OK NSF EPSCoR Summer 2022 REU Award Recipients Announced

Five Oklahoma undergraduate students have been selected to participate in the Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR Summer 2022 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Award recipients will work on research projects under the guidance of faculty mentors Drs. Morshed Khandaker, University of Central Oklahoma; Dr. Eric LoPresti and Dr. Khaled Sallam of Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Joshua Schultz of The University of Tulsa. The research will primarily be in the OK NSF EPSCoR RII-theme areas of weather, water, carbon, infrastructure, and energy.

The Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR REU program strengthens and encourages undergraduate students' early participation in the university and scientific communities by providing one-on-one mentorship and unparalleled research opportunities at the state's research-intensive campuses.

Summer 2022 REU Recipients:

  • Student Researchers
    Hussein Alizereej and Mark Jones, University of Central Oklahoma
    Research Project Title
    Anti-Corrosion Behavior of Mg and Zn Nanoparticle Incorporated Nanofiber Membrane
    Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
    Dr. Morshed Khandaker, University of Central Oklahoma
    Award Amount: $5,000
  • Student Researcher
    Alejandra Escobar, Oral Roberts University
    Research Project Title

    Development of New Sensing Approaches for a Fabric-reinforced Soft Robot
    Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
    Dr. Joshua Schultz, The University of Tulsa
    Award Amount: $5,000

  • Student Researcher
    Jonathan Merheb, Oral Roberts University
    Research Project Title
    Solar-Driven Membrane Distillation 
    Faculty Mentor(s) & Lab Site(s)
    Dr. Khaled Sallam, Oklahoma State University
    Award Amount: $5,000
  • Student Researcher
    Austyn Rice, Northeastern State University
    Research Project Title
    Pollination Ecology of an Important Dune Perennial in the Southern Great Plains
    Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
    Dr. Eric LoPresti, Oklahoma State University
    Award Amount: $5,000