{"id":9602,"date":"2026-04-27T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/anthropology\/?p=9602"},"modified":"2026-04-28T10:10:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T15:10:21","slug":"anthropology-students-shine-at-2026-uwm-undergraduate-research-symposium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/anthropology\/anthropology-students-shine-at-2026-uwm-undergraduate-research-symposium\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthropology Students Shine at 2026 UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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UGR Symposium participants pose with their mentors after the ceremony, photo credit: Sri Shanmuganathan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We are so proud of the fourteen undergraduate researchers and seven mentors who participated in the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday, April 24th 2026. Students presented research in two different formats, posters and short films and were judged by faculty and staff on three criteria: Content and Clarity of Information, Student Presentation, and Interpretation of Project. This year, we were very fortunate to have supported two winning projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emerson Neczek won the Panther Edge Award for her film project, “Archaeological Research in Our Community”. Emerson’s project, supervised by Professor Jennifer Haas, focused on the community outreach efforts at Maryland Avenue Montessori when human remains were inadvertently disturbed during construction. The Panther Edge Award is given to projects that excel in collaboration, professionalism, career readiness, and tech saviness. You can view her award-winning film on our department YouTube page: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@uwmanthro<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emerson Neczek receives her 2026 Panther Edge Award at the UGR Symposium, photo credit: Sri Shanmuganathan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mya Weidman Walters, Megan Goulart, Seidl Herbes won awards for their poster presentation highlighting their work with mentor, Professor Jean Hudson. Their project titled, “Improving Maceration Efficiency of Vertebrate Osteology Reference Specimens Utilizing Heat and Natural Enzymes”, which aimed to to speed up the process of maceration in a way that is safe and practical to execute in an educational setting. The results of their study suggest some methods may be more effective than others, particularly when dealing with delicate specimens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can view all of the student’s posters and presentation abstracts on the UGR Symposium website: https:\/\/sites.uwm.edu\/ug-research-symposium-26\/category\/school-college\/college-of-letters-science\/anthropology\/ <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Megan, Seidl, and Mya pose with their award winning poster at the symposium, photo credit: Jean Hudson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Participants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kaelee Kosmosky<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emerson Neczek<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin West<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mason Hansen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sasha Henderson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emma Mccutchin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mya Weidman Walters, Megan Goulart, Seidl Herbes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dakota Galkowski<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joanna Burn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Fredrick and Melissa Middleton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holly Pirk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rose Lemerande<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avantika Tandon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jadon Thornton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bill Balco<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rick Edwards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter Geraci<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Haas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jean Hudson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ashley Lemke<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Middleton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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