Miller

Conductivity and carbon dioxide absoprtion of ionenes prepared by thiol-ene photopolymerization, Abbigail Leach, Ashleigh N. Caldwell, R. Daniel Johnson, and Kevin M. Miller

Impact of Horse Experience Level on Assessment of Equine Personality, Savannah Rivers, Carrie Hammer Dr., Maverick Guenther, and Shea Porr Dr.

Improving Hypertension through the use of a Home Monitoring System, Christy Sims

Management of Hypertension in Adult Patients in the Primary Care Setting Quality Improvement Project, Makaela Breithaupt

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Jeanette Paris

Marching to the Music: The U.S. Military’s Impact on American Youth through the Marching Band Movement, 1910-1990, Elise Eaton

The Use of Laja in Construction in Ancient Mesoamerica, a View From the Southern Gulf Lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico, Lauren Smith

Association Between Impulsivity and Positive Expectations of Marijuana, Clare Uhlik

Sport fan preferences, Callie Hart and Daniel Wann

What Factors Influence Undergraduate Agricultural Education Students’ Perceptions of their Academic Major?, Emma Wiseman

Synthesis and Properties of 3D Printable Resins, Cameron Woods, Kyle Lintzenich, Turner Pierson Perdue, Jason E. Bara, Seonke Seifert, and Sourav Chatterjee

Evaluation of electrode geometries for portable trapped ion mobility spectrometry, Riley Patterson, Colton Clark, and Caleb Morris

THE EFFECTS OF CITRULLINE MALATE, Macy Bynum, Annika M. Pschorr, Taylor Carrico, Morgan Maleske, Matthew Hermes, and Brenda Reeves

Performance at the National Trumpet Competition, Eric Swisher, Chloe Perry, Jenkins Kathryn "Ryn", Max Welch, Alyssa Shrader, Zack Mitchell, and Andy Slown

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2023

The Relationship Between Hydrogeomorphic Settings and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soils and Stems in Western Kentucky’s Bottomland Hardwood Forests, Marissa M. Miles, Jessica B. Moon PhD, Skylar Ross, Kabi Raj Kahatiwada, Bassil El Masri PhD, Benjamin Runkle PhD, and Gary Stinchcomb PhD

When Cooking Sous Vide, Do Different Bags Change the Color Reading of the Spectrophotometer?, Kathryn Beard

The effects of climate extremes on greenhouse gas emissions from Bald cypress “knees”, Skylar Ross

Can altering the distribution of organic matter in wetlands soils change methane emissions?, Isaiah Radford and Jessica Moon Dr

Memories of Home and Family, Hannah Eriksen and Esther Malm

Assessing the interaction of stress physiology and Bd infection in Arizona tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum), Megan Zerger

Does Climate Change Promote Cannibalism?, Melissa Ocampo and Howard Whiteman

KAPSCon2023, presenting poster (Enhancing First-Grade Math Fluency: A Multi-Tiered Intervention Approach), Kiah Goettlich

Breaking Traditional Rules in Photography: Rural Landscapes in Western Kentucky, Beth Bailey, Abbie Michalek, David Culp, Katie Hart, Jonathon Watkins, Isabel Bolanos, and Cintia Segovia Figueroa

Does Self-Esteem and Gender Attitudes Affect Sexual Prejudice Among Young Adults?, Kaid Marek, Amanda Joyce, and Tracey Garcia McCue

Assessing mesopredator foraging habits in response to an extirpated and extant predator, Evan Lemons

Assessing the health and behavioral effects of turtle racing on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina), Michelle Weaver

Pedro Mexía and the Politics of Translation in the Early Modern World, Erin Fairweather

Assessing the interaction of stress physiology and Bd infection in Arizona tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum), Megan Zerger

Dark Times in Dark Academia: Exploring the Queering of Identity in the Genre Obstructed by Tragedy, Hayden Eubanks

Assessing mesopredator foraging habits in response to an extirpated and extant predator, Evan Lemons

Does Real-Life Location Matter in The Electronic World? How New Esports Fans Choose What Team to Support, Gavin Nolin

1. The Relationship Among Vertical Jump Height, Sprint Time, and Fatigue Index in College Students. 2. The Relationship Between Performance Characteristics of the Countermovement Jump and a Maximal Sprint., Makenna Morefield, Matthew Hermes, and Brenda Reeves

Water solubility structure activity relationship of chalcones for aqueous applications, Grace Yocum

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2022

Competitive Marching and Psychological Needs, Xavier Brown, Tyler Robinson, Morgan Macke, and Jordan Pearsall

Structure-property behavior of ionenes-based polyurethanes, Jeremiah Coughlon, Jason Bara, and Sourav Chatterjee

One-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Simulations of Helical Homopolymers: A Comparative Analysis of Efficiency and Funnel Folding, Matthew Hooks and Nathan Roberts

Assessing the Influence of Urban Greening on Urban Arthropods, Brendon Lawrence

Immersion and Handicapping, Tyler J. Robinson

Titer Concentration Testing for Leptospirosis in Equine, Ashley L. Himmelsbaugh

Swelling behavior of poly(ionic liquids) in different solvents and salt solutions, Pierson Perdue

Addressing Burnout in New Graduate Nurses, Shan C. Gordon and Janice Thurmond DNP

A Bayesian Examination of the Effect of a Mental Health Psychosocial Education Vignette on Stigma Toward Persons with Schizophrenia and Depression, lainie krumenacker

Effects of Self-Efficacy and Motivation on Self-Disclosure Through Artwork, Abigail Emerson and Patrick Cushen

Stress Management for the CTE Teacher, Lauren E. Ervin and Kemaly Parr Dr.

Sleep Quality in Young Adults, Christina Harper and Tracey McCue

Physicochemical properties of urethane-containing imidazolium ionic liquids from a non-isocyanate synthetic approach, George Timmermann, Pierson Perdue, and Kevin Miller

Engineering Technology Undergraduates Assisting PhD Research through Automation, Jake Hildebrant, Clay Goodman, Boaz Burnett, and Lee Hobdy

Comparison of CBD Oil and Water-Soluble CBD in Canine Patients with Osteoarthritis, Sadie Sims

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2021

Race/Ethnicity and Mental Health Treatment, Jasmine Maxwell

The Role of Behavioral Flexibility in the Relation Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Intimate Speaker-Listener Behavior, Jessica Criddle, Thomas B. Sease, and Esther Malm

Creating Green Spaces To Conserve Beneficial Urban Arthropods, Brendon Lawrence

Dual-ionic liquid functionalized cellulosic materials: Thermal, mechanical and conductive properties, Elizabeth McGrew, Gracie Eicher, and Kevin M. Miller

Health in University Students, Jessica M Criddle

Including All Abilities from the Start, Paige Small

Wastewater-based epidemiological determination of drugs discharged at the rest areas and truck servicing facilities during federal holidays in the U.S., Andrew Windhorst and Bikram Subedi

Uncharted Territory: Researching the Effect of Implicit Bias on the Political Attitudes of Blacks, Briona V. Young Ms.

List the title: Uncharted Territory: Researching the Effect of Implicit Bias on the Political Attitudes of Blacks Participants, Briona V. Young and Brittany Wood

Elevated Community Anxiety During COVID-19 Pandemic Based on the Quantified Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Wastewater, Isaac Bowers and Bikram Subedi

Amplifying the "A" in STEAM Education, Grace Floerke

Significant Spike on Syringe Use and the Drug Consumption During COVID-19 Pandemic, Houston Hampton

Trends in drug consumption during COVID-19 pandemic using wastewater-based epidemiology, Alexander Brent Montgomery

The Effect of Content Polarization on Readers’ Perceived Empowerment and Subscription Intentions, Dustin R. Wilcox and Ismail Karabas

Adaptive Plasticity of Coloration in Response to Environmental Change, Karissa Coffield

Adaptive Plasticity of Coloration in Response to Environmental Change, Karissa Coffield

Does Climate Change Promote Cannibalism?, Melissa Ocampo and Howard Whiteman

Influence of cannibalism on Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) stress physiology, Megan Zerger, Kelsey E. Reider PhD, Andrea K. Darracq PhD, and Howard H. Whiteman PhD

Hydroponics at MSU Greenhouse, Brendon John Schettler

Do Corticosterone Levels Vary Among Amphibians in Western KY Wetlands?, Andrew W. Sisson, Jessica Moon PhD, and Andrea Darracq PhD

Evaluating Population-Level Variation in the Landscape of Fear, Jordan Tandy and Howard Whiteman

The Effect of Profanity and Quality on Perceived Review Helpfulness and Purchase Intentions, Dustin R. Wilcox and Ismail Karabas

A Trial of a Digital Daily Valuing Exercise on Participant Chosen Values and Valued Behaviors., Jessica Criddle

The Effect of Profanity and Quality on Perceived Review Helpfulness and Purchase Intentions, Dustin R. Wilcox

Mental Health Stigma Across Cultures, Emma Atchison

Predictors of Psychological Distress among U.S. College Students, Mandi Clark and Yuliya Phillips

Topics needing more attention in Premarital Counseling, Leah Harley, Jasmine Neal, Yuliya Phillips, and Esther Malm

Kinesiotape Application to Equine Hock Joints: Impact on Lameness and Movement Evaluation, Kiara Jones

Ag in the Classroom: Using Mobile Growlabs to Increase Food Awareness and Ag Literacy in Elementary Classrooms, Cassity Mitchell and Alyx Shultz

Have Some Perspective: A Correlational Investigation of Empathy, Thinking Patterns, and Sociopolitical Ideology, Tyler J. Robinson

Balloon Satellite Technology and Payload Design, Matthew Smith and Rudy Ottway

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2020

Understanding Resilience and Protective Factors among Released Offenders, VanKe'via Garner

Analyzing Post-fledging Movements, Survival, and Space Use of First-year Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) in Kentucky, Philip W. Kavouriaris, Andrea K. Darracq, and Matthew T. Springer

TBRI for Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers, McKenna Moffitt

Acculturation and Adaptation to COVID-19, Bailey Dodd and Esther Malm

Continuing impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on collegiate equestrian student engagement and moral, Travis Fortune

Consumer Perceptions of Social Media Stars and Celebrity Influencers: The Moderating Role of Product Type, Mackenzie Perry

Be Gentle with Yourself: The Impact of Self-Compassion on Fear of Evaluation in Social Anxiety, Brooke Short

Self-Compassion, Anticipatory Anxiety, and Fear of Evaluation in Social Anxiety, Brooke Short

Standardized Oral Care Regimen, Abigail Breite

Regulatory Focus Theory and experiential avoidance: Examining relationships between focus strategies, treatment attitudes, and values, Morgan Brewington

Evaluating the Impact of Rhizomicrobes Application on CBD Hemp and Soil: First Year Study, Alexandria Riddle, Iin Handayani, and Mallorie Snider

Bookbinding for Puerto Rico: Culture, Food, Folklore, Savannah Jane Walton, Cameron Daryl Savage, Norma Luann Colby Ms., Sarah Catherine Cox Ms., Roby Joe Blackwell Mr., Malcom Mathison Fife Mr., Ashley Nicole Shell Ms., and Autumn Taylor Brown

The Role and Effect of Instagram Advertising on Young Women in Saudi Arabia, Al-hnouf Al-harbi

Microgreen Student Research, Zach Phelps

Interactive Addressing of Body Image Insecurity in Adolescent Females, Haylee Cox

Searching for evidence of a global catastrophe in the East African Rift Basin: Did the Toba supereruption alter paleoflora at Gona, Ethiopia?, Kevin K. Takashita-Bynum and Gary E. Stinchcomb

Site Formation Processes of the Yaalu Archaeological Site during a Period of Anatomically Modern Human Migration, Marie N. White and Gary E. Stinchcomb

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2019

Dirofilaria immitis Prevalence in Canis latrans in Kentucky, Melanie Brandon

21st Century Warm-ups: Beginning Lessons with Engagement, Kendyl Suess and Miguel Gomez

Sport and perspective taking, Hillary Copeland

Presentations: Language and Culture, Rakhshanda Sartaj

Perceptions of Adult-Sex Industry 2019, Jessica Hodges

Pornography and Casual Sex, Tully Pritchett

Expecting to be poor: economic threat, desperation, and spending behaviors., Ashley-Lauren Barrett and Jana Hackathorn

Is sexism taking on new forms in movies? An ambivalent sexism perspective, Morgan Brewington

Pharmacokinetics of a single feeding of pelleted cannabidiol in horses, Anna Collins, Shea Porr, and Amanda J. Davis

Gender and Representation: Economic Performance and the Emergence of Women in State Politics, Chris Jackson

Consumer Attitude toward Foundations and Corporate Company Partnerships, Amanda Swift and Ismail Karabas

Consumer Response to Foundations and Firms When Firms Own or Sponsor a Foundation, Amanda Swift and Ismail Karabas

I’ll Have What He’s Having: Acceptability of Mate-Poaching Behaviors, Eileen Tam

Life Without Borders: Adapting Communication to Transcend the Permeable Boundaries Surrounding the Roles of a Graduate Student, Ryan Goke, Rebekah M. Thomas, and Logan Copeland

Building a Responsive Transparency for Diversity and Equity in the College Classroom, Kevin Shields

LADDER: A Multimodal Composing Task For Second Language Classrooms, Yiding Zhao

Assessing the Influence of Telecommunication Towers on Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Nesting Productivity and Behaviors in Western Kentucky, Gage Barnes and Andrea K. Darracq

Whose Anxiety Is It Anyway? Helping Students Overcome the Crisis of Communication Apprehension in the Classroom, Ryan Goke and Emeline Hecht

An Examination of Middle Formative through Early Classic Ceramic Attributes from Stratified Contexts at Matacanela, Veracruz, Kevin William Wann and Lacy Ernestine Risner

Assessing the Influence of Telecommunication Towers on Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Nesting and Behaviors in Western Kentucky, Gage Barnes, John Hewlett, and Andrea Darracq

Students Attitude toward Using Facebook for Enhancing Writing Skill, Naser Maliar

Evaluating Soil Organic Matter Pools and Earthworm Counts in Response to Land Restoration, Mackenzie Hoffman

Reassessing Postclassic Settlement Data from the Cerro el Vigia Hinterland of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz, Matthew Meyer and Marcie L. Venter

Prevalence of Synthetic Opioids, Cathinones, and Cannabinoids in Four U.S. Communities, Catherine O'Rourke and Bikram Subedi

Arduino Digital Synthesizer, James Paschall

Hutson School of Ag and Nutrition Department Homegrown Ingredients Collaboration, Brandt James Ramsey

Evidence of Late Pleistocene and Holocene paleo-Critical Zones at Gona, Ethiopia, Marie White, Kevin K. Takashita-Bynum, Gary E. Stinchcomb, Jay Quade, Naomi Levin, Nels Iverson, Nelia Dunbar, William McIntosh, Lee Arnold, Mathieu Duval, Mike Rogers, and Sileshi Semaw

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2018

Display Behavior in Male Siamese Fighting Fish in the Presence and Absence of a Female, Alyssa J. Allen

“A Nostro Modo”: Transnational Influences of Early Jesuit Scholars and Explorers in the New World, Lydia K. Biggs Ms.

Underwater Archaeology of Bluefields Bay Jamaica, Lacy Risner and Kevin Wann

Overly Casual Emails in the Workplace, Emeline Hecht and Geoffrey Luurs

Picture Word Induction Model (PWIM): Come and Learn about this Picture-Perfect Strategy!, Tiffany Kunik and Savana Jones

Technological Media and Human Behavior, Veronica Ruby

Losing My Religion: Examining the Effects of Religion and Mortality Salience, Thomas DeRossett and Tommy DeRossett

We Can Be Teachers Too: Empowering Students with Disabilities to Create Their Own River of Dreams., Clare Curran, Leigh Anne Pool, Grace Conrad, and Cindy Clemson

Two, Four, Six, Eight, How Many Ingredients Do You Appreciate? An Exploration of Cocktail Ingredients, Hannah Daab, Sarah Lefebvre, and Marissa Orlowski

Twin Teachers: Breaking Down Barriers between High School and College Instructors Through Individual Connections (working title), Zachary Garrett

Reducing the Impact of Early Childhood Stressors on Problem Behaviors, Kyler Joachim and Dr. Esther K. Malm

Horse Care and Management in Horse Clubs in China, Zhen Li and Shea Porr

Past as Future/Past Rhetorics as Repurposing., Virginia Sisemore and Paul Walker

The persistence of salt-affected paleosols at Gona, Ethiopia: A sedimentary archive of Middle to Late Pleistocene soil salinity within a corridor of early human migration, Kevin K. Takashita-Bynum, Gary Stinchcomb, Naomi E. Levin, Jay Quade, Nels Iverson, William C. McIntosh, Nelia Dunbar, Lee Arnold, Mathieu Duval, Michael Rogers, and Sileshi Semaw

Exploring the impacts of past environments and climates on the initial dispersal of humans out of Africa, Kevin Takashita-Bynum and Gary Stinchcomb

Physical and chemical analysis of paleosols before, during and after periods of Anatomically Modern Human migration at Gona, Ethiopia, Kevin Takashita-Bynum, Gary Stinchcomb, Marie N. White, Steven G. Driese, Steve Dworkin, Naomi E. Levin, Jay Quade, Nels Iverson, William C. McIntosh, Nelia Dunbar, Lee Arnold, Mathieu Duval, Margaret E. Peck, Michael Rogers, and Sileshi Semaw

Student Teachers’ Similar and Different Patterns of Using Strategies and the Influential Factors When Reading Electronic Texts in Classroom Contexts, Yiding Zhao

Evaluating the effects of handmade cards on hospitalized patient's health, Abigail Prins and Dina Byers

Online Dictionaries in ESL/EFL Education: Three Guidelines for Literacy Tasks, Liliia Shaekhova, Christopher W. Buck, Naser Maliar, and JiaJia Li

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2017

Murray State University Mock Trial Tournament, Kelsey Yates

Culture in Chaos: Kyoto in the Warring States Period, Benjamin James Ashby

Improving the Recyclability of PET-PE Mixed Waste Streams, Abigail Bratton

Occurrence of parasites and zoonotic diseases in feral and privately-owned cats in Murray KY, Nicole A. Creeden

Research Strategies: Why, What, Where, and When, bailey green, MacKenzie Meyers, Whitney Ellington, Mason Robinson, and Christina Grant

Research-Based Reading Strategies: Why, What, Where, When?, Whitney Kilcoyne, Morgan Mayer, Mason Robinson, Bailey Green, and Christina Grant

Imperial Anglicanism in Colonial America, Jack Lee

Research-Based Reading Strategies: Why, What, Where, When?, Morgan Mayer, Bailey Green, Mason Robinson, Christina Grant, and Whitney Kilcoyne

Research Stategies: What, Where, When, How, Mason Robinson, Morgan Mayer, bailey green, Whitney Kilcoyne, and Christina E. Grant

Evaluating the Impact of Continuous Grazing in Pastures on Soil Quality in Central and Western Kentucky, Emily Cook

Political Affiliation and Attitudes, Jessica Hodges and Jana Hackathorn

The Impacts of Short-Term Agricultural Study Abroad Programs, Anthony G. Bittel III

A Graphical Game, Southwesterly Snakes, Emily Hoard

Student Engagement and the Reading Classroom, Elizabeth Hunter

Utilizing Municipal Compost and Equine Stall Waste as Potential Economic Alternatives in an In-Ground Pot-in-Pot Production System, Ashley H. Robert and Alyx Shultz

Redistributive Market Changes that May Arise if a Big Four Accounting Firm Fails, Charles Graves, Elizabeth Donovan, Amanda Grossman, and Daniel Harris

DEOMI Organization Climate Survey: An Assessment of Locally Developed Questions, David I. Crittendon

Impact of Family Structure on Economic Activity during the Early Modern Period in England and Scotland, Chloe Chaplin and Kathy Callahan Dr.

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2016

Transforming Students' Sense of Entitlement Through Engaging Curriculum, Kalyn Niehoff and Miguel Gomez

Financial Aid as a Recruitment Tool for Transfer Students, Megan Gullett

Comparing inner ear morphologies of globicephaline (Odontoceti: Delphinidae: Globicephalinae) dolphins, Abigail Glass, Rachel Ann Racicot, Simon Darroch, and Michelle Casey

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2015

Transnational Influences of Early Jesuit Scholars and Explorers in the New World From 1560-1700, Lydia K. Biggs Ms.

Miscanthus and hemp as alternative bedding material for horses, Jamie Wolfzorn, Shea Porr, Danielle Harding, Amanda Davis, and Michelle Santiago

Research and Travel Grant Applications from 2014

The Imperial Legacy: An Investigation of the Connective Trends of Empire and Genocide in Modern German History, Laura Guebert