The University of Tulsa is proud to celebrate chemical engineering student Jacob McCormick, who earned two prestigious research awards this spring. McCormick received first place in the technical research presentation competition at the 2026 Mid-America Student Regional conference of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) in Iowa City, Iowa, and finished third in the Research-Intensive University category at the 31st annual Research Day at the Capitol in Oklahoma City.
McCormick, a rising senior from Coweta, presented his research project “Carbon/Carbon Composite Coatings for Aerospace Applications.” His work focuses on improving the durability, oxidation resistance and reusability of carbon-carbon composites, which are advanced lightweight materials used in extreme-temperature environments such as spacecraft heat shields, rocket components and aerospace structures. Research Day at the Capitol was established to showcase outstanding undergraduate research in science, technology and engineering fields being conducted at Oklahoma’s universities. The prestigious event is sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and the National Science Foundation. It brings together top student researchers, faculty mentors, state leaders and legislators.
McCormick presented his research poster at the Oklahoma Capitol, where a multidisciplinary panel of scientists evaluated projects from universities across Oklahoma. State lawmakers and Chancellor Sean Burrage of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education joined in recognizing undergraduate finalists during an event at the capitol.
“Being chosen to represent UTulsa is an incredible opportunity and a meaningful recognition of my research journey,” said McCormick. “It has further strengthened my motivation to continue pursuing research in the future.”
McCormick also showcased his research at the 2026 AIChE Regional Conference, two-day event that brings together undergraduate chemical engineering students from across the region for technical competitions, professional development workshops and networking opportunities. His first-place finish in the technical presentation competition qualified him to compete at the AIChE Annual Student Conference in Minneapolis this November.
McCormick credits much of his growth as a researcher to the mentorship he has received from Associate Professor Hema Ramsurn, the A. Paul Buthod Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering. After joining Ramsurn’s research group during his first year at UTulsa, McCormick quickly developed a passion for research and advanced materials. He said joining her lab in his first year at UTulsa has shaped his career goals and sparked a genuine passion for research. “Dr. Ramsurn has consistently invested in my learning and growth, pushed me outside of my comfort zone and given me opportunities to grow as a researcher and student,” he said.
Based on a more than a decade of mentoring undergraduate researchers, Ramsurn believes McCormick stands among the very best students she has worked with. “Jacob McCormick ranks among the top 2% of undergraduates I have mentored in terms of research readiness and long-term potential,” Ramsurn said. “What distinguishes him is not only his technical competence but also his unusually high level of independence, clarity of research vision and willingness to confront unresolved problems rather than incremental tasks. These qualities are rarely seen at the undergraduate level and position him for continued success in graduate school, industry or research careers.”
McCormick’s accomplishments reflect UTulsa’s commitment to providing undergraduate students with meaningful research experiences that prepare them to address complex problems.