Stillwater, Okla, (May 1, 2026)
Legislators from across the state came together with Chancellor Sean Burrage of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to honor and learn from the 27 finalists in the 31st annual Research Day at the Capitol event on Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol Building.
Hunter Helvey, a senior from Lawton, won the competition’s grand prize for a poster and presentation on his research, titled “Local Drug Delivery for Glioblastoma.” The grand prize includes a cash award and a summer internship to continue this research.
Ceyda Kara, Oklahoma State Universioty student from Stillwater, won first place in the Research-Intensive category. Kara’s research is on “Airflow Simulation.”
Micaiah Stowe, Rogers State University student from Skiatook, took 1st place in the Regional University category for her research on “Generational Views on Opioid Abuse and Stigma.”
Avery Glinsmann, a student of the University of Oklahoma from Yukon, took the second-place award in the Research-Intensive University category with a poster and presentation into their research, “Evaluation of Heterocyclic Cannabigerol Derivatives.”
Grant Elam, Southwestern State University student from Edmond, took second place in the Regional-University category. His research is on “Manganese Antioxidants for Health Protection”
Jacob McCormick, University of Tulsa student from Coweta, won third place in the Research-Intensive University category for his research on “Cabon Composite Coatings for Aerospace Applications.”
Rose State College undergraduate Shanisty Whittington, of Choctaw, won third place in the Regional University category of the event. Whittington’s research is on “Prison Gerrymandering and Oklahoma Voting Districts.”
The 27 finalists competed in a judged poster session on April 27. A panel of four scientists, each working in different field, chose the seven winners. Finalists in the competition presented their research posters at the Oklahoma Capitol building the next day.
Research Day at the Capitol was established 31 years ago to showcase the outstanding undergraduate research being conducted at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities to state legislators. Students present research in the areas of science (including social science), technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The prestigious event is sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK EPSCoR) and the National Science Foundation.
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This material is based on work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant No. OIA-1946093. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation or Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.