UH Undergraduate Research and Major Awards

“I'm grateful to have been part of such an unforgettable experience at the Ethics Medicine Innovation (EMI) Conference! Over two days, our team traveled from campus, attended sessions, and had the opportunity to present our poster, Ethical Considerations of Gene Therapy in Huntington’s Disease: A Review of AMT-130. We had so many meaningful conversations with attendees about gene therapy, ethics, access, and the future of medicine—it was amazing to see people engage with our work. Even more exciting—on day two, our group was honored with the Best Poster Award among all presenters! I'm so thankful for this opportunity, the memories, and the people we got to share it with.” - Faiza Sachwani

"Presenting at the Ethics Medicine Innovation (EMI) Conference was such a wonderful experience. The subjects that I learned about and the perspectives I heard from the other conference attendees were invaluable. I enjoyed listening to the insights of such a unique and diverse group of people. My group and I got to network with all kinds of professionals and scholars, from pediatric emergency physicians to philosophers of bioethics. I would love to return to this conference later on in my career when I can share even more knowledge and experiences with other people dedicated to improving the landscape of research and healthcare. I am extremely grateful to have been awarded the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship which allowed me to attend EMI during my senior year of college."

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Check out human foods and nutrition major Faiza Sachwani and honors biomedical sciences Esther Nwana's presentation at the Ethics Medicine Innovation conference here in Houston! We are happy to make opportunities like this possible for students with the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship!✈️

The Honors College at the University of Houston
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UH

Check out some of the highlights of the 2026 Houston Early Research Experience! This 10th iteration of the program focused on the theme "Houston's Environment: The Bayou City." The interdisciplinary cohort spent the last two weeks hearing from subject matter and research experts, gathering context on the theme, developing a research question, and crafting a proposal to ultimately present out. What an incredible two weeks it was!

Thank you to the Office of the Provost and Mike Emery for creating and sharing this article spotlighting Undergraduate Research Day! Learn about the event and hear from some presenters in the article by visiting https://bit.ly/49neLGQ

The Honors College at the University of Houston
University of Houston Libraries
UH Office of the Provost

Check out recent Honors biology graduate Paul Daniel present his research at the American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego, California! In addition to presenting his work on on heterogeneity in pancreatic cancer through stem cells derived from ascites, he was awarded the AACR Undergraduate Scholar for his work in cancer research. Congratulations, Paul!

Our office is happy to help make opportunities like this possible for Coogs with the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship ✈️

The Honors College at the University of Houston
UH College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM)

🎉Congratualtions to our Spring 2026 graduates who have participated in OURMA programming!🎓

It is an honor to have been a part of your academic journey, and we are so excited to see all the things you will accomplish moving forward. This is only your beginning!⭐️

On April 28, members of the UH community gathered to celebrate the outstanding achievements of major award applicants and the support they received from dedicated faculty and staff. Of these applicants and advisors, two exceptional individuals were honored. Congratulations to Dr. Alison Leland, Director of the Honors Pre-Law Program, who received of the Outstanding Fellowship Mentor Award and Emme Tomasello, a graduating honors anthropology major, who received the Outstanding Fellowship Applicant Award!

Additionally, faculty who have championed undergraduate research by providing consistent and meaningful mentorship received Undergraduate Research Mentor awards. Congratulations to our three recipients: Dr. Melody Li from the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Dr. Richard Meisel from the Department of Biology, and Dr. Chandra Mohan from the Department of Biomedical Engineering! Finally, students of the Honors College who were nominated by faculty and staff for their excellence inside and outside of the classroom received Outstanding First Year Student awards!

It is a joy for our office to honor the ambitious students who pursue these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and the UH faculty and staff who go above and beyond to support them. Please join us in congratulating these incredible Coogs!

The Honors College at the University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UH UH College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM) UH Cullen College of Engineering

“Earlier this month, I got the opportunity to present my PURS research at the National Council of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference in Richmond, Virginia! My project, titled “Différance and Meaning in Antiquity and Modernity: The Abjectified Versus Objectified Dido in Books 2, 4, and 6 of Virgil's Aeneid,” examines the figure of Queen Dido through Kristevan and Derridean lenses to understand how the original language and later translations shape our understanding of Dido’s characterization, her/the female body, and the possible symbolisms behind her death.

At this conference, I got to engage with and receive valuable feedback from researchers across a variety of disciplines (including but not limited to fine arts, psychology, sociology, architecture, and philosophy) from institutions across the country and abroad. With all of this unique feedback in mind, I cannot wait to continue developing this interdisciplinary project beyond an undergraduate level.

Thank you so much to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Awards (OURMA) for helping me finance this trip, along with my faculty mentor, Dr. Janet Lawler, for all of her endless support!”

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Check out senior honors English and world cultures and literatures double-major Hang Nguyen's travel to Richmond, Virginia to present her PURS research on Virgil's Aeneid at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research last month! Our office is happy to assist students like Hang in sharing their work at conferences with the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship!✈️

The Honors College at the University of Houston
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UH
Council on Undergraduate Research

"I loved attending UMBC's "Meeting in the Middle: Trailblazers: Visualizing the Pre-Modern World", and presenting "Magic, Religion and Science in the World of BBC's Merlin (2008)", my PURS project directed by Dr. Lorraine K. Stock. I met so many wonderful and inspiring people, who were very passionate about the Medieval and Early Modern period as me. I was so grateful for their support and kindness, especially when they mentioned how excited they were for my presentation. After the post-presentation Q&A, some attendees complimented me on how well researched my presentation was. Frankly, attending MIM has inspired me to consider pursuing a MA in Medieval and/or Earl Modern Studies before pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting. I would like to understand more about the people, world, and history of the Early Modern and Medieval period to represent them better onscreen."

Meet Dana Montes, a junior English creative writing major who traveled to Baltimore, MD, to present her PURS research on magic, religion, and science within BBC's Merlin! Our office is happy to help students like Dana share their research with the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship!✈️ College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UH

⭐️Congratulations to these four UH DAAD RISE Recipients!⭐️ DAAD RISE allows undergraduates and graduates to participate in research internships in Germany. This summer, these four students will enhance their knowledge though hands-on research, gain international experience, and discover Germany's unique research landscape.

Join our office in congratulating Himavarsha, Hannah, Santiago, and Katie for this incredible achievement!🎉

DAAD Scholarship The Honors College at the University of Houston UH Cullen College of Engineering College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UH

On March 31, over 100 students - along with UH Provost Diane Z. Chase - were inducted into the UH chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nations oldest and most prestigious honors society.

Congratulations to these exceptional students! Read more about the UH chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and the 2026 induction of outstanding Coogs here:https://tinyurl.com/4kcpp9b6