Summer Research Recap
Eighteen students from universities and colleges across Kansas and the nation spent summer 2026 researching community disaster resilience through the ARISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
Organized by Kansas NSF EPSCoR, this program placed students at three locations: the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. All were mentored by researchers in the ARISE initiative, which stands for Adaptive and Resilient Infrastructures Driven by Social Equity. The 2026 cohort was the largest in the program’s three-year history, with six students assigned to each campus.
“I learned a lot about control systems and neural networks,” said KU Undergraduate Nithish Aravinthan. “And I gained experience in performing and presenting research.”
Besides research, the program gave students transformative learning opportunities, as documented in the Story Maps that students created with Arc-GIS.
“A long time ago, in a community three states away...,” was how California State Polytechnic University Undergraduate Jonathan Juarez began his Stars-Wars-themed Story Map, titled The Rise of the Resilience. “As our time together came to an end, we carried with us more than memories, we carried the wisdom, guidance, and knowledge gained throughout our mission.”
Field trips to several towns in Kansas shined a light on infrastructure systems. During one trip, students trekked to Lawrence to explore the Kaw River Water Treatment Plant. A second event in Manhattan toured the TRIGA Mark III Nuclear Reactor facility at Kansas State University.
“I can't say I understand how nuclear power works just yet, but I do understand it more than I did before we went on the tour. Plus, it was super cool to be able to see the reactor as close as we did,” said Sophia McCann from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Students also learned about career paths at weekly meetings with different professors. They gained a variety of professional skills, as well. The 10-week journey ended with students giving 3-minute research talks and poster presentations at two K-State-led events.
“The experience has taught me a lot,” said Ken Shaffer from Fort Hays State University. “I have found new confidence in myself…I am very grateful for the dedication from my mentors.”
Jason Bergtold, K-State professor of agriculture economics, directed the program with Visvakumar Aravinthan, WSU professor of electrical and computer engineering and Claudia Bode at KU, who directs education and outreach efforts for the Kansas NSF EPSCoR office.
The ARISE REU program is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation EPSCoR Award number OIA-2148878, with matching support from the State of Kansas through the Kansas Board of Regents.
Student-Created Story Maps:
- Nithish Aravinthan: https://arcg.is/1jTWK52
- Ken Shaffer: https://arcg.is/TrSj51
- Jonathan Juarez: https://arcg.is/05K0Tn4
- Sophia McCann: https://arcg.is/1DTvnO3
- Will Tongier: https://arcg.is/1X580r7
Kansas State University Placements
- Nithish Aravinthan, University of Kansas
A Data-Driven Neural Network Framework for Resilience Inference
Mentor: Bala Natarajan - Braden KrKosska, Wichita State University
Disaster Preparedness: Are We Ready and Factors Influencing Households' Ability to Be Prepared
Mentor: Jason Bergtold - Sophia McCann, University of Missouri-Columbia
Post-Disaster Recovery Priorities for Households and Communities in the Central Great Plains
Mentor: Jason Bergtold - Wyatt Nord, Kansas State University
From Risk to Resilience: A GIS-Based Vulnerability Index for Flood-Prone Brownfields in the Kansas City Metro
Mentor: Shakil Bin Kashem - Amaya Thompson, Kansas State University
The Influence of Natural Disasters on Displacement
Mentor: Jason Bergtold - Will Tongier, University of Kansas
Community Household Perceptions of Solar Energy in the United States
Mentor: Jason Bergtold
University of Kansas Placements
- Davis Greenstreet, University of Kansas, Student spotlight
Economic Spillover of Ogallala Aquifer Irrigation
Mentor: William Duncan - Jacinda Wood, Coffeyville Community College, Student spotlight
Power to the People? Assessing the Social, Financial and Operational Impacts of Private Equity Investment in Electric Utilities
Mentor: Joel Mendez - Jonathan David Juarez, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
Judging the Book's Cover: Do Public Libraries Experience a Change in Funding After a Federal Disaster Declaration?
Mentor: William Duncan - Lillian Clark, Wichita State University
Water Quality Monitoring in a Kansas Rural Water District
Mentors: Edward Peltier and Justin Hutchison - Makynzie Murray, Washburn University
Property Damage and Social Isolation as Correlates of Prolonged Displacement
Mentor: Chia-Fu Liu - Matthew Paulson, University of Kansas
Comparing Indoor Air Quality (PM2.5) Between Manufactured Houses and Single-Family Houses
Mentor: Yoonjung Ahn
Wichita State University Placements
- Bryant Roberts, Wichita State University
Development of a Machine Learning Model for Second-Life Battery Chemistry Assessment
Mentor: Davi Soares - Caleb Hatch, Kansas State University
Evaluating Aisle Containment Strategies for Data Center Cooling Efficiency During Spiked IT Loads
Mentor: Aravinthan Visvakumar - Ken Shaffer, Fort Hays State University
Development of Free-Standing Carbon-Based Electrodes in Organic Lithium Electrolyte for Higher-Energy-Density Supercapacitors
Mentor: Davi Soares - Juweriah Shahzad, University of Kansas
Who Pays, Who Benefits?
Mentor: Aravinthan Visvakumar - Saria Castillo, Wichita State University
Expanding Community Resilience: Integrating Cultural Heritage into City Climate Planning
Mentor: Matthew Howland - Victoria Diaz, California State Polytechnic University, Los Angeles
Powering the Internet with Sunshine
Mentor: Aravinthan Visvakumar