Past fellows
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Taylor Young, Biomedical Sciences
Sponsor(s): Harrison School of Pharmacy
Project Title: Relationship between AD and diabetes
Mentor: Dr. Rajesh Amin
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Jack France, Applied Mathematics
Sponsor(s): College of Sciences and Mathematics
Project Title: Exploration of Euler’s Method
Mentor: Dr. Geraldo de Souza, Mathematics
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 tuberculosis. Inhibition 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.
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 Summary: Xylella 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:
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: October 20, 2017