Graduate School Interdisciplinary Research Symposium 2026 Winners

The Graduate School, in collaboration with the Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC), recently hosted the Annual Graduate School Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. This event highlights the innovative research being conducted by Loyola graduate students across a wide range of disciplines. 

Attendees were invited to explore a diverse range of paper and poster presentations throughout the day, highlighting cutting-edge work in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The symposium fostered meaningful dialogue among students, faculty, and guests, reinforcing Loyola’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.

Congratulations to the award winners of this year's symposium! 

 

Best Paper in the Sciences

Bruna Tatematsu (Microbiology and Immunology)

Poor Pregnancy Outcomes in the Absence of Regulatory Natural Killer Cells

 

Best Paper in the Social Sciences

Vinchenzo Vassalotti (Social Psychology)

Constructing Queer & Drug Culture: The Side Effects of Stigma

 

Best Paper in the Humanities

Sonia Beltz (English)

Marrying Bleak House: Arguing for an Asexual Reading of Esther Summerson

 

Outstanding Research Poster

Manuel Sandoval Madrigal (Computer Science)

Insta-CTSR: Cyberbullying, Topics, Severity, and Roles for Instagram

 

Honorable Mention Poster

Yoldas Yildiz (Physiology)

Estrogen Receptor Beta (ERβ): A Transcriptional Repressor of APP and ITPKB in Alzheimer Disease

 

EDGE Award for Research Best Integrating Diversity and Inclusion 

Jonathan Savidge (Sociology)

Skin Color, Gender and Mental Health Challenges Among Latina/o/x Immigrants to the United States

 

Research Impacting the Loyola Community

Audrey Nolen (International Affairs)

The Real Housing Crisis: Chicago Legal Service Disparities