2026 Candidates—S
SAM J. SABIA — Astronomy, Physics
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Examining the Mass Segregation of Young Stellar Objects in Star Forming Regions
Robert A. Gutermuth, Astronomy
LEAH SAKS — Psychology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Digital Tutor: Evaluating the Efficacy of Large Language Model-Driven Instruction Through a Case Study in the Fundamentals of Quantum Computing
Hossein Pishro-Nik, Electrical & Computer Engineering
EMILIO SALAZAR — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Points of Intersection: Mapping Enzyme-Substrate Interactions in Molecular Chaperone Networks
Lila Gierasch, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry
SHIVAANGI SALHOTRA — Linguistics and Psychology; Psychology; Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
ISHAAN SINGH SARNA — Psychology, Managerial Economics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Shared Solar, Shared Savings: A Statistical Analysis of Community Solar Participation and Energy Burden in Massachusetts
Christine L. Crago, Resource Economics
KAI SATO — Accounting
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Examining Corporate Governance Under Environmental, Social, and Governance Mandates: How Large Corporations Can Strengthen Disclosures & Compliance
Jennifer F. Merton, Isenberg School of Management
CALEB SAWICKI — Education
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Designing a Multimodal Metacognitive Practice Database
Torrey E. Trust, Education
LEONARDO J. SCARAMOZZA — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Developing a Method to Enrich Endogenous Caspase-6 for Post-Translational Modification Discovery
Jeanne Hardy, Chemistry
ISABELLA R. SCHILLE — Psychology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Individual Differences in Conformity to Heavy Drinking: The Roles of Neuroticism, Self-Monitoring, and Working Memory
Allecia E. Reid, Psychological & Brain Sciences
BEREN J. SCHMIDT — Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Analysis of Large Language Models for Intelligent Mission Planning in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Non-Uniform Coverage
Hossein Pishro-Nik, Electrical & Computer Engineering
ASHLEY A. SCHNEIDER — Psychology
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
Harmonizing Voice Through Song: Advancing the Integration of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices with Music Therapy for Autistic Individuals
Sandy Litchfield, Architecture
JULIA A. SCHOWALTER — Environmental & Natural Resources Economics, Political Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Who’s Fueling Climate Capitalism? A Corporate Social Network Analysis
Kevin Young, Economics
CLAIRE SCHWARTZ — Public Health Sciences
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Women's Reproductive Health
Carrie Johnson Nobles, Environmental Health Sciences
JADE S. SCOTT — Public Policy
Advanced Scholarship - Departmental Honors
Understanding University Third-Place Access and Its Impact on Students' Sense of Community
Brenda Bushouse, School of Public Policy
ALEXANDER M. SCRENCI — Electrical Engineering
Advanced Scholarship - Departmental Honors
Applications for Machine Learning in Analog Circuit Design
Robert W. Jackson Jr, Electrical & Computer Engineering
ALEC SEMAAN — Neuroscience
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
RIDDHIMAAN SENAPATI — Computer Science
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Fortifying Large Language Model Relevance Judgements Against Query Injection Attacks
James Allan, Information & Computer Science
SHYLA SENN — Kinesiology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Increased Connection Points of Slings with Transfer Lifts Lowers Pressure Contact on High-Risk Patients in Hospital Settings: Comparing Two-Point and Four-Point Sling Attachment Impact on Risk of Pressure Injuries
Frank C. Sup, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
ATHARVA NIKHIL SHAHANE — Computer Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Exploring the Use of Large Language Models to Improve Scenario Creation and Free-Response Grading Within the Platform for Ethical and Responsible Computing Education (Pearce)
Heather Conboy, Information & Computer Science
REBECCA S. SHAHROOZ — Biology, Spanish
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Akordar: Love, Loss, and Memory in Judeo-Spanish Poetics
Jordan Katz, Judaic & Near Eastern Studies
KIRUBA SHALIN — Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Protein-Functionalized, Lipoprotein-Mimetic Lipid Nanoparticles for Gene Therapy Delivery to the Central Nervous System
Jingjing Gao, Biomedical Engineering
HARISH P. SHANKAR — Computer Science, Mathematics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Extensions to the Online Pen Testing Problem
Mingda Qiao, Information & Computer Science
AKANKSHA SHARMA — Managerial Economics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Colonial Foundations of Capital: The American Banking System and the Economic Architecture of Empire
Maxine Oland, Commonwealth Honors College
SIDDHI SHARMA — Neuroscience, Biology
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
The Effect of Food Intake on Emotion Regulation
Leda Cooks, Communication
ADA J. SHAVO — Linguistics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Language and Power in the UMass Writing Center
Edwin Everhart, Anthropology
SAMANTHA SHEEDY — Informatics, Mathematics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Comparing Impacts of Lecturing and Collaborative Concept Mapping on Learning Outcomes and Perspectives in a Statistics Classroom
Qian Zhao, Mathematics & Statistics
JACK SHEMLIGIAN — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Perspectives
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
ELIZABETH K. SHEPARD — Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Low-Channel Multi-Modal Foundational Model for Sleep Staging Using Self-Supervised Contrastive Learning
Joyita Dutta, Biomedical Engineering
LOGAN S. SHEPARD — Kinesiology
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
Determining the Effects of Whole-Body Heating on Hamstring Flexibility and Patellofemoral Pain
John R. Sirard, Kinesiology
ELIZABETH M. SHEPERD — Public Health Sciences
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Who Deserves Care? The Consequences of Restricting Immigrants from the Health Care Safety Net
Kathleen A. Brown-Pérez, Commonwealth Honors College
SYNA SHETH — Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Impact of Targeted Memory Reactivation on Declarative Memory Performance During Middle Childhood
Rebecca M. C. Spencer, Psychological & Brain Sciences
ATHENA B. SHETH — Operations & Information Management
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
RACHEL W. SHI — Managerial Economics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Can You Be Above the Law? How Socioeconomic Status Impacts Criminal Accountability
Kevin Young, Economics
ALEXANDER C. SHICK — Computer Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Cognitive Offloading in Agile Teams, How AI Reshapes Risk Assessment and Planning Quality
Shiting Lan, Information & Computer Science
ALEXANDER D. SHIKHANOVICH — Computer Engineering
Advanced Scholarship - Departmental Honors
P.E.A.K: Hardware for Prepaid Energy Awareness Kit
Maitreyee Marathe, Electrical & Computer Engineering
ALINA SHKURIKHINA — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
Exploring the Role of Organellar Proteins in Heat Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana
Elizabeth Vierling, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
MAHAMAYA SHREESHA PAI — Microbiology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Depoliticization of Community Health: Federalization and the Transformation of Health Centers
Dean Robinson, Political Science
ANASTASIA V. SHUB — Industrial Engineering
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Design and Evaluation of In-Vehicle Human Machine Interface for Enhancing Passenger Trust in Level 4 Automated Vehicles
Anuj K. Pradhan, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
JADE E. SHUM — Anthropology, Art History
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Playing American: American Girl Dolls, Asian Americans, and Citizenship from 1996-2013
Christine I. Ho, History of Art & Architecture Department
HARINI SIBI — Microbiology, Public Health Sciences
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Targeting Dual Species Biofilm of Candida albicans and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Gelatin Nanoemulsion-Based Delivery of Essential Oils
Vincent M. Rotello, Chemistry
ALEXANDRA T. SIERRA GARCIA — Communication, Political Science
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
JASON A. SIGLAG — Psychology, Management
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Community
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
SAMUEL SILVER — Mathematics
General Studies & Departmental Honors
The Morita Construction for Strict Monoidal Categories
Martina Rovelli, Mathematics & Statistics
ANNE-COLOMBE SINKPON — Computer Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Artificial Intelligence Integration and Food Waste Management in University Dining Services
Leda Cooks, Communication
VENKATA SIVA NAGA NANDINI SIRIKONDA — Mathematics, Managerial Economics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
AMBA JAEL SKEETE — Applied Plant and Soil Sciences
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Impact of an Agrivoltaic System on Sweet Corn Phenology and Yield
Michelle DaCosta, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
ELLA SKLAR — Public Health Sciences, Legal Studies
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Understanding Pathways of Support: A Community Responder Program Case Study
Jennifer M. Whitehill, Health Promotion & Policy
MACKENZIE J. SMITH — Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Rooted in Time
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
ADRIANA R. SMITH — Political Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Manipulation of Latin American Labor and Migration in the Era of Globalization
Deepika Marya, Commonwealth Honors College
GIANNA K. SMITH — Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
General Studies & Departmental Honors
The Lived Experiences and Values of Mothers Raising Children with Down Syndrome
Jill R. Hoover, Communication Disorders
EMILEN R. SMITH — Legal Studies
General Studies & Departmental Honors
JACOB A. SOLOMON — Managerial Economics, Psychology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Resilience and Adaptive Outcomes Among Youth in Foster Care
Jen McDermott, Psychological & Brain Sciences
JACOB A. SORENSEN — Natural Resources Conservation
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Mussel Stranding in the Wheelwright Dam Impoundment
Allison H. Roy, Environmental Conservation
SOPHIA SOUSA — Economics, Mathematics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Child Labor in the Cocoa Industry: A Consequence of Neocolonialism
Deepika Marya, Commonwealth Honors College
YASMIN A. SOUZA — Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Exploring Outreach Practices and Perceived Stigma in Food Resource Organizations
Leda Cooks, Communication
ALYSIA C. SPENCER — Psychology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
From Chrysalis to Butterfly: A Mosaic of Me
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
SASHA SPERLING — Communication
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Helping Independent Insurance Agents Reach and Connect with Gen Z
Heidi E. Bailey, Isenberg School of Management
MILA Y. SPLAWSKA — Psychology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Abortion Rights: A Case for the Equal Protection Clause
Martha L. Yoder, Commonwealth Honors College
SADHVI M. SREERAM — Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality in the United States
Dean Robinson, Political Science
IANNA H. SSEMUGENZE — Microbiology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
The Relationship Between Humanity and the Natural World: Reshaping Worldviews Through an Afrocentric Approach
Mark Roblee, Commonwealth Honors College
AARON J. STASIOWSKI — Physics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Ravens over Midgard: Myth and the Old Norse Worldview
Mark Roblee, Commonwealth Honors College
REBECCA H. STEERE — Public Policy
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Federal Funding, Local Education: The Role of Impact Aid in Meeting Community Needs
Brenda Bushouse, School of Public Policy
HANNAH STEINBRECHER — Environmental Science
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Effect of Natural Organic Matter Size on Reactivity and Disinfection Byproduct Formation Potential
Sean McBeath, Civil & Environmental Engineering
NICOLE C. STEINMEYER — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advanced Scholarship - Departmental Honors
Investigating Enzymes Involved in Nitric Oxide Signaling and Homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Elizabeth Vierling, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
TYLER A. STEPHAN — Operations & Information Management, Sport Management
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Swiping for Love: A Study of Dating at UMass Amherst
Anurag Sharma, Isenberg School of Management
DAVID A. STEVENSON — Chemical Engineering, Chemistry
General Studies & Departmental Honors
Covalent Bonds and Controlled Angles in Centimeter-Scale Monocrystalline Twisted Bilayer Graphene
Christos Dimitrakopoulos, Chemical Engineering
EVAN D. STOTSKY — Management
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
The Best Days of My Life, at Least Until Tomorrow
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
SOPHIA L. STRAAYER — Communication, Journalism
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Life in Laps: Movement, Memory, and a Narrative of Becoming
Connie Griffin, Commonwealth Honors College
MICKALA D. STRATTON — Chinese Language and Literature, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a Tool for Rare Freshwater Mussel Detection and Restoration Planning
Allison H. Roy, Environmental Conservation
MADELINE A. STUART — Anthropology, Biology
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
Survivability or Mortality: Examining Health in a Medieval Population Using Linear Enamel Hypoplasiases and Other Stress Indicators
Brigitte M. Holt, Anthropology
QUINN J. SUGAR — Accounting
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Amherst TOPSoccer: Developing an Inclusive Youth Soccer Program for Children with Disabilities
Ellen Correa, Civic Engagement & Service Learning
GRAEME L. SULLIVAN — Chemical Engineering, Physics
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Characterization of Hydrofluoroether Flow at Cryogenic Temperatures
Andrea Pocar, Physics
LEYNA SUMMERS — Legal Studies
Advanced Scholarship - Multidisciplinary Honors
Re-Evaluating Section 230 in the Social Media Age
Douglas R. Rice, Legal Studies
EVA S. SWEENEY — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
General Studies & Multidisciplinary Honors
Investigating the Immunomodulatory Properties of Turmeric-Derived Compound, Curcumin
Lisa Minter, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
NICHOLAS SYDORENKO — Electrical Engineering
Advanced Scholarship - Departmental Honors
NICOLE E. SYLVAIN — Kinesiology, Biology
General Studies & Departmental Honors
A Comparison of the Biomechanics of Running and Hopping
Wouter Hoogkamer, Kinesiology