The Graduate Poster Showcase 2026

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Thank you for everyone that entered and attended the Graduate Poster Showcase (GPS) this year on March 12, 2026. It was the biggest turnout in GPS history, featuring outstanding graduate student research from students across campus and all departments.

2026 Event WINNERS

Nearly 100 students competed across 13 topical tracks.

Congratulations to all our winners and contestants! 

 
Track #1 Applied Science
1st place: Joshua Yeboah # 8,  “It’s Like Inflating a Balloon—Or Is It?”: A Lung Reinflation Strategy After Single-Lung Ventilation
2nd place: Gideon Gargar #4, Correlates of Systolic Blood Pressure Among Middle-Aged U.S. Adults: A Survey-Weighted Regression Analysis of NHANES 2017 - 2018
 
Track #2 Basic Science I
1st place: Eric Burns #11, Single-Molecule Tracking Reveals Amphiregulin Mediated Modulation of HER2
2nd place: Crystal Cevering #12, Woodsmoke as an Environmental Amplifier of Autoimmune Pathology in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) Mouse Model
 
Track # 3 Basic Science II
1st place: Xavier Deleon #16, Acid Sensing Ion Channel 1a Deficiencies Contribution to Glucose Homeostasis
2nd place: Somayeh Dadras # 15, Modulating IL-1R1/IL-1RAP Signaling: A Dual Approach to Reducing Neuroinflammation and Tau Pathology
 
Track # 4 Clinical
1st place: Gloria Kim #26, Biomarkers for Differentiating Good vs. Poor VEGF-Responders in Diabetic Macular Edema
2nd place: Anum Amin #22, Cognitive and Cognitive-Linguistic Interventions in Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review of Treatment Approaches and Outcomes
 
Track # 5 Community Engaged Research
1st place: Haley Hughes #28, Addressing Rural Healthcare Workforce Challenges in New Mexico: Recruitment, Retention, and Policy Implications 
2nd place: Abdul Ganiu Tanko #34, Developing Spatial Analysis Guidance to Support Community-Based Watershed Planning: Addressing Water Resource Challenges in Underserved Communities Affected by Extraction Activities in New Mexico.
 
Track #6 Diversity, Equity or Inclusion
1st place: Rachel Granzow # 37, Differential Aging: Gait Speed Disparities in Older Adults
2nd place: Charlotte Auh # 35, Hispasians in New Mexico: The Education of Mixed Race Latinx-Asian American Students in Albuquerque Public Schools
 
Track #7 -Environment
1st place: Cristina Coffman #44, Uranium-bearing dust disrupts the colonic mucus layer and alters goblet cell physiology 
2nd place: Ansbert Aduko # 42, Climate change and water dependent systems in the Chuska Mountains: Adaptive strategies to ensure water security for communities.
 
Track #8-Human Body
1st place: Myranda Thompson #55, Bacterial serine protease EspP promotes enteroendocrine cell differentiation and alters mucosal immune signaling in human colonic organoids 
2nd place: Monica Long #50, Investigating the Effects of Alcohol on Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cell Angiogenesis and Permeability in a 3D Model of the Neurovascular Unit
 
Track #9-Innovation and Technology
1st place: Teo Brandt # 59, Safe Motion Planning for Autonomous Systems Using Constraint Admissible Positive Invariant Sets
2nd place: Abid Mohammad Ali #56, Reinforcement Learning for Uplink Access Optimization in UAV-Assisted 5G Networks Under Emergency Response
 
Track #10-Interdisciplinary Research
1st place: Peace Ikwuemesi # 67, Sublingual siRNA Delivery for Sickle Cell Disease
2nd place: Eunice Quartey #69, FRα Targeted Liposomal DM4 Nanoparticles for Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer (PROC)
 
Track #11 Materials

1st place: Sneha Gupta # 73, CO₂ Mineralization of Recycled Concrete and Industrial Wastes for Carbon-Negative Cementitious Materials

2nd place (tie)- Leila Shahriari # 78- Bioinspired CO₂ Mineralization Using Tannic Acid and Ultrasonication

2nd place (tie) - Tayyab Zafar #79- Effect of Pumice Internal Curing on 3D Printed Engineered Cementitious Composites Exposed to Various Curing Regimes

 

Track # 12- Methods and Methodology
1st place: Hannah Kaye #82, Mast cells integrate mechanical cues to fine-tune FcεRI activity
2nd place: Ryan Martinez #83, Mechanism of Adgrf5-mediated regulation of A-type Intercalated Cells

Track #13-Society, Culture & Human Experience
1st place: Erika Alvero Koski #87, Indigenous Pedagogies: A Case Study of a Ute Mountain Ute School
2nd place: Karina Schenk #9, 'Difficult,' or autistic and has difficulty with transitions? A mixed-methods study of the impacts of internalized stigma in the lived experiences of late-diagnosed autistic women
 

Date & Time

March 12, 2026

SUB Ballroom C
Judging: 2–4 pm
Reception: 4–5 pm

Prizes & Raffle

$100 printing scholarship.
$250 (1st) / $100 (2nd) in each track.
Plus a free raffle with prizes (including a parking pass!)

A Great Turnout This Year!

Nearly 100 graduate students across 13 topical tracks, showcasing research from across UNM.

Example research poster: Maria
Example research poster: Serape

Why Participate?

Showcase your research and bring your ideas to life! This is your chance to gain hands-on experience writing a professional abstract and creating a dynamic research poster.

Participants can connect with experts, engage with the community, and build confidence explaining their research.

$250 for first place and $100 for second place prizes are awarded in every track.

About the Judging

Three judges will visit each poster, interview presenters, and provide feedback. Posters are organized into topical tracks with their own judging panels.

Poster Guidelines

  1. Posters must be 48" wide by 36" tall.
  2. Staff will attach posters to display boards upon arrival.
  3. Presenters must be present from 2–4 p.m.
  4. Posters should combine graphics, figures, and concise text.
  5. Please dress professionally.
Graduate Poster Showcase

2025 Graduate Poster Showcase Finalists

2025 Graduate Poster Showcase Winners

1st place – Hamideh Shojaeian
2nd place – Samuel Coulter
3rd place – Adrianna Fragozo

Contact: Dr. Bill Gannon wgannon@unm.edu

indexAbout Showcase EventsAbout Showcase Events/skc/indexgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/indexcssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeslobobitesLoboBITES CompetitionThe LoboBITE competition, part of the Shared Knowledge Conference, is a three-minute research competition.The LoboBITE competition, part of the Shared Knowledge Conference, is a three-minute research competition.LoboBITES Competition/skc/lobobitesgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobitesoverviewLoboBITES Main PageLoboBITES Main Page: Information & Rules/skc/lobobites/overviewgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/overviewcssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapnoprep-aidsPreparation Materials for LoboBITESPreparation Materials/skc/lobobites/prep-aidsgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/prep-aidscssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyesarchivesPrevious Finalists & WinnersPrevious winners of the LoboBITES competition, part of the UNM Shared Knowledge Conference.Previous Finalists & Winners/skc/lobobites/archivesgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archiveshomePrevious Winners and FinalistsPrevious Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/homegrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/homecssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navnoshow-in-sitemapnowinners242024 LoboBites Winners and Finalists2024 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners24grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners24cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners23The LoboBITES 2023 Finals2023 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners23grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners23cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners22The LoboBITES 2022 Finals2022 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners22grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners22cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners21The LoboBITES 2021 Finals2021 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners21grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners21cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners20The LoboBITES 2020 Finals2020 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners20grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners20cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners192019 LoboBites Winners and Finalists2019 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners19grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners19cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners182018 LoboBites Winners and Finalists2018 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners18grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners18cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeswinners172017 LoboBITES Winners and Finalists2017 Winners and Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/winners17grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/winners17cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyesfinalists172017 LoboBITES Finalists2017 Finalists/skc/lobobites/archives/finalists17grad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/finalists17cssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navnoshow-in-sitemapnotest**ENTER TITLE (FOR H1 ON PAGE)****ENTER DISPLAY NAME (FOR NAVIGATION)**/skc/lobobites/archives/testgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/archives/testcssidlayout2 Columnshow-in-navnoshow-in-sitemapnoimage-and-titleLoboBITES Title and ImageLoboBITES Title and Image/skc/lobobites/image-and-titlegrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/lobobites/image-and-titlecssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navnoshow-in-sitemapnograd_postersGraduate Poster ShowcaseIn poster sessions, graduate students from programs across campus displayed their research in poster format and engaged directly with conference attendees and fellow scholars.Graduate Poster Showcase/skc/grad_postersgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/grad_postersoverviewPoster Home Information & RequirementsPoster Home Information & Requirements/skc/grad_posters/overviewgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/grad_posters/overviewcssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyesGraduate Studies HomeGraduate Studies HomeGraduate Studies Home/skc/Graduate Studies Homegrad.unm.educssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navyesshow-in-sitemapyeshttps://grad.unm.educonferenceFAQsFrequently Asked Questions about Graduate Poster ShowcaseFAQs/skc/conferenceFAQsgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/conferenceFAQscssidlayoutFull Widthshow-in-navnoshow-in-sitemapnocontent-blockscontent-blocks/skc/content-blocksgrad.unm.edusite://grad.unm.edu/skc/content-blocks