Undergraduate students make academic publishing debut
At Iowa State University, students are provided countless opportunities to gain professional-level experience and bolster their resumes. The possibilities grow even greater for students performing exceptionally well early in their academic careers, especially when entering the University Honors Program.
This was the case for three members of the First-Year Honors Mentor Program under the leadership of Diane Janvrin, William L. Varner Professor in Accounting:
- Grace Heeren
- Jacob Pedersen
- Vrindha Vegiraju
Students in the program are heavily encouraged to work on research in their areas of study. Sparked from their collective interest in cybersecurity insurance, the three students decided to work together on an academic paper discussing the topic.
“Working on the article was different than any other paper I had submitted for a class,” said Heeren, a junior from Le Mars, Iowa, studying accounting and business analytics. “There were many more levels of review and editing than we were accustomed to.”
Adapting to the more complex process, the students set a schedule for themselves and put forth a great effort to keep all project elements cohesive.
“We had weekly meetings where we discussed the information we had found from the week before,” said Pedersen, a junior from Humboldt, Iowa, studying accounting and finance. “I had a great experience with the team as they all worked hard to make the paper the best it could be.”
Adding to the professional element of this project, the students being from different areas of study allowed for interdisciplinary collaboration.
“It was a pleasure collaborating with this talented group,” said Vegiraju, a senior from Bettendorf, Iowa, studying data science. “Contributing to this publication was a rewarding experience, and I appreciate the opportunity to research the critical role of cybersecurity as it grows in importance across industries.”
For guidance on the process and material, the students welcomed input from faculty in the Ivy College of Business.
“Professor Janvrin was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process and very helpful,” said Heeren. “She gave strong guidance and encouragement. Within Ivy, she connected with Rahul Parsa (teaching professor in finance) about our project as an actuarial science expert, and he provided insights on our work.”
“Participating in research my freshman year was a wonderful experience that led me to learn more about collegiate research in general and the different programs Ivy and the honors program offer.”
— Grace Heeren
Utilizing their available resources and collectively putting forth a great effort resulted in an incredible finished product.
In April 2023, the group presented their paper, “Navigating the Cyber Insurance Landscape: A Guide for Management Accountants,” at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Iowa State Student Innovation Center. It received a highly positive response.
While the completion and presentation of their paper was a great accomplishment on its own, the greater success came almost two years later. On March 15. 2025, the paper was published in Strategic Finance, the award-winning flagship publication of the Institute of Management Accountants.
“It was a surreal experience,” said Pedersen. “There was an extended period when the publication date kept changing, but seeing the article finally published was very satisfying.”
Vegiraju added, “I’m excited to see our work published in Strategic Finance and proud of the insights we’re bringing to the conversation around risk management and cyber preparedness in the insurance sector.”
Undergraduate students co-authoring a paper alongside their professor is a unique occurrence. This marked an exceptional achievement that the three students can proudly reference in their future professional endeavors.
“Participating in research my freshman year was a wonderful experience that led me to learn more about collegiate research in general and the different programs Ivy and the honors program offer,” concluded Heeren.
This summer, Heeren will join F&G Annuities and Life as an internal audit intern. She is an aspiring CPA with plans to attain her certification post-graduation.
Pedersen will continue his position with the Iowa Department of Transportation as a project management intern this summer. Following graduation, he also plans on attaining his CPA certification.
This summer, Vegiraju will be working as a software/data engineer at John Deere.
To connect with the team or follow their collegiate and professional journeys, visit their LinkedIn pages: Grace Heeren, Jacob Pedersen, and Vrindha Vegiraju.
Looking for an extra challenge?
Get involved and start your honors program adventure at the Ivy College of Business.
May 29, 2025
