MassURC: Nina and Lily’s Story

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On Friday, April 18th, students from across the state will gather to showcase their research at the Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference (MassURC). Among the presenters are two talented students, Nina Prenosil and Lily Attias-Inzano, who will be sharing their work this Friday. We had the chance to sit down with both Nina and Lily to learn more about their research and what they’re most looking forward to on presentation day.

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Nina and members of the Springfield Dementia Friendly Coalition

Nina Prenosil, a senior double majoring in psychology and journalism with a concentration in public relations, will be presenting her thesis through the Community Scholars Program (CSP). She entered CSP with the goal of working on youth mental health initiatives but was led toward a different avenue. The program offered her a position working with dementia caregivers in Springfield, MA. Being a Western Massachusetts local, Nina was eager to explore what the city and region offered to these caregivers. Her research stems from nearly three years of work with the Springfield Dementia Friendly Coalition, where she launched a support group for dementia caregivers.

At MassURC, Nina hopes those who stop by her presentation will leave with a newfound empathy for dementia caregivers. Through years of working closely with these groups, she has witnessed both the challenges they face and the isolating nature of the work they do.

“We are doing a lot to care for the individuals living with this disease and we have to extend that care to those that care for them too – we need to have empathy for these caregivers… It’s exhausting work and they don’t have time to care for themselves.”

While the project yielded mixed results, Nina found the experience deeply inspiring. Now, as she wraps up her thesis under the guidance of Professor Deborah Keisch, she’s preparing to share an overview of her work, along with recommendations for future caregiver support initiatives.

“I'm excited to talk about the years that I've been working with the coalition because I feel like it's been something that's very rewarding for me!” Nina commented.

Lily, a junior majoring in sustainable food and farming, will be presenting her research this Friday titled “Mycorrhizal Morphological Impacts on Plant Growth and Biomass Allocation.” Conducted in collaboration with Professor Rachel Hestrin, Lily’s project focuses on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)—a type of fungi that forms symbiotic relationships with plants, helping them absorb essential nutrients and minerals from the soil.

“My research project is looking at the structures of different species of AMF and examining how these structures correlate to plant growth and what nutrients it gets from what fungi!” Lily explains.

Her curiosity in this field sparked after a meaningful experience in a conservation lab. Eager to explore other branches of agricultural research, she joined the CAFE Summer Scholars Program, which connected her with the Hestrin Lab. What began as a summer research opportunity became a year-long project!

Lily is thrilled to present her findings at MassURC, where she looks forward to refining her public speaking skills and celebrating the culmination of her hard work.

Come explore Nina and Lily’s research presentations — along with many other student projects — at MassURC this Friday, April 18th!