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July 2026 Managing Editor’s Letter
Thank you for reading PURE Insights. This journal has been a labor of determination in the belief that undergraduate students at Western Oregon University should have an outlet to publish their original research and artistic work. This Issue 15.5 comes so closely on the heels of Issue 15 because the future of PURE Insights is very uncertain, and we had several articles in the queue awaiting publication. As of this writing, the journal will be put on hiatus because of purely financial reasons.
I am especially happy to share with you these articles, two of which are honors theses. The Honors Program at WOU also ended this year, so it is bittersweet to showcase two of its last projects.
I had the joy of working this year with my Assistant Editor, Sasha Pillutla, whom I put in charge of this extra issue. I wanted to work with her on future issues of the journal, but I hope that she can take with her the experience she gained from this year and apply it to bigger things.
I am hopeful that in the near future that the economic and political forces responsible for these cuts will change. Until then, I encourage students to continue to be curious and keep making things and discoveries. As Neil Armstrong said, “Research is creating new knowledge."
Keep creating new knowledge.
— Maren Anderson, July 2026
Assistant Editor's Note
What started as an opportunity to contribute to a student journal became an experience that challenged me, taught me so much, and introduced me to incredible people along the way. I'm grateful that I had the chance to take on new responsibilities and be part of something that celebrates the research, curiosity, and hard work of our students.
Every article published represents countless hours of dedication, and I am very thankful to everyone I've had the privilege of working with, especially Maren Anderson, the Managing Editor of PURE Insights, whose support, patience, and encouragement made this experience unforgettable.
Although Insights is being put on hold for now, I hope it is reintroduced when the time is right because it holds significance at Western Oregon University. More than a journal, it has been a place where students shared their research, celebrated their accomplishments, and contributed to our college community.
It gave me the opportunity to learn, grow, take on new responsibilities, and work alongside people who challenged and encouraged me.Thank you to everyone who made this volume possible when it mattered most.
— Sasha Pillutla, July 2026
Masthead
Managing Editor
Maren Anderson
Assistant Editor
Sasha Pillutla
REVIEWERS
Maren Anderson
Brianne Salvati
Editorial Support Staff
Stewart Baker
Submission Management Architect
Camila Gabaldón-Winningham
PURE Student Workers
Jose Francisco Aguilar Rojas
Ivan Villamizar Alvarado
Lyrik Lewis
Cover
Natalie Puha