Current McNair Scholars & Research Fellows

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David Andrews McNair Scholar

Major: Marketing Research: In Development
 
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Christian Belden McNair Research Fellow

Major: Communication Mentor: Dr. Ed Mcluskie Research Title: Democratic Elitism in the name of Participatory Democracy: A Critical-Theoretical Analysis of State Supported “Publics” in Brazil

Christian, a Boise State senior, will graduate from Boise State University in spring 2009 with a degree in Communication and a minor in Spanish. As a McNair Research Fellow, his research on how the discourse of participation in and about Brazil has contributed to the wider discourse of public sphere has its limitations because of the revisionist tendencies of the general concept of the public sphere. He offers up a critique on the revision of the public sphere in Brazil and how this revision allows the state to gain control of the public sphere in the name of “accountability” and “democratic elitism.” Christian’s interests include the public sphere, critical theory, marginalized groups and how participation can be extended.

 
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Shawn Davis McNair Scholar

Major: Mathematics & Philosophy Research: In Development

Shawn is pursuing majors in both mathematics and philosophy. Currently his interests are in symbolic logic and Boolean algebra. After graduating, Shawn will pursue a doctorate degree and pursue a career in university teaching.

 
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Jenny Gallegos McNair Scholar

Major: Political Science Research: In Development.
 
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Heather Gifford McNair Scholar

Major: Multi-Ethnic Studies Research: In Development

Heather is a Junior at Boise State University majoring in Multi Ethnic Studies who will graduate in May 2010. Her interests are cultural sociology and psychology. Upon graduation her goals are to enter a PhD program in social psychology and pursue research, as well as counseling, with a long-term goal of teaching at the university level. She is grateful for the McNair program and looks forward to the ways it will help to shape her future.
 
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Arturo Gutierrez McNair Research Fellow

Major: Materials Science and Engineering Mentor: Dr. Don Plumlee Research Title: Mechanical Behavior of LTCC at Elevated Temperatures.

Arturo is a senior at Boise State University, majoring in Material Science and Engineering (MSE). He research lab work involves Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC), studying its properties and fabrication techniques to identify new applications in industry. After completing his bachelor’s degree in MSE, Arturo plans to pursue doctoral studies in Biomedical Engineering, focusing on Biomechanics, Biomaterials or Biotechnology.
 
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Michelle Harbst McNair Scholar

Major: Psychology Research: In Development

Michelle is a junior at Boise State University. Her major is a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor certificate endorsement in Psychology. Her research interests are in how different people learn best and why, with a focus on teaching methods. Her summer research project will attempt to answer further some of these questions. After graduation in 2010 she intends on pursuing doctoral studies in Educational Psychology. She would like to instruct in a university setting while researching strategies for better education to be implemented into our public schooling system.
 
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Brain Lawatch McNair Research Fellow

Major: History Mentor: Dr. David Walker Research Title: Legitimizing Torture: How Similar Ideologies of the United States in the War on Terror and the French in Algeria Led to Torture.

Brian is a senior History major and second year McNair Scholar at Boise State, planning to graduate in Spring of 2009. His current research interests lie in Modern United States and French History, Foreign Relations, and Comparative History.  He spent the summer researching the comparative histories of the promotion of democracy by France and the U.S., finding such pursuits result in contradictory outcomes such as the use of torture by either nation.  After graduating from Boise State, he plans to pursue graduate studies in United States History and pursue an academic career.
 
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Cindy McCrea McNair Scholar

Major: Social Science Mentor: Dr. Mary Pritchard Research: In Development

Cindy is a junior Boise State University where she is majoring in the Social Sciences with emphasis in Sociology and Communication, coupled with a certificate in Dispute Resolution and a minor in Chinese. Research involving cross cultural studies or studies examining learned helplessness in refugee populations are of interest to her as she prepares for this coming Summer Research Institute. She plans to receive her doctorate in counseling with a possible emphasis in health studies and nutrition following graduation in 2010.
 
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Ian McKennan McNair Scholar

Major: Social Work Research: In Development

Ian is a junior, Social Work major, minoring in Addiction Studies. He attributes his development as a social worker and scholar to his caring disposition and circumstances of his unique life experience. He is confident that the McNair Scholars Program will prepare him for success as a doctoral student and a future Social Work professor. His upcoming summer research will focus on addiction issues.
 
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Martha Mendoza McNair Research Fellow

Major: Bilingual Education/ESL Mentor: Dr. Claudia Peralta-Nash Research Title: Critical Literacy: Changing the World Through the Word.

Martha Mendoza, a Boise State University student majoring in Bilingual Education, is currently pursuing the dream of becoming a scholar with the McNair Scholars program. Martha’s purpose is to contribute to the betterment of the education system in order to shape thoughtful individuals, who will eventually contribute to the betterment of society. Her research, combined with community service, will focus on the education of the Latino community and the benefits of bilingual education. Driven by the desire to provide equal and quality education to every child, Martha plans to be a scholar who can promote and inspire change.
 
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Erin Miller McNair Scholar

Major: Communication Research: In Development

Erin is a Communication major with an emphasis in communication theory and philosophy. Upon completion of the McNair Scholars program and graduation with a B.A. in Communication in 2010, she plans to continue focusing her studies in graduate school highlighting her academic interest in the conflicts between mass communication and democracy. Ultimately, her goal is to teach in academic institutions- instilling progress in the area of contextual historical communication and relevancy in modern mass media phenomenon. Her inspiration is to spread the ideological theme embedded in this quote into educational systems: "The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think-rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men"- Bill Beattie.
 
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Ian Mosley McNair Scholar

Major: Social Science Research: In Development

Ian is a senior at Boise State University where he is majoring in Social Science with emphasis in Sociology and Psychology, coupled with a certificate in Dispute Resolution and a minor in Addiction Studies. Ian is most interested in researching how peoples group interactions and social networks affect their personality and mental development. After finishing his BS in 2010 Ian plans on going on to a PhD in Social Psychology, as well as becoming a licensed Psychologist.
 
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Anile Nina McNair Research Fellow

Major: PsychologyMentor: Dr. Mary Pritchard Research Title: International Students' Awareness and Use of Counseling Services.

Anile Nina is a senior seeking a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Boise State University. She will complete her undergraduate degree in spring 2009 with an Honors citation. She is from Albania, married, and has two children: Yllka, who is six years old, and Aries, who is four years old. Her main interest is counseling, and she has always been interested in learning foreign languages. Her research interests lie in the areas of children’s health (particularly issues of obesity) and counseling services accessibility for immigrants to the US. She is a proud McNair scholar who is working toward achieving her educational and career goals. With the help and the support of McNair Scholar Program, she hopes to enter graduate school and become a counselor.
 
Scholar Name

Bernice Olivas McNair Scholar

Major: English-Writing Emphasis Research: In Development.

Bernice is a junior and will graduate from Boise State University with her degree in English. Her graduate interests lie in creative writing and teaching. After graduation she intends to pursue graduate studies and eventually doctoral studies. Her academic and research interests are mainly in finding new and interesting ways to integrate diverse writing techniques and styles from different fields, to encourage more active interest in reading and writing.

 
Scholar Name

Alex Ornelas McNair Scholar

Major: Sociology Research: In Development

Alex is a senior, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Mexican American Studies, who will graduate in spring of 2010. Her current research interests are race and social inequality, but she is still looking into other areas within the field of sociology.
 
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Phil Price McNair Research Fellow

Major: History Mentor: Dr. Errol Jones Research Title: How Bolivarian is the Bolivarian Revolution?  Hugo Chavez and the Appropriation of Historical Myth.

Phil is a senior history major at Boise State University, graduating in the spring semester of 2009. Current, research involves a case study of Hugo Chávez and his appropriation of history. In addition, he has secured additional funding to research practical applications of how a human rights framework can be used to encourage students to identify community issues or problems for Project Citizen that are examples of injustice or violations of the rights delineated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This international study has led to invitations to upcoming delegations in Colombia, Jordan, Dominican Republic, and Germany which will culminate in a presentation in Durban, South Africa. After graduating from Boise State he intends to pursue a PhD in International Studies with an emphasis in Human Rights.
 
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Bryce Reeder McNair Research Fellow

Major: Political Science Mentor: Dr. Ross Burkhart Research Title: Arms Transfers and Stability in the Developing World: A Causal Model.

Bryce is currently a senior at Boise State University, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations.  He was born and raised in Firth, a small rural town located between Idaho Falls and Pocatello, Idaho.  His research interests include environmental security, weapon proliferation, the political economy of war, terrorism, and peace studies.  Bryce plans to enter a graduate program in the Fall of 2009, where he intends to study international security and political research methodology.
 
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Matthew Reinhold McNair Research Fellow

Major: Materials Science and Engineering Mentor: Dr. Peter Müllner Research Title: A Study on Structure and Magnetic Domains of Ni-Mn-Ga at Varying Temperatures Using Atomic Force Microscopy.

Matthew is a senior, majoring in Materials Science and Engineering with an emphasis in Physics at Boise State University. Currently he works in the Nanofabrication and Magnetics labs, both located in the Boise State College of Engineering. His research involves the study of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys and their applications on the micro and nano-scale. He presented a poster at the Undergraduate Research Fair in April 2007, for which he won an Outstanding Achievement Award. In September 2007, he was a speaker for the materials science and engineering departments MSE Seminar segment.
 
Scholar Name

Tai Simpson McNair Scholar

Major: Political Science Research: In Development.

Tai Simpson is a junior seeking a BA in Political Science emphasizing Political Philosophy and Public Law. Her minor is Philosophy. Tai is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho, but spent time growing up in Singapore. In the McNair Scholars Program, Tai is currently developing research around the implications of western Political Philosophy as it relates and changes the cultural dynamic of American Indian communities. In 2007, Tai was the first runner-up to Miss Indian World and won the Public Speaking competition. Her extracurricular involvement on campus includes the Political Science Association, Pre-law society, and holding the Vice President position of the Intertribal Native Council.
 
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Caleb Sutherland McNair Scholar

Major: Biology Research: In Development
 
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Maria Tellez McNair Scholar

Major: Psychology Research: In Development

After a long break, Maria has returned to Boise State to complete her Bachelors in Psychology. Through her minor emphasis in Mexican American Studies, she plans to gain insight and understanding of Mexican American culture. Born in Mexico, she was raised in two worlds—her native world and the “Americanized” world. Maria plans to attain a Doctorate in Counseling with a multicultural emphasis, working specifically in the areas of culturally appropriate client-counselor pairing and promoting the acceptance of counseling in the Latino community. Her interests also include the dynamics of the Mexican family, parents and the birth order of their children. In addition to the demands around meeting her educational goals, her energetic son - Isaac, who is 4 1/2 years old - keeps her busy.
 
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Amber Thompson McNair Research Fellow

Major: Anthropology Mentor: Dr. Lisa Brady Research Title: Idaho City and a Historic Chinese Placer Site: Beliefs, Land Use and the Role of Archaeology in a Transitional Economy.

Amber is an undergraduate student seeking a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Minor in Philosophy from Boise State University. Her academic and research interests focus on archaeology and land resource/management. With the help of McNair, she hopes to obtain her PhD in Bioregional sustainability and teach at the university level. She intends to use her background in anthropology and archaeology to develop a more viable method for analyzing human/environment interaction with future resource use.

‘No man is an island, entire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the continent, a part of the maine…" - John Donne

 
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Carolina Valderrama McNair Research Fellow

Major: Sociology Mentor: Dr. Bob McCarl Research Title: "I Enjoyed School But Preferred My Father’s Company": The Context of Farmworker’s Family Narratives.

Carolina Valderrama is currently seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boise State University. Her area of study is Sociology. She was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, South America and came to the United States at the age of 8. Her research interests include migration, citizenship, and the role of cultural contexts. With the aid of the McNair Program and staff at Boise State University, along with her peer fellow scholars, Carolina hopes to attain the academic experience needed to thrive in post-graduate studies and her goal is to obtain a doctoral degree.
 
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Alberto Varela McNair Research Fellow

Major: Psychology Mentor: Dr. Eric Landrum Summer Research Mentor: Dr. Paul Florsheim, University of Utah Research Title: Intimate Partner Violence Among Latino Pregnant Teens and Their Partners: Testing a Prevention Program. Summer Research Opportunity Program, University of Utah, 2008.

Alberto is currently a senior at Boise State University, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. He is from Rexburg, in eastern Idaho. Alberto was accepted into the University of Utah’s Summer Research Opportunity Program; over the summer, he conducted research with Latino adolescents who are at-risk. He is excited about the research, which he hopes to continue during his graduate studies, and is grateful for the opportunity to be a McNair Research Fellow. With the help of the McNair Program, he plans to attend graduate school and earn a doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
 
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Andrew Vissotski McNair Scholar

Major: Mechanical Engineering Research: In Development

Andrew is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and planning to graduate in the Spring of 2010. He is currently employed as an undergrad research assistant for the C-MEMS Lab at the College of Engineering. His current research projects involve micro-propulsion and DNA amplification devices in Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramics (LTCC). After completing his BSME, Andrew plans to receive a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
 
Scholar Name

Randi Walters McNair Scholar

Major: Geosciences Research: In Development

Randi Walters is a Junior at Boise State University seeking a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences and a Minor in Applied Mathematics. Her academic and research interests include seismology, focusing on earthquakes and other natural disasters. With the help and support of the McNair Scholar's Program, Randi plans to obtain a M.S. and Ph.D. in Geophysics. Randi is also passionate about teaching and helping others to be academically successful. She hopes to someday teach in a classroom setting.

 
Scholar Name

Pankhuree Dube McNair Research and Teaching Assistant

Major: History and Political Science Mentor: Dr. Ross Burkhart Research Title: Invisible Democracies and the Emergence of a Transnational Civil Society in Indian and Mexican Social Justice Movements: A Comparative Study of the Narmada Bacchao Andolan (NBA) and the Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO).

Pankhuree is a senior and an Honors student pursuing a double major in History and Political Science with a minor in Chinese Studies. She will graduate in the spring of 2009. Her research, under the supervision of Professor Ross E. Burkhart, focuses on comparisons between her regions of interest, India and Latin America, and how two civil society organizations (the NBA and APPO) have worked to expand substantive democracy in their countries of origin. As a Research and Teaching Assistant, she conferences with McNair scholars to develop their research questions and provide feedback on their assignments. Inspired by the struggles and dedication of her fellow McNair scholars, Pankhuree would like to give back to this unique program that has given her so much. She is also President of Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honors Society.