Grace Shelton, a biology major with pre-med dreams, Faith Shelton, determined to make her mark in civil engineering, and their mother Aaronda Williams, building her future in construction management, all share the same graduation date. 

Across the three women, there are 16 organizational involvements, 13 scholarships, three majors, and one shared journey.

“It’s crazy to think about,” Grace says, reflecting on the idea of all graduating together. “I don’t think we ever would have thought it would happen, but here we are.”

It wasn’t exactly planned, but maybe it was always meant to be. Aaronda remembers conversations from when her daughters were young, when she would ask them about their dreams and talk through the steps they’d need to take. 

“They would ask me, ‘Mom, what do you want to be?’ And I’d tell them. They’d say, ‘You can still do that!’ I always said, ‘Maybe when y’all go back, I’ll go back too,” Aaronda recalls.

Aaronda was always grateful for the small moments.

“It’s so amazing having them on campus. We have lunch together, go to events, and cheer each other on. It means the world,” Aaronda says.

But it’s not always easy. Burnout, doubt, and exhaustion are familiar hurdles. 

“Sometimes it’s hard to keep going,” Grace admits. “But we always remind each other of our goals. When I felt unsure if I belonged, I could come home, talk it out, and get my motivation back.”

For Aaronda, her daughters are more than just support — they’re inspiration. 

“They’re working, going to school, having a social life, and still showing up for me. I can’t complain about working and going to school when I see them doing it all.”

That mutual inspiration is rooted in the example Aaronda set. 

“Seeing our mom balance everything, that’s what shaped our mindset,” Grace reflects. “Her strength influenced us a lot.”

Still, the women have built their own campus families, branching out into leadership programs, sororities, and student organizations. 

“We’ve found mentors and friends at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock,” says Faith, “but our family bond is always there, too.”

Each woman can pinpoint moments that will stick with her forever. For Aaronda, it’s lunch together at The WOW Cafe with all her daughters. For Faith, it’s the quiet joy of everyone gathered in her dorm, just talking, just being together. For Grace it is the memory of all of them realizing they would be graduating together after all. 

As graduation nears, emotions run high. 

“I’ll be grateful and at peace,” Aaronda says. “I can finally breathe.” 

Grace knows she’ll be emotional, thinking of how much she’s grown since her shy, uncertain middle school days. Faith, too, feels the weight of her family’s achievement, coming from a background without many degrees, and now adding three new ones at once.

Looking to the future, they look to the legacy they hope to leave. 

For Grace, representation in medicine is key. 

“There aren’t enough Black women physicians. I want to open a practice for underserved communities and be someone people can see themselves in,” Grace says.

Aaronda dreams of creating a nonprofit to help women enter construction, opening doors that have too often been closed. 

“We need more women in construction, and I want to show them the way—give them a clear pathway to a career,” Aaronda says.

Faith is focused on civil engineering and preparing for a career in roadway and infrastructure design.

“I want to create infrastructure that strengthens and connects communities,” Faith says.

What’s next? More giving back, more mentorship, more dreams. Maybe even graduate school, Aaronda jokes — though with two more daughters still in high school, she might have company again.

For now, the focus is on celebrating, on capturing a family photo in cap and gown, on reflecting on just how far they’ve come — together.

The post A Family Affair: Mother and Daughters Graduate Together appeared first on News.

Hodge, a native of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Manatt, a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, were both introduced to ����Vlog��ý Little Rock through athletics. Hodge competes in jumps for Little Rock Track and Field, while Manatt is a pole vaulter.

The couple will compete on the day of the university’s official commencement ceremony but plan to participate in the Athletics ceremony the following Monday. Their wedding is set for Thursday, May 21.

“I am absolutely stoked to start this new chapter. I’m going to miss vaulting and running track, having a team, etc., but this new chapter is so exciting! Having a degree and chasing another, and getting to do that with my wife—sign me up!” Manatt said.

Hodge learned of the Donaghey Scholars Program and decided to apply to ����Vlog��ý Little Rock.

“I was drawn to the scholarship opportunities, the chance to compete in track and field at the collegiate level, and the opportunity to study abroad through the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program,” Hodge said. “Because of the DSHP funding and study abroad, I was able to continue studying Spanish in addition to my biology and pre-med studies, which has opened so many doors and allowed me to pursue new volunteer opportunities in the medical field that I would otherwise not have been able to.” 

Manatt said his understanding of the university expanded during his athletic visit.

“It wasn’t until I came on my athletic visit that I learned about all the opportunities like Chancellor’s Leadership Corps (CLC), Chi Alpha, and so much more. I fell in love with how close-knit the track team was and how much the coaches and admin really cared for the program and all the athletes,” Manatt said. “����Vlog��ý Little Rock has so many opportunities for students to graduate with no student loans, and with grad school in mind, that was huge for my family,” 

Hodge is graduating with a double major in Spanish and biology, while Manatt is graduating with a degree in biology.

“Through personal and volunteering experiences, I came to see a significant need for compassionate, culturally competent healthcare in our communities and realized that medical school will give me the opportunity to one day fill this need,” Hodge said.

Sutton was inspired to pursue physical therapy during his time at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock.

“I wanted to help people like me who have had injuries, back problems, health issues—all of the above. I want to be someone who can make a difference. In my years here at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, I’ve had so many different injuries, but each one of them I’ve been able to come back stronger because of our ATs (athletic trainers) and PTs (physical therapists),” Manatt said.

Both Hodge and Manatt reflected on moments during their time at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock that made them especially proud. For Hodge, studying abroad in Valencia, Spain, stands out as a defining experience.

“One moment that has made me especially proud academically and personally was when I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain. After a couple weeks, I was able to confidently navigate the city and get to class, and I realized that I was actively living in a dream that I never thought I would be brave enough to make a reality,” Hodge said. 

“My time at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock greatly increased my confidence in my abilities, thanks to every professor who poured into me and encouraged me along the way,” she said.

Manatt pointed to his success with the track and field team as a source of pride.

“One thing that I’m especially proud of is the three Track and Field championship rings that I get to wear. Being a part of a winning team was always something I dreamed of, especially on the D1 level.” Manatt said.

“The bond that I’ve created with my guys on the team is something I’ll cherish and never forget,” he said.

They shared that the close bond with their team will be what they miss most after graduation.

“I am definitely going to miss getting to live and train and study with this group of people that are more like family than friends at this point, and I think it will be a big transition to not always have my workout and study buddies with me everywhere I go,” Hodge said.

“My circle of guys that I’m around most are so influential in my life. A few are going to be in my wedding, and many more are guys I know I can call at any time, and they will have my back or be there for me in an instant,” Manatt said.

After graduation, the couple will be moving to Oklahoma. Both have been accepted into the University of Oklahoma, where Hodge will attend medical school and Manatt will pursue physical therapy school.

As they prepare for their move to Oklahoma, both reflect on the significance of being closer to family in this next chapter.

“During our time here at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, we have been able to spend more time with Sutton’s family, and it has been such a joy and blessing to have their support and get to know them over the past four years. I am really excited now to have that same opportunity with my family during our next chapter of life, and I hope that Sutton will be as encouraged by the support and love from my family during PT school as I was by his family during undergrad,” Hodge said.

“I joked with Sutton a couple of years ago that we would spend our undergraduate years here in Little Rock, in his home state and near his family, and then it would be his turn to live in my home state near my family for the next four years, so it is pretty funny to me that that is exactly how it has worked out,” she said.

“I’ve been so lucky to be close to home these past four years, being from Hot Springs. I’ve gotten to be at family events and watch my little brother grow up and be at his baseball games. It’s been really nice having them just an hour away, but I know Ragen has missed her family so much. Any chance we get to go up to OK and see her family, we always come back to school so rejuvenated and relaxed. I’m so happy that we get to spend the next four or so years closer to her family so we can give her family the same thing my parents have had the last four years,” Manatt said.

The post A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and “I Do” for ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Couple appeared first on News.

The Little Rock native will graduate in May with a double major in general biology and law enforcement — bringing together her interests in health care and public service.

Ward has long been passionate about helping others, developing an early interest in the medical field, especially working with children. She describes herself as compassionate and nurturing, with a strong desire to help heal others. Her interest in law enforcement emerged later, during her sophomore year of college.

“My parents worked in law enforcement for more than 50 years combined,” Ward said. “I was fascinated by their work and wanted to learn more on my own, so I took the initiative to enroll in criminal justice classes.”

Ward enjoys studying the law and has also explored an interest in forensic science. As she continued her coursework, she pursued an associate degree in law enforcement.

She chose ����Vlog��ý Little Rock because of its proximity to home and strong scholarship opportunities.

“Being able to receive 50% off tuition for the first two years of college was a blessing,” Ward said. “For the past four years, I haven’t had to pay out of pocket for tuition, thanks to my scholarships and, most of all, God.”

The university also holds personal significance for her, as both of her parents are alumni.

On campus, Ward has been actively involved in a variety of organizations, including serving as the Trojan Food Pantry coordinator and as a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, Student Activities Board, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and the Black Scholars Collective.

“Taylor has been a great asset to us in the office, for the Trojan Food Pantry and CLC,” said Teresa Esparza, a student success coach at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock. “She has always embraced what’s asked of her, whether it’s representing the pantry and the university at the Arkansas College Hunger Summit, appearing on THV11, or supporting CLC initiatives. She has remained engaged in the program while managing her academics and other extracurricular activities. I have no doubt her ambitious attitude will lead her to great things.”

Ward offers this advice to future ����Vlog��ý Little Rock students:

“College isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would have degrees. It takes sacrifice, time, consistency, and hard work. This is a time to learn who you are and work toward who you want to become. Make mistakes and learn from them, but be wise in your choices. Stay disciplined and keep working toward your goals. Most importantly, enjoy every part of college. The four years go by quickly, but the experiences are worth it.”

After graduating, Ward plans to apply to a physical therapy program.

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A senior double majoring in geology and biology with an ecological and organismal concentration, Joheim has spent the past year curating a fossil display on the library’s first floor. The project takes visitors on a journey through deep time, from the earliest ocean-dwelling life to the age of mammals. It’s the next chapter of a project that began when Joheim first organized and identified a collection of recently donated fossils, work that earned her first place in the Student Research and Creative Works Social Media Competition.

This year’s project, titled A Sneak Peek into Prehistory: Curating an Interactive Fossil Display to Spark Interest in the ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Natural History Museum, earned Joheim first place in the Student Research and Creative Works Social Media Competition for the second consecutive year. The display invites visitors to explore ancient sea scorpions, armored fish, megalodon teeth, and fossils found right here in Arkansas. Each specimen is a chapter in Earth’s story.

“My goal with this display is to get people curious about natural history,” Joheim said. “I want to introduce visitors to these basic principles in biology and geology and inspire them to investigate the world around them.”

But fossils weren’t the starting point. Joheim came to ����Vlog��ý Little Rock with a fascination for fungi and a broad interest in ecological biology, but no clear direction. That changed in her sophomore year, when a childhood interest in paleontology resurfaced — and a simple Google search for “What is geology?” set her on a new course. That curiosity led her to Dr. René Shroat-Lewis, who first brought Joheim into the work of identifying and organizing the university’s donated fossil collection. This project earned her a competition win. From there, Dr. Shroat-Lewis encouraged Joheim to take the next step: transforming the cataloged collection into the public-facing display now housed in the library.

“Syd is the kind of student every professor hopes for, curious, driven, with a genuine enthusiasm,” said Dr. Shroat-Lewis “They are an exceptional science communicator with a rare ability not only to understand complex ideas but to bring them to life for others. I have no doubt they will become an outstanding paleontologist who inspires curiosity and shares the wonder of science with everyone they encounter.”

When Joheim first entered the competition, she was still relatively new to research and the hands-on work of paleontology. In the year between her first win and this one, she completed a research internship with the University of Southern Mississippi, served as an ambassador for the Paleontological Society, presented at conferences, and became a Learning Assistant. Each experience strengthened her confidence and deepened her foundation in both paleontology and science communication. 

It’s a trajectory she hopes other students will pursue for themselves, following their passions and believing in themselves.

“Do it,” she said. “The opportunity to show people what you’re doing can get you new connections, but it also helps you to feel proud of yourself and the work that you’ve done.” 

That growth shows. As a Trojan Tutor and Learning Assistant, Joheim has made a practice of translating complex ideas into accessible ones, a skill that carries directly into the social media entries that caught judges’ attention two years running.

“It’s often my job to turn complex ideas into easy-to-understand concepts for beginners. Participating in the social media contest requires that you communicate your project effectively, and those are skills I use every day in these positions,” says Joheim. 

The display also serves a forward-looking purpose, generating excitement for the upcoming ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Natural History Museum. For many in the Little Rock community, it will be a rare opportunity to view specimens like ancient sea creatures, prehistoric mammals, and fossils, some even pulled from Arkansas soil. Planned for the fifth floor of Ottenheimer Library, the museum will serve as both a public-facing space where community members can explore the university’s natural history collections, and a working museum where faculty and collaborating researchers from across Arkansas and beyond can come to study, curate, and build the collection. For ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, it represents a chance to deepen its role as a cultural and scientific resource for the region, bringing world-class natural history education to the community. This summer, faculty will begin cataloging a variety of nearly 25,000 different specimens in preparation for the opening. 

With graduation approaching, Joheim remains committed to the public-facing science that has defined her time at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock. She is hopeful that her display will find a home at the Natural History Museum and hopes to play a role in bringing the museum to life — continuing to make big ideas approachable and inspiring the next generation to ask questions about the world beneath their feet.

The post Two-Time Winner Syd Joheim Is Leaving a Legacy Millions of Years in the Making appeared first on News.

STEM Posters at the Capitol provides students with the opportunity to share original research with state lawmakers and fellow researchers while demonstrating the impact of STEM innovation happening across Arkansas.

Representing ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, the nine graduate and undergraduate students presented projects addressing real-world challenges in fields ranging from medical data analysis and data science to energy resources, biology, and chemistry.

Undergraduate student Kolton Claybrook, a senior double major in chemistry and business administration with a focus in entrepreneurship, presented research focused on developing cost-effective methods for concentrating lithium from brine water found in the Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas. The research addresses the growing demand for lithium, a critical element used in batteries and energy storage technologies.

“Presenting at the Capitol was a very fun and rewarding experience,” Claybrook said. “Speaking with peers and faculty across the state created great dialogue about the innovations happening right here in Arkansas.”

Claybrook added that the event also provided valuable networking and presentation experience as he prepares for his future career.

Ammar Ahmed Taha Mohammed, a graduate student in information science, presented research on entity resolution, a process used to determine when different records refer to the same person or household despite inconsistencies or incomplete information. Mohammed said this work is particularly important for fields such as healthcare and government, where inaccuracies in data can have serious consequences.

“Presenting my work at the Arkansas State Capitol was surreal and deeply inspiring,” Mohammed said. “What stood out most were the thoughtful and engaging conversations. It was exciting to see people from diverse backgrounds connect with the broader significance and real-world applications of my research.”

For Joie Lea Murorunkwere, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in applied science with a concentration in applied mathematics and statistics, the event offered a chance to highlight how advanced statistical techniques can improve medical research. Murorunkwere’s project examined melanoma treatment outcomes from different therapies using resampling-enhanced survival analysis.

“Presenting at the Arkansas State Capitol was both exciting and meaningful,” Murorunkwere said. “It gave me the chance to share why rigorous, data-driven methods matter for real health decisions. As a student researcher, this experience strengthened my confidence and reinforced my commitment to research that can make a practical difference.”

Events like STEM Posters at the Capitol allow students to share their work beyond the classroom while highlighting innovative research happening at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock. By connecting students with policymakers, faculty, and researchers from across the state, the event demonstrates how student-led research contributes to solving real-world challenges in Arkansas and beyond.

Presenters included: 

• Kolton Claybrook, Computer Science, “Concentrating Lithium Brine Using Reduced Graphene Oxide Forward Osmosis Membranes”
• Ammar Ahmed Taha Mohammed, Information Science, “A Hybrid Entity Resolution Pipeline Integrating LLM Intelligence, Semantic Clustering, and Household Movement Analysis”
• Hannah Jones, Engineering, “Detecting the Undetectable: Methods to Detect BVID in Wind Turbine Blade Samples”
• Ruby Bagchi, Biology, “Cinnamic Acid Modulates Iron Deficiency Responses in Soybean Through Improved Phenotypic Performance and Regulation of Iron Homeostasis-Related Genes”
• Mohammed Naif, Chemistry, “Improved Electrode for Lithium-Sulphur Battery”
• Eshaal Nadeem, Chemistry, “Emerging Ionic Nanomedicines: Synthesis, Characterization to In Vitro and In Vivo Performance”
• Joie Lea Murorunkwere, Mathematics, “Resampling-Enhanced Survival Analysis of Adjuvant Versus Neoadjuvant Therapies in Melanoma Using Kaplan-Meier Estimation, Weighted Log-Rank Tests, and Time-Dependent Cox Models”
• Meherun Nesa Shraboni, Computer Science, “A Gaze-Aware XR Framework for Synchronizing Head-Based Interaction and Eye-Movement Analysis”
• Kalyn You, Chemistry, “Advanced Material Platforms for Stretchable Bioelectronics and Flexible Circuitry”

The post Nine ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Present STEM Research at Arkansas State Capitol appeared first on News.

Dr. Raffaela Lesch, assistant professor of biology at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, recently published a study that identified physical traits in raccoons which might hint at early signs of domestication. The study, titled , was published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology.

The study, co-authored by Lesch and 16 students, began with one question: can an urban environment trigger a phenotype, or a physical trait, that could be consistent with what we see in domesticated animals? The research found that urban raccoons showed a shortening of snout length compared with those in rural areas, a physical change commonly associated with domestication.

“Urban environments can mimic the conditions early domesticated animals experienced, like when dogs and cats were beginning that process. These environments force animals to coexist closely with humans, which while risky also comes with benefits like fewer predators and easy access to food. We wanted to see whether cities could provide a setting to study early stage domestication processes in wild populations,” Lesch said.

Lesch said she did not expect the research conducted with her students to take the world by storm. The study has been covered by news outlets such as NPR, BBC, CNN, and Smithsonian. Videos on social media platforms have garnered millions of views, one surpassing 6 million. She emphasized the surreal nature of the widespread media attention.

“It is very strange,” Lesch said. “At night you’re scrolling through Instagram watching cute cat and dog videos and suddenly your own face pops up on the screen.”

She said she is excited to continue building her research network both in Arkansas and beyond. Lesch is working to strengthen partnerships within the state, including with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, while also expanding collaborations with researchers at other universities. 

The most rewarding outcome, she said, has been the experience it created for her students. For many, it marked their first published research.

“It’s really rewarding to have this engagement highlight the high quality research that can be done with a large group of students,” Lesch said. “For a research timeline, it hasn’t been long since the study was published, but it has opened doors both nationally and internationally, and I’m very excited to see where it goes next.”

For Lesch, the viral moment is less about visibility and more about momentum — a reminder that meaningful research can happen in classrooms, through collaboration, and with help from everyday people who are curious about the world around them.

The study was created in a biometry class that Lesch structured as a course-based undergraduate research experience. Extracurricular research can be difficult for students with additional responsibilities to fit into their schedules, but classes like this allow students to gain research experience in a more accessible way. Students develop practical research skills while contributing meaningfully to broader scientific conversations and producing tangible results from their work.

Driven by questions about how domestication works and how it can be observed in real time, Lesch used iNaturalist, a citizen science platform that allows people to submit photos of plants and wildlife they encounter in everyday life. The platform enables scientists to study species across time and place in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Through iNaturalist, Lesch incorporated data from more than 20,000 images of raccoons across the United States into the study.

Lesch said it has been energizing to see the public’s excitement about raccoons and the opportunity to contribute to scientific research. The response has inspired her to continue working with citizen science in future research projects, with a focus on actively inviting the public, not just students, to participate.

Direct public engagement has helped strengthen an ongoing connection between Lesch’s research and everyday citizens. She said she has received numerous emails from people eager to contribute, many of whom have shared photos of raccoons in their backyards along with personal observations.

“I really hope this study gets people excited to read scientific papers and reach out to the authors,” Lesch said. “It has meant so much to hear not just from other researchers, but from people who read the article or saw the work and took the time to reach out. Getting an email that simply says, ‘I really enjoyed this,’ is incredibly meaningful. If you ever read something that excites you, I hope you email the author. Those messages matter.”

According to Lesch, the work is far from finished. She and her students continue to study raccoons, with additional projects already underway. She said she plans to expand similar research to other species, including opossums and armadillos.

The media attention has led to more than viral videos, resulting in collaborations with other researchers and speaking invitations. Most recently, she spoke about domestication research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

She said science is fundamentally collaborative, driven by conversation, shared ideas and the exchange that happens when researchers challenge one another’s perspectives. Being part of that ongoing dialogue and watching the field evolve through collective effort is one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.

Lesch hopes the response to the study also challenges assumptions about where impactful research happens.

“There is incredible research coming out of Arkansas,” she said. “You don’t need massive budgets to do meaningful, competitive science. Building community, involving students, and inviting the public into the process is where a lot of that impact comes from.”

Together, the study’s reach and its ongoing momentum reflect ����Vlog��ý Little Rock’s role as a place where meaningful research grows through collaboration, curiosity, and accessibility. By engaging students, partnering with fellow researchers, and inviting the public to take part in the scientific process, Lesch’s work demonstrates how impactful scholarship can emerge from classrooms and extend far beyond campus.

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While at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, Bornds was an active member of the Student Activities Board (SAB) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. In SAB, Bornds was able to help plan and execute events for students across campus. Delta Sigma Theta helped her to step into leadership roles, eventually becoming chapter president. Growing up in the small town of Osceola, Arkansas, she found that these challenges helped her grow and realize she was capable of anything.

When Bornds first arrived at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock, she was shy, timid, and barely spoke, but through the influence of her mentors, she was able to learn skills that she will carry for life. During her freshman year, Assistant Director for Student Leadership & Development Corrigan Revels helped her step out of her comfort zone, meet new people and become a mentor. With the encouragement and dedication of her professors, Bornds was able to continue on her path to becoming a doctor.

Bornds was a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps. For her, the CLC scholarship made a major impact, offering support to transition into college life, build friendships, network effectively, and become a mentor. One of her favorite memories from CLC  was being able to host one of the CLC dream conferences. It was a new experience for her and she was able to network and meet new people who helped with her future plans. 

“Don’t be afraid to get to know people and come out of your shell,” Bornds said. “Seeing as I was reserved when I first came to college, getting out of my comfort zone by going to events, joining organizations, and talking to people helped navigate me through college. Being homesick is real. Make sure to reach out to people and don’t let it become depressing.”

Her next step after graduating will be to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to finish pursuing her dreams to become an OB-GYN. Bornds is prepared to take on any challenge that will come up. 

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Jacob Hansen, a graduate student in biology, and Dr. Raffaela Lesch, assistant professor of biology, have published a groundbreaking study demonstrating that domestication reshaped the canine larynx, the organ responsible for sound production. It’s the first anatomical test of a major scientific concept called the neural crest domestication syndrome (NCDS) hypothesis.

“This is the first study to test whether selection for tameness affects the voice box,” Hansen said. “We found measurable differences between the larynges of dogs and wolves, which supports the idea that domestication doesn’t just change behavior but also changes anatomy.”

The team’s research, which was published in the journal in July, offers rare anatomical insight into how domestication impacts the development of the voice box via neural crest cells, which are embryonic cells that influence everything from skull shape to vocal folds. While the NCDS hypothesis has previously been used to explain behavioral and physical changes in domesticated animals, no one had applied it to the larynx before.

To conduct the study, Hansen and Lesch used CT scans to analyze and compare the larynges of domestic dogs and wolves. They identified 108 specific anatomical landmarks and worked with international collaborators to gather laryngeal specimens from across Europe. Their co-authors include Nicole D. S. Grunstra, W. Tecumseh Fitch, Andrew C. Kitchener, and Michaela Gumpenberger.

“We saw significant differences in the size and shape of the larynx and vocal folds between dogs and wolves,” Hansen said. “Dogs, particularly mesocephalic breeds with medium-length snouts, had smaller larynges and shorter vocal folds.”

Those differences suggest that the evolution of dogs’ friendly and expressive behavior may have come with vocal trade-offs. Lesch, who mentored Hansen throughout the project, said the findings help validate a core prediction of the NCDS hypothesis: that selection for tameness reduces neural crest cell migration, which in turn influences multiple body systems.

“The larynx is largely derived from neural crest cells,” Lesch said. “The fact that we see structural changes in this organ supports the idea that domestication has widespread anatomical effects. This occurs not just on the visible features like ears or snouts, but on deeper systems that affect communication.”

Their work also hints at larger implications. Some researchers believe humans underwent a process of “self-domestication,” evolving to become more sociable and cooperative over time. If so, studies like this could provide a biological roadmap to investigate how human anatomy may have changed as a result, according to Lesch.

Co-authors hail from research institutions in the U.S. and Europe, including Austria’s University of Vienna and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, as well as the National Museums Scotland, reflecting the international collaboration behind the study.

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The study, led by Dr. Raffaela Lesch, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is also notable for featuring 16 students as co-authors, which is an extraordinary achievement for so many young researchers.

The study, titled “,” analyzed nearly 20,000 images of raccoons from across the continental U.S. Researchers found that raccoons living in cities have shorter snouts than those in rural areas. This reduction in snout length is a classic physical change associated with the domestication syndrome.

“I wanted to know if living in a city environment would kickstart domestication processes in animals that are currently not domesticated,” Lesch said. “Would raccoons be on the pathway to domestication just by hanging out in close proximity to humans?”

Lesch points to a simple, universal factor as the answer: human trash.

“Trash is really the kickstarter,” she said. “Wherever humans go, there is trash. Animals love our trash. It’s an easy source of food. All they have to do is endure our presence, not be aggressive, and then they can feast on anything we throw away. It would be fitting and funny if our next domesticated species was raccoons. I feel like it would be funny if we called the domesticated version of the raccoon the trash panda.”

The research suggests that the selection for tameness needed to tolerate people and access trash leads to a trickle-down in development, resulting in traits like shorter snouts, which are common in domesticated animals like dogs.

Student Success Drives Scientific Discovery

The inclusion of 16 students as co-authors—five graduate and 11 undergraduate students—on a high-quality, peer-reviewed journal paper is a rare and profound example of student success.

Lesch structured the biometry class as a course-based undergraduate research experience, turning a potentially dry statistics class into a real-world scientific endeavor.

“The idea behind biometry, where students learn how to code and use statistics, is a class that is difficult to teach,” Lesch said. “I wanted to teach this class in a way that students would have their own data that they collect and analyze. The benefit is that I didn’t have to push students to complete the work. They were intrinsically motivated because they cared.”

For Alanis Bradley, an applied biosciences Ph.D. student from Texarkana, Texas, this marks her first published paper.

“This will be my first paper that I have published. It’s very exciting,” Bradley said. “That first foot in the door is very hard to move through, and this class gave me a good understanding of what I need to do in research. This class made the research process feel a lot less scary and made it feel achievable.”

Bradley added that she enjoyed the collaborative coding aspect of the course.

“I like coding because it is like a puzzle,” Bradley said. “We had other people around us who were interested in solving the puzzles and creating something between the 16 of us. I got to meet and know a lot of really cool people in that course.”

The students were involved in every step, including the rigorous task of sifting through nearly 20,000 images sourced from the citizen science project, iNaturalist.org. While Lesch wrote the initial draft, the entire class edited the paper as a group.

“We went through the entire paper and the students were yelling out if there were typos or to make edits,” Lesch recalled. “That is what I imagine the editing room of ‘Saturday Night Live’ is like.”

The co-authors from Lesch’s class are: Artem Apostolov, Alanis Bradley, Shane Dreher, Cole Dwyer, Jessica Edwards, Marie E. Evans, Nari Gu, Jacob Hansen, Jackson D. Lewis, Aiden T. Mashburn, Kelsey Miller, Eli Richardson, Wesley Roller, Adam Stark, Jackson Swift, and Oscar Zuniga.

Next Steps in Raccoon Research

The study’s findings support the Neural Crest Domestication Syndrome (NCDS) hypothesis, which predicts these types of anatomical changes. The researchers showed that raccoons, like dogs, also exhibit shorter snouts in urban areas compared to longer snouts in rural areas, where they face different environmental selection pressures like climate.

The project continues to evolve. Bradley is basing her Ph.D. research on validating the photographic measurements by 3D scanning the university’s collection of roughly 200 raccoon skulls, some dating back to the 1970s.

Furthermore, Lesch’s 2025 biometry class is repeating the study using other urban mammals, such as armadillos and opossums, to see if the findings hold true for other species. Lesch hopes this work informs how we view our expanding presence on wildlife. Additional students are applying for Signature Research Grants at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock in order to fund cameras and GPS trackers to observe and track raccoon movement across campus.

“This will help inform us if human presence is enough to already start the process of domestication in a species,” she said.

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The highly competitive grant will support her research on gold nanoparticles for cancer therapy under the mentorship of Dr. Noureen Siraj, associate professor of chemistry. Their project explores how the shape of gold nanoparticles influences drug delivery efficiency. She will coat nanospheres and nanorods with a combination drug, DOX-ICG, to evaluate their effectiveness in targeting and treating cancer cells.

“Our research focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and functionalization of gold nanoparticles to enhance drug delivery for cancer treatment,” Siraj explained. “We aim to determine how nanoparticle morphology influences the efficiency of a chemo-photothermal therapy combination drug. This research is important because it addresses a major challenge in cancer treatment: minimizing damage to healthy cells while maximizing therapeutic effects on tumors.”

Neupane joined Dr. Siraj’s research lab as a freshman and has been actively involved in cancer-related studies for the past two years.

“I started with gold nanospheres because they are easier to synthesize, but nanorods are known to be more efficient,” Neupane said. “This dual-drug approach allows us to use a lower concentration of chemotherapy while still effectively targeting tumor cells.”

The $4,000 SURF grant will cover research expenses and allow Neupane to travel to conferences, where she can present her findings and network with professionals.

“I was surprised when I received the grant again,” she said. “It’s very competitive, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. The grant pays for research expenses and gives me the ability to travel to conferences and interact with experts in the field, which is incredibly valuable as I prepare for medical school.”

Neupane has been interested in researching ways to treat cancer ever since she shadowed an oncologist in Texarkana when she was a senior in high school. She is hopeful that the research project will eventually lead to an improved treatment for cancer patients.

“The long-term goal is always clinical trials,” she said. “Our end goal is to lower the toxicity of cancer treatments and give patients less invasive procedures with better results.”

Siraj praised Neupane’s dedication and growth as a researcher. “From the beginning, Nistha showed a strong commitment to this project,” she said. “She was an excited freshman eager to learn new skills in my lab. Her medical interests align well with this research, and her personal connections to cancer have deepened her commitment. This experience will help shape her as a research scientist and future physician.”

Neupane, who is originally from Texarkana, Texas, is a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program and vice president of the Pre-Health Club. She plans to graduate in 2026 and is preparing for the MCAT as she applies to medical school.

“Research is something I know I will continue in medical school,” she said. “This project has given me valuable experience and the opportunity to contribute to advancements in cancer treatment.”

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