Projects
2020
Anthropology
Simulating Hip Growth in Early Humans
Megan Reyes ’21, Caroline Klureza ’22 and Professor Zachary D. Cofran (Anthropology)
Biology
Dissecting the Contribution of the eif3 Subunits to Component Events During Translation Initiation
Lucy Funes ’23 and Professor Colin Echeverría Aitken (Biology)
Investigating the Effects of eIF3 Mutations on Start Codon Recognition
Shanya Galbokke Hewage ’23 and Professor Colin Echeverría Aitken (Biology)
Analysis of Bacterial DNA Sequences in Genomics and Metagenomics
Emily Longo ’21, Minjun Choung ’21 and Professor Funmilola Ayeni (Biology)
Gonadotropin Hormones May Increase Frequency of Spawning in the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis
Chloe Chinnadurai ‘22 and Sedona Ryan ’22 and Professor Jodi Schwarz (Biology)
Modeling the Ventilatory Behavior of the Embryos of Little Skates, Leucoraja erinacea
Connor McShaffrey ’21 and Professor John Long (Biology and Cognitive Science)
Chemistry
Effect of Mn-Doping and Strain on Electronic and Magnetic Properties of MoSe₂
Owen Fauth ’23 Professor Leah Bendavid (Chemistry)
Density Functional Theory Study of Methyl Iodide and Its Oxidative Addition to Trinuclear Gold(I) Complexes
OGabrielle Costner ’21, Brandon Lam ’23 and Professor Brooke Michelle Otten (Chemistry)
Chemical Characterization of Amber from Arkansas
Sonia Santos ’21 Linnea Martin ’21 and Professors Sarjit Kaur and Edith Stout (Chemistry)
Characterization and Antioxidant Analysis of Honey Bee Propolis
Melanie Susman ’21 and Professor Chris Smart (Chemistry)
Synthesis and Functionalization of Endohedral Metallofullerenes
Christopher T. Triggs ’21 and Professor Chris Smart (Chemistry)
Cognitive Science
Probing the Methodology and Interpretation of Learned Categorical Perception Research
Margaret Bigler ’22, Polyphony Bruna ’22, and Professor Janet Andrews (Cognitive Science)
Using Online Games to Study Human Cognition
Spencer Lee ’22, Ling Qi ’22 and Professor Josh de Leeuw (Cognitive Science)
Miniscope Pipeline: The Construction and Implementation of Open-Source Resources to Derive Neural Signal and Behavior from High-Dimensional Video Data
Ivy Chen ’21, Eden Forbes ’21, Abigail Jenkins ’22, Hero Liu ’22, and Professor Josh de Leeuw (Cognitive Science), Professor Hadley Bergstrom (Psychological Science), Professor Bojana Zupan (Psychological Science), Professor Lori Newman (Psychological Science)
In vivo Calcium Imaging the Infralimbic Cortex During Aversive Learning and Extinction
Ivy Chen ’21, Eden Forbes ’21, Abigail Jenkins ’22, Hero Liu ’22, and Professor Josh de Leeuw (Cognitive Science), Professor Hadley Bergstrom (Psychological Science), Professor Bojana Zupan (Psychological Science), Professor Lori Newman (Psychological Science)
Evolutionary Robotics: The Role of Gene Duplication and Modularity in the Emergence of Evolvability
Michael Jaklitsch ’21, Lingxiu Zhang ’21, Jason Han ’23, and Professor Kenneth Livingston (Cognitive Science)
Computer Science
Computational Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variation in Literary Sentiment
Chloe Gjoka ’23, Olga Redko ’21, and Professor Jonathan Gordon (Computer Science)
Algorithms for Temporal Networks
Merrick Chang ’21, Furrukh Asif ’22, Sudais Moorad ’21, and Professor Luke Hunsberger (Computer Science)
Aegis: A Smartphone Data Privacy Solution
Nick Weiner ’22, Jemma Brooker ’23, Ryan Hornby ’21, and Professor Jason Waterman (Computer Science)
Mathematics and Statistics
Research in Knot Theory: Khovanov Homology and 4-genus of Almost Alternating Knots
Mia DeStefano ’22, Wyatt Milgrim ’23, Ceci Villaseñor ’22, Emily Wadholm ’23, and Professor Adam Lowrance (Mathematics and Statistics)
Physics and Astronomy
Using Matlab Simulations to Study Heat Flow in Thin Films
Emma Manzella ’21 and Professor Brian Daly (Physics)
Transition Metal Dichalcogenides as Strain Sensors in Pump-Probe Experiments
Celia Morral ’22, Phyo Pyi Kyaw ’22 and Professor Brian Daly (Physics)
Simulated Picosecond-laser-generated Surface Acoustic Waves in Nanostructures
Luke Thatcher ’22 and Professor Brian Daly (Physics)
Circuit Model for Plasmonic Interactions: A Correction to Achieve the Quantum Tunneling
Jacob Stuligross ’22 and Professor Juan M. Merlo-Ramirez (Physics and Astronomy)
Detecting Hidden Planets in the Process of Formation
Adam Moses ’21, Hannah Stickler, Wellesley ’22, and Professor Colette Salyk (Physics)
Video Based Graphical Analysis Problems: a Supplement or Replacement for Lab Experience in Introductory Mechanics
Saumya Arya ’23 and Professor Cindy Schwarz (Physics)
Psychology
Attention Correlates with Glutamate Recycling in Astrocytes: Using Reaction Times and Accuracy from the Sustained Attention Task to Measure Vigilance in Attending and Non-Attending Rats
Benjamin Goya ’21 and Professor Lori Newman (Psychological Science)
SeApp: A Feasibility Study of a Self-Efficacy EMI in the Context of COVID-19
Annie Xu ’22, Mohtad F. Allawala ’23 and Professors Sue Trumbetta (Psychological Science), Adam Brown, and Maria Höhn (History)
3D Reconstructions of Neurons: Testing Structural Plasticity of CA3 Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons in Response to Postnatal Maternal Exercise
Sanaya Shikari ’21 and Professor Bojana Zupan (Psychological Science)