KU senior Logan Edmondson receives Courtwright Award

LAWRENCE – A University of Kansas student who is researching the effects of lay eschatological messaging on temporal horizons is the recipient of the Courtwright Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence through KU’s Center for Undergraduate Research.

Logan Edmondson is a senior in behavioral neuroscience from Fairway. He is mentored by Mark Landau, professor of psychology.

“Misinformation is a growing threat in online discourse, especially discourse surrounding climate change,” Edmondson said. “My project examines the motivational consequences of exposure to sensationalized messaging about this issue. The long-term goal of this research is to influence how existential issues are presented by the media and inform policy related to the spread of misinformation.”

A poster titled “The Effects of End-Times Discourse on Temporal Horizons” about his research will be presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s 2024 annual conference.

The Courtwright Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence was established at KU Endowment in 2020 through the contributions of David (class of 1974) and Chris Courtwright (class of 1983). The Courtwright Award seeks to recognize undergraduate students with majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences whose research and creative work stand to make meaningful contributions to their fields of study.

Courtwright Award finalists are selected from applications for the Undergraduate Research Awards each semester. This is the sixth iteration of this award.

Other summer/fall 2023 finalists

• Jenna Bellemere, a senior in anthropology and women, gender & sexuality studies from Lawrence, “Becoming, Teleology, and the Transition Narrative,” mentored by Marta Vicente, professor of history.
• Brandon Nguyen, a junior in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from Liberal, “Reactivity of Manganese(III)-Hydroxo Complexes with Acidic Phenols,” mentored by Timothy Jackson, professor of chemistry.
• Allyson Scribner, a senior in psychology with minors in applied behavioral science and visual art from Kansas City, Missouri, “Little Free Art Mart,” mentored by Francisca Maria Velasco, professor of visual art.