Mary Washington students present research projects at inaugural event

Three University of Mary Washington undergraduate students presented their research and lab work at the inaugural Undergraduate Research Showcase in early February.

Mallory Thompson, a junior biology major at UMW, presented her findings and advocated for the future of cancer treatment while in Richmond.

“It was a little daunting, as I never imagined my research would take me to the Capitol to speak with legislators. But honestly, I had a great time. I loved sharing my research with attendees who showed interest in my poster and asked questions. It’s exciting to think that my work might help people understand that conventional cancer therapies aren’t always enough, and exploring other treatments could be a key to reducing recurrence rates,” Thompson said.

Seniors and psychology majors Hannah Shipp and Ada Moses also presented their research, which explored how visual distractions impact test performance.

The inaugural event was hosted by the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) and brought student researchers from 16 state colleges and universities with more than 30 projects on display at the Virginia State Capitol.

In “Methionine Restriction Promotes Immunogenic Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells,” Thompson examined how limiting the amino acid methionine could enhance chemotherapy’s effectiveness. She worked alongside faculty mentor and UMW Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Laura Sipe and the research has implications for developing dietary strategies to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

Shipp and Moses worked alongside their faculty mentor UMW Assistant Professor of Psychological Science Marcus Leppanen.

With the popularity of online testing increasing, they investigated whether elements like an on-screen timer could negatively affect students, especially students with test anxiety. “The Impact of Visual Distraction on Computer-Based Test Performance” proposed that simple changes to online testing environments could help students perform to the best of their ability.

“Presenting research at the Capitol was an exciting experience, especially getting to see such a wide variety of research topics. It was encouraging to have conversations with attendees about how distractions impact test performance. I hope our findings help support better testing environments, especially for students with learning difficulties,” Moses said.

Thompson’s plan is to become a radiation oncologist. Moses’ work on test anxiety “has fueled my curiosity to seek out research in supporting my questions through evidence” and led her to further her education through graduate school.

“They not only enjoyed interacting and networking with fellow scholars from across Virginia, but they also gained valuable experience that will shape their future academic pursuits,” UMW College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Dean Betsy Lewis, who accompanied the trio on the trip, said.