About CAURS

The Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium (CAURS) is one of the largest annual undergraduate research conferences in the country, bringing together hundreds of undergraduate students in the Chicagoland area from all academic disciplines to present their research. Through poster presentations, oral presentations, and roundtable discussions, attendees experience the impressive breadth and depth of research being conducted by their peers and have the opportunity to network with other undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and representatives from industry and graduate and professional schools. CAURS 2026 will be the 22nd anniversary of our symposium!

Inter-School Board 2025-2026

One of the most unique aspects of CAURS, and one that we pride ourselves on, is that the Symposium is planned and run almost entirely by undergraduates. The CAURS Inter-School Board (ISB) is comprised of 10 dedicated students from 5 Chicago area institutions who work year-round to organize and arrange the Symposium. We encourage you to reach out to the ISB representatives from your school if you have any questions or comments!

Apply for the 2025-2026 ISB!

Wafa Choubkha

Director

Wafa is a senior at DePaul University majoring in Health Sciences with a biomedical concentration. She is currently a research assistant in the Snow-Hill Lab, which focuses on community-based interventions and homelessness, and a research coordinator in the HeartShare Study at Northwestern University, specializing in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Most recently, she conducted research at the Chicago Headache Center on GLP-1s and migraine, as well as the efficacy of telemedicine in patient care. On campus, Wafa is the co-founder of Kappa Gamma Delta, a pre-health sorority that brings women, philanthropy, and health professionals together. After graduation, she plans to pursue a degree in medicine.

Jenny Huang

Jenny is a sophomore at the University of Illinois Chicago majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Computer Science. Her research at the Liu Lab centers around nanoparticle drug delivery, exosome therapeutics, and bioprocessing systems. On campus, she serves as President of Global Medical Missions Alliance and Patient Services Chair at New Life Volunteering Society. She plans on attending medical school after graduation. In the city, she loves trying new restaurants and visiting coffee shops; she also bakes occasionally and plays pickleball frequently.

Hailey Gates

Hailey is a senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in English with minors in art history, journalism, and African Studies and the African Diaspora. She is interested in investigating how modern and contemporary socially-engaged artworks and corresponding public humanities initiatives can contribute to social, political, and ecological change, especially through incorporating Indigenous epistemologies, traditions, and aesthetic frameworks into research methodologies and curatorial strategies. She has participated in multiple funded undergraduate research opportunities across the humanities and social sciences, the most recent of which was The Summer Research Opportunities Program at The Ohio State University. Hailey is also the fall exhibitions intern at South Asia Institute and a writing tutor at her university.

Taseen Abdallah

Taseen Abdallah is a sophomore at DePaul University majoring in Health Sciences. He serves as the Business Operations Manager for his contracting business, overseeing day-to-day operations, client negotiations, and strategic planning. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Taseen volunteers in hospice care, providing companionship and support to patients in their most vulnerable moments. His research focuses on addressing food insecurity and mental health challenges among college students, with the goal of improving access to essential resources and promoting overall wellness. Through these experiences, Taseen has developed strong skills in leadership, communication, and problem-solving, all of which he plans to carry into a future career as a physician. In his free time, he enjoys rollerblading, playing basketball, exploring new cuisines, reading, and creating short films to channel his curiosity, creativity, and love of learning.

Emily Kao

Emily is in her third year at the University of Illinois Chicago majoring in biology and minoring in math. She currently conducts research with the Heiferman Lab investigating ways to innovate upon current retinal surgical and visualization techniques. She has previously completed research experiences at Northwestern University and Boston Children's Hospital studying various immunological systems using computational approaches. On campus at UIC, she is Vice President of Biomedical Discovery Club and serves as a physics learning assistant. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in medicine. In her free time, you can find her reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family.

Katie Fu

Katie is a sophomore at Northwestern University majoring in Neuroscience. She is a research assistant at the Gate Lab at the Feinberg School of Medicine, where she investigates Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics. She is also involved with the Red Cross and plays the clarinet for the Northwestern Philharmonia. In her free time, Katie enjoys listening to music, running, and playing the piano.

Yousuf Albayaty

Yousuf is a sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying Neuroscience. On campus, he is involved in multiple health organizations all pursuing the betterment of the surrounding community through addressing prominent concerns. In his research, Yousuf is looking into the health costs associated with utility-caused wildfires and future steps in mitigation legislation. Aside from his professional endeavors, Yousuf volunteers at the emergency department, to further serve his community. In his free time, he enjoys going on runs throughout the city, playing Badminton, and cooking. 

Srishti Kolla

Srishti is a second-year student at the University of Illinois at Chicago majoring in Neuroscience. She is a research assistant in a lab associated with the UIC Eye and Ear Infirmary, where her work focuses on eye malignancies such as uveal melanoma and diabetic retinopathy through both clinical and public health studies. At UIC, Srishti serves on the Honors College Advisory Board as part of the advocacy committee. She is also the co-president of Operation Smile at UIC, the community outreach chair for the UIC Blood Drive, and a volunteer at UI Health. She plans on pursuing an MD after graduation. In her free time, Srishti loves riding her bike, cooking, going on long walks, and trying new things.

Ritvik Viniak

Ritvik is a junior at Northwestern University studying Biology and Global Health. He currently works in the Lavine Lab at Feinberg, studying the involvement of macrophages in ocular homeostasis and disease. On campus, he is the president and founder of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at Northwestern, a peer mentor for the Office of Undergraduate Research, and a member of Northwestern Bhangra, Northwestern's competitive north Indian dance team. In his free time, he enjoys going on runs on the lakefront, playing fantasy football, and cooking. 

Anna Hatchikian

Anna is a junior at the University of Chicago, majoring in Psychology, Business Economics, and Comparative Human Development. Her current research is focused on the relationship between racial representation in different STEM fields, and the valuation of those fields as hard vs soft sciences. Beyond her research, Anna also participates in various organizations on campus, including being an Under-Secretary General for UChicago’s Model UN conference, being part of the traveling competitive Model UN team, and part of the events board for the International Student Organization. Anna also works as a Tour Guide for the University. In her free time, Anna loves to explore Chicago’s food scene, spending time with friends, or facetiming her dog (and family).

Jayannah Herdrich

Jayannah is a first-year Ph.D. student in Chemistry at Loyola University Chicago (LUC) and a former CAURS 2025 ISB member. As a graduate student researcher in Dr. Kelvin Billingsley’s group, she is working to develop novel photoswitchable ligands for Protein Kinase C regulation and cancer therapeutics. In May 2025, Jayannah graduated from UIUC with degrees in Chemistry and English Literature. There, she was an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Eric Oldfield’s lab, where she conducted SQ109, bisphosphonate, and antifungal drug discovery research. Previously, Jayannah was a Merit TA at UIUC for General Chemistry I and now teaches Organic Chemistry II Lab at LUC. Additionally, Jayannah is the co-founder of Knowledge Sprout C-U, a nonprofit that writes chapter books with science-focused ideas for underserved students in Champaign. In her free time, Jayannah enjoys playing the violin, reading classic novels, and watching movies with her family.