Poster Session I

One of the most essential components of a species’s survival is optimal habitat availability. Due to seasonal change and migration patterns, avian habitat selection fluctuates across temporal and spatial scales according to important stages of the life cycle, as well as energy needs for thermoregulation. I am examining how avian habitat selection varies across the thermal landscape of Spalding Conservancy, specifically regarding variation in the surface temperatures of vegetation structures within and between its three different habitats—wetland, grassland, and forest. I am also assessing the role of thermal variation within a day, seasonally, and among habitats in avian temporal and spatial habitat use by measuring species diversity and abundance. From my results, specific recommendations can be made for the management of Spalding Conservancy and other similar areas about the preservation of complex vegetation structures and the type of habitat composition that best supports bird diversity and abundance. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Dan Ardia, Department of Biology

Despite the best efforts of modern medicine, malaria still claimed 608,000 lives in 2022. In the bloodstream, the parasite resides inside red blood cells. The most deadly species of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, makes the red blood cell surface deformed and sticky. These infected cytoadherent red blood cells stick to capillary walls and can cause the most serious malarial symptoms, such as cerebral malaria. The structures that cause erythrocyte stickiness are made of both our own proteins re-purposed and some from the parasite itself. Of the proteins that the parasite exports out into the red blood cell, our lab is especially interested in a family of 20 protein-modifying enzymes called Ser/Thr kinases that may be responsible for altering red blood cell proteins. The goal of this project is to learn whether a lab strain of E coli bacteria can make these proteins for us, so that we can study their biochemistry. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Gabriel Brandt, Department of Chemistry

The unnatural amino acid 4-Cyano-L-Phenylalanine (pCNF), is an effective vibrational reporter used to probe local protein regions. pCNF contains a nitrile group which falls in a relatively quiet portion of the IR spectrum, with different stretching frequencies in polar and nonpolar environments. We hypothesize that pCNF could also be used to understand local folding/unfolding patterns in proteins as the local solvation environment of many sites change during protein unfolding. This summer, pCNF was incorporated into Adenylate Kinase at various sites using the Amber codon suppression methodology. By incorporating pCNF at a wide range of sites in the protein, we have collected temperature-dependent IR data suggesting that the protein does not globally unfold at the same temperature and the folding pattern is not reversible. Additionally, it has been determined that further purification of Adenylate Kinase on fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) is necessary to obtain homogeneous protein samples for IR studies. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the Tyler Fund. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Christine Piro, Department of Chemistry

Non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) have a wide variety of uses for probing protein systems and altering protein properties. A number of proteins have one or more tyrosine residues essential for protein structure and/or function. The addition of a nitro group at the meta-position of the phenol side chain of tyrosine, creating 3-nitro-L-tyrosine (mNO2Y), modulates the pKa of the phenolic hydrogen resulting in a more acidic proton—thus having potential to modulate protein properties. Superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) contains a key tyrosine residue. In sfGFP, Y66— especially the protonation state of the phenolic hydrogen—is directly related to the observed photophysical properties of the protein. Here, mNO2Y was incorporated at this site to alter these properties in addition to serving as a local reporter of protein environment. Specifically, the pKa of the phenolic hydrogen of mNO2Y incorporated into the protein was measured through pH dependent electronic spectroscopic measurements. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Christine Piro, Department of Chemistry

Pythium is a genus of fungus-like oomycetes that contains both soil and aquatic plant pathogens. Hybridization events between oomycete species have been known to produce hybrid offspring lineages that are more virulent than the parental species. However, the lineages do not always stabilize and thrive, and the gain or loss of pathogenicity (especially as it relates to environmental factors) is not well understood. Two hybrid lineages of a novel Pythium species, JN-1a and JN-1b, have been previously isolated from various freshwater sites in Lancaster County, PA, and are used in this study to examine the association between environmental factors and the fitness of both lineages. Growth assays, alongside flow cytometry, will give insights into how hybrid offspring respond to factors such as a range in pH and nitrate and phosphate concentrations, and what effects hybridization has on the genome size. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Jaime Blair, Department of Biology

Our summer research objective was to understand the significance behind the lack of inclusive representation on skin tones and how it affects people of color and their susceptibility to skin cancer. The lack of representation of diverse skin tones in educational materials used in medical school has caused the shortcoming of skin cancer diagnosis for people of color. These disparities pose detrimental implications when circumstances of skin cancer unknowingly arise. We analyzed and coded over 800 google search images in accordance to the Fitzpatrick scale, a classification that distinguishes 6 types of skin tones. Our findings revealed the scale not depicting enough skin tones to allow us to successfully categorize all images as seen. The lack of diverse skin tone categories from a recognized tool for dermatological research further adds onto the disparities of skin tone representation, making it difficult for patients of darker skin complexions to receive effective diagnosis. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholars Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Ashley Rondini, Department of Sociology

The anti-cancer drug 3-bromopyruvate (3BP) specifically targets the essential glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) which inhibits glycolysis, subsequently depleting intracellular ATP and inducing cancer cell death. However, the actual enzyme-substrate structure of GAPDH and its substrate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P), is not widely known. The end goal is to purify an inactive mutant of the hsGAPDH and incubate it with its native substrates. To do so, we created three sets of primers to form hsGAPDH active site mutations through QuikChange mutagenesis. By understanding how both the substrate (G3P) and 3BP bind in hsGAPDH, we hope to figure out how to form analogs of 3BP that only bind to GAPDH to minimize off target binding. This will in turn lessen side effects when 3BP is prescribed. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the Pennsylvania Health Grant. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Gabriel Brandt, Department of Chemistry

The town of Boiling Springs, in Cumberland County Pennsylvania, is centered around the 7th largest spring in the state, commonly known as “The Bubble.” Our research is to develop methods to locate the source of this spring water in order to protect it from pollution, and to develop a stronger understanding of local and regional subsurface hydrogeology. Mapping, water quality testing, and isotopic analysis by previous F&M students has illuminated the Pigeon Hills, 35 km away in York County, as a possible precipitation recharge zone for the Bubble, which implies an unusually complex groundwater flow path. Ongoing studies of nearby springs, streams, and precipitation events will help pinpoint the source of the Bubble’s spring water. Mapping of bedrock fractures, faults, caverns, and geological contacts will help resolve the proposed complex flow path, leading to formal dye tracing tests that could verify the recharge location for the Bubble.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholars Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Robert Walter, Department of Earth and Environment

What motivates F&M students to participate in the political process and to what extent F&M Votes influences student voter engagement? The goal of my research project is to evaluate current F&M Votes practices, better understand nationwide student voting behavior, and adjust strategies to increase student voter participation at Franklin & Marshall College. To evaluate national practices, behaviors, and trends, I have done a literature review and attended the Student Vote Research Network Convening in Chicago, Illinois, to discuss best practices for encouraging student voter participation. To assess F&M student behavior and engagement, I conducted a poll in conjunction with the Center for Opinion Research. The poll evaluated student voter registration status, voting habits, political interest, and engagement with F&M Votes. Together, all data collected allowed for the development of a comprehensive F&M Votes Action Plan – ensuring F&M can reach maximum voter participation. This project was supported by funding from F&M's John Marshall Fellows Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Matthew Schousen, Department of Government

The ability to make logical inferences without the complete information is a key ingredient of human’s ability to make logically informed decisions. With the growing push to have AI logical reasoners in day-to-day applications, it is important to explore the ability for AI reasoners to complete deductive reasoning without complete knowledge, while retaining a high level of inspectability. We report the performance of the Repeated Analogy for Goal Reasoning (RAGeR) Algorithm when presented with scenarios of varying degrees of information provided. Experiments run with two separate datasets found evidence that the RAGeR Algorithm ran very well when provided with complete data, while maintaining a good overall performance when provided with incomplete data. Mistakes were most often made due to ambiguous input data. This shows that a reasoning algorithm may make deductions as a human would, while allowing every step to be inspected and explained. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholars Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Jason (Willie) Wilson, Department of Computer Science

Plasmodium falciparum remains a formidable global health challenge, with its virulence intricately tied to its ability to remodel host red blood cells. Central to this process are malarial kinases, a family of proteins secreted by the parasite into the host cell. This study delves into the molecular intricacies underlying these virulence mechanisms. Through the utilization of bacterial expression systems, we aim to elucidate the production and purification of malarial kinases, leveraging a specialized strain engineered for enhanced protein folding. Employing phosphorylation-sensitive gel staining, we seek to unravel the enzymatic activity of these proteins and their role in red blood cell remodeling. Furthermore, our endeavor to crystallize malarial enzymes promises to unveil their three-dimensional atomic structures, offering crucial insights for the rational design of targeted interventions against P. falciparum virulence. This research provides a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of malarial pathogenesis and identifies potential avenues for therapeutic intervention.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Gabriel Brandt, Department of Chemistry

As humans continue to interfere with the stability of ecosystems through anthropogenic effects, the abundance of wildlife is affected by new detrimental environmental stimuli. The increased wildlife interactions through recreational activity, habitat fragmentation, and urbanization have generated negative impacts on wildlife. These impacts include behavioral adaptations in wildlife that are presented with sublethal stressors due to the influx of human activity. This research aims to examine how anthropogenic impacts lead to spatiotemporal alterations in mammalian wildlife in southeastern Pennsylvania. The mammalian species that will be examined in this study are Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer), Vulpes vulpes (red foxes), and Canis latrans (coyotes). To examine the effects of anthropogenic pressures on these selected species, we will compare spatial and temporal adaptations in various human-impacted environments versus less-impacted environments. This examination of spatiotemporal change will incorporate the use of non-invasive trail cameras that are strategically placed throughout conservancy sites. It is predicted that the species from our anthropogenically pressured environments are more behaviorally adapted to human influences both spatially and temporally than those from our more pristine study sites. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Dan Ardia, Department of Biology

Copper chalcogenides are components of sustainable energy technologies like solar energy conversion and thermoelectrics. However, due to the deficiency of Cu+ over time, the particles in CdS/Cu2-xS heterojunctions alter their optical properties and photovoltaic effects. Low incorporation of Te2- into the particle creates a Te2- shell that reduces the Cu+ deficiency and removes the unwanted plasmonic effects; however, as more Te2- is incorporated, the opposite effect is observed. This same behavior may alter the ability to form CdS/Cu2-xS heterojunctions. The project studied the effects of increasing Te2- anion exchange and subsequent Cd2+ cation exchange on the plasmon of Cu2-xS nanorods. Results showed that plasmon decreases with longer Te-exchanges at 230°C, and decreases further with subsequent Cd-exchange, but no significant difference in plasmon is observed between Cd-exchanged experiments. For Te2- exchange experiments at 250°C, the particles' crystal structures shifted with longer reaction times and shifted again following Cd2+ exchange. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the National Science Foundation. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Kate Plass, Department of Chemistry

The materials used to construct aircraft must meet strict design requirements for strength and weight. Construction using less dense materials can reduce aircraft weight without significantly reducing structural strength. In this study, we compare 3D printed plastic and balsa wood as far as strength, weight, and price is concerned. The experimental process tests the reliability of computational models and an analysis of the uncertainty with the Monte Carlo method. The project focuses on the structural components of the airplane’s airfoils, which form the skeleton of the wing in a fixed wing aircraft. The long term goal is to assess the feasibility of 3D printed plastic as a structural material for light-weight aircraft.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Ken Krebs, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Past research has demonstrated that makeup applied to the facial features makes the facial skin appear more even. Even when no makeup was applied to the skin in either condition (makeup only on features vs. no makeup), ratings in the condition with makeup applied to the features resulted in higher perceived skin homogeneity. It was proposed that this effect was likely due to the increase in contrast between the facial features and the skin, termed “facial contrast”. The current project aims to extend this work and examine whether increasing contrast around the eyes, through cosmetic application, might be affecting the perceptions of the sclera (e.g., how white the sclera is perceived or how healthy the eyes appear). This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the J.D. Shand Fund. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Carolta Batres, Department of Psychology

The objective of my completed Drone Making class was to enhance perceptual skills encompassing 3D modeling, programming, soldering, and foundational knowledge of electrical circuits and aerodynamics. The focal point was on constructing an uncomplicated yet efficient drone mechanism, utilizing the most cost-effective, accessible, and environmentally friendly materials. The approach involved advancing the modeling of intricate components and fostering hands-on experience in assembling these details. By programming the chip, the course aimed to provide practical insights into real-world programming applications and their impact on physical objects. The course sought to cultivate proficiency and confidence in integrating 3D modeling, programming, and soldering within a singular project, contributing to a deeper understanding of cyber-physical systems' fundamental structures. The practical sessions dedicated to drone construction also served to reinforce programming skills acquired in CPS 111 Computer Science I and CPS 112 Computer Science II. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Brad McDanel, Department of Computer Science

As a Studio Art major, I recognize the potency of visual language and digital media in today's world. With the decline in reading habits, concise and captivating visuals have emerged as the most potent means to convey ideas. To grasp this language, I completed a three-month graphic design course at Projector Institute, a respected Ukrainian institution for digital education. There, I honed my skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, delving into projects that deepened my understanding of typography, composition, and color theory, while gaining insights into poster design, illustration, and branding. Furthermore, I gained valuable insights into the design process for larger-scale projects. Subsequently, I seized opportunities to design merchandise for Carnegie Mellon's renowned Intro to Deep Learning course and crafted a poster for the 2024 Capstone Art Show, among other projects. My ambition is to leverage this expertise to elevate my artistry and amplify messages to the wider world. This project was supported by funding from F&M's John Marshall Fellows Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor John Holmgren, Department of Art, Art History and Film

Research on childhood maltreatment (CM) has consistently revealed it has drastic impacts on one’s mental or physical health. Studies have shown that CM links to adulthood depressive symptoms through aspects of marital satisfaction such as emotional support. Marital satisfaction can also vary across genders and socioeconomic groups. Participants will be recruited through Prolific.com and complete a Qualtrics questionnaire comprising the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results are expected to show that the causal relationship between CM, marital satisfaction, and adulthood depression will be stronger for women and participants of a lower socioeconomic status. The purpose of the study is to determine if the causal relationship between CM and adulthood depression through marital satisfaction is consistent across gender and socioeconomic status. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Megan Knowles, Department of Psychology

The NANOGrav collaboration, of which F&M is a member, is an international consortium of institutions searching for gravitational waves in radio pulsar timing data. The NANOStars program engages undergraduates at NANOGrav institutions by training them in key NANOGrav science, including the search for new pulsars in survey data from radio telescopes around the world. Each semester, F&M students participate in research activities under the guidance of experienced student team leaders and present talks at monthly multi-institutional telecons. Beyond research contributions, these program activities further train students in organizing, presenting, and working in small teams. Team leaders develop leadership skills, and all students can network with other members of the NANOGrav consortium. To date, six new pulsars have been discovered by NANOStars students. These discoveries are essential for gravitational wave detection, since the signal-to-noise ratio of the gravitational wave background amplitude scales linearly with the number of pulsars. This project was supported by funding from the NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center and the National Science Foundation. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Fronefield Crawford, Department of Physics and Astronomy

The primary result presented here is a crystal structure of a human protein with a bound inhibitor. With most pharmaceuticals, there is a trade-off between its efficacy and side effects. One strategy to minimize side effects is to design a version of the drug that is very specific for its target. In order to design more specific drugs, it would help to be able to visualize, at the atomic scale, precisely how the compound is bound to its target. Here, a potential anti-cancer compound known to have severe side effects was incubated with its purified human enzyme target and crystallized. X-ray diffraction experiments using the National Synchrotron Light Source II (Brookhaven National Laboratory) appear to confirm covalent modification of an active site cysteine residue. Refinement of the structure is ongoing, along with additional experiments to confirm the initial observations and improve the spatial resolution.  This project was supported by funding from the Suydam Chemistry Student Research Endowment. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Gabriel Brandt, Department of Chemistry

Socially assistive robots (SARs) have the potential to revolutionize educational experiences by providing safe, non-judgmental, and emotionally supportive environments for children's social development. The success of SARs relies on the synergy of different modalities, such as speech, gestures, and gaze, to maximize interactive experiences. This paper presents an approach for generating SAR behaviors that extend an upper ontology. The ontology may enable flexibility and scalability for adaptive behavior generation by defining key assistive intents, turn-taking, and input properties. We compare the generated behaviors with hand-coded behaviors that are validated through an experiment with young children. The results demonstrate that the automated approach covers the majority of manually developed behaviors while allowing for significant adaptations to specific circumstances. The technical framework holds the potential for broader interoperability in other assistive domains and facilitates the generation of context-dependent and socially appropriate robot behaviors.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Jason (Willie) Wilson, Department of Computer Science

We aim to explore the fate of molybdenum (Mo) sorbed onto iron sulfides during their transformation in anoxic, sulfidic marine sediments, where Mo plays a crucial role in tracing ancient environmental conditions. Focusing on the interaction between Mo and iron sulfide minerals like pyrite, marcasite, and pyrrhotite, we investigate how these interactions affect Mo's chemical state and its implications for the sedimentary record. Utilizing the Monowave instrument, we'll assess the mineralogical composition of iron sulfide samples previously prepared with adsorbed Mo, examining changes in valence states and the electron flow among Mo, sulfur, and iron. This approach allows us to better understand the electronic and chemical dynamics within these complexes, contributing to our knowledge of ancient euxinic environments. The study will prioritize the use of the Monowave for detailed mineralogical analysis while leveraging PXRD, Raman, and XPS data for additional insights into electronic structures and reactions.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Jennifer Morford, Department of Chemistry