Wolfgang Schweigkofler, PhD We study diseases of ornamental and forest plants, especially those caused by invasive pathogens, such as Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death. Invasive plant diseases can lead to widespread damage and death of native trees and cause devastating impacts on whole ecosystems. Our main focus is applied research, such as validation and development of best management practices (BMPs); development of remediation options for soil, water, and infested plants; and development of monitoring and control strategies. Our unique research nursery can be used by research partners from other universities and research centers. We share our research results with the public through a strong outreach program, as well as through scientific and technical publications.

Randall Hall, PhD  Computational chemistry and biology. Current projects study (1) the role played by metal oxide nanoparticles in the formation of environmental toxins, (2) the fate of partitioning of compost degradation products between the soil and the aquifer, and (3) the effect the extent of glycosylation on the COX-2 enzyme's production of prostaglandins.

Tyler Johnson, PhD The long-range goal of our laboratory is to isolate and characterize natural products from terrestrial and marine-derived extracts provided by the National Cancer Institute and prepare them to be screened as libraries of pure compounds against new disease targets to search for: a) therapeutic lead structures in biomedical research and or b) novel molecular probes in chemical biology.

Christine Koh, PhD My group studies and characterizes wildfire aerosols and sea spray aerosols. Among many species in the aerosols, radicals are my primary concern. Radicals that are formed from organic precursors (e.g. pesticides) in wildfire aerosols are investigated. Formation and the degradation pathway of the radical species are studied using spectroscopic tools in conjunction with aerosol techniques. In addition to the laboratory projects, air quality in the field (e.g. water treatment facility) is also studied in order to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of aerosol particles on our local air quality. 

• Dr. Koh's Google Site

Christine Hoffman, PhD We will be doing a statistical study to understand the most effective methods to increase proper recycling and compost sorting. We will be using AI models to help us collect and quantify data - no coding or previous knowledge required! If you want a project with real-world impact that applies transferable skills such as statistical methods, basic modeling, and hands-on data collection, this project is for you. Knowing what can be recycled can be confusing. We will compare three groups - one group without recent reference material on recycling policies, one with a typical flier on proper sorting best practices, and one with individualized feedback on what they are recycling properly and what is not. Depending on student interest and data collection opportunities, we may also compare the effect of offering a cash incentive for proper sorting, requiring a financial penalty for improper sorting, or not penalizing or rewarding household sorting.

Now is the time to apply for Off-Campus Summer research spots! AND is the time to ask for letters of recommendation when you see your faculty advisor-to support those applications. 

Check out The National Science Foundation which has a Research Experience for Undergraduates Program that allows students to spend 6-8 weeks at a research-intensive institution working with a faculty member at the institution anywhere in the country! In some cases, housing is also provided.

Additional Links for summer research spots in/out of the country:

• UC Berkley's NSF-REU 2021 Summer Research Program

  • DU Alumni Lizet Reyes Rodas (2022/BS Biology) was able to apply to the program as an undergrad with housing provided.

• AAMC Summer Research

• AMGEN Scholars

• The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)

  • This is a FREE transformative Six-week summer experience for students interested in the health professions. More than 65% of scholars that apply to the program are accepted to medical or dental school.

If you have questions about these programs, feel free to ask your faculty or research professor about them.

Vania Coelho, PhD  Coral reefs are undoubtedly among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Most studies predict that without increased conservation and restoration efforts a complete collapse may be only a couple of decades away. At the marine ecology lab we are working on a research project to help coral bleaching prevention. Coral bleaching is expected to increase dramatically due to global warming. Such episodes can cause massive mortality of corals and rapidly decimate reefs. It is critical to find ways to protect corals until the root causes of the problem, i.e. climate change, can be effectively addressed globally. In this project we will examine how a coral species respond to cumulative thermal stress, if decreasing light levels can help mitigate the effects of high temperature, and if so to what extent. 

• Dr. Coelho's Google Site

Doreen Gurrola, MS Marine mammals are sentinels of ocean health. My research combines my interest in marine mammals and anatomy, by examining skulls from stranded marine mammals. I have started a new collaboration with California Academy of Science in San Francisco. Cal Academy has one of the largest marine mammal skull collections in the United States. We will be examining skulls, primarily from California sea lions to observe pathological abnormalities and trauma. Additionally, we will compare morphometrics among species, age classes and gender. Students will also learn about the process of preparing specimens. We will conduct beach surveys, collecting skulls from stranded marine mammals. We will prepare specimens both on campus and at Cal Academy. During BIO 2990, students will be introduced to this research project, by learning about comparative anatomy. They will explore morphometrics on DU's own specimen collection. 

• Gurrola's Google Site 

Diara Spain, PhD Our lab is investigating the effects of ocean acidification on intertidal crabs in Northern California. Animals will be collected in the field and maintained in the aquatic lab in the science center. Specifically, we are interested in the crab exoskeleton weight, size, and composition. An additional focus of our lab is education and civic outreach, therefore we will be presenting on environmental issues on campus and off campus too. 

NOTE: Due to the nature of this type of research, students need to work on weekends when an experiment is in progress. 

Dr. Bayles. Changes to the environment, driven in large part by human activities, can significantly impact human health in ways that are both obvious and obscure. Dr. Bayles oversees the ‘Space Lab’, dedicated to quantifying the impacts of global environmental change on human populations with a particular focus on emerging infectious disease. We utilize a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging geographic information systems (GIS), multivariate modeling, and spatial epidemiological methods. Recent Space Lab projects have included: 1) wildlife conservation and human development in Kenya; 2) deforestation in Costa Rica and the rise of Zika and Dengue fever; 3) biological invasions; 4) West Nile Virus emergence in California. Future projects are being planned to include: pandemic prevention; environmental justice, social inequality, and climate change vulnerability. 

Dr. George Our research is focused on the current public health needs of the community. We have partnered with community based organizations like Center for Domestic Peace, The Ritter Center, Play Marin and Marin Health and Human Services. We use both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand health and well-being in human subjects. Students in this lab will learn to conduct a research study from beginning to end - developing a research question of interest, composing an IRB application, using different study design methods, collecting data from surveys or interviews, analyzing data using analytic programs such as SPSS or Dedoose, and composing a publishable manuscript. Research topics change from year to year, but the strength of our methodologies remain the same.