Six recognized for mentoring undergraduate students in research

Five West Virginia University faculty members and one graduate student were recently named recipients of the Travis Stimeling Award for Mentoring Undergraduates in Research.

Story by Lindsay Willey, Honors College

Photos supplied Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Provost, the award serves to recognize and reward faculty and graduate students who encourage and support undergraduates in making an original intellectual or creative contribution to their discipline.

Awards are presented in five categories: arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, biosciences and health sciences, physical sciences and technology and graduate student mentor.

The 2025 recipients are:

• Angela Uriyo, assistant professor of fashion design and merchandising in the College of Creative Arts and Media (Arts and Humanities)
• Kathleen Morrison, assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience psychology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences (Behavioral and Social Sciences)
• Jennifer Gallagher, associate professor of biology in the Eberly College (Biosciences and Health Sciences)
• Jean McCrory, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the School of Medicine (Biosciences and Health Sciences)
• Tatiana Trejos, associate professor in the Department of Forensic and Investigative Science in the Eberly College (Physical Sciences and Technology)
• Christopher Anderson, a doctoral student in environmental engineering and a Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellow (Graduate Student Mentor)

“The benefits of engaging undergraduate students in research and creative work are widely recognized in literature, including higher retention rates and more successful degree completion,” Cinthia Pacheco, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, said. “We know this success is only possible because of the outstanding faculty who support not only their students’ intellectual and professional development through scholarly pursuits but also provide adequate emotional and social support.”

Angela Uriyo

With more than 18 years of teaching and mentoring experience, Uriyo weaves creativity, research and critical thinking into every interaction with her students. This allows her to provide opportunities that develop curiosity and problem-solving skills, grow confidence and enhance professional development.

“One of the most fulfilling aspects of mentorship is seeing students gain confidence as researchers and creative thinkers,” she wrote. “Mentorship is a privilege, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support students in their academic and professional journeys.”

For Joshua Park, a senior fashion design and merchandising major, Uriyo has offered unwavering support during his design journey.

“When I was a junior, I was working on research for a futuristic jacket, struggling to bring a specific aesthetic to life,” he wrote in his nomination letter. “Dr. Uriyo did not just give me advice. She sat with me, helped me brainstorm ideas, find inspiration images and refine every single detail to make sure the final outcome was exactly what I envisioned. She made the entire process feel worthwhile and rewarding, showing me just how valuable research is in design.”

Park now serves as a teaching assistant for Uriyo and sees the impact she has on his peers.

“She doesn’t just help students with research, she helps them grow in ways that often go unnoticed,” he wrote. “Her dedication to so many students has had a lasting impact, and her ability to teach more than just the research process is something truly special.”

Kathleen Morrison

When it comes to her career and mentoring philosophy, Morrison would not be where she is today without a summer research program during her undergraduate years.

“That experience in a research-focused setting truly changed the course of my career and unlocked my love for doing science,” she said. “It has been my great pleasure to now be in a position where I can pay it forward for our undergraduate students in my own research lab.”

With an understanding that undergraduate students play a critical role in advancing scientific research at WVU, Morrison ensures they are included in every aspect of the Morrison Translational Neuroscience Lab. This includes weekly individual and group meetings, goal tracking and working directly with student researchers to develop research, critical thinking and communication skills.

Since launching her lab in 2020, Morrison has mentored 26 different undergraduate students who have gone on to present locally, nationally and internationally.

One of those students, Laiklyn Luther, a senior neuroscience major, has presented at the Society of Neuroscience International Conference twice and at the WVU undergraduate research symposium each semester.

And Luther’s experiences with research are leading her on a path similar to Morrison’s as a student.

“During my time in the lab, I have witnessed Dr. Morrison’s clear passion for mentoring undergraduate students, and it is highly evident that her top priority is ensuring her students have the tools necessary to excel in research,” Luther wrote. “Her mentorship has not only been the highlight of my academic journey thus far, but it has also inspired me to pursue a career in research.”

Jennifer Gallagher

Growing up, Gallagher spent time in a research lab with her uncle and a “million-dollar microscope.”

Having a role model who helped develop her appreciation for scientific research at a young age paved the way for Gallagher’s role as a mentor.

In her 12 years at WVU, she has mentored 40 undergraduate students in her lab through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates, the NanoSAFE Research Experiences for Undergraduates and WVU’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

Of those undergraduate students she has mentored, 22 are co-authors on 11 different manuscripts.

For Justin Lee, who graduated WVU with a biology degree and is now a dermatology resident in the School of Medicine, Gallagher helped shape him as a learner, investigator and medical doctor.

“I found Dr. Gallagher at a formative crossroads in my life and she and her lab took me in as family,” he said. “Hours in the lab could be taxing when coupled with the academic workload of a biology degree, but I always looked forward to spending time in the lab. Research can be intimidating, especially for young learners, and the environment that Dr. Gallagher fostered is essential for growth.”

Jean McCrory

As an assistant professor of exercise physiology and director of the WVU Mountaineer Sports Medicine Research Lab, most of the research McCrory conducts centers on return to sport clearance following ACL ligament replacement.

In a typical academic year, she mentors six to eight undergraduate student researchers in her lab, most of whom she connected with through an exercise physiology research course, the Research Apprenticeship Program or a biomedical engineering research course.

Megan Long, a sophomore exercise physiology student, is currently working alongside McCrory to study ground reaction force symmetry in dancers and non-dancers.

“I am a 14-year trained dancer, and I went to go jump on force plates to run test trials, and we noticed how unsymmetrical I was,” Long wrote. “From this she wanted to know how being a dancer with a trained take off leg may affect athletes’ ability to return to their sport after an ACL injury.” 

Throughout her time in McCrory’s lab, Long has consistently been encouraged to think outside the box, question, learn and love research.

“As I continue to grow in the medical field, I will definitely be able to incorporate all of the inspiration she has instilled in me and one day I hope to do the same to others,” Long said. “Dr. McCrory and her research really makes a difference in so many lives and I genuinely enjoy being a part of her team and being able to create and help so many people just as she does every day.”

Tatiana Trejos

Committed to fostering strong professional mentoring relationships, Trejos helps her students understand their professional goals, motivations, learning styles, talents and opportunities for growth.

During her 12-year career at WVU, she has mentored 43 undergraduate student researchers in forensic and investigative sciences and chemistry.

“My focus is inspiring students to reach their full potential, and I do that with pride and joy,” she said. “Mentoring success involves genuinely celebrating my mentees' milestones, actively building their confidence, shaping their personal and professional development, and transferring skills and competencies to help them achieve their career goals.”

During his undergraduate career at WVU, Colton Diges, who graduated in 2022 with a degree in forensic chemistry, worked as an undergraduate research assistant and teaching assistant for Trejos.

Now a student at the George Washington University Law School, Diges credits Trejos’s mentorship and support for helping him stay connected to his scientific roots.

“My specific area of interest in the law is patent law, a law that focuses on granting protections and rights for inventors and scientists who further innovation in our society,” he wrote. “Dr. Trejos’s research focused on innovating forensic science by improving current scientific methods and creating new standardized methods. Her focus and passion for furthering the progress of current scientific methods inspired me to study an area of law that incentives society to push the bounds of science and technology.”

Christopher Anderson

A doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, Anderson currently supervises and mentors four undergraduate student researchers as a Ruby Distinguished Doctoral Fellow.

“Mentoring undergraduates has become a defining passion during my doctorate program that extends beyond research training into professional and academic development,” he said. “Mentorship is not just about answering questions; it’s about fostering curiosity, building confidence, and empowering students to take ownership of their research and careers.”

One of the students Anderson inspired to take ownership of their research is Devyn Benn, a junior civil engineering major working on safe drinking water research.

“What started as a project to fulfill a final credit for the WVU Honors Foundations program, quickly became a passion project as I spent more and more time researching,” she wrote. “The way that Christopher shared his passion for research truly inspired me to strive for the best. He encouraged me to pursue research that I cared about, found interest in, and that would make the world a better place.”

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