Every year BYU–Hawaii hosts an Undergraduate Research Conference (URC). This year's conference theme, "I ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope - Through the past is future," encouraged students to draw upon traditional knowledge found within Oceanic and Asian cultures to create innovative and sustainable ideas that could change the world. Students prepared to educate and apply learned principles and practices and present their findings to peers, other scholars, and professionals.
At the start of the day, Emerson Kīhei Nahale-a, sustainability educational program manager at the Kumuwaiwai Sustainability Center on campus, shared some of his takeaways of how this conference "creates opportunities to celebrate sustainability" campus-wide. During his keynote address, Nahale-a shared that students must understand who they are and where they are from in order to make informed decisions for their future. He recognizes that students here at BYU–Hawaii can take these practices and kuleana of sustainability and help transform the world.
Also welcoming students to the conference, Academic Vice President Isaiah Walker stated, "Today is your day, students. You get to take over the classroom, choose the topics of instruction, and share your research with your peers." The day was dedicated to student scholars and filled with opportunities for them to showcase and be recognized for their hard work.
Participating in the conference is an excellent way for students to build their research and presentation skills and add to their experience in being professional members of their respective disciplines. Each year the conference motivates students to conduct research then creates the perfect environment for them to educate others of their findings. By them they're done, students will have practiced and prepared to become the future leaders of society, industry, government, and academia in their home countries.
By the end of the day, there were a total of 245 students presenting on 174 projects. Of those, there were 51 poster presentations, 27 panel discussions, 14 art projects, and 89 faculty members who helped mentor and guide students throughout the conference. To conclude the conference, students and peers gathered to attend an awards ceremony where students were placed in their faculties for their research paper submissions.
Conference Awards
Kumuwaiwai Research Presentation Award
- First place – Hope Iokia, “Hawaiian Immersion Schools as a Method for Preserving Culture and Language.”
- Second place – Rishan Prasad, “The Bislama Translation of the Book of Mormon.”
- Third place – Callie Duerden, “Shahzia Sikander: Revitalizing and Deconstructing.”
Kumuwaiwai Research Poster Award
- First place – Aloe Afo, “Tahitian Literacy and Language Preservation Project.”
- Second place – Jerius Julius Canlas Gutierrez and Pelitisi Lutui, “KUKUI: Talk Story.”
- Third place – Zoe Lyman, Mélanie Ercoli, Tyler Stephens, Reagan Owens, J Ungos, Ren Keiser, “Rooting for Restoration: Creating a Model for Sustainable Hawaiian Forest Rehabilitation.”
The Scholarship Award
- First place – AJ Toomer, “Diversity on Screen and its Importance to Substantiate Social Sustainability.”
- Second place – Chenoa Francis, “Black Narrative in Publishing.”
- Third place – Callie Duerden, “Shahzia Sikander: Revitalizing and Deconstructing.”
Creative Work Award
- First place – Ya Yun Lin, “Smile and Laugh.”
- Second place – Abigail Harper, “Soldiers of Peace.”
- Third place – Ally Pack, “Eternity.”
Business Research Award
- First place – Ally Pack and Cameron Springer, “Case Study: Realigning the Kumuwaiwai Center for Sustainability with the Mission of BYU-Hawaii through Innovative Sustainable Marketing.”
Political Science Research Award
- First place – Rahel Meyer, “Refugees impact on leadership tenure in different regimes types: A neglect in academic?
- Second place – John Kenneth Lidang, “The Effects of Religiosity on Violent Crimes.”
- Third place – Benjamin Mitchell, "The Quadruple Helix: A Catalyst for Sustainable Regional Innovation & Development in Australia."
Oceania/Asia Research Award
- First place – Haeri Oh, “History of Racism and White Supremacy in Korea.”
- Second place – Hope Iokia, “Hawaiian Immersion Schools as a Method for Preserving Culture and Language.”
- Third place – Kaitlyn St John, “Where are the Indigenous Women: A Study of the Neglect of Oceanic Women in Academia.”
Culture, Language, and Performing Arts Research Award
First place – Gavin Cranney and Gracie Messier, “Mass Incarceration: A Direct, Cultural, and Structural Analysis.”
Second place – Ainsley Aiono, “The Global Refugee Crisis: ‘Hell on Earth’ A Case Study of Moria Refugee Camp on Lesvos Island, Greece.”
Third place – Brian Spencer Tejada, “Cultural Barriers in Studying Mathematics in Baccalaureate Institutions.”
Performing Arts Award
- First place – Blake Peterson and Mila Cutler, “Researching Nelson Riddle to develop arranging and orchestrating concepts for the future.”
- Second place – Mia Malit-Cruz, “Celebrating Women Composers through Music.”
- Third place – Bolor Odgiiv, “The Quality of Greatness: Mongolian folk song Ulemjiin Chanar.”
Best Project in Education Award
- First place – Emmaline Adams, Melody Christman, Jessica Taylor, Leona Teichert, Koryssa Whitby, “Classroom Libraries in Hawaii Public Elementary Schools.”
- Second place – Aberdeen Lifferth, “Overrepresentation of Native Hawaiians in Special Education.”
- Third place – Emmaline Adams, “Cultural-based Education.”
Math Research Award
- First place – Erdenebileg Erdenebat, “The Error rerm of the Sum of Binary Digital Sum Functions.”
- Second place – Jonas Naleo Hyde, “Pentagonal Prismatic Dice Probabilities.”
- Third place – Brian Spencer Tejada, ““Cultural Barriers in Studying Mathematics in Baccalaureate Institutions.”
Computing Research Award
- First place – Sheryl Tania, "Interactive Waste-Sorting Game as A Method for Teaching Waste Management."
- Second place – Tien-Hui Hsieh & Lorran Galdino, "Interactively Engaging Users with History Using the BYUH History App."
Religion Research Paper Award – Book of Mormon or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Scriptures
- First place – Chrysanthemumolive Ufagalilo, “The Translation of the Book of Mormon in Bulgaria and the First Missionaries in Bulgaria.”
- Second place – Rishan Prasad, “The Bislama Translation of the Book of Mormon.”
Religion Research Paper Award – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History in Asia or Oceania
- First place – Vaea Enos, “Experiences of Tonga: An Analysis of Missionary Efforts in the Kingdom of Tonga.”
- Second place – Gianna Martinez, “Temple and Family History in the Philippines Through the Years.”
- Third place – Natalia Dutton, “The History and Influence of the Apia, Samoa Temple.”
Religion Research Paper Award – Inter-disciplinary or Other Gospel Topics
- First place – John Kenneth Lidang, “The Effects of Religiosity on Violent Crimes.”
- Second place – Abigail Harper, “The Lost Mythos of Latter-day Saint Temple Worship.”
- Third place – Natalie Day, “Names of Gods Across Cultures: Connecting the Hawaiian Gods with the Gods of the Old and New Testament.”
Research Presentation Award
- First place – Sahara Schroader, Noah England, Anameere Tennaba, Lauren Keiser "Assessing the Survivorship of Outplanted, Micro-Fragmented Corals of Opportunity on the Northeast Side of Oʻahu Using Two Different Techniques."
- Second place – J Ungos, Rocky Seeley, Zoe Lyman "Integrating Restoration and Education."
- Third place – Adison Johnson, "Metal Concentrations in Blood Volumes Utilizing ICP-OES."
Research Poster Award
- First place – Zoe Lyman, Mélanie Ercoli, Tyler Stephens, Reagan Owens, J Ungos, Ren Keiser, "Rooting for Restoration: Creating a Model for Sustainable Hawaiian Forest Rehabilitation."
- Second place – Thomas A. Thurber, Danielle Davis, "The Effects of Different Intensities of Green Exercise on Connectedness to Nature and State Mindfulness."
- Third place – Rannod Vandyarto & Aaron Domingues, "Synthesis of Hydroxychavicol Structural Isomers as Potential Oral Antibacterials."