Students Earn Top Honors at Murdock College Science Research Conference

Two Seattle University undergraduate researchers were recognized with poster prizes at the 34th Annual Murdock College Science Research Conference, held in Vancouver, Washington. More than twenty additional SU College of Science and Engineering students also presented their work through posters and talks, showcasing the breadth of undergraduate research across the college.

Mickey Crunk, ’26

Recipient of the 2025 Murdock Poster Prize for Ecology–Evolution–Biodiversity, Crunk—a Biology major with a minor in Data Science—was honored for the project “Metabarcoding of eDNA and Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures Reveals Invertebrate Biodiversity in the Salish Sea.” Mentored by Dr. Kristin Hultgren, Crunk’s research uses eDNA collected from Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures to assess invertebrate communities and deepen understanding of biodiversity across the Puget Sound.

Sam Nouwens, ’26

Recipient of the 2025 Murdock Poster Prize for Molecular and Cell Biology, Nouwens—a Cell and Molecular Biology major—was recognized for the project “Identification of DNA Target Sequence of a Phage-Encoded Anti-CRISPR Transcriptional Repressor.” Working in collaboration with the Meeske Lab at the University of Washington and mentored by Dr. Brett Kaiser, Nouwens’ work characterizes the DNA-binding mechanism of a phage factor that represses the CRISPR-Cas bacterial defense system, building on earlier research by SU alumna Julieta Peralta-Acosta, ’25.

Congratulations to Crunk, Nouwens, and all the students who represented Seattle University at this year’s conference.