April 20, 2026
Students from all majors in the College of Media will participate in the annual University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Week, held April 26-May 2.
At the Undergraduate Research Symposium, the signature event held on Thursday, April 30, at the Illini Union, students across campus will present their research.
Below is a list of Media student presentations as well as acknowledgements of Media graduate students and faculty who have mentored students presenting at Undergraduate Research Week.
Oral Presentations
Student Activism, Advocacy & Belonging
Queering the Dorm: Tracing Allen Hall’s LGBTQ History Through Oral History
Jenny Lin, Senior, Journalism
(Research Mentor: Siobhan Somerville, Gender & Women’s Studies)
Analyzing Intersectional Discrimination
Film Study on How 1990s Western-centric Narratives Impact the Representation of Chinese Characters
Yidan Hu, Sophomore, Media & Cinema Studies
(Research Mentor: Carrie Wilson-Brown, Media & Cinema Studies and Advertising)
Poster Presentations
Social Science & Human Behavior
An Analysis of Marketing Strategies and Best Practices in Agritourism Businesses
Hailey Kotowski, Senior, Advertising
(Research Mentor: Renata Endres, Recreation, Sport & Tourism)
Learning & Human Development
From Screen to Shopping Cart: Consumer Responses to “As-Seen-In” Shoppable Ads in Streaming Television
Abby Wilson, Junior, Advertising
(Research Mentor: Michelle Nelson, Advertising)
BTW 250 Ideas Expo
Identifying a Refined Mission for the Union Courtyard Café
Katie Fedorski, Sophomore, Undeclared, EXP
George Lefebvre, Sophomore, Environmental Social Sciences, ACES
Case Rosenfeld, Freshman, Business Undeclared, BUS
Ally Szarek, Sophomore, Advertising
Society, Culture & Social Issues
Creating With Compliance: A Student-Led Usability & Engagement Study
Pihu Chawra, Sophomore, Industrial Design, FAA
Thea Abang, Sophomore, Computer Science + Advertising
Glyce Mitchell, Sophomore, Computer Science + Advertising
R. Talagadadeevi, Sophomore, Computer Science + Advertising
(Research Mentor: Marisa Peacock, Advertising)
Cells & Molecules
Effect of Lithium Salt Concentration on Ion Motion in PEO-Based Polymer Electrolytes
Yueming Gong, Sophomore, Media & Cinema Studies
(Research Mentors: Varun Nelavoy, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering & Christy Landes, Chemistry)
Data & Information
An EEG-Based Computational Pipeline for Affective Measurement of Consumer Sentiment
Alexia Rendon, Senior, Computer Science + Advertising
Ocean Ng, Sophomore, Computer Science, ENG
Aditi Cherukuri, Sophomore, Brain & Cognitive Science, LAS
Zaynab Ahmad, Junior, Neuroscience, LAS
Bilal Arif, Freshman, Computer Science, ENG
(Research Mentor: Marisa Peacock, Advertising)
Nature, Life & Environment
Genetic Disorders in Domestic Cats: Inheritance Patterns and Ethical Breeding Implications
Ziyi Wang, Sophomore, Advertising
Taoran LI, Freshman, Comparative & World Literature, LAS
(Research Mentor: Alicia Schneider, Animal Sciences)
Social Issues & Policy
They Want to Go Home: Ghana’s Kayayei
Adelyn Mui, Senior, Journalism
Prayse Odomes, Senior, Journalism
Samuel Rink, Junior, Journalism
Samuel Yohnka, Junior, Journalism
Kaitlyn Devitt, Senior, Journalism
(Research Mentors: Alison Davis, Journalism & Charles “Stretch” Ledford, Journalism)
Social Science & Human Behavior
Algorithmic Temporality and Parasocial Connection in Influencers
Cody Drake, Junior, Advertising
(Research Mentor: Veranika Paltaratskaya, Institute of Communications Research)
Food Systems
Bridging Research and Public Understanding: Inclusive Digital Engagement for Agrifood and Climate Data
Ektarit Nophaket, Sophomore, Computer Science + Advertising
Christina Chen, Senior, Advertising
Zhuoyi Wu, Senior, Advertising
(Research Mentor: Marisa Peacock, Advertising)
Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program 2026 Cohort
The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program offers undergrads with little or no research experience the opportunity to work with graduate students and post-doctoral scholars on their research projects, explore the culture and process of research, and build on their existing abilities within a community of scholars. Running each Spring semester, the program consists of a one-on-one research experience with their research mentor, and the Introduction to Research course, designed to complement the research mentoring experience, orienting undergraduate mentees to broader topics in the research process.
- Thea Abang, Freshman, CS + Advertising
(Research Mentor: Marisa Peacock, Design for Responsible Innovation) - Cody Drake, Junior, Advertising, and Sustainable Design, FAA
(Research Mentor: Veranika Paltaratskaya, Institute of Communications Research)
Media Research Mentors
Science & Technology | 12:15 – 1:30 PM, Illini Rooms ABC & South Lounge
Creating an Inclusive IT Learning Space: Understanding Media Literacy and Technology Access for Retired Older Adults
Maaike Niekerk, Senior, English, LAS
(Research Mentor: Stephanie Craft, Journalism)
Student Activism, Advocacy & Belonging | 3:45 – 5:00 PM, Room 213
The Impermanence Problem: Building Durable Student Advocacy at the University of Illinois
Hunter Farnham, Senior, CS + Economics, LAS
(Research Mentor: Matthew Ehrlich, Journalism)
Social Science & Human Behavior | 3:45 – 5:00 PM, Ballroom (2nd Floor)
Mindless Scrolling, Cognitive Control, and Psychological Well-Being: Correlational Evidence from a Stroop-Based Study
Pushti Vora, Senior, Brain & Cognitive Science, LAS
(Research Mentor: Kevin Wise, Advertising)
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