Past fellows

2022-2023

College of Agriculture

Gracen Bridges Agriculture

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: A Study of Climate Change Impact on Major Alabama Crops

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Ruiqing Miao

Harrison Estes Applied Biotechnology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Comparing the Virulence of Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Members of the Fusarium solani species complex

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Jeffrey Coleman

Josiah Gullatte Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Prescribed Fire Effects on Stream Dwelling Crayfish (Order: Decapoda)

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Jim Stoeckel

Charis Harrison Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Investigating Gene Clusters and Secondary Metabolites of Chromobacterium and Relation to Globisporangium ultimum Inhibition

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Zachary Noel

Susan Iott Environmental Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: An Assessment of Dredging as a Lake Management Practice in Banana Lake

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Matt Waters

Lucinda McEachin Agriculture

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Monitoring TSWV in Alabama Peanut Fields

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Alana Jacobson

Bailee Price Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Characterization of a Viral Suppressor of RNA Silencing Encoded by CLRDV-AL

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Sung Hwan Kang

Diva Rigney Agriculture

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effort of Preservation Method of Nutritive Value of Kudzu Forage

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: William Smith

John Rogers Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effect of Early-Stage Incubation Thermal Manipulation on Broiler Chicken Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cell Population Heterogeneity

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jessica Starkey


College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Ana Marie Hanger Environmental Design

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Project Title: Designing a Higher Impact Curriculum for Environmental Design Students

Project Keywords:

Mentor: C. Farrow

Aubrey Sanders Environmental Design

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Project Title: Urban Economics and Environmental Design in Montgomery’s Peacock Tract

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Robert Sproull


Raymond J. Harbert College of Business

Reagan Giles Finance

Sponsor(s): College of Business

Project Title: Criminal Justice Information Systems

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Atiya Avery

Audrey Osborne Finance

Sponsor(s): College of Business

Project Title: Accounting Information Systems: Small Business Digitization Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Atiya Avery


Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Janset Aksoy Neuroscience and Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Development of Hydrogels for In-Vitro Evaluation of Ocular Drug Permeability

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Allan David

Colin Bamford Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Mitigation of Vertical Gusts by a Red-Tailed Hawk

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Vrishank Raghav

John Bentley Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Expanding RDE Aggressiveness Analysis to a Larger Data Set

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Mark Hoffman

Jordan Clemmons Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Making Sorbents for Chronic Kidney Disease

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Symone Alexander

Elise Collins Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Functionalization of Cellulose Nanocrystals for Agricultural Applications

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Virginia Davis

Joseph Crapet Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Effect of Using Hybrid Exoskeletons in Rehabilitation

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Brendon Allen

Martin Flores Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Sustainable and Controllable Production of Cellulose Nanofibers and Their Functional Nanocomposites for Energy Storage

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Xinyu Zhang

Saksham Goel Computer Science

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Partial Order Alignment Optimization

Project Keywords:

Mentor: William Heaton

Joshua Kacmarzyk Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: An investigation of the sweep effect on corrugated wings at low Reynolds numbers

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Anwar Ahmed

Katherine Griffin Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Additive Manufacturing of Braided Structures for Composite Reinforcement

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Sabit Adanur

Marisa Kelley Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Effects of Jointing Mechanisms within Bistable Structures on the Overall Fixity and Bistability

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Russell Mailen

William Keith Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Exploring the Effects of Reactive Oxygen Species on Confined Cell Motility

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Panagiotis Mistriotis

Emily Kimbrell Software Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Sat-Tycoon Event Pipeline

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Daniel Tauritz

Ayden Kemp Aerospace Engineering and Biosystems Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Fast Pyrolysis of Waste Plastic and Biomass Blends to Produce Transportation Fuels

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Sushil Adhikari

Cyrus Lloyd  Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Design and Construction of a Low-Cost Diamond Turning Lathe and Workflow for Precision Optics Manufacturing

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Jordan Roberts

Ethan Koenig  Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Safety Control and Development for Exoskeletons

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Gregory McCallum  Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  The Effects of Jointing Mechanisms within Bistable Structures on the Overall Fixity and Bistability

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Russell Mailen

Wesley Lowman Computer Science 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Control and Path-Planning for an Unmanned Ground Vehicle Using CAD, Gazebo, and ROS

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Vahid Azimi

Dylan Pollard  Chemical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Elucidating Catalytic Processes for Sustainable Technologies with Multiscale Modeling Approaches

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Andrew Adamaczyk

Ravikiran Nataraj Chemical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Adaptation of a Microfluidic System for Scalable Cell Encapsulation
Project Keywords:

Mentor: Elizabeth Lipke

Ansley Scott Biosystems Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Investigating the Sustainability of an Aquaponics System to Reduce Food Insecurity

Project Keywords:

Mentor: David Blersch

Ryan Pollard Mechanical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Lower Limb Joint Movement/ Power Prediction via Machine Learning

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Jacob Thornton Chemical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Python Developed GUI with Robotic Navigation

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Jean-Francois Louf

Robert Spieler Mechanical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Effect of using Hybrid Exoskeletons in Rehabilitation

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Brendon Allen

Ryan Wozniak Chemical Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Impact of different comonomers (PEGMA,PEGMEA, and PEGMEMA) on solute co-transport in PEGDA and PEGMA-AMPS membranes

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Bryan Beckingham

Robin Weaver Aerospace Engineering 

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Effects of Jointing Mechanisms Within Bistable Structures on the Overall Fixity and Bistability

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Russell Mailen


School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Florrie Adams Sustainable Biomaterials and Packaging 

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: Cellulose dissolving pulp and nanocellulose regeneration comparison

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Maria Peresin

Payton Brewer Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: Interaction of Burn and Unburned and Vegetation Composition with Early Seed Establishment of Four Southeastern Pine Species

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Heather Alexander

Ally Cobern Science

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: A Global Analysis of the Impacts of Free-Ranging Dogs on Native Wildlife

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Christopher Lepcyzk

Ellen Mayson Sustainable Biomaterials and Packaging

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: Cellulose dissolving pulp and nanocellulose regeneration comparison

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Maria Peresin

Evelyn Pearson Sustainable Biomaterials and Packaging

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: Cellulose dissolving pulp and nanocellulose regeneration comparison

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Maria Peresin

Caroline Ward Business

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: How Do Stakeholder Views on Wildlife Management Differ in Eswatini?

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Kelly Dunning

Kate Norrid Wildlife

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife

Project Title: The Influence of Urbanization on Stream Quality and Fish Health

Project Keywords:

Mentor: Bruce Lockaby


College of Human Sciences

Kalandra Blake Human Development and Family Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Virtual Tour of Auburn University’s African American History

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Robert Bubb

Elena Gagliano Human Development and Family Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Internalizing Problems and Declines in Academic Achievement: Mechanisms and Protective Factors

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Wendy Troop-Gordon

Mae Howell Nutrition

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: 2-Year Student Food Security Module Cognitive Interviews

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Onikia Brown

Kendall McCallum Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Nourish Wellness

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Alicia Powers

Claire Sisson Interior Design

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The Impact of the Built Environment on Health and Wellness

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Taneshia West Albert

Courtney Weeks Human Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Virtual Tour of Auburn University’s African American History

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Robert Bubb

Jenna Wettstein Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Positive Approaches to Trauma Healing (PATH) for Foster Parents

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Silvia Vilches


College of Liberal Arts

Jordan Branchman Political Science

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Montgomery, Alabama Food Deserts: The Migration of People and Grocery Retailers

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Rebecca Retzlaff

Dorothy Dreelin Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Traumatic Stress Risk Factors and Daily Symptoms (TRIADS)

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Brian Albanese

Walton Ferguson Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Examining Interception as a Mediator Between Sleep Disturbances and Suicidality in a Military Population

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: April Smith

Cameron Hearon Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: 

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Corina Jimenez-Gomez

Madysen Maggio Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Comorbidity Between Higher Rates of Trauma, Depression, and Anxiety and ADHD Diagnosis

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Kelli Thompson

Kelly Moore Health Service Administration

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Single Shift Quality Among Nurses

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Haneen Ali

Olivia Price Theatre Design and Technology, English

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Investigating Invisible Labor Practices in TTRPG Actual Play

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Emily Friedman

Sophia Rosene Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Effects of Accented Speech in Normal and Degraded Backgrounds on Listening Effort and Speech Intelligibility in American College Students

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Sridhar Krishnamurti

Katie Smith Anthropology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Linear Enamel Hypoplasia in African Enslaved Individuals from Newton’s Plantation, Barbados

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Kristina Shuler

Cameron Tice Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Treatment and Recidivism of Adolescents with Illegal Sexual Behavior

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Kelli Thompson


College of Education

Trent Agee Nutrition

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Is there a Correlation between Jump Performance and Male Youth Hitting Performance?

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Maia Engelkes Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Is there a correlation between jump performance and male youth hitting performance?

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Anna Wood Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Kinesiophobia

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jaimie Roper


College of Sciences and Mathematics

Janset Aksoy Neuroscience and Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Spontaneous Presynaptic Vesicle Release in P301L Mouse Hippocampal Neurons

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Michael Gramlich

Brandon Dye Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Elucidating Catalytic Processes for Sustainable Technologies with Multiscale Modeling Approaches

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Byron Farnum

Nicholas Edmonds Genetics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: How Does Climate Change Affect Seasonal Adaption in Drosophila robusta

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Laurie Stevison

Charlotte Jannach Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Water Quality Perceptions of Auburn University Students

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Ann Ojeda

Auburn Jordan Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: 

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Christian Goldsmith

Nathan Landers Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: 

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Michael Gramlich

Sean O’Hare Biochemisty 

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating the Mechanism of Luciferase Catalyzed Bioluminescence in the Dinoflagellate Species Noctiluca scintillans 

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Steven Mansoorabadi

Toby Sizemore Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating Mechanical Properties of Dystrophin and Utrophin by in Silico Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Rafael Bernardi

Alexis Toney Science

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Characterization of Unsaturated Lipids Using Ambient Ionization Techniques (Paper Spray Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry (PS-IM-MS))

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Ahmed Hamid

David Walker Math, Computer Science, and Data Science

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Predicting Freshmen Recruitment Decisions for Auburn Football Using Machine Learning

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jingyi Zheng

Rachel Youngblood Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: The Impact of Diversifying and Humanizing Science Role Models on Student Attitudes and Interest in Science Careers

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Cissy Ballen


School of Nursing

Abigail Cox Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: A Survey of College Students Mental Well-Being

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Linda Gibson-Young

Melissa Schrinel Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: The Vital Link: Nursing’s Role in the Early Detection of Patient Deterioration

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Pao-Feng Tsai


Harrison College of Pharmacy

Melissa Gathman Genetics

Sponsor(s): School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Functional Genetic Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Drug Metabolism Genes

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Amit Mitra

Zalaya Haynes Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Dissolution of Acai Capsules

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Angela Calderon

Jessica Heard Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Sustained Release of Capsaicin via 3D Printed Biodegradable Implants to Combat Obesity

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jayachandra Ramapuram

Katie Marlow Genetics

Sponsor(s): School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Functional Genetic Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Drug Metabolism Genes

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Amit Mitra


College of Veterinary Medicine

Alyssa Berry Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: The Role of DHCR24 in the Adrenal Gland

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jeff Huang

Kacey Meyering Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: The Role of DHCR24 in the Adrenal Gland

Project Keywords: 

Mentor: Jeff Huang

2021-2022

College of Agriculture

Kynslie Barnett Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Monitoring Animal Well-being Using a Biometric Device in Swine

Mentor: Terry Brandebourg

Harrison Estes Applied Biotechnology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The Role of Siderophores in Clinical and Agricultural Isolates of Fusarium

Mentor: Jeffrey Coleman

Samantha Harris Environmental Science and Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The Impact of Heat-Humidity Extremes on Mortality and Morbidity Trends in Counties across the Sun Belt of the United States

Mentor: Di Tian

Susan Iott Environmental Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Banana Lake: A Historical Analysis of Eutrophication

Mentor: Matthew Waters

Savannah Oglesby Animal Sciences, Pre-Vet

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Evaluating the Molecular Responses of Different Populations of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) to Warm Temperatures 

Mentor: Ian Butts

Walker Olive Applied Biotechnology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Identifying Species of Bacteria that Assist in Survival in Environments with an Extremely High Salt Content or High Temperature

Mentor: Kathy Lawrence

Gavin Rankins Animal Sciences, Animal/Allied Industries

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Developing Tools to Analyze the Reliability of Molecular Markers to Discriminate Reproductive Potential in Beef Heifers

Mentor: Paul Dyce

Kylie Weis Applied Biotechnology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Assessment of Microbiome Diversity found within Honeybee Hives, the Correlation of the Microbiome to Hive Health, and the Effect of Varroa Mite Treatments on the Microbiome

Mentor: Geoffrey Williams

Mary Wessel Agricultural Business and Econ

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: A study of Crop Insurance Fraud in Alabama

Mentor: Ruiquing Miao


College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

James Craig Building Science

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Project Title:  Exploring Automation and Robotics for Construction with a Focus on Material Handling Protocols

Mentor: Jeff Kim


College of Education

Peyton Gober Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Risk Factors Associated with Upper Extremity Pain in Softball Athletes

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver


Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Johannes Allen Physics and Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Analysis of the Structure and Morphology of the Debris Field Aftermath of a Violent Outburst of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1, using the Hubble Space Telescope

Mentor: Dennis Bodewits

Carolina Amezaga Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Developing an Electrochemical Biosensor to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Antigens, which will Facilitate the Rapid Diagnosis of COVID-19

Mentor: Xinyu Zhang

Lucy Bone Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Global Customer Mapping for Satellite Internet over the Next Decade

Mentor: Davide Guzzetti

Toby Crump Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Solvent-based Separation Analysis: Solvent Screening and Optimal Design

Mentor: Selen Cremaschi

Jacob Dewey Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: 

Mentor: Joseph Majdalani

Garrett Dickinson Software Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Constructing Embedded Avionics Software for the Analysis of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Using CubeSats

Mentor: Micheal Fogle

William Ferris Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Self-Folding Supercapacitor: The Applications of Prestrained Polystyrene on Specialized Circuits

Mentor: Russell Mailen

Rizwan Halani Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Design and Fabrication of a Novel Multistage Soft Robot

Mentor: Chad Rose

Brock Hunter Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Transport and Physiochemical Properties of Polyether-based Hydrogel Membranes

Mentor: Bryan Beckingham

Madeline Kunze Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Integration of Bioactivity – Global Natural Product Social Molecular Network (GNPS): Proof of Concept

Mentor: Angela Calderon

Daniel Michael Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Identifying Manual Material Handling Tasks using Wearable Sensors with Machine Learning

Mentor: Howrd Chen

Maggie Nelson  Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Processing and Application of Recycled Shape Memory Polymers 

Mentor: Russell Mailen

Andrew Parker Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: 

Mentor: Vrishank Raghav

Mark Roces  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Creating a Measurement Device for Quantifying Neuromuscular Impairment in Hands

Mentor: Chad Rose

Nicholas Rush Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Data Prioritization through Machine Vision Applications for Large Scale Camera Arrays Used in Wind Tunnel Dynamics

Mentor: Michael Hamilton

Lucy Seay  Pre-Computer Science

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Investigating Mechanisms of Memory Deficits and Altered Neurotransmission in Prenatal Cannabinoid Exposed Rodents

Mentor: Subhrajit Bhattacharya

Deepika Singla Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Characterization of Shape Memory Polymer in Space Environment

Mentor: Davide Guzzetti

Justus Smith  Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Determining the Ability of Algae to Support Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms in Vacillating Light Conditions

Mentor: Brendan Higgins

John Snitzer Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Probing Mechanical Heterogeneity of Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel using Digital Image Correlation

Mentor: Xiaoyuan Lou

Qinyi Tian  Computer Science

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Particle Tracking Velocimetry(PTV) Based on Image Processing

Mentor: Brian Thurow

Jonathan Ting Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: 

Mentor: Dan Marghitu

Sarah Tyndall  Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Removal of Phosphorus from Agricultural Runoff Using Biochar

Mentor: Sushil Adhikari

Harrison Walker Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting NbN Nanowires for use as Quantum Phase Slip Junctions

Mentor: Michael Hamilton

Emily Wilson Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Study of the Aerodynamic Interactions Between a Coaxial Rotor and a Wing for Application in Tail-sitter UAVs

Mentor: Vrishank Raghav

Juming Xiong  Computer Science

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Image Processing for the PoDiMS (Pathways of Disparities in Multiple Sclerosis) Study

Mentor: Gopikrishna Deshpande


School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Virginia Betbeze Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: 

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk

Jaliyl Collins Natural Resources Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Developing Adaptations to Mitigate Water Resource Inequalities in Alabama and Mississippi through a Comparative Assessment of Public Policy

Mentor: Kelly Dunning

Brieanne Dickson Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Analyzing how the Composition of Raw Materials Affects the Effectivity of an Antimicrobial Bio-based System

Mentor: Soledad Peresin

Madison McCown Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Why did the Squirrel not make it Across the Road? Factors Associated with Road Mortality of Squirrels in Lee County, Alabama

Mentor: Todd Steury

Kate Norrid Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  The Effects of Urbanization on Stream Quality and Fish Nutrition and Health

Mentor: Bruce Lockaby

Victoria Stack Geospatial and Environmental Informatics

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Sustainability at Auburn University: Assessing Solar Energy Potential with Remote Sensing and GIS

Mentor: Lana Narine

Drake Stallworth Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: 

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk


College of Human Sciences

Emily Barnes  Global Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title:  Nourish Wellness: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Combatting Nutrition Related Illness through Pediatric Care, Nutritional and Mental Wellness, and Physical Wellbeing

Mentor: Alicia Powers

Olivia Dettmering Interior Design

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Altering Kitchen Design to Incorporate Urban Homesteading

Mentor: Taneshia West Albert

Allison Kraabel  Interior Design

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title:  How Interior Design Combats the Loss of a Permanent Sense of Home for Adolescents in Orphanages or Temporary Homes and its Overall Affect on their Mental Healths

Mentor: Taneshia West Albert

Caitlin Powers Global Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Zero Hunger Pathways Project

Mentor: Alicia Powers

Hollen Terry  Global Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title:  Un Giardino di Comunione: Greenspace as a Restorative, Communal Site for Students Studying Abroad

Mentor: Lindsay Tan


College of Liberal Arts

Joshua Enger Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Alcohol Related Alterations in Immune Markers in Binge and Moderate Drinkers

Mentor: Sara Blaine

Lee (Taylor) Gusler Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior and Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Percussion, Peer Bonding, and Pro Social Behavior: Implications of Percussion Education on the Overall Therapeutic Model in Adjudicated Youth

Mentor: Kelli Thompson

Hunter Hathorn Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: 

Mentor: Sara Driskell

Jennifer Jones Quantitative Economics and Integrative Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Examining the Economic Community Effects of Nuclear Power Plant Construction

Mentor: Richard Seals

Allen Li Political Science and Economics

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  The U.S. Occupation of Post-World War II Germany: Media Content Analysis, 1945-1949

Mentor: Paul Harris

Anna O’Donell Speech, Language, and Hearing Science

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Audiological Screening Protocol using a Novel Tablet Application: A validation study

Mentor: Aurora Weaver

Camille Preston Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  The Effect of Teacher Habit Formation on Preschoolers’ Activity Levels

Mentor: Danielle Wadsworth

Gabriella Thompson Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: How Parental Relationships Impact Adolescents’ Social Interactions and Relationships When Entering College

Mentor: Sara Driscoll

Jordan Windham Political Science

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  How the White Manipulates National Crisis Narratives

Mentor: Matthew Clary

Katelyn Wolfe Theater Design and Production

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Comedy or Tragedy: A Psychoanalysis on the Impact of Technical Elements on the Audience’s Perception of Absurdist Works

Mentor: Fereshteh Rostampour

Mackenzie Wood Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Women’s Perceptions of Social Interactions after Sexual Violence

Mentor: Sara Driskell


School of Nursing

Blakey Blaine Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title:  Assessing the Receptiveness to Infant Safe Sleep Counseling for SIDS Prevention in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Populations

Mentor: Ann Lambert

Hudson Sneed Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Analyzing the Effectiveness of the Pediatric Pain Scale 

Mentor: Linda Gibson-Youngx


College of Sciences and Mathematics

Davis Arthur Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Development of a multi-particle spectrometer

Mentor: Guillaume Laurent

Dorelle Fawwal Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Bioactivity ccreening of novel streptomyces species 

Mentor: Mark Liles

Kerstin Glaser Geology/Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Analysis of pesticide contamination among oyster farms in Mobile Bay

Mentor: Ann Ojeda

Hayleigh Hallam Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Factors associated with preventive cancer screening among diabetic patients as compared to their non-diabetic counterparts 

Mentor: Chiahung “Edward” Chou

Nathan Holden Applied Math; English

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Mathematically helping solar cells absorb more light 

Mentor: Junshan Lin

Madelyn James Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: New method for preparation of gold-on-glass electrodes that enables reusable DNA-based electrochemical biosensors  

Mentor: Christopher Easley

Erin LaGrone Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Female dominance hierarchies of wild-derived mice (Mus musculus

Mentor: Wendy Hood

Regan Moss Microbiology/Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Heterogenentiy in trauma exposure and biopsychosocial health profiles of male sex trafficking survivors

Mentor: Lauren Rulhmann

Sarah Nix Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: The influence of sleep on blood vessel function in younger to middle-aged adults 

Mentor: Austin Robinson

Emma Parmer Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Quantifying emerging contaminants in Parkerson Mill Creek

Mentor: Ann Ojeda

Ryleigh Randall Laboratory Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Establishing an accurate water-corrected plasma:erythrocyte ratio for glucose, lactate, and pyruvate in human, pig, and chicken erythrocytes

Mentor: Andreas Kavazes

Abbriana Robert Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Important features of Walking Adaptation: A look at the nervous systems ability to regulate and maintain Sensory input during split-belt walking 

Mentor: Jaimie Roper

Joshua Semmes Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Morphological characteristics of ant communities among habitats of Alabama 

Mentor: Bill Wills

Haley Stephens Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Developing a printable paper-based test for detection of malaria parasites in mosquitoes for global use in malaria control programs

Mentor: Sarah Zohdy

Jake Tatum Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Generating a reliable method to quantitively measure and differentiate lytic and latent replication of the KSHV virus in different cell lines and stages of the virus’s life cycle

Mentor: Joanna Sztuba-Solinska

Avery Von Eiff Marine Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Effects of climate change on coral reefs: Factors affecting recovery from thermal stress in Florida false corals  Ricordea Florida 

Mentor: Marie Strader

Anna Wilson Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Changes in vascular collagen density and cerebral blood flow in cats with a phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes 15 kDa (PEA15) loss-of function mutation

Mentor: Emily Graff

2020-2021

College of Agriculture

Ellie Amerson Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Assessing the use of biometric ear tags as herd health monitoring devices in swine.

Mentor: Terry Brandebourg

Elijah Carroll Organismal Biology-Conservation

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Potential hazard to beneficial insects from imidacloprid exposure in the honeydew of crape myrtle bark scale Eriococcus lagerstroemiae (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae)

Mentor: David Held

Daniel Carter Crop, Soils, and Environmental Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Exploring relationships between diet and other risk factors for colon cancer with novel circulating biomarkers in humans

Mentor: Drew Frugé

Madison Dees Poultry Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Do cyanobacterial toxins bioaccumulate in aquaculture-produced fish? 

Mentor: Alan Wilson

Emily Ennis Poultry Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Will replacement of reproductive hormone genes with the alligator cathelicidin gene result in disease resistant, sterile catfish exhibiting normal growth? 

Mentor: Rex Dunham

Ivy Graves Animal Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Discovery and curation of communication modalities surrounding animal welfare practices  

Mentor: Donald Mulvaney

Rachel Hollingsworth Animal Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Investigating the role that inflammation plays in unexplained heifer infertility

Mentor: Paul Dyce

Seth Ingram Agricultural Business and Economics

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Impact of the China-US trade war on the Alabama soybean industry

Mentor: Ruiqing Miao

Megan Justice Wildlife Enterprise Management

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Genetic and phenotypic characterization of a cryptic Largemouth Bass form

Mentor: Eric Peatman

Parker King Horticulture: Nursery and Greenhouse Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Exploring the role of type VI secretion system of pathogen in mediating interactions with the plant cell

Mentor: Neha Potnis

Rachel Osbourne Poultry Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Analyzing samples of raw poultry processing plant wastewater to determine the chemical makeup and microbial load present before treatment

Mentor: Dianna Bourassa

Mackenzie Pennington Environmental Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effects of sodium bicarbonate on water alkalinity in a hydroponic system  

Mentor: Daniel Wells

Roshell Rosales Aguilar Agricultural Business and Economics

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Understanding the causes and exploring remedies for food waste and food loss

Mentor: Ruiqing Miao


Harbert College of Business

Carley Robinson Management and Finance

Sponsor(s): Harbert College of Business

Project Title: The effects of abusive supervision on insubordination

Mentor: Jeremy Mackey


College of Education

Molly Cassidy Kinesiology

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Electromyographic analysis of shoulder rotation strength testing positions 

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Abigail Cramer Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The effects of previously playing an overhead throwing sport in shoulder range of motion, strength, and humeral retroversion

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Daisy Hansana Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Investigating preparatory movement about the ankle 

Mentor: Wendi Weimar

Alice Northcutt Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The efficacy of adaptive aerobic exercise on sleep in adults with disabilities

Mentor: Melissa Pangelinan

Derrick Stephen Kinesiology

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: SuperHERoes of today: A biomechanical analysis of the anatomical adaptations during pregnancy

Mentor: Christopher Wilburn


Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Peter Abraham Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: RNA-sequencing analysis to identify links between the consensus molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer and obesity

Mentor: Elizabeth Lipke

Peden Arnold Bio-Process Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Biofuels value of biomass of algal turf scrubber treating aquaponics wastewater 

Mentor: David Blersch

Mary Baird Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Polyether-based ion exchange membranes for heavy metal harvesting 

Mentor: Bryan Beckingham

Brett Cranston Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Inertial measurement and surface electromyography in advanced arm prosthetics

Mentor: Chad Rose

Megan Davies Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineered cancer tissues for application in disease modeling and personalized drug testing

Mentor: Elizabeth Lipke

Matthew Do Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Developing machine learning models to predict protein solubility through frequency of amino acids

Mentor: Chris Kieslich

Calvin Dulaney Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: 3D Printer accessory that prints two polymers while being able to manipulate their concentration 

Mentor: Edward Davis

Evan Ellison Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Development of MATLAB algorithms for determination and analysis of kinematic data from a split-belt treadmill 

Mentor: Jaime Roper

Sierra Eady Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: A physics-based gasoline particulate filter temperature model for feedback oriented vehicle applications 

Mentor: Mark Hoffman

Grace Gray Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Human impact study, testing the efficacy of customized 3D printed guards 

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Audrey Hall Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Investigation of the antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens and chemical composition of extracts and partitions of Psidium guajava

Mentor: Angela Calderon

Theresa Hardin Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Developing a tension driven telescoping arm

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Grace Hester Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineered 3D in vitro colorectal cancer models to investigate the link between obesity and cancer 

Mentor: Elizabeth Lipke

Jett Kik Industrial and Systems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineering controls for hazardous noise: Researching and aggregating effective noise abatement solutions and creating media to disseminate the results of said research. 

Mentor: Richard Sesek

Yevhenii “Jack” Kovryzhenko Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: System developing, path planning and trajectory optimization for autonomous areal vehicles 

Mentor: Ehsan Taheri

Jin Kwon Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Additive manufacturing of batteries using MXene-based inks 

Mentor: Majid Beidaghi

Andrew McGehee Software Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Computational modeling of protein 3D structures with optimization and machine learning 

Mentor: Debswapna Bhattacharya

Elizabeth Melby Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Neutral lipid accumulation in algae induced by oxidative stress due to poultry wastewater antimicrobials 

Mentor: Brendan Higgins

Javier Nishikawa Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Polymer-coated sugar nanoparticles for encapsulation of biomolecules

Mentor: Allan David

Ernest “Steven” Porterfield Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Optimization of biodegradable resins for additive manufacturing

Mentor: Edward Davis

William Rud Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Identifying laboratory light conditions that are viable for use in an algae turf scrubber raceway with filamentous algae 

Mentor: David Blersch

Mollie Sabo Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Pore network modelling of reactive permeability evolution

Mentor: Lauren Beckingham

Shelby Wales Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Fabrication of reactive rocks with 3D printing

Mentor: Lauren Beckingham

Duncan Wisniewski Wireless Engineering/Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Virtual muscle movement through EEG for motor learning 

Mentor: Mark Adams


School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Jamie Andersen Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Determining the spatial and temporal patterns of fiddler crab use of tidal freshwater forested wetlands along two rivers of the Apalachicola River.

Mentor: Christopher Anderson

Virginia Betbeze Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: The effect that culling of invasive species has on native bird populations in Kauai, Hawaii

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk

Sarah Cain Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Analyzing the accuracy of pellet count surveys to estimate density of White-tailed Deer (odocoileus virginianus)

Mentor: Stephen Ditchkoff

Allison Foster Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Assessing the economic cost of managing invasive species across the United States 

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk

Philip McMichael Substainable Biomaterials and Packaging

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Bio-based coagulation and flocculation systems to treat contaminants in concrete washwater

Mentor:Maria Soledad Peresin


College of Human Sciences

Erin Casolaro Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies/Accounting

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Financial implications of personal gardening among elderly in rural Alabama  

Mentor: Alicia Powers

Anna Fouty Nutrition Science and Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Telomere length and childhood obesity  

Mentor: Geetha Thangiah

Molly Grubb Global Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Measuring the impact of humanitarian aid

Mentor: Alicia Powers

Tucker Kilgo Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Basic needs coalition food security prevalence study 

Mentor: Onikia Brown

Megan Schaberg Nutrititon Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Determining the effects of health beliefs on dietary intervention adherence and change in inflammatory biomarkers

Mentor: Drew Frugé

Kristyn Waldron Human Development and Family Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Community-based youth programs: Examining utilization and perceived benefits to military families

Mentor: Mallory Lucier-Greer


College of Liberal Arts

Avery Agostinelli Art History and Political Science

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Perpetual patriotism and polarizing politics: The multifaceted implications of Childe Hassam’s Avenue in The Rain

Mentor: Emily Burns

Brannon Anthony Political Science

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Human trafficking for the purpose of forced marriage in The People’s Republic of China 

Mentor: Michael Brown

Hannah Evans Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Sexual development of adolescents adjudicated for illegal sexual behavior and adolescents adjudicated for general delinquent behavior

Mentor: Kelli Thompson

Samantha Guajardo Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The effects of pre-adjudicatory factors on therapeutic alliance and the existence of racial disparities within adolescents who have been adjudicated for sexual offending behaviors 

Mentor: Kelli Thompson

Nathan Holden English/Applied Math

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Employing Christianity: The role of religion in nineteenth-century American literature

Mentor: James Ryan

Carleigh Morrow Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Developmental olanzapine exposure on impulsive choice and behavioral flexibility 

Mentor: Christopher Newland

Megan Ondrizek Communication Disorders

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Allostasis and homeostasis in the NICU infant: Implications for use of NMES for habilitation of swallowing function

Mentor: Mary Sandage

Cassidy Powell Psychology and Music Performance

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  How neurosyphilis affected four 19th century musical composers and their works 

Mentor: Michael Pendowski

Allyson Pullen Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Social media use, health, and risk behavior among young women

Mentor: Sara Blaine

Kylie Seaton Psychology and Sociology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The influence on children’s ADHD symptoms by the interplay of various parenting behaviors and rates of child physical activity 

Mentor: Joshua Novak

Jessica Sullivan History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Wray v. Wray: Public perceptions of women’s health in the antebellum courtroom

Mentor: Kelly Kennington


Nursing

Emily Clair Herring Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Examination of barriers to health and chronic disease management in a rural population

Mentor: Linda Gibson-Young

Rebecca McDuffie Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Correlation between number of activities provided in nursing homes and the quality of life of the individuals living there

Mentor: Kathy Jo Ellison

Jada Norford Nursing and Philosophy

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Implications of interprofessional collaboration: Increasing potential for care efficacy among nursing and social work students 

Mentor: Sarah Watts

Caroline Richey Nursing

Sponsor(s): School of Nursing

Project Title: Doggone diabetes: Healthy human, healthy dog, healthy nursing student volunteer  

Mentor: Morgan Yordy


College of Sciences and Mathematics

Nicole Anthony Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Characterizing the Structure-to-Function Relationship of an Antisense Long Non-coding RNA Associated with the β-myosin Heavy Chain Gene of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle for Potential Drug-targeting

Mentor: Joanna Sztuba-Solinska

Caroline Condon Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Evaluating the Perceptions of Healthfulness within Low-income Communities using the Behavior Environment Perceptions Survey

Mentor: Onikia Brown

Stella Cox Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Identification of Pesticide Isomers in Crops using Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

Mentor: Ahmed Hamid

Laura Downey Biomedical Sciences, Pre-Medical

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Determination of Clinical Effectiveness of Novel Liposomal Formulation of Proteasome Inhibitors in Tumors.

Mentor: Alexei Kisselev

Meredith Forrester Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Using Computational Biophysics to Investigate the Effects of Mechanical Forces on Proteins

Mentor: Rafael Bernardi

Bethany Foust Geospatial and Environmental Informatics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Glacial Archaeological Modeling of the Northwest Territories using Remote Sensing and GIS

Mentor: Stephanie Rogers

Rachel Fulda Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  

Mentor: Guillaume Laurent

Corinne Gautreaux Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  A Cross Sectional Study of Temporal Diet Quality in US Adults

Mentor: Andrew Fruge

Emma Henderson Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Continuous Monitoring of the Effects of a Storm’s First Flush on Nutrient Cycling and the Microbial Assemblage in Parkerson Mill Creek

Mentor: Ann Ojeda

Railey Herren Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Addressing the Genetic Basis of Cytoskeletal Development and how Microtubules are involved in Scale Development using the Butterfly Vanessa Cardui

Mentor: Brian Counterman

Auburn Jordan Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: A Fe(II) Complex Capable of Detecting H2O2 in Association with Oxidative Stress

Mentor: Chris Goldsmith

Emily Kable Chemistry Education and Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Chord Diagrams as a Visual Tool in Chemistry Education Research

Mentor: Jordan Harshman

Taylor McKibben Microbial, Cellular, Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Acquisition and Development of the Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiome in Lizards

Mentor: Tonia Schwartz

Emma Peacock Microbial Biology (Cellular/Molecular)

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Understanding Natural Product Biosynthesis in Blueberry

Mentor: Courtney Leisner

Avery Rajan Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Drugs from Dirt: Development and Characterization of Novel Antimicrobial Compounds

Mentor: Mark Liles

Tiffany Ramsey Medical Laboratory Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  The Effectivity of Duckweed as a Source of Biomanipulation to Develop a Sustainable Method for Controlling Toxic Levels of Ammonia in Commercial Catfish Ponds

Mentor: Alan Wilson

Alicia Taylor Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Antimicrobial Plastics: The Development of Novel, Rechargeable N-Halamine Polymer blends for use in Healthcare, Food Processing, and 3D Printing Industries

Mentor: Shelby Worley

Brandon Waldo Marine Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Genetic Divergence of Gulf Killifish Across Salinity Gradients in the Gulf of Mexico

Mentor: Moises Bernal

Samuel Warren Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Petrographic Characterization of Skarn Deposits in Puerto Rico

Mentor: Laura Bilenker


School of Pharmacy

Laura Downey Biomedical Sciences, Pre-Medical

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Determination of Clinical Effectiveness of Novel Liposomal Formulation of Proteasome Inhibitors in Tumors.

Mentor: Alexei Kisselev

Madeline Kunze Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Integration of Bioactivity – Global Natural Product Social Molecular Network (GNPS): Proof of Concept

Mentor: Angela Calderon

Lucy Seay Computer Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title:  Investigating Mechanisms of Memory Deficits and Altered Neurotransmission in Prenatal Cannabinoid Exposed Rodents

Mentor: Subhrajit Bhattacharya

2019-2020

College of Agriculture


Andrew Bradford Fisheries

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Quantifying the Effects of Different Environmental Conditions on Sperm Form and Function for Aquatic Species of Importance in Alabama

Mentor: Ian Butts

Brooke Johnson Environmental Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Inventory and Characterization of Gulf Coast Salt Marsh Soil Resources

Mentor: Joey Shaw

Meagan Reeves Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Mitochondrial-Nuclear Interaction Between Breeds of Lean and Obese Pigs

Mentor: Terry Brandebourg

Ian Schlosser Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Reclaiming AU Campus Sewage Through an Integrated Wastewater Treatment Process

Mentor: Yi Wang

Lauren Shortnacy Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effect of the Wooden Breast Myopathy on Broiler Chicken Collagen and Myogenic Regulatory Factor Protein Expression

Mentor: Jessica Starkey

Evan Webster

Evan Webster Fisheries

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Assessment of Vendor Preferences and Perceived Quality in the Half-shell Oyster Market

Mentor: William Walton

College of Architecture Design and Construction


Dongnyeok Han Building Science

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Project Title: Strategies and Lessons Learned for Creating Virtual Reality Immersive Games for Construction Safety Training

Mentor: Salman Azhar

College of Education


Katherine Corona

Katie Corona Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  An uphill battle: understanding gait alterations in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Mentor: Jaimie Roper

Caroline Kirkham Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Influence of Lower Extremity in Softball Pitching

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Robert McLaughlin Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  Development of a More Convenient and Affordable Method of Measuring the Arch Height Index

Mentor: Christopher Wilburn

Ryleigh Randall Laboratory Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The Impact of Lactation on Autophagy and Mitochondrial fission and fusion in the Liver and Skeletal Muscle

Mentor: Andreas Kavazis

Kathryn Riis Exercise Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Get a Grip: Investigation of Non-Slip Socks on Locomotive Parameters in High-Risk Population for Falls

Mentor: Christopher Willburn

Alanis Smith Integrative Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Inhibitory Control in Musicians vs. Non-musicians

Mentor: Kristina Neely

Carley Wilson Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  Changes in Sleep Efficiency in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder during an Adapted Tennis Intervention

Mentor: Melissa Pangelinan

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering


Ryan Anthony Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Optimization Study of the Synthesis Process for the Mo²C MXene

Mentor: Majid Beidaghi

Cameron Baker Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Analysis of Airborne Soldier Load Carriage Gait

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Noah Blackwood Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Exploring Superparamagnetic Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles as Alternative MRI-T1 Contrast Agents

Mentor: Allan David

Justin Box Bioprocess Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Analyzing the Effect of Antimicrobial Processing Aids in Poultry Processing Wastewater and Investigating the Use of Eukaryotic Algae in Collaboration with Bacteria to Treat Poultry Processing Waste Water

Mentor: Brendan Higgins

Michaela Bush Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Developing MATLAB Code for Analysis of Heterogeneous Engineered Cardiac Tissue during Contraction

Mentor: Elizabeth Ann Lipke

David Carpenter Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Analyzing the Frequencies that Influence Soft Tissue Artifact

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Watson Copeland Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Acoustics of a Carbon Fiber Guitar

Mentor: Edmon Perkins

Max Garton Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Damping Effects of a Particle Damper on a Torsional Pendulum

Mentor: Edmon Perkins

Lily Gong Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Click Chemistry Towards Allyl-polymer MRI contrast agents: solubility, kinetics, and magnetic responses

Mentor: Bryan Beckingham

Levi Gosdin Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Quantifying the Unsteady Aerodynamics of Raptors

Mentor: Vrishank Raghav

Tina Huang Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Improving Polymer-Modified Asphalt by Changing the Characteristics of Block Copolymers Using Click Chemistry

Mentor: Bryan Beckingham

Sierra Jacobs Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Do Biomechanical Measures Change During a Drop-jump Landing with a Cognitive Task?

Mentor: Jaimie Roper

Seth Johnston Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Studying the Relevance of Stomatal Characteristics on Drought Tolerance in Peanut

Mentor: Alvaro Sanz Saez

Tarun Kore Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Expiratory Flows in the Human Trachea

Mentor: Vrishank Raghav

Christy Manning Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  The Effects of Impregnation on Catalyst Pellets

Mentor: Marta Miletic

Catherine McConatha Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Corrosion of Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel Bio-implants in Simulated Human Body Fluid

Mentor: Xiaoyuan Lou

Andrew Moore Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: In Vitro 3D Colorectal Cancer Model Using PEG-fibrinogen Hydrogels

Mentor: Elizabeth Ann Lipke

Zane Oligee Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Chemical Abrasive Flow Polishing of Micro-Channels for use in Additively Manufactured Inconel 718 Heat Exchangers

Mentor: Scott Thompson

Hayden Patteson Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Temperature Control/Sensor for In-situ Sea Turtle Nests

Mentor: Edmon Perkins

Johann Phan Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Effects of Arm’s Length on Batted Ball Speed and Distance

Mentor: Gretchen Oliver

Elizabeth Prior

Elizabeth Prior Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Effectiveness of Measuring the Turbidity of Waterways with Multispectral Imaging Obtained by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mentor: Frances O’Donnell

Aura Reyna Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Shape Memory Polymer Programming Techniques

Mentor: Russel Mailen

Jonathan Schuler Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineering Lignin Transformation Mechanisms to Create Value-added Products using Atomistic Modeling

Mentor: Andrew Adamczyk

Anna Catherine Smith Industrial Systems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Utilizing the Tools of Visual Media to Aid STEM Practitioners in Reporting their Findings Simply and Effectively

Mentor: Edmon Perkins

Philip Snitzer Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: How Waste Heat from a Process Can Be Repurposed and/or Stored to Make Other Areas of the Process More Efficient and Reduce Waste Heat Being Released to the Atmosphere

Mentor: Jay Khondadadi

Helen Steeve Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Optimizing Stereolithography 3D Printing for use with Biodegradable Resins

Mentor: Edward Davis

Jacob Stotser Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Development of MATLAB Trip/Slip Algorithms to Investigate the Effectiveness of Treadmill-based Perturbation Training

Mentor: Jaimie Roper

Zachary Wadzinski Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: A Method of Containing Near-Source Undegraded Floating Plastic

Mentor: Mark Dougherty

Christopher Weathers Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: MRI-Based Quantification of Tibiofemoral Alignment of Female Athletes

Mentor: Michael Zabala

Madison Wichmann Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Assessment of Stream Bank Stability vs. Time and of the Relationship Between Plant Roots and Soil Aggregation

Mentor: Thorsten Knappenberger

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences


Eian Davis Geospatial and Environmental Informatics

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Streamflow Trend Analysis in the State of Georgia to Determine Changes in Water Availability

Mentor: Sanjiv Kumar

Allison Gary Wildlife Sciences/Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Creating a Social Survey to Analyze Differential Veterinary Care Cost for Indoor Versus Outdoor House Cat (Felis Catus) in the South Eastern Region

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk

Abby Hagelskamp Wildlife Sciences/Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Creating a Social Survey to Analyze Differential Veterinary Care Cost for Indoor Versus Outdoor House Cat (Felis Catus) in the South Eastern Region

Mentor: Christopher Lepczyk

Jace McCauley Forestry

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: How Change in Temperature Patterns Affect Pine Sawflies in the South Eastern United States

Mentor: Lori Eckhardt

Abigail Morgan Wildlife Sciences/Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Cat and Island Ecosystems: Zoonotic Pathogens in Feral Cats in Hawaii, Madagascar, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Mentor: Sarah Zohdy

Gabrielle Ripa Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: The Effect of Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense), an Invasive Shrub, On Herpetofaunal Communities

Mentor: Christopher Anderson

College of Human Sciences


Beatriz Carmona Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The Effects of Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction on the Rhythmicity of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Mentor: Michael Greene

Anna Fouty Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Salivary Amylase Gene Copy Number and Childhood Obesity

Mentor: Geetha Thangiah

Aaron Riviere Nutrition: Dietetics

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Zonulin levels decline in serum and fecal samples after the addition of green leafy vegetables to a high red meat diet in obese individuals with high risk for colorectal cancer.

Mentor: Andrew Frugé

College of Liberal Arts


Abigail Bennett Communication Disorders

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Using an Interactive Phonetics Learning Management System and User-Centered Design to Inform Phonetics Education Methods

Mentor: Marisha Speights

Brianna Burks Communication Disorders

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Event Boundary Effects on Speech in Physical and Virtual Reality Environments

Mentor: Dallin Bailey

Jorge Castro Lebron Neuroscience/ Musical Performance-Voice

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Allophone and Syllable Stress Perception in Spanish as a Second Language

Mentor: Gilda Socarras

Natalie Conboy Psychology/ Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Development of a Comprehensive Measure for the Cognitive Attentional Syndrome

Mentor: Joseph Bardeen

Kaitlyn Connor Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Psychophysiological Correlates of Pain in Cannabis Users and Non-Users

Mentor: Jennifer Robinson

Sarah Etherton Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Finding the Neurofunctional Topography of the Human Hippocampus using fMRI

Mentor: Jennifer Robinson

Lily Fess Art History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Repatriation of Art Objects Taken from the Kingdom of Benin During Late Nineteenth-Century British Colonialism

Mentor: Emily Burns

Taylor Mitchell Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Anxiety Levels in Adolescents Adjudicated for Illegal Sexual Behavior

Mentor: Kelli Thompson

Elizabeth Murphy Communication Disorders

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Auditory Brainstem Responses to Altered Orchestral Music

Mentor: Sridhar Krishnamurti

Leslie Schuneman Art History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Ideas of Materiality and Unfinished Quality: A Closer Look at Auguste Rodin’s Sculptures

Mentor: Emily Burns

Adam Sienkiewicz Health Services Administration

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Asking the Right Questions: The Demanding Task of Developing an Interactive Survey Instrument for Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

Mentor: Haneen Ali

Mary Grace Vinson English Literature

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Plas Newydd: Mapping the Networks of the Ladies of Llangollen

Mentor: Emily Clair Friedman

William West History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Auburn

Mentor: Kelly Kennington

Victoria Zona Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Determining How Images of Different Exercise Contexts are Spontaneously Registered in the Brains of Non-exercisers Via Electroencephalography (EEG)

Mentor: Matthew Miller

Harrison School of Pharmacy


Alison Beverly Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Cytokine Recepto CXCR3 Blockade Enhances Hyperexcitability and Synaptic Transmission Changes That Occur Following a Peripheral Viral Infection

Mentor: Miranda Reed

Kavon Diggs Biomedical Sciences/Pre-Pharmacy

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Factors Influencing Medicare Beneficiary’s Decisions Regarding Medicare Plan Selection

Mentor: Salisa Westrick

Marissa Dogan Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Investigating the Role of the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex in Alzheimer’s Disease

Mentor: Miranda Reed

Connor Jones Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Tofacitinib Analogs as Agents for MPO Inhibition

Mentor: Forrest Smith

Shivani Rangari Biomedical Sciences/Pre-Medicine

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Formulation of Acyclovir and Lidocaine Topical Gels for Herpes Simplex Virus Infection

Mentor: Jayachandra Ramapuram

College of Sciences and Mathematics


Angela Burns Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Evaluation of the Influence of Work and Heat Exposure on Physiological Measures in Firefighters

Mentor: JoEllen Sefton

Abigail Campbell Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Evaluation of the Effects of Work and Heat Exposure on Cognitive Function in Firefighters

Mentor: JoEllen Sefton

Andrew Caskey Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: A New Synthetic Approach to the Paracyclophane Core of the Anti-cancer Alkaloid Hauamine A

Mentor: Bradley Memer

Brett Clark Physics and Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Effectiveness of Identifying Liquefaction Deposits from Large-Scale Earthquakes using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mentor: Lorraine Wolf

Sarah Dolinger

Sarah Beth Dolinger Biomedical Sciences/Pre-Physical Therapy

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Studying the Effects of a Wellness Fair Program on High School Students’ Mental and Physical Health

Mentor: Melissa Pangelinan

Michael Erwin Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Can Inhibitory Control be Trained?

Mentor: Kristina Neely

Noah Gibson Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Synthetic Exploration of Metal Catalyzed Cu²O Formation Using a Hot Injection Methodology

Mentor: Kristina Neely

John Grundhoefer Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: The Investigation of Emissive Properties of Imine and Hydroxyl-Coordinated Luminescent Lanthanide Complexes

Mentor: Anne Elizabeth Gordon

Leann Kopp Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Improving 3D Reconstruction Algorithms Using Computational and Numerical Algebraic Geometry

Mentor: Luke Oeding

Regan Moss Microbiology/Pre-Medicine/Neuroscience

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Heterogeneity in Trauma Exposure and Biopsychosocial Health of Male Sex Trafficking Survivors

Mentor: Lauren Ruhlmann

Kyle Oswalt Integrative Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating Ganglia Importance in Discontinuous Gas Flow Patterns of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina Partentosa).

Mentor: Arthur Appel

Holden Paz Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: The Role of p62 Ubiquitination in Viral Infection

Mentor: Jason Upton

Jacob Sinopoli Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Design and Optimization of Microfluidic Droplet Traps Using High Resolution, 3D-printed Templates

Mentor: Christopher Easley

Xavier Streety Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating Late-stage Polypeptide Diversification Via Formation of Twisted Amides

Mentor: Monika Raj

Brady Unzicker Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Exact Characterization of Attosecond Pulses Using Atomic Hydrogen Wavefunctions

Mentor: Guillaume Laurent

Ansley Welham Organismal Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Isolation and Cultivation of Human and Plant Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria from the Snouts of Locally Sources Sus Scrofa in South Alabama

Mentor: Lori Eckhardt

Natalie Williams Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Science and Mathematics

Project Title: Antibacterial Properties of Europa Lander Solid Rocket Motor Adhesive, EA9394, Against Sporulating Gram-positive Bacteria

Mentor: Mark Liles

Nursing


Trae Anderson Nursing

Sponsor(s): College of Nursing

Project Title: Recruitment of Underrepresented Populations Into Health Outcomes Research: Review of the Literature and Strategies for Recruitment

Mentor: Caralise Hunt

2018-2019

College of Agriculture


Elizabeth Brown

Elizabeth Brown Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Calving season and rumen-protected methionine on epigenetic control of beef production

Mentor: Dr. Sonia Mosia

Anna Gierow Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Comparative Transcriptomics Between Porcine and Cattle Oocytes.

Mentor: Dr. Fernando Biase

Olivia Reid

Olivia Reid Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  NICD over-expression in the Notch signaling pathway affects the organization of the adrenal gland

Mentor: Dr. Jeff Huang

Andrew Keel

Andrew Keel Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title:  Effect of dietary protein source and litter condition on broiler chicken growth performance and interstinal stem cell activity

Mentor: Dr. Jessica Starkey

College of Architecture Design and Construction


Kara Boyer

Kara Boyer Building Science

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture Design and Construction

Project Title:  Creating a tiny home building code to positively effect long-term sustainability

Mentor: Dr. April Simons

Kyra Stark Architecture

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture Design and Construction

Project Title:  Incorporating passive design into the beginning design process

Mentor: Dr. Justin Miller

College of Education


Abby Brittain

Abigail Brittain Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  Sport specialization and teaching patterns in youth athletes

Mentor: Dr. Gretchen Oliver

Katherine Corona

Katherine Corona Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  An uphill battle: understanding gait alterations in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Mentor: Dr. Jaimie Roper

A Maheu

Arlene Maheu Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  The cognitive effects of ‘green exercise’ on adolescents diagnosed with ADHD

Mentor: Dr. Ford Dyke

Carley Wilson Physical Activity and Health

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title:  The Influence of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality in Children and Young Adults

Mentor: Dr. Melissa Pangelinan

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering


reid adams

Reid Adams Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Elucidating structure-activity relationships of metal oxide and metal carbide catalysts via a novel raman-spectrokinetic approach

Mentor: Dr. Carlos Carrero

luke anderson

Luke Anderson Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Engineering in vitro three-dimensional colorectal cancer tissue models from patient-derived xenografts for application in personalized medicine

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Ashely Baerlocher Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Electrolytes

Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Fergus

Erin Batcho

Erin Batcho Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Canine Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at 7T MRI

Mentor: Dr. Thomas Denney

Jacob Bensinger

Jacob Bensinger Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Assessment of porosity-permeability relationships for 3D pore network models undergoing pore-scale dissolution and precipitation

Mentor: Dr. Lauren Beckingham

Kelly Burnham

Kelly Burnham Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  The Non-Isentropic Solution to the Taylor-Culick Profile for Cylindrical and Slab Rocket Motors

Mentor: Dr. Joseph Majdalani

Tyler Compher

Tyler Compher Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Lumped Parameter Modeling Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Blood Flow

Mentor: Dr. Vrishank Raghav

Kereem El-Kattan

Kareem El-Kattan Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Synthesizing Peptide Sequences to Target Prostate Cancer Cells

Mentor: Dr. Allan David

Danielle Elmore

Danielle Elmore Microbial, Cellular, and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Tissue clearing techniques to improve hemodynamic testing of heart valves

Mentor: Dr. Vrishank Raghav

Caroline George

Caroline George  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Development of a functional ex-vivo porcine heart to test and improve mitral valve repairing techniques

Mentor: Dr. Vrishank Raghav

Bryana Harris

Bryana Harris  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Examining the Effects of Tissue Geometry on Cardiomyocyte Maturation in 3D Developing Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Bryan Holmes

Bryan Holmes  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Modeling of Photosynthetic Aeration for Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment Processes

Mentor: Dr. Brendan Higgins

Rachel Howell

Rachel Howell  Ecological Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Development of a bench-scale flume reactor for benthic filamentous algae colonization studies

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch

Mengyang (Claudia) Hu  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Using post polymerization click-chemistry approaches to incorporate magnetic properties within polymer structures to prepare polymeric T1, T2 or T1 and T2 MRI contrast agents

Mentor: Dr. Bryan Beckingham

Katelyn Jenkins  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  The Biomechanical Effect of Body-Borne Loads on Airborne Soldiers

Mentor: Dr. Michael Zabala

LeeAnn Johnston  Ecological Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Exploring the Removal of Excess Nutrients and Heavy Metals From Polluted Water Bodies Through the Use of Macrophytes and Microorganisms

Mentor: Dr. Alan Wilson

Keith Krause

Keith Krause  Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Investigation of the performance and energy consumption of superconducting adiabatic computing circuits

Mentor: Dr. Michael Hamilton

Hudson Land

Hudson Land  Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  The Assessment of Protein Feedstock Value of Cultivated Algal Biomass for Aquaponics Waste Nutrient Recycling

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch

Ryan Long

Ryan Long Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Self-Folding Origami

Mentor: Dr. Russell Mailen

Noah Miller

Noah Miller  Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Harnessing Solar Energy to Perform Self-Folding Origami

Mentor: Dr. Russell Mailen

Rebecca Mulholland  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Impact Dynamics of a 3D printed Piano Hammer

Mentor: Dr. Edmon Perkins

Mina Nayayanan

Mina Narayanan  Software Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Adversarial Authorship: Exploring Features for Author Identification

Mentor: Dr. Gerry Dozier

Isabel Perry  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Impact Dynamics of Strings with Vibration Controls

Mentor: Dr. Edmon Perkins

Elizabeth Prior

Elizabeth Prior  Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Effectiveness of Measuring the Turbidity of Waterways with Near Infrared Imaging Obtained by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mentor: Dr. Frances O’Donnell

Joshita Suresh

Joshita Suresh  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Engineering in vitro prostate cancer tumor tissue to test the efficacy of anticancer therapeutics

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

David Teitge  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Design and Construction of a Phase Change Flight Experiment for the International Space Station using micro-structured surfaces

Mentor: Dr. Sushil Bhavnani

Tyler Toner

Tyler Toner  Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Model predictive controller sensitivity to errored parameters for a cruise controlled heavy truck convoy in simulation

Mentor: Dr. David Bevly

Kelly Turner  Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Modeling the Influence of Ground Surface Roughness and Building Attributes on the Physical Vulnerability of Low-Rise Buildings to Hurricane Winds

Mentor: Dr. David Roueche

Anna Vesico

Anna Vescio  Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Controlled release from topical ointments modified with halloysite nanotubes

Mentor: Dr. Edward Davis

Eric Wietstruk  Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Study of the Aerodynamic Response of Birds to Turbulent Weather Conditions

Mentor: Dr. Vrishank Raghav

Liam Wood

Liam Wood  Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title:  Halloysite based Antibacterial Paints

Mentor: Dr. Edward Davis

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences


Cullen Anderson

Cullen Anderson  Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Spatial and Temporal Effects of Rural Mennonite Communities on Jaguar (Panthera onca) Populations in Belize

Mentor: Dr. Todd Steury

Arielle Fay

Arielle Fay  Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Impacts of Wild Pigs on Acorn Availability

Mentor: Dr. Mark Smith

Figure Silhouette

Kayla Krigger  Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  The effects of temperature, air pressure, humidity, and habitat on the preferred bloodmeal of Aedes albopictus

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Zohdy

Alex Merchinsky

Alex Merchinsky  Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Ant Foraging Behavior Under Artificially Manipulated Temperatures

Mentor: Dr. Robert Gritzen & Dr. Christopher Lepczyk

James Shortnacy

James Shortnacy  Wildlife Ecology Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title:  Estimating the Proportion of White-tailed Deer Illegally Harvested over Bait in Eastern Alabama

Mentor: Dr. William Gulsby

College of Human Sciences


Emily Parra

Emily Parra  Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title:  Lifestyle Determinants of Childhood Obesity in Elementary School Children

Mentor: Dr. Geetha Thangiah

Savannah Rundquist

Savannah Rundquist  Nutrition-Dietetics

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title:  Exploring the effects of a high chlorophyll dietary intervention to reduce colon cancer risk in adults: The Meat and Three Greens (M3G) Feasibility Trial

Mentor: Dr. Andrew Fruge

College of Liberal Arts


Lauren Allison

Lauren Allison  Communication Disorders

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  Quantification of upper airway thermoregulation and vocal dose in indoor cycling fitness instructors with and without amplification: implications for vocal health

Mentor: Dr. Mary J. Sandage

Pate Brunner

Pate Brunner  Music Performance and Economics

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  A Musical and Historical Analysis of Jazz Trombone Performance and its Technical Adaptation in the Bebop Era and Beyond

Mentor: Dr. Michael Pendowski

Emma Goodwin

Emma Goodwin  English Literature

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title:  A More Virtuous Vice: An Intersection Between Games and Religion in Eleventh-Century Cambrai

Mentor: Dr. Kate Craig

Barbara Laughlin Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Perception of Situations Through Word Connotation: Impact on Anxiety

Mentor: Dr. Alejandro Lazarte

Taylor Mackowski

Taylor Mackowski Spanish

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: L2 Spanish Learners’ Auditory Perception of Gender and Number and its Role in Relative Clause Attachment Resolution

Mentor: Dr. Daniel Vergara

Stevan Marcus

Stevan Marcus Economics

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Water Contamination and Infant Health in West Alabama

Mentor: Dr. Duha Altindag and Aditi Segupta

Katie Martin

Katie Martin English

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Impact of Document Design on Alcohol-Harm Awareness

Mentor: Dr. Helen Eldson

Haley Maul Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Workplace Decision Making and Risk Taking

Mentor: Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins

Jordan Wade Art History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Defining and Discussing Afrofuturist Appropriations

Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Floyd

Sarah Webb Art History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Exploring the relationships between the arts of the Kuba Kingdom and the Congo missionary outreach of the American Presbyterian church

Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Floyd

Harrison School of Pharmacy


Ayaka Fujihashi

Ayaka Fujihashi Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Assessment of the Neurotoxic Effects of Prenatal Nicotine and Alcohol Exposure on Hippocampus and Cortex of Rodents

Mentor: Dr. Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran

Ivy Hall

Ivy Hall Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Understanding How to Best Track Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) Infections in a Murine Model by Use of Fluorescence or Photo-acoustic Imaging

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi

Ellery Jones

Ellery Jones Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Autotaxin and glutamatergic dysregulation in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Mentor: Dr. Vishnu Suppiramaniam

Tyler Lynd Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Honokiol Rescues Mitochondrial Functioning in a Parkinson’s Model

Mentor: Dr. Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran

Shannon Maguire

Shannon Maguire Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: The development of novel SIRT3 agonist for mitigating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin

Madison Patrick

Madison Patrick Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Correlation of MtSK Inhibitory Activity with Chemical Constituents in Alpinia galanga Identified by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry: A Biochemometrics Study Case

Mentor: Dr. Angela Calderon

Shivani Rangari

Shivani Rangari Biomedical Sciences/Premed

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Improved Topical Delivery of Acyclovir on a Nanogel Formulation for Herpes Labialis.

Mentor: Dr. Jay Ramapuram

Jack Schwartz

Jack Schwartz Molecular and Cellular Biology

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Use of Ketone Bodies as a Therapeutic for Alzheimer’s Disease

Mentor: Dr. Miranda Reed

Elena Skarupa

Elena Skarupa Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Treatment mediated differences in gene expression in multicellular 3D models of human breast cancer

Mentor: Dr. Robert Arnold

College of Sciences and Mathematics


Daniel Akwa

Daniel Akwa Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: The Roles of the Mitochondrial Carrier Family in Metal Homeostasis

Mentor: Paul Cobine

Carson Blankenship

Carson Blankenship Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: “Shock and Kill” Strategy against Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus: Defining Target Specificity and Potency of a Novel Antiviral Compound

Mentor: Dr. Joanna Sztuba-Solinska

William Bowers Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Electronic Surface Reconstruction and Defect Characterization in Complex Oxide Thin Films

Mentor: Ryan Comes

Sabrina Cline Microbial, Cellular, and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Understanding PAN’s Labyrinth: Tracking the subcellular localization of the oncogenic PAN RNA using in situ fluorescence microscopy techniques

Mentor: Dr. Joanna Sztuba-Solinska

Milicia Courtenay

Milica Courtenay Integrative Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Testing whether sex-specific senescence in the lizard, Anolis sagrei, translates to the cellular level

Mentor: Dr. Tonia Schwartz

Sarah Dolinger

Sarah Dolinger Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: The relationship between mental health, stress, and social supports in health profiles for high school athletes.

Mentor: Dr. Melissa Pangelinan

Kacie Florus Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Changes in Endothelial Cell Density in Sections of Cerebrum from PEA15 Mutant and Non-Mutant Cats.

Mentor: Dr. Emily Graff

Katherine Hunter

Katherine Hunter Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Exploring fundamental uranium and thorium chemistry using redox-active Schiff base ligands

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden

Peyton Kuhlers Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Development of an in vitro model to evaluate novel genes regulating inflammation and fibrosis

Mentor: Dr. Michael Green

sam lubor

Sam Lubor  Cell/Molecular Biology 

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Measuring and Comparing Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Function in Mammalian and Avian Species

Mentor: Dr. Wendy Hood

Amanda Mish

Amanda Mish Pre-Veterinary Medicine of Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Testing the functional role of carotenoid coloration on survival from UV stress in the marine copepod, Tigriopus californicus

Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Hill

Jacob Mayhugh Headshot

Jacob Mayhugh Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Synthesis and characterization of zinc (II) bis(pyrrole)phenylenediamine complexes

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gordon

Amanda Myles Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Characterizing the Role of Periplasmic Nitrate Reductase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Physiology

Mentor: Dr. Sang-Jin Suh

Alisa Mobley

Alisa Mobley Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Synthesis and characterization of block-copolymers towards smart gating insulin release membranes

Mentor: Dr. Bryan Beckingham

Morgan Sisk

Morgan Sisk  Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  Investigation of antibacterial properties of adhesives used in the Europa Lander Mission

Mentor: Dr. Mark Liles

Abigail Putz

Abigail Putz Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Self-Efficacy of Mainstream Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers for English Language Learners

Mentor: Dr. Jamie Harrison

Phillip Wang  Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  Investing the role of diet and coloration on survival and vitality outcomes in the marine copepod, Tigriopus californicus

Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Hill

Morgan Tatum

Morgan Tatum  Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  Development of a COLTRIMS spectrometer for observing laser-atom interactions

Mentor: Dr. Marc Guillaume

Dylan Wilson

Matthew Dylan Wilson  Microbial Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  The role of PEA15 on cell proliferation and apoptosis in feline fibroblasts

Mentor: Dr. Emily Graff

Matthew Westerfield

Matthew Westerfield  Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  A Measure of Potency of Novel Protein Synthesis Inhibitors Using In vitro Translation Assay

Mentor: Dr. Alexey Petrov

Emma Yonan

Emma Yonan  Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  Physiological responses of invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina) from Florida: how stress affects immune response and locomotor performance

Mentor: Dr. Mary Mendonca

University College/Aviation


Shelby Potter

Shelby Potter  Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:  Effects of Severe Weather Phenomena on Commercial Aviation Accidents and Incidents

Mentor: Dr. James Birdsong

2017-2018

College of Agriculture


Kenzley Defler Environmental Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: 

Mentor: Dr. Loka Ashwood

Head shot of Madison Gohlke

Madison Gohlke Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Impact of Mitochondrial Nuclear Exchange on Obesity and Metabolic Disease in Swine

Mentor: Dr. Terry Brandebourg

Sara Gorman Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Developing a molecular assay in order to identify healthy oocytes, by utilizing surrounding support cells.

Mentor: Dr. Paul Dyce

Rachel Kuntz Environmental Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effectiveness of bioretention media to reduce toxicity of stormwater on daphnia.

Mentor: Dr. Thorsten Knappenberger

Judson Powell Poultry Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The Effects on Broiler Chicken Feeding Behavior and Nutrient Intake While Using Different Particle Sizes and Controlling Proportions of Fines

Mentor: Dr. Charles Starkley

Mary Jo Toohey Food Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The effect of UV light on the long term stability of rebaudioside-A (high intensity sweetener). 

Mentor: Dr. Leonard Bell

College of Architecture Design and Construction


Max Garcia Environmental Design

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture Design and Construction

Project Title: The impact of street design on pedestrian’s perceptions and commuting patterns.

Mentor: Dr. Yunmi Park

College of Education


Abby Brittain

Abigail Brittain Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Kinematics of the Polo Swing

Mentor: Dr. Gretchen Oliver

Madison Edwards Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The effect of a bicycle learning program on motor and cognitive abilities among children and teens with developmental disabilities.

Mentor: Dr. Melissa Pangelinan

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering


Njeri Bennett Industrial and Systems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: I will be working with students from the I Am My Brother’s Keeper Program to investigate the impact of S.T.E.A.M. curricula centered on spatial thinking skills, science content knowledge, and attitudes towards science and engineering. 

Mentor: Dr. Christine Schnittka

William Brannon Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: A metal inert gas based printer exists in AU’s Mechanical Engineering Department as an experimental device, and it becomes a question as to what parameters regarding the printing process will yield an ideal metal part in a quick and efficient manner.

Mentor: Dr. Lewis Payton

Steven Breaux Polymer and Fiber Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: 3D Printing Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and Biocompatible Electronics

Mentor: Dr. Maria Auad

LaNia Cole Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Application-Based Pedagogy Tool. 

Mentor: Dr. Edmon Perkins

Griffin Eagan Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Analysis of the Effects of Turbulent Transition Modelling on Aerodynamic Predictions for Open-Wheeled Automotive Vehicles

Mentor: Dr. Dudley Nichols

Randall Fawcett Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Kinetic prediction from kinematic data during running trials on different surfaces.

Mentor: Dr. Wendi Weimar

Ford Gibbes Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Design and development of a low temperature tube calorimeter to measure the pressure drop of low global warming potential refrigerants across a 180° U-Bend during flow boiling. 

Mentor: Dr. Lorenzo Cremaschi

Gabrielle Gilmer Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Evaluation of the relationship between hormonal and biomechanical risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Mentor: Dr. Gretchen Oliver

Kelly Goneke Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Black-globe temperature response to percent open area of wall panels used to construct broiler chicken test pens in on-farm nutritional test trials 

Mentor: Dr. Jeremiah Davis

Patrick Harris Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Optimizing Lipid-enveloped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Therapeutic Treatment of Solid Cancerous Tumors

Mentor: Dr. Allan David

Bryana Harris

Bryana Harris Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Examining the Effects of Tissue Geometry on Cardiomyocyte Maturation in 3D Developing Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues.

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Sean Vincent Herrera Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Development of a Shape Memory Alloy Actuated Glove

Mentor: Dr. Michael Zabala

Jared Hudson Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Effect of Initial Stiffness and Slip Force of Friction Force Damper on Response of Steel Structure to Wind and Seismic Loads

Mentor: Dr. Justin Marshall

Jihyuk Kim Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Solid state conductivity and pH-induced solution halochromism in polythiophene copolymer.

Mentor: Dr. Bryan Beckingham

Kiana LaBombard Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Manufacturing of nanoparticle reinforced materials through electrospinning and atomized spraying.

Mentor: Dr. Sabit Adanur

Kaitlyn Lawrence Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: New structural and electronic insights on supported (VOx)m/(M1Oy)n/(M2Oz)bulk catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light hydrocarbons

Mentor: Dr. Carlos Carrero

Andrew Lenzie Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: The Biofluid Mechanics of Expiratory Central Airway Collapse in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Mentor: Dr. Vrishank Raghav

Matthew Priesser Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Anaerobic Digestion of Poultry Litter and Food Waste for Biogas Production.

Mentor: Dr. Brendan Higgins

Reed Rodich Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Pre- and Post-Injury Anterior Cruciate Ligaments in Female Athletes.

Mentor: Dr. Michael Zabala

Marisa Rodriguez  Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Understanding and Controlling the Growth of Algae Species on Nanocomposites.

Mentor: Dr. Virginia Davis

David Schartung Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Electrochemical study on the influence of alternating current electric fields on the flocculation process of asphaltenes in unconventional crude oil

Mentor: Dr. Carlos Carrero

Andrew Tormanen Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Assembling 2D transition metal carbides for fabrication of functional thin films

Mentor: Dr. Majid Beidaghi

Alex Vroom Biochemisty and Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Determining an individual’s comprehensive antibody-bound epitope repertoire

Mentor: Dr. Robert Pantazes

William Yates Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Design and Synthesis of Salen-derived, tetraaminophenazine Ligands for Metal Chelation

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences


Victoria Ashby Microbiology

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Madagascar-Based Lymphatic Filariasis in Culex Mosquitoes and Their Relationship with the Environment and People

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Zohdy

Alisia Diamond Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: The effects of feeding habits on the prevalence of toxoplasma gondii in avian species

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Lepczyk

Hannah Kelly Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Evaluating Toxoplasma gondii in Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa).

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Lepczyk

Autumn Patterson Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Small Mammal Diversity in Auburn, Alabama.

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Lepczyk

Cara Ratterman Organismal Biology

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Automating gobble count surveys for eastern wild turkey.

Mentor: Dr. James Grand

Kirsten Rice Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Are mosquitoes more attracted to dogs infected with Heartworm?

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Zohdy

Marcus Williford Forestry

Sponsor(s): Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: The processing and characterization of nanofibrillated cellulose from industrial wood residues

Mentor: Dr. Maria Peresin

College of Human Sciences


Lydia Homandberg Human Development and Family Studies 

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Effects of early life adversity and contemporaneous stress in the Midlife in the United States Study.

Mentor: Dr. Thomas Fuller-Rowell

Paola (Lopez) Canas Nutrition

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Evaluating coping mechanisms following a natural disaster in Madagascar

Mentor: Dr. Alisha Farris

Head shot of Elise Mann

Elise Mann Pre-Medicine and Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The effect of chronic whey protein consumption on glucose metabolism and DPP-IV.

Mentor: Dr. Heidi Kluess

Holly Parker Nutritional Science – Dietics

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Will tailored nutrition education on diet diversity increase the consumption of diverse foods in Andasibe, Madagascar? 

Mentor: Dr. Alisha Farris

Brooke Polinsky Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The Effect of high fat and sugar diet in mice

Mentor: Dr. Ramesh Jeganathan

College of Liberal Arts


Mary Catherine Butgereit English – Professional and Public Writing

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: A Code for the Unpublished: Creation of a TEI XML Style Guide and Learning Module for the 18th-Century Manuscript Fiction Database

Mentor: Dr. Emily Claire Friedman

Jakob Geiger Political Science and English

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Applying Political Philosophy to Urban Planning: Strengthening the Community.

Mentor: Dr. Murray Jardine

Carrie Diane Hill English – Professional and Public Writing

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: For the World to See: Designing a Front-End User Interface for the 18th-Century Manuscript Fiction Database.

Mentor: Dr. Emily Claire Friedman

Kyle McLaughlin Anthropology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Assessing Potential Inter- and Intra- observer error during 3D scanning and printing of osteological specimens.

Mentor: Dr. Kristina Shuler

Melanie Parrott Psychology and Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The impact of nutrition knowledge on calorie framing effects and food consumption decisions.

Mentor: Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins

Jacob Verhine Music

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Influence of Vocology on 21st-Century Voice Performance and Pedagogy: Analysis and Application of Current Practice and Research

Mentor: Dr. Matthew Hoch

Harrison School of Pharmacy


Amanda Fang Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: The effect of Sirtuin 3 on post translational modification in the mitochondria of diabetic hearts.

Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin

Elizabeth Lopez Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: CYP3A4 Induction Analysis in Hepatocytes due to Acai and Maca Extracts

Mentor: Dr. Angela Calderon

Brannon Martens Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: The Effects of Systemic Viral Infections on the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice.

Mentor: Dr. Miranda Reed

Madison Schoeberl Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Understanding how to best track Staphylococcus aureus infections in hosts by use of a fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibody.

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi

Elena Skarupa

Elena Skarupa Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Effective drug delivery on gene expression in human breast cancer

Mentor: Dr. Rusty Arnold

Dominique Wozniak Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Characterization of Inhibitor Antibodies Directed Against S. Aureus Coagulase.

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi

College of Sciences and Mathematics


Cullen Anderson Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Estimating Carnivore Population Structures in the Rainforests of Madagascar.

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Zohdy and Dr. Zach Farris

Joseph Bahder Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: TRYAD Satellite Operational Analysis

Mentor: Dr. Michael Fogle

Jonathan Dismukes Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Expression of the INK4AB/ARF tumor suppressor transcription factor MSK1 in canine breast cancer: Quantification through qRT-PCR and correlation with established phenotypes.

Mentor: Dr. Richard Bird

Caleb Eldridge Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Identifying active tectonics in the New Madrid seismic zone using LiDAR and geologic data

Mentor: Dr. Lorraine Wolf

Kayla Frey Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Variations in Bone Quality with Reproductive Performance in House Mice.

Mentor: Dr. Wendy Hood

Emma Hale Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Quantifying the prevalence of the West Nile, Rift Valley Fever, and Dengue Fever Viruses across Mouse Lemurs Populations from Madagascar.

Mentor: Dr. Tonia Schwartz

Brock Hidle Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Development of an Attosecond Pulse Source Operating at 10 kHz

Mentor: Dr. Guillaume Laurent

Dorothy Mitchell Marine Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Anatomy and microscale organization of the nervous system of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi.

Mentor: Dr. Anthony Moss

Sara Odom Microbial, Cellular, and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Microbiome analysis using a quantitative polymicrobial PCR method.

Mentor: Dr. Mark Liles

Patrick Sahrmann Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Radical catalysis, inactivation, and reactivation: Spectroscopic and kinetic evaluation of heme- and protein-based intermediates of a peroxide-degrading enzyme.

Mentor: Dr. Douglas Goodwin

Philip Wang Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating the cost of reproduction using the zooplankton, Tigriopus californicus

Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Hill

Kevin Wyss Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Exploring thorium, uranium, and lanthanide fluorescence in Schiff base sandwich complexes.

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden

2016-2017

College of Agriculture


Wayne Carroll Agronomy and Soils Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effects of winter cover crops on mycorrhizal colonization of cotton roots

Mentor: Dr. Yucheng Feng

Trevor Cofer Agronomy and Soils Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effect of potassium sources and rates on tomato growth and development, potassium uptake, yield, and fruit quality

Mentor: Dr. Julie Howe

Madison Gohlke Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Impact of mitochondrial nuclear exchange on adiposity and metabolic markers in lean and obese pigs

Mentor: Dr. Terry Brandebourg

Courtney Kloske Cellular and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Functional studies of genes transcriptionally regulated by calcium in Xylella Fastidosa

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De La Fuente

Anna Robinson Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture and College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: An evaluation of mistletoe extract in conjunction with mebendazole in an in vitro canine glioblastoma model

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Koehler

Evelyn Smith Agronomy and Soils & Horticulture

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effects of plant density and substrate type on cucumber production in a modified aquaponic system

Mentor: Dr. Daniel Wells

Gabrielle Willhelm Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Improving embryo transfer in Bos Taurus through Granulosa Cell Connexin/Pannexin analysis

Mentor: Dr. Paul Dyce

Griffin Wright Animal Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Unveiling the dynamics of genome activation in early developing embryos

Mentor: Dr. Fernando Biase

College of Education


Kathryn Clardy Fitness Conditioning and Performance

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Comparison of the kinematics and kinetics of overhand baseball pitching to football passing

Mentor: Dr. Gretchen Oliver

Sarah Gordon  Exercise Science 

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The effect of whole body vibration on stress fracture

Mentor: Dr. JoEllen Sefton

Natalie Stephens Chemistry Education

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Teaching spatial visualization in chemistry

Mentor: Dr. Christine Schnittka

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering


Meredith Ayers Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Mineralogy determination via three-dimensional image analysis

Mentor: Dr. Lauren Beckingham

Elizabeth Bankston Biosystems Ecological Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Following the mass flow of nitrogen throughout an aquaponics system

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch

Holland Bankston Polymer & Fiber Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Ultrafast microwave nano-manufacturing of fullerene-like metal chalcogenides

Mentor: Dr. Xinyu Zhang

William Brannon Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Rapid prototyping of electronics cooling nozzle arrays

Mentor: Dr. Roy Wright

Elizabeth Byers Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Nanoparticle targeted testosterone degradation for the treatment of androgen-dependent prostate cancer

Mentor: Dr. Allan David

John Cook Computer Science

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Naturalistic pen-based data visualization

Mentor: Dr. Hari Narayanan and Dr. Jeff Overbey

Sahm Deravi Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Investigation of photocatalytic behavior of two-dimensional titanium oxycarbide nanosheets

Mentor: Dr. James Radich

Gabrielle Gilmer Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering and College of Education

Project Title: Effects of pain history on throwing mechanics

Mentor: Dr. Gretchen Oliver

Nidhi Goel Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Drug testing and metastisis studies on three-dimensional breast cancer models

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Craig Granger Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: How stream restoration affects in-stream ecological metabolic activity

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch

Sara Head Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineering functional cardiac tissues through encapsulation of pluripotent stem cells in methacrylated gelatin hydrogels​

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Hethan Hofer Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Controlling ion distribution in electroactive polymers for enhanced actuation response

Mentor: Dr. Zhongyang Cheng

Benjamin King Biosystems Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Comparing the floodplain hydrology of a recently restored stream bank to a natural, undisturbed, floodplain

Mentor: Dr. Thorsten Knappenberger

Kaylee McCormack Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering and College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Novel 1-thia-3,4-diazolidine-2,5-dione (TDAD) based polymers

Mentor: Dr. Michael Squillacote

Kyle Paul Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Examining effects of PEG length and silica nanoparticle size on cell viability

Mentor: Dr. Allan David

James Smith Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Multi-arm antenna optimization by genetic algorithms

Mentor: Dr. Michael Baginski

Daniel Stubbs Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Airfoil analysis using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Mentor: Dr. Dudley Nichols

Zoe Tucker Mechanical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Engineering

Project Title: Exploration of transparent colloidal nanoparticle additives for lubricants

Mentor: Dr. Robert Jackson

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences


Tyler Baxter Forestry

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Evaluating the effectiveness of prescribed fire to restore longleaf pine ecosystems in the Southeastern coastal plain

Mentor: Dr. Zhaofei Fan

Jordan Broadhead Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Effects of snakes on rodent vectors of disease in eastern Madagascar

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Zohdy

Marie Kallenburg  Wildlife Sciences 

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Fat transport levels during lactation in rats

Mentor: Dr. Wendy Hood

Shannon Lambert Wildlife Ecology & Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Estimating detection probability and the use of scents in wild pig trapping

Mentor: Dr. Mark Smith

Seth Rankins Wildlife Ecology & Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Factors influencing white-tailed deer susceptibility to ehrlichiosis 

Mentor: Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff

College of Human Sciencess


Nicole Forchielli Nutrition Dietetics

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Assessing meal quality and satisfaction of meals on wheels (MOW) program in Lee County, Alabama

Mentor: Dr. Yee Ming Lee

Elise Mann Biomedical Sciences and Nutrition Science

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The role of DPP-IV in muscle soreness

Mentor: Dr. Heidi Kluess

College of Liberal Arts


Paige Goldschmidt History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Defining the role of women in the Latter-day Saint Church during their residency in Kirtland, Ohio, from 1830-1838

Mentor: Dr. Adam Jortner

Amanda Guthrie Sociology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: How the modern day hobo copes with a stigmatized identity

Mentor: Dr. Natalia Ruiz-Junco and Dr. Greg Weaver

William Kelner Psychology and Sociology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Perceptions of mental illness among college students

Mentor: Dr. Apryl Alexander

Zach McKinnell Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Common neural networks between addictions and psychological disorders

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Robinson

Cassidy Roby Health Administration

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Examining risky business practices in the health care industry

Mentor: Dr. Rene McEldowney

Kelsie Shipley English Literature and History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Material aspects of reading in late 19th century Britain

Mentor: Dr. Emily Friedman

Allison Travis Health Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The effect of drawing on information consolidation and stress reduction

Mentor: Dr. Barbara Bondy

Erin Walker Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Perceptions of violence victimization in transgender versus cisgender persons: The role of prejudicial belief, personal background, and mindfulness

Mentor: Dr. Apryl Alexander

Carson Williford English and Philosophy

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The value of sustainable agricultural practices for Alabama’s small-scale farmers

Mentor: Dr. Helen Eidson

Harrison School of Pharmacy


Ryan Heslin Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Effects of a peripherally restricted viral challenge on the hippocampus

Mentor: Dr. Miranda Reed

DaSol Jung Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Identification of phase I & II metabolites in Maca extracts

Mentor: Dr. Angela Calderón

Stuart McFarland Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Increasing non-seasonal vaccination activities in Alabama community pharmacies

Mentor: Dr. Salisa Westrick

Mallory Meagher Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Insulin induces increased beat amyloid formation in APPe mutant neuronal cells

Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin

Kasey Shepp Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: The effect of rare variants of hydroxy-carboxylic acid receptors on hereditary breast cancer

Mentor: Dr. Nancy Merner

Alec Ryan Wesolowski Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Non-invasive method of tracking infections in-vivo with the multispectral optoacoustic tomography imaging system

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi

College of Sciences and Mathematics


Morgan Barkley Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Geological investigations of a suspected fragment of faulted oceanic crust within the Caledonian Mountains on Engløya, Arctic Norway

Mentor: Dr. Mark Steltenpohl

Abigail Bartlett Geology

Sponsor(s): Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology

Project Title: Evaluating oxidative stress response in the alkanosulfate monoxygenase complex

Mentor: Dr. Holly Ellis

Robert Boothe Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Nickel(II) complexes as ParaCEST sensors for reactive oxygen species

Mentor: Dr. Christian Goldsmith

Matthew Brown Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology

Project Title:Elucidation of Heme d1 biosynthetic pathway

Mentor: Dr. Steven Mansoorabadi

Jiyeong Choi Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Nickel concentrations of the high-Ni insect Melanotrichus boydi, a specialist on the Ni hyperaccumulator plant Streptanthus polygaloides (Brassicaceae)

Mentor: Dr. Robert Boyd

Addison Cimino Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): Biomedical Sciences

Project Title: Toward the synthesis of functionalized cycloparaphenylenes

Mentor: Dr. Bradley Merner

Brock Hidle Physics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Development of Frequency Resolved Optical Gating (FROG) Technique for Characterization of Femtosecond Pulses

Mentor: Dr. Guillaume Laurent

Austin Hulbert 

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:

Mentor:

Ayden Kish Physics and Philosophy

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Experiments and simulations of rotating dusty plasmas

Mentor: Dr. Edward Thomas, Jr.

Caleb Marshall Mathematics

Sponsor(s): Biomedical Sciences

Project Title: Matrix multiplication, tensors, and tableaux

Mentor: Dr. Luke Oeding

Elizabeth Schloss Physics and Philosophy

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Finding formulas for the number of pieces resulting from k cuts on a unit ball in Euclidean n-space

Mentor: Dr. Michel Smith

Martin Wang Physics and Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Biomedical Sciences

Project Title: Computational study of electrostatically tunable band offsets in MoS2 multilayers

Mentor: Dr. Marcelo Kuroda

Phillip Wang Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigating the antioxidant effects of carotenoids in living systems

Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Hill

2015-2016

College of Agriculture

Alex Callaway, Crop and Soil Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Evaluation of seed quality response to variable micronutrient application in novel peanut cultivars (Arachis hypogeae)

Mentor: Dr. Julie Howe

Evelyn Willmon, Fisheries

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Investigation of the attachment of Aeromonas hydrophila on aquaculture surfaces and the evaluation of disinfection protocols on its biofilm eradication

Mentor: Dr. Cova Arias

Victoria Holland, Poultry Science

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Effect of incubational egg turning intervals on gut development in the chick, gut morphology, and developmental biomarkers

Mentor: Dr. Wallace Berry

Avery Lamb, Environmental Science and Anthropology

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Plant Growth and Physiology of Rain Garden Plants in Two Soil Types

Mentor: Dr. Eve Brantley

Mallory McDaniel, Agronomy and Soils

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Nitrogen and phosphorus loss from inorganic and organic fertilizer systems

Mentor: Dr. Beth Guertal

College of Architecture, Design and Construction

Brendan Byrne, Environmental Design

Sponsor(s): College of Architecture, Design and Construction

Project Title: Traffic impact analysis of augmented bicycle facilities on Auburn University’s campus

Mentor: Magdalena Garmaz

College of Education

Lily Clark, Physical Activity and Health

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Investigating whether cognitive control moderates the influence of impulses and reflections on spontaneous physical activity

Mentor: Dr. Matt Miller

Caroline Hubbard, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The role of macronutrients in inducing satiety via peptide YY

Mentor: Dr. Heidi Kluess

Caroline Meadows, Exercise Science

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: Does motor preparatory brain activity mediate the relationship between monetary incentive and motor performance?

Mentor: Dr. Matt Miller

Jack Goldberg, Fitness, Conditioning and Performance

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: The effect of changes in exercise behavior on physiological parameters in college students

Mentor: Dr. Danielle Wadsworth

Madison Hutto, Elementary Education

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: An exploration into the mathematical thinking of students who struggle with number sense

Mentor: Dr. Megan Burton

College of Engineering

Sean Bittner, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Development of progressive antibiotic release wound packing using nanotube clays

Mentor: Dr. Edward Davis

Kaylee McCormack, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Exploration of viable methods to form 1-thia-3,4-diazolidine-2,5-dione (TDAD) based polymers to be used as photoresists, that photodegrade easily to innocuous gaseous compounds.

Mentor: Dr. Michael Squillacote

Chandler Moore, Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Modeling heat transfer in the presence of linear and nonlinear acoustic waves

Mentor: Dr. Joshua Batterson

Jennifer Kaczmarek, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Differentiation and encapsulation of human induced pluripotent stem cells to form engineered cardiac tissue

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke

Sungil Kim, Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Analysis and forecast of stock market prices using signal and statistical analysis and genetic algorithm

Mentor: Dr. Michael Baginski

Christopher Scheinert, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Morphological dependence on photocatalytic activity of nanostructured Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) on water reduction to H2

Mentor: Dr. James Radich

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Matt George, Wildlife Sciences

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Effects of trap door width on wild pig entrance into corral traps

Mentor: Dr. Mark Smith

Steven Williamson, Wildlife Sciences (Pre-Vet)

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Mortality and injury rates of wildlife reported by rehabilitators across Alabama

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Lepczyk

College of Human Sciences

Jami Reece, Microbiology

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Role of sugary water consumption in adipose gene expression

Mentor: Dr. Michael Greene

College of Liberal Arts

Anna Kirkland, Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Examining brain changes associated with a 30-day diet intervention

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Robinson

Sarah Stevenson, Psychology and Spanish

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The biological and psychological effects of music on the human body

Mentor: Dr. Paula Bobrowski and Dr. Knipschild

Harrison School of Pharmacy

Leah Bostany, Cell and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: A study of the effects of DNA methylation on transmission of plasmids into S. aureus

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi

Nate Johnson, Biomedical Sciences (Pre-Pharmacy)

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Molecular mechanism of doxorubicin-induced memory dysfunction

Mentor: Dr. Vishnu Suppiramaniam

Taylor Young, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Relationship between AD and diabetes

Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin

Connor Dobson, Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Targeted gold-lipidic nanocomposites for cancer therapy and diagnosis

Mentor: Dr. Rusty Arnold

Christy Pickering, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Development and application of gold-lipidic nanocomposites to enhance chemotherapeutic delivery and release

Mentor: Dr. Rusty Arnold

College of Sciences and Mathematics

Kelly Kindgren, Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Zircon age dating in Northern Scotland

Mentor: Dr. Mark Steltenpohl

Fraser Bronston, Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Characterization of the catalytic abilities of a family of Ga(III) complexes bearing N-donor ligands

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Goldsmith

Natasha Narayanan, Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Developing a streamlined chemical synthesis of tricyclic nucleic acid analogues for antisense-based therapeutic applications

Mentor: Dr. Bradley Merner

Taylor Farmer, Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Exploring a new cascade reaction, a key step in the synthesis of a polyalcohol

Mentor: Dr. Peter Livant

James Edmond, Physics and Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Using ion-momentum imaging to study molecular dissociation dynamics

Mentor: Dr. Mike Fogle

Ken Yang, Physics and Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Uncertainty calculations for theoretical atomic data toward the applications of astrophysical spectroscopy

Mentor: Dr. Stuart Loch

DoYon Kim, Physics and Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Constructing examples and counterexamples for questions in polyhedral geometry

Mentor: Dr. Andras Bezdek

Martin Wang, Physics and Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Study of the contact resistance in two-dimensional materials

Mentor: Dr. Marcelo Kuroda

Kasey Benesh, Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Impact of anthropogenic stressors on minnow diversity in the Tallapoosa River

Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Armbruster

Madeleine Eddy, Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Synthesis of water soluble imine soft-donor ligands for selective actinide sensing

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden

Dual Fellows

Sara Rains, Nutrition and Horticulture

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences and College of Agriculture

Project Title: Identifying successful community development practices in Ecuador

Mentor: Dr. Kate Thornton

Katherine Windham, Chemical Engineering and German

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Nanoscale aptamer-based carrier for personalized treatment of small cell lung carcinoma

Mentor: Dr. Jacek Wower

Anna Robinson, Animal Sciences (Pre-Vet)

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Effects of light on tentacle bulb formation in the clownfish sea anemone Entacmea quadricolor

Mentor: Dr. Nanette Chadwick

2014-2015

College of Agriculture

Jesse Blanton, Ecological Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Self-optimization of mixed algal communities via automated feedback control of light input

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch, Department of Biosystems Engineering

Lawrence Liu, Chemical Engineering; Economics

Sponsor(s):College of Agriculture, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Effects of Calcium on the Transcription of Xylella fastidiosa in Microfluidic Chambers

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De La Fuente, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Sara Emily McCarty, Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Gene regulation by Xylella fastiodiosa in response to calcium

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De La Fuente, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Connor Ryan, Biology / Horticulture

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The Effects of Environment and Fertilization on the Growth of Juvenile Sarracenia leucophylla

Mentor: Dr. Amy Wright, Department of Horticulture

Olivia Elliott, Ecological Engineering

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: The Effects of Intersecting Limiting Factors on the Colonization and Growth of Algae in Cultivation Systems

Mentor: Dr. David Blersch, Department of Biosystems Engineering

Klinton McCafferty, Poultry Science Pre-Vet

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Evaluation of Utilizing Wheat in Broiler Diets

Mentor: Dr. William Dozier, Department of Poultry Science

Tyler Miller, Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences – Science Track

Sponsor(s): College of Agriculture

Project Title: Identifying the Mechanism of Resistance to the ALS-Inhibiting Herbicide Metsulfuron in Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia maculata)

Mentor: Dr. J. Scott McElroy, Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences

College of Education

Haley Sanders, Secondary English Language Arts Education

Sponsor(s): College of Education

Project Title: A Study of Preservice Teachers’ Views of Descriptivism and Prescriptivism

Mentor: Dr. Jamie Harrison, Curriculum & Teaching/ESOL Education

College of Engineering

Chelsea Diane Appleget, Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Development and Optimization of the First Fully Nano-Fibrillated Cellulose Aircraft

Mentor: Dr. Roy Hartfield, Aerospace Engineering

Harrison Burch, Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Reactive-DC Magnetron Sputtering of Superconducting Niobium Nitride

Mentor: Dr. Michael Hamilton, Department of Electrical Engineering

Elizabeth Pearce, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Controlled Release of Therapeutic from Polymersomes

Mentor: Dr. Mark Byrne, Department of Chemical Engineering

Zachary Watson, Materials Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Exploration on How Materials Effect Acoustic Guitars

Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Fergus, Materials Research and Education Center / Mechanical Engineering

Daniel Beauchamp, Electrical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Preliminary Steps to Investigating the Connection between MRI-Measured Vascular Wall Shear Stress and Stenosis of Arteriovenous Grafts

Mentor: Dr. Thomas Denney, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Andrew Hightaian, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Engineering a Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens to Treat Glaucoma

Mentor: Dr. Mark Byrne, Department of Chemical Engineering

William Roberts, Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s): Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Project Title: Plenoptic Stereo Method for Depth Estimation

Mentor: Dr. Brian Thurow, Department of Aerospace Engineering

School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Forrest Cortes, Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Factors influencing the frequency and composition of mammalian carnivore road mortality

Mentor: Dr. Todd Steury, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science

Monica Richert, Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Non-lethal effects of predators on eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Mentor: Dr. Todd Steury, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science

Laura Garland, Wildlife Ecology and Management

Sponsor(s): School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Title: Dietary habits of the Black bear (Ursus americanus) in Alabama

Mentor: Dr. Todd Steury, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science

College of Human Sciences

Sara Rains, Concurrent degrees: Nutrition and Horticulture

Sponsor(s): College of Human Sciences

Project Title: Identifying Community Based Solutions to Vitamin A Deficiency in Cambodia

Mentor: Dr. Kate Thornton, Hunger Solutions Institute

College of Liberal Arts

Shauni Armstead, History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Divisions within Unity: Racism in the Internationalization of Modern Feminism(s)

Mentor: Dr. Cathleen Giustino, History

Nicole Gerhard, Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Effects of Multitasking on Decision Making

Mentor: Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins, Psychology Department

Shelbie Keel, Public Administration

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Effects of the Implementation of the Help America Vote Act on Election Administration

Mentor: Dr. Mitchell Brown, Department of Political Science

Michelle Roberts, Anthropology and Political Science; Spanish minor

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: The Effects of Environment and Fertilization on the Growth of Juvenile Sarracenia leucophylla

Mentor: Dr. Kristrina Shuler, Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Katherine Bottenhorn, Psychology and Chemistry (dual degree)

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Functional connectivity of the human hypothalamus in healthy and diseased states

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Robinson, Psychology

David Hathcock, History and German

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Forgotten Heroes: Socialist Women and Youth in the Austrian Civil War

Mentor: Dr. Traci O’Brien, Department of Foreign Languages & Literature

Matthew Pollock, English Literature & Spanish

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: From Dahrar to Déorwine: An Analysis of Sound Symbolism in The Lord of the Rings

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bertolet, English

Steven Vickers, History

Sponsor(s): College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Towards Greener Pastures: Nationalism and the Green Party in Ireland, 1981 to the Present

Mentor: Dr. Ralph Kingston, Department of History

Harrison School of Pharmacy

Andrew Clark, Microbiology

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Utilizing the activity of Staphylococcal Sortase A to identify and monitor invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections

Mentor: Dr. Peter Panizzi, Department of Drug Discovery and Development

Brittany Gamble, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: The role of Frataxin in the regulation of PGC-1 and mitochondrial biogenesis in the diabetic heart

Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin, Department of Drug Discovery and Development

Christina Pickering, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Development and Application of Gold-Lipidic Nanocomposites to Enhance Chemotherapeutic Delivery and Release

Mentor: Dr. Robert Arnold, Department of Drug Discovery and Development

Connor Dobson, Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy

Project Title: Targeted Gold-Lipidic Nanocomposites for Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis

Mentor: Dr. Robert Arnold, Department of Drug Discovery and Development

Wooseok Lee, Nutrition – Nutrition Science Pre-Med

Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy, College of Human Sciences

Project Title: The Role of ILK in Synaptic Plasticity and Memory

Mentor: Dr. Vishnu Suppiramaniam, Department of Drug Discovery and Development

College of Sciences and Mathematics

Cami Adams, Cellular and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Phenotype analysis of Cytokinin Response Factor 4 (CRF4) altered expression Arabidopsis lines in response to freezing temperatures

Mentor: Dr. Aaron Rashotte, Biological Sciences

Lauren Chastain, Interdisciplinary Studies

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: Disparities in Access to Health Care: Canary Islands (Spain)

Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Ostrowski, Veterinary Sciences/Public Health

Emily Crisp, Marine Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Effects of visual and chemical signaling by conspecifics on anemonefish behavior

Mentor: Dr. Nanette Chadwick, Biological Sciences

Taylor Farmer, Chemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Exploring a New Cascade Reaction, a Key Step in the Synthesis of a Polyalcohol

Mentor: Dr. Peter Livant, Department of Chemistry

David Kell, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Study of Photodegradable Polymers based on the bifunctionality of 1-thia-3,4-diazolidine-2,5-dione (TDAD)

Mentor: Dr. Michael Squillacote, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

John (Wesley) Nelson, Biochemistry

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway of heme-d1 in the nitrite reductase enzyme of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Mentor: Dr. Steven Mansoorabadi, Chemistry and Biochemistry

William Scott, Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Genomic Responses of Plants to Heat Stress

Mentor: Dr. Robert Locy, Department of Biological Sciences

Devon Verellen, Geology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigation of Detrital Zircons to Constrain Depositional Ages of Metasedimentary Rocks in Arctic Norway

Mentor: Dr. Mark Steltenpohl, Department of Geology and Geography

Andrew Wilkins, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: Myeloperoxidase Inhibition

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Panizzi, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology

Abigail Bartlett, Dual Degree: Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Analyzing the Catalytic Role of a Conserved Active Site Residue in Cysteine Dioxygenase

Mentor: Dr. Holly Ellis, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Carol Alex Cool, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Human Sciences

Project Title:Role of macrophage polarization in obesity-linked colon cancer growth

Mentor: Dr. Michael W. Greene, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management

Zachary Donoviel, Molecular Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title:Mitochondrial function and reproduction in the house mouse

Mentor: Dr. Wendy Hood, Biological Sciences

Jack France, Applied Mathematics

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Exploration of Euler’s Method

Mentor: Dr. Geraldo de Souza, Mathematics

Christopher Michaelson, Biomedical Sciences

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Investigation of Rhinella marina baseline corticosterone levels and immunocompetence as indicators of invasive potential and environmental fitness

Mentor: Dr. Mary Mendonca, Department of Biological Sciences

Arnold Obungu, Biomedical Sciences and Psychology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts

Project Title: Effects of cortisol and norepinephrine in mediating latent inhibition

Mentor: Dr. Martha Escobar, Psychology

Rachel Twigg, Marine Biology

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Phylogenetic Identification of Octopod Species Diversity in Antarctic Waters

Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Halanych, Biological Sciences

Brian Westbrook

Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics

Project Title: Analyzing Mitochondrial Abundance and Activity Along the Dendritic Cell Maturation Pathway

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Schwartz, Department of Biological Sciences

College of Veterinary Medicine

Casey Read, Animals Sciences Prevet/ Organismal Biology Pre-Vet

Sponsor(s): College of Veterinary Medicine

Project Title: Atrazine Study

Mentor: Dr. Chad Foradori, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology

2013-2014

Christopher Bartel

Project Title: Characterizing the Effect of Macromolecular Comfort Agent Release on Protein Deposition to Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses

Mentor: Dr. Mark Byrne, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: The primary research objective is to engineer a therapeutic contact lens to controllably release comfort molecules thereby developing a technology with the potential to limit the discomfort felt during lens wear. An additional benefit is reducing protein and lipid deposition to the lens, leading to a healthier lens and a healthier eye.


Gabby Bates

Project Title: The Common Thread in Important Literary Journalism

Mentor: Dr. Margaret Marshall, English

Project Summary: This project attempts to discern which features the most culturally significant works of literary journalism have in common by conducting a rhetorical analysis of four New Yorker articles published in the post-WWII era on behalf of victims of injustice. Findings will be compiled in a critical article to expand knowledge of the creative nonfiction genre.


Anna Burcham

Project Title: Development of Targeted Nanomedicines for Treatment of Prostate and Breast Cancers

Mentor: Dr. Robert Arnold, Pharmacal Sciences

Project Summary: Cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US.  Chemotherapy is effective, but can lead to toxicity in other areas of the body other than the tumor. The goal of my research is to exploit differences in cancer cells to develop drug carriers that will increase toxicity at the site of the tumor and limit toxicity in other areas.


Blakely Bussie

Project Title: The Quantification of Mitochondrial Location and Morphology Using MATLAB

Mentor:Dr. Elizabeth Lipke, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary:A MATLAB program was created to analyze fluorescently labeled organelles within cells. Specifically, the program was used to locate and quantify mitochondria and nuclei of different cell types, including human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293), and a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7).When applied to differentiating stem cells, this program can reveal how the organization and morphology of mitochondria changes with cell maturation and differentiation.


Will Campbell

Project Title: Determination of Mechanical Properties of Articular Cartilage

Mentor: Dr. Robert Jackson, Mechanical Engineering

Project Summary: Healthy articular cartilage is essential for normal joint function because it provides a gliding surface between joint surfaces capable of sustaining stresses and forces. In this study, we will be performing indentation tests on equine articular cartilage to determine some very important and fundamental mechanical properties of the complex biological tissue.


Patrick Donnan

Project Title: Polariton Band Structure Calculations

Mentor: Dr. Jianjun Dong, Physics

Project Summary:Our goal is to develop a new theory of heat conduction at high temperatures. In particular, a newly proposed hypothesis of diffusive heat transfer carried by infrared (IR) phonon-polaritons will be the main focus of our research. We will study silicate pervoskite (MgSiO3) and magnesium oxide (MgO), the two most abundant minerals in the Earth’s lower mantle.


Sara Geonczy

Project Title: Private Waste and Public Costs: Economic Analysis of Effective Policies for Municipal Solid Waste Management

Mentor: Dr. Yaoqi Zhang, Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Summary: The purpose of this research project is to analyze the decomposition of the total cost of municipal waste disposal services in order to investigate different price structures and other policies that will more appropriately allocate costs, minimize costly waste disposal activities, increase positive waste disposal activities, and maximize total social welfare.


Graham Gordon

Project Title: Vectorization of Spring Network Equilibrium Algorithm for Euclidean Distance Matrix Completion

Mentor: Dr. Peter Nylen, Mathematics and Statistics

Project Summary: Trying to determine the locations of a collection of points knowing only the distances between some of the points is known as the Euclidean Distance Matrix Completion Problem (EDMCP). Our project seeks to improve an existing algorithm which finds approximate solutions to the EDMCP. Applications include molecular conformation and sensor network localization.


Elyse Johnson

Project Title: Characterizing SlCRF5, a Transcription Factor in Tomato Involved in Stress Response

Mentor: Dr. Aaron Rashotte, Biological Sciences

Project Summary: The aim of my research is to characterize the tomato transcription factor protein SlCRF5, which is responsive to cytokinin, a plant hormone linked to stress response. This knowledge is crucial in understanding the role of SlCRF5 stress response in tomato, and at a broader level, the role of this class of transcription factors in other flowering plants. Application of this knowledge may lead to increased crop yield.


Chelsea Leander

Project Title: Protein-Energy Malnutrition in Nepal

Mentor: Dr. Katie Thornton, Human Sciences

Project Summary: The first 1000 days of life, beginning at conception, contain crucial and determining factors, including the development of the brain. A child is setback for life when the brain cannot attain full development during this period, often as a result of malnutrition. My research aims to examine the lifestyle of populations who struggle with intergenerational cycles of Protein-Energy Malnutrition, with the ultimate goals of breaking these cycles and enhancing early child development.


Ethan McCurdy

Project Title: The Contribution of Off-mechanism Electron Transfers in the Inactivation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Catalase-Peroxidase

Mentor: Dr. Douglas Goodwin, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Summary: One crucial facet of the immune response is to generate peroxides to rid the body of invaders.  Many bacteria, including M. tuberculosis, depend on an enzyme known as KatG to convert these peroxides into harmless products.  I am investigating the mechanisms that keep KatG in its most active and efficient state.  This holds striking implications for understanding the strategies pathogens use to thwart a host immune response.


Adam Milton

Project Title:Smart Nanocomposite for Enhanced Drug Delivery of Insulin

Mentor: Dr. Allan E. David, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: A drug delivery system capable of delivering reliable and consistent doses of insulin through the oral route would provide significant advantages over the commonly used insulin pumps and injections. In order to enable a less invasive route of administration, I plan to engineer a drug delivery vehicle, in this case comprised of a nanocomposite, that can protect insulin from degradation and control its release in the body for an extended period of time. A smart nanocomposite composed of silica and chitosan, to regulate insulin release, will be utilized to achieve this goal.


Alysa Moore

Project Title: Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of an Unknown Anti-Nematode Compound

Mentor: Dr. Mark Liles, Biological Sciences

Project Summary: My research focuses on identifying and characterizing an unknown compound produced by a bacteria commonly used in industrial agriculture for its anti-nematode abilities. Once the compound has been identified with biochemical methods, I will analyze the bacteria’s genome in order to evaluate environmental conditions that cause the compound to be produced in greater abundance, which could thereby increase anti-nematode activity. Greater understanding of this compound could provide a more sustainable alternative to other common, less environmentally-friendly soil additives.


Madeline Moore

Project Title: Growth Characteristics of Xylella fastidiosa in Media Modified to Mimic Xylem Fluid

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De La Fuente, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Project Summary: Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a bacterial plant pathogen that infects numerous plant species in the United States. The bacterium forms biofilms inside the water-conducting xylem vessels of the plants, therefore obstructing water movement. The aim of my research is to develop a defined culture media for research in the laboratory, in which Xf will grow and form biofilm in a similar manner to its natural setting inside plants.


Emily Pipan

Project Title: On-line LC-MS Based Identification of Inhibitors of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Shikimate Kinase

Mentor: Dr. Angela Calderón, Pharmacal Sciences

Project Summary: The goal of my research is to use liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), a sensitive mass-measuring process, to find inhibitors of the enzyme shikimate kinase. This enzyme is from the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosisInhibition of the enzyme would severely harm the cell’s normal processes, representing the first stage in new drug discovery.


John Porter

Project Title: Electrically Conductive Polycaprolactone Nanostructures for cardiomyocyte differentiation

Mentor: Elizabeth Lipke, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: The goal of my research is to create an electrically conductive substrate on which to grow cells. The intent is to find a reliable method for growing cardiac tissue with the end goal being able to influence the differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes.


Hilary Rizk

Project Title: Validation of Detection Methods for Assessing the Exposure of Haemorhous mexicanus to the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Hill, Biological Sciences

Project Summary: Development of accurate methods for detection of bacterial pathogens in birds is important in decreasing the costs of research and saving the lives of birds. The goal of my research is to validate the use of throat swabs and blood tests in detection of exposure of birds to a bacterial pathogen. By validating the accuracy of these tests, my research will improve the accuracy and efficiency of further research of bacterial pathogens and birds.


Alex Román

Project Title: The Use of Subcritical Water to Convert Sunn Hemp Biomass into a Value Added Product

Mentor: Dr. Ram Gupta, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: This project aims to combine the promising protein content of sunn hemp with a subcritical water extraction method, and then optimize it for industrial use. This new extraction method would eliminate toxic solvents needed, reduce transportation cost moving the biomass to/from a refinery, and provide the farmer with readily eaten fodder for domesticated ungulates (goats, pigs, etc).


Gracie Thaxton

Project Title:  Sequence Comparison of ArkDPI-derived IBV Vaccine Genome Before and After Adaptation to Culture

Mentor: Dr. Vicky van Santen and Dr. Haroldo Toro, Veterinary Pathobiology

Project Summary:  Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a respiratory virus of chickens belonging to the same virus family as human SARS and MERS viruses. To aid understanding of what changes in coronaviruses allow them to adapt to different host systems, we will adapt IBV vaccine to chick kidney cells. I will sequence the viral genome before and after adaptation.


Abby Threet

Project Title: Mitochondrial Copper Transport: Investigating Genetic Interactions with PIC2

Mentor: Dr. Paul A. Cobine, Biological Sciences

Project Summary: Copper is required for human life. This element is a cofactor for the protein cytochrome c oxidase (COX), which is required for respiration. The pathway for copper transport into mitochondria, the location of COX, is essentially unknown. My fellowship will allow me to study genetic interactions in baker’s yeast in hopes of shedding light on this pathway. This research will contribute to understanding an essential process and will translate to understanding disorders of copper metabolism in humans.


J. Alyssa White

Project Title: Amassing Evidence: A Study of Body Mass Variation in the Robert J. Terry Skeletal Collection

Mentor: Dr. Kristrina Shuler, Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Project Summary: I intend to study the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Skeletal Collection housed at the Smithsonian Institution. My work will complement that of a team of specialists and contribute a vital component through analyses of bone’s reactions to body mass and activity. This is an extension of the body size research that I have been pursuing for a few years, which I hope will improve understandings of the effects of body mass on the skeletal tissue in past and modern populations.


2012-2013

Sarah Baldivia

Project Title: Hydrogels as Injectable Delivery Systems for Tissue Repair Applications

Mentor: Dr. Gisela Buschle-Diller, Polymer and Fiber Engineering

Project Summary: Hydrogels are polymeric substances that exhibit unique characteristics that allow them to absorb large amounts of liquids without losing their physical shape. The goal of this research is to develop a hydrogel which will contain the precursors of a polymer and release them at a characteristic and distinct parameter (pH, temperature, etc.). Continued development of such hydrogel may create the potential for its use in cartilage or bone repair or replacement. The polymer could be formed by injection and the need for actual surgery would be omitted.


Ross Bonner

Project Title: Insulin Resistance and Mechanism of Memory Loss: Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Link

Mentor: Dr. Vishnu D. Suppiramaniam, Pharmacal Sciences

Project Summary: Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a cellular mechanism for memory formation.  Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, is involved in LTP through interaction with AMPA type glutamate receptors. Insulin resistance, the hallmark of type II diabetes, has been linked to decreased activity of the signaling molecule ILK. Preliminary studies have also found that insulin resistance in the brain can down-regulate AMPA signaling. Therefore, my project will set out to establish the relationship between insulin resistance, ILK, and memory deficit.


Emily Buss

Project Title: “Green” Chemistry Catalysis

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Summary: I am currently creating a catalyst that is water-soluble by attaching unnatural amino acids to the compound structure. This will eliminate organic waste and therefore decrease the cost of disposing the product waste. I will then preform reactions with the new catalyst and determine the products yield and compare with previous results.


Kathryn Crowley

Project Title: “Green” Chemistry Catalysis

Mentor: Dr. Azhar Salman, Building Science

Project Summary: This porject is aimed at determining the feasibility of implementing sustainable technologies into the current plan to remodel the Auburn Hill dorms, and the cost savings that would result from those changes.


Enrique Doster

Project Title: Effects of Livestock Management Practices on Water Quality in an Agricultural Setting

Mentor: Dr. Alan Wilson, Fisheries

Project Summary: There are two things that, without fail, most people in the U.S. will do at least once a day – ingest food and water. Protecting our freshwater resources has become a vital global issue as numerous factors continue to degrade water quality. In many freshwater systems, cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) proliferate and pose a threat to the animals that drink from these bodies of water. My study focuses on the relationship between different land management strategies and their effects on water quality in local ponds in livestock farms.


Michael Evans

Project Title: Role of mopB and msrA in Calcium Sensing by Xylella fastidiosa

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De La Fuente, Entomology & Plant Pathology

Project SummaryXylella fastidiosa (XF) is a bacterial plant pathogen that infects a variety of economically important crops in the United States.  The bacterium forms biofilm inside the host plant’s xylem, obstructing water movement, a process enhanced by calcium. By creating and studying mutants deficient in the calcium-related genes mopB and msrA, the role of calcium in the infection process of XF will be further elucidated and used to develop novel control methods.


Kyle Gennaro

Project Title:  Latent Inhibition in Lehmannia valentiana

Mentor:  Dr. Martha Escobar, Psychology

Project Summary: Latent inhibition is a behavioral phenomenon, which has been used as a model for cognitive dysfunctions in psychopathological disorders such as schizophrenia and attention deficit disorder (ADD). The aim of this project is to establish an effective procedure to demonstrate latent inhibition in the common garden slug, Lahmannia valentiana.


Jordan Hall

Project Title: Inverse Volatility Problem for Binomial Tree Models

Mentor: Dmitry Glotov, Mathematics and Statistics

Project Summary: In the world of finance today, researchers and practitioners rely heavily on high-level mathematics to develop models to price complex financial derivatives products. The main goal of the models is to use given information about the assets that the derivatives products take their value from and combine it with a measure of “randomness” in the market to get a fair price for the product. This measure of randomness is called volatility and is not easily calculated. Much research has been done in this area based on the famous Black-Scholes option-pricing framework; however, there are limitations and shortcomings to this approach. My goal for this research project will be to approach the problem of recovering volatility from a different angle by focusing on discrete-time models that are more flexible in the types of options they can price.


Dusty Harrell

Project Title: Evaluation of Using PCR-RFLP of Cytochrome b to Distinguish DNA Samples from Carnivore Species in the Southeastern U.S.

Mentor: Todd D. Steury, Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Summary: The goal of our research is to evaluate a relatively simple method for identifying carnivore scats (feces) of eastern North America. The method involves extracting DNA from scat and identifying the species that produced the scat by using special enzymes. The study could lead to a rapid, accurate, and inexpensive method of identifying carnivore populations for use in studies of habitat and population size, with minimal disturbance to the animal being studied.


Ryan Hile

Project Title: Earthquake Hazards and Social Vulnerability in Salt Lake County, Utah: A Case Study

Mentor: Dr. Phil Chaney, Geography

Project Summary: My research will attempt to identify the vulnerability characteristic of Salt Lake County, Utah, with respect to earthquake hazards and human characteristics, such as age, race, and gender. Salt Lake County is located in Northeast Utah and rests along the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Front, an active fault zone, where over a million people live.


James Kaczmarek

Project Title: Controlled Release of an Anti-Inflammatory Drug from a Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens

Mentor: Dr. Mark Byrne, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: It is the goal of my research to engineer a silicone hydrogel contact lens that will deliver a controlled amount of anti-inflammatory over an extended period of time. This will represent a sorely needed alternative to the inefficient and ineffective drug delivery offered by eye drops, which are currently the most popular form of ophthalmic medication.


Samantha Lopez

Project Title: Competency of Xylella fastidiosa in a Microfluidic Environment

Mentor: Dr. Leonardo De la Fuente, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Project Summary: Xylella fastidiosa (XF) is a bacterial plant pathogen that infects a wide variety of plant hosts. It was recently shown that XF will take DNA from the surrounding environment and incorporate it into its own genome. My research aims to see if this process will occur in an artificial microfluidic device that mimics the interior vessels of plant where XF grows.


Kelly Sabrina Lynn

Project Title: Uranium-Catalyzed Synthesis of 2,3-diaminophenazine

Mentor: Dr. Anne Gorden, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Summary: In order to better understand the chemical properties of uranium, I am focusing my research on a single catalytic reaction in which uranium has shown unexpected behavior. I hope to characterize the optimal reaction conditions, and will then experiment with different reagents using this new method.


Justin Melnick

Project Title: Case Study on the Political, Financial, and Environmental Challenges of American Golf Course Architecture Abroad

Mentor: Dr. James R. Hansen, History

Project Summary:  The golf architecture industry has moved fully abroad in the past decade, for the first time in its 125-year history. My research will analyze an unknown French golf development that can explain the detrimental missteps made by architect Robert Trent Jones’ firm in the late 20th century. Today’s firms can use this study to operate abroad in a more efficient and diplomatic manner.


Kerri Nelson

Project Title: The Effects of Gender and Pressure on Risk-Taking Behavior

Mentor: Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins, Psychology

Project Summary: The purpose of my research is to examine gender differences in risk taking in the absence and presence of social and performance pressures. Because there is a lack of research connecting gender, risk taking, and pressure together, my research will serve the role of exploring this combination of factors in an effort to add to the knowledge of this understudied area.


Lindsey Phillips

Project Title: Effects of Harassment on Trap Visitation by Wild Pigs

Mentor: Mark D. Smith,Forestry and Wildlife Sciences

Project Summary: Corral traps are the most cost-effective means for removing wild pigs. However, it is often recommended that landowners simultaneously use other  forms of lethal removal while trapping. This research examines the effects of these other forms of disturbance on wild pig visitation to traps to determine if it may be best to employ removal techniques sequentially rather than simultaneously.


John Porter

Project Title: Template-Synthesized PDMS Nanowire Surfaces for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Lipke, Chemical Engineering

Project Summary: My research focuses on the design and fabrication of electrically conductive, nanostructured polymers for use in tissue regeneration. My hypothesis is that by designing and fabricating such a conductive polymer structure, I can make it more conducive to the growth and differentiation of cells, especially those of the heart and brain, which have intrinsic electrical activity.


James Sartor

Project Title: Ion/Anion Pair Production in H2 via Fast Electrons

Mentor: Dr. Allen Landers, Physics

Project Summary: The purpose of our experiment is to analyze in greater detail the reaction:
formula
The photon (γ) will come from a very high-energy electron beam. By measuring the vector momenta of the ejected ions, we will be able to fully determine the dynamics of the reaction event by event, culminating in a probability distribution. Through these measurements, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the complex processes associated with the interactions between molecules and ionizing radiation.


Joseph Shaw

Project Title: Studying the Interactions Between a Pre-existing Dusty Plasma Cloud and a Strong Secondary External Perturbation

Mentor: Dr. Edward Thomas, Physics

Project Summary:  Plasmas are energized gases that carry electromagnetic properties. These electromagnetic properties have the ability to lift and interact with micrometer-sized particles. This is called a dusty plasma. The particles are able to conglomerate into three-dimensional structures that exhibit properties of solids, liquids, and gases. We are looking at the creation of waves and the change in confinement of dusty plasma structures when we introduce secondary dust or plasma populations into the already existing system.


Steven Sheffield

Project Title: Greener on the Other Side: Do Sustainable Companies Outperform Their Peers?

Mentor: Dr. Claire Crutchley, Finance

Project Summary: Since 2009, Newsweek ® has ranked the most sustainable U.S. and global companies. Using Newsweek’s data, this study will examine if the greenest companies atop this list outperform their industry peers not appearing on the list. The paper will use a customized score based on Newsweek’s sub-scores and financial performance measures, including accounting and market returns.


Andrej Svyantek

Project Title: Assessing the Genetic Make-Up of Mutant Populations of Poa annua with Suspected Herbicide Resistance to Photosystem II Inhibitors.

Mentor: Dr. Scott McElroy, Department of Agronomy and Soils

Project Summary: I am screening populations of annual bluegrass with suspected resistance to herbicides. I will weed out plants of significance by applying several herbicides to ascertain whether resistance is actually present in a given population. I will then sequence and determine genetic changes associated with a specific kind of herbicide resistance to photosystem II inhibitors.


Zachary Watson

Project Title: The Acoustic Effect of Using New Materials for the Nut and Saddle of Acoustic Flat-Top Guitars

Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Fergus, Materials Engineering

Project Summary: My research will allow luthiers (builders of string instruments, such as guitars, violins, cellos) to better understand the influence of different materials used for the nut and saddle on the sound of the guitar and if these materials can be used to achieve different sounds/effects.


Julia Alyssa White

Project Title: An Analysis of Terminal Stature in the Mississippi Basin During the Transition to Agriculture<

Mentor: Kristrina A. Shuler, Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Project Summary: I aim to analyze the influence of the introduction of maize agriculture in the Mississippi Basin of Mississippi and Louisiana from approximately A.D. 700 to 1200 by utilizing new stature regression formulae to determine the terminal height of several skeletal samples before and after the subsistence shift.


Ryan Whitmore

Project Title: Multiscale Modeling of Articular Cartilage

Mentor: Robert Jackson, Mechanical Engineering

Project Summary: Research done to investigate the geometry and properties of cartilage would allow us to create a more realistic model of a synovial joint by finding the true geometric and material properties of cartilage as it is in a living joint. We will examine the material properties of equine cartilage, specifically measurements of the friction and stiffness. Ultimately, this information could be used to develop comprehensive models of synovial joints and to design biomimetic artificial joints that perform better and survive longer than existing technologies.


Last Modified: Jul 24, 2023 @ 9:11 am