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Honors Students Win Research Awards

April 05, 2017

Four Angelo State University Honors Program students won awards for their research presentations at the 2017 Great Plains Honors Council (GPHC) Conference held March 31-April 2 at Lamar University in Beaumont.

Sophomore Evelyn Burch, a political science major from Clinton, Md., and senior Christian Garcia, a finance/accounting double-major from San Angelo, both won Dennis Boe Awards for outstanding research papers. Each was presented a trophy and a $250 cash prize. 

Burch’s paper detailed her research on “Evaluating the Success of NAFTA as an Instrument of Foreign Policy.” Garcia’s research paper was titled “The Effect of Presidential Signaling on Stock Market Prices.” 

Additionally, junior Julia McDaniel, a theatre/psychology double-major from Seagraves, and junior Emily Vidal, a mathematics major from Pearland, both won Poster Awards for outstanding research poster presentations. Each was presented a certificate and a $100 cash prize. 

McDaniel’s poster detailed her research on “Portrayal of Domestic Violence in Theatrical Performance.” Vidal’s research poster was on “Comparative Analysis of Linear and Nonlinear Dimension Reduction Techniques on Mass Cytometry Data.” 

All contest categories were judged through a blind review by university honors program deans, directors and faculty. 

Also representing the ASU Honors Program at the GPHC Conference were Maigan Dunlap, a senior geoscience major from San Angelo; Brenna Hudson, a junior exercise science major from Pflugerville; Emily Krause, a junior English major from Burleson; and Jenna Placzek, a junior chemistry major from Cedar Park. 

The GPHC is a regional organization that serves collegiate honors programs in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. More details are available at www.greatplainshonors.com.