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SURF’s up: Three undergrads score awards at SoCon research forum
Julia Torres ’29 presents a winning poster at SURF. Photo: Mark Olencki, Wofford College
During fall break, three Furman University students earned awards at the 2026 SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) held at Wofford College Oct. 9-10.
Established in 2016, SURF convenes undergraduate researchers from across the Southern Conference to deliver posters and oral presentations in STEM fields, the humanities and other disciplines in a supportive, conference-style setting. Furman students winning awards include:
- Julia Torres ’29, First Place, Best Poster Presentation in STEM (the most competitive category), for “The Impact of Maternal Fat and Sugar Consumption on Offspring Neurochemistry and Feeding Decisions.” Torres’ faculty mentors are Veronica Flores, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, and Linnea Freeman, associate professor of biology and neuroscience.
- Suraiya Toni ’29, Second Place (tie), Best Poster Presentation in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, for “A Gamified Approach to Teaching African Politics.” Her faculty mentor is Buket Oztas, associate professor of politics and international affairs, and co-chair of Middle East and Islamic studies.
- Misbah Pathan ’28, Second Place (tie), Best Oral Presentation in STEM, for “Gold Nanoparticle–DNA–Silver Nanocluster Catalyst: Synthesis and Results.” Her faculty mentor is Jeffrey Petty, professor of chemistry.
Furman’s Chris Alvin, associate professor of computer science, and director of undergraduate research, served as a judge for the conference.
“Three of our six presenters earned awards, a strong showing for one of the forum’s smaller delegations, which reflects the strength of their work and the dedication of their faculty mentors,” Alvin said. “Our students did not simply present their projects. They answered questions as researchers, with a clear command of their methods and results.”
This year, more than 100 students representing eight of the 11 SoCon member institutions participated. All told, SURF drew about 200 attendees and featured nearly 80 oral and poster presentations, showcasing a broad range of undergraduate research and creative scholarship.