Graduate and undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are doing important and interesting work across disciplines. Learn more about the research, creative projects, and interests of current students Simal Gerot, Arissa Khan, Harindu Rajapasksha, Heidie Senseman, and Ellie Wojcikowski.
Simal Gerot
Fifth-year graduate student pursuing a PhD in political science
What is the focus of your work?
My research explores how habitual patterns of political media use shape people’s attitudes, beliefs, and well-being. Instead of focusing just on how often people consume the news, I’m interested in what it means when political media becomes part of people’s daily routines—something they engage with automatically, often without much reflection. I examine how these habits influence mental well-being (such as anxiety, sleep, and stress), belief in misinformation, political knowledge, and the growing divisions between partisans.
I also strive to develop new ways to study media behavior beyond traditional surveys—tools that can better capture how people engage with political news as part of their everyday lives. My work aims to shift the conversation from how much media people consume to how they engage with it—and what those patterns mean for their political and social lives.
Tell us about the broad impact you’d like it to have.
I hope my work encourages people to think differently about how political media shapes their lives—not just through the content they see, but through the habits they build around it. By shifting the focus from how much news people consume to how they engage with it, I aim to help researchers, educators, and the public better understand how media habits can influence mental well-being—like stress, anxiety, hopelessness, and burnout—as well as political beliefs and growing social divides. In the long run, I hope this work reshapes how we think about civic life in an age of nonstop information. Whether by helping scholars design better ways to study media use or sparking conversations about healthier media habits, my goal is to show how everyday routines around political media can quietly shape trust, connection, and democratic engagement across society.
What excites you about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
What excites me most about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the space it creates to ask meaningful, interdisciplinary questions—and the resources it provides to actually pursue them. My work sits at the intersection of political science, media, and psychology, and CLAS has not only encouraged that kind of boundary-crossing research, but actively supported it. From faculty mentorship to funding opportunities like the Dissertation Completion Fellowship, I’ve felt consistently supported in both developing new ideas and seeing them through. It’s a place where curiosity is taken seriously, and where you’re given the tools—and trust—to do work that matters.
It’s especially exciting to do research that doesn’t just stay on the page, but can speak to real issues people face—like how constant political news might affect stress or deepen divides between groups. Being able to ask those kinds of questions—and know there’s support to follow through on them—is what makes this environment so meaningful to me.
Any favorite things to do in Iowa City?
One of my favorite things about Iowa City is how easy it is to find a balance between calm and community. I love walking the trails at places like Hickory Hill Park, Terry Trueblood, and Lake Macbride—especially with our dogs. I also enjoy stopping by local coffee shops like Tru, Press, or Prairie Lights, which are great places to relax or get some work done. In the summer, the city really comes alive with events like the Arts Festival. For a small city, it offers a surprising mix of energy, comfort, and connection.
Arissa Khan
Second-year undergraduate pursuing a BS in physics, BA in chemistry, and minors in math and philosophy
What is the focus of your work?
The objective of the Observing Cusp High-altitude Reconnection and Electrodynamics (OCHRE) Mission is to investigate the cusp, a specific region in Earth's magnetosphere where the magnetic field lines converge. This region is very interesting, because it allows solar wind particles to enter the atmosphere and ionosphere and have some really interesting effects on space weather and Earth's magnetic environment. We are particularly interested in cusp reconnection, which happens on the far side of Earth as magnetic field lines on the sun-side break and reconnect on the night-side. Our mission is in tandem with the TRACERS mission, and we are hoping to gather further data to supplement their work, as well as answer some of our own questions! Our focus has been on studying how this region's behavior changes and behaves through a series of instruments attached to a sounding rocket, which will be launched from Andøya, Norway. My specific work has largely been on the Langmuir Probes, which will be used to measure the plasma's density and temperature as a function of altitude during the rocket's flight.
Tell us about the broad impact you'd like it to have?
One broad impact I'd like our research to have is to help make satellite technology more reliable. Oftentimes, the unpredictable nature of the magnetosphere can take a toll on satellites and cause them to have to be replaced, often compromising communications. By having a better idea of how solar wind particles affect our ionosphere and electromagnetic environment, we can also build better, more reliable equipment to help improve communications globally.
Additionally, I'd like to have an impact as a researcher and scientist as well. Growing up, there weren't very many scientists who looked like me in our textbooks and readings. I'd like to have an impact on other young girls who may feel discouraged from pursuing science because of how male-dominated the field can be. I love what I do, and I know other people have a similar passion but have been discouraged from pursuing it solely because they may not feel like they "fit in" the field. I want to be an example of how anyone can do great science and truly belong.
What excites you about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
One of the things that excites me most about the research environment in CLAS is how genuinely passionate and open so many of the professors and researchers are. UIowa is a special place because of how sophisticated a lot of the research here is, and how dedicated so many of these people are to actually involving students in this work. Collaboration is truly valued over competition, and everyone has the mindset that great research is the product of many contributions. It's been a pleasure to be involved in this research and see how my small contribution has impacted the world around me. I strive to implement this mindset throughout my career and show how important collaboration is beyond academic institutions.
Any favorite things to do in Iowa City?
I love going out to Lake MacBride and hiking around the trails and enjoying the beautiful nature. I'm a very outdoorsy person and love to spend as much time outside as I can! I also love trying new foods in the Iowa City area.
Harindu Rajapasksha
Fourth-year graduate student pursuing a PhD in chemistry with a specialization in radiochemistry
What is the focus of your work?
My research aims to improve our understanding of the long-term behavior of nuclear materials. Specifically, I study uranium and neptunium—two key elements found in used nuclear fuel—to examine how they transform in radioactive environments, such as those found in deep geological storage sites. By combining computational modeling with laboratory experiments, I investigate how these elements interact with radiation, water, and other compounds. This work contributes to making nuclear energy safer by informing better strategies for the storage and management of nuclear waste.
Tell us about the broad impact you'd like it to have?
I hope my research contributes to a future of safer, more sustainable nuclear energy. By gaining insight into how radioactive elements behave over time, we can design more effective containment systems that protect both people and the environment. Additionally, this knowledge could support the development of advanced technologies for recycling or reducing nuclear waste, helping make clean energy more viable and responsible for generations to come.
What excites you about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
I really appreciate the strong radiochemistry program within CLAS—it has played a big role in my growth as a scientist. I also love the collaborative and interdisciplinary atmosphere.
Any favorite things to do in Iowa City?
I love exploring the outdoor recreational areas around Iowa City and Coralville—they’re great spots for getting outside and enjoying nature.
Heidie Senseman
Second-year MFA candidate in the Nonfiction Writing Program
What is the focus of your work?
I write essays about Christianity, art, and conversion aimed at “translating” religious experience into terms that are hospitable to secular readers. A Christian convert myself, I’ve experienced the difficulty of articulating exactly what happened to me in the conversion process, alongside the even more daunting task of explaining the experience to those who haven’t had a similar one. In my essays, I analyze works of art, natural phenomena—subjects people can observe and reference regardless of their spiritual convictions—which allow me to “access” and explore religious experience via imagery, allusion, or metaphor.
Tell us about the broad impact you'd like it to have?
I’d love to see my work facilitate nuanced and charitable conversations between religious and secular communities. In part from my experience as a convert, and in part from my time in both religious and secular academia, I’ve witnessed many communicative, relational, and even professional barriers form between the two groups, largely because of caricatures each believes about the other. I hope that my essays will promote mutual understanding such that “religious” and “secular” concerns won’t be conceived of so oppositional.
What excites you about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
I’m grateful for the diversity of research interests in CLAS, and how that variety makes for an interesting, well-rounded, and generous research community. Students and faculty alike are eager to learn about and learn from each others’ projects. And as a writing student, especially, I’m fortunate to receive regular, detailed feedback from my peers and professors that they curate based on their knowledge of my unique writerly ambitions.
Any favorite things to do in Iowa City?
I’m always happy wandering around Hickory Hill Park, trying out new coffee shops, and visiting the raptors at the Iowa Raptor Project.
Ellie Wojcikowski
Third-year undergraduate pursuing a BS in neuroscience with a certificate in clinical and translational sciences and minors in Spanish and psychology
What is the focus of your work?
My research focuses on biological markers of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. I am a part of two labs on campus: the Mechanisms of Adult and Youth Psychopathology Lab (MAYPL) with Dr. McCleery and Parker Lab with Dr. Parker. Across both labs, I use a variety of techniques to measure differences in functioning for Schizophrenia and related disorders. Studying both mice and humans, I research topics like interval timing, eyeblink conditioning, and heart rate variability.
Tell us about the broad impact you'd like it to have?
A disorder as complex as schizophrenia doesn’t just affect the individual—it impacts friends, families, and our communities. It has always been in my nature to help people, and my research is an extension of that quality. By integrating my work in both labs, I aim to contribute to a more complete understanding of schizophrenia. Ultimately, I hope my work encourages a world where people affected by severe mental illnesses are met with understanding, effective care, and the support they need to thrive.
What excites you about the research environment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
One of the things I appreciate most about CLAS is the commitment to involving undergraduate students in research. I was able to start working in MAYPL during my very first semester at Iowa with no prior research experience. This speaks to the college’s commitment to accessibility and hands-on learning. I also value CLAS's collaborative approach. Whether it’s training under the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, working with the Iowa Neuroscience Institute, or collaborating with the Carver College of Medicine, the university's interconnected structure has helped me be a better researcher. In my experience, “Iowa Nice” is a real thing, and we are all better for it!
Any favorite things to do in Iowa City?
I love catching a $4 Friday movie at FilmScene, grabbing a mocha at Encounter Café (the biggest one they have, hot with whole milk), and walking around campus, usually stopping to admire the Old Capitol Building.