Oomycetes are fungal-like microbial eukaryotes that are ubiquitous in nature. The group contains many well known plant pathogens that cause significant damage in agricultural systems. However, little is known about non-pathogenic species and their ecological role in diverse environments, or how environmental factors impact community dynamics. Our lab has been studying oomycete diversity in local freshwater streams since 2009 using a combination of culturing and environmental DNA metabarcoding. Here we describe two current projects focused on optimizing methods for taxonomic profiling of aquatic species. Preliminary analysis of metabarcoding data from filtered water samples identified a high level of off-target amplification of closely related freshwater diatoms; we redesigned existing PCR primers to more specifically match oomycetes while limiting similarity to diatoms, and tested them with oomycete DNA from our culture collection. Our second project examines molecular and morphological traits from four potentially new species collected from local streams. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Jaime Blair, Department of Biology

This one-year independent study will focus on the spatio-temporal variability of surface water temperature along the Little Conestoga Creek in Lancaster, PA for a 5-month period from August 2024 to January 2025. This work builds upon preliminary data collected during summer research in 2024. Professor Dorothy Merritts led a group of summer student researchers in her efforts with the Chesapeake Watershed Initiative related to ongoing restoration of the Little Conestoga Creek. Restoration work entails full to partial removal of 18th-19th century mill pond sediment buildup along the valley, which will uncover the original marshland ecosystem. One major focus of this research will be determining the variability in the physical attributes of the creek, such as temperature. This is relevant to our project as a whole because it will inform us if the removal of sediment and stream restoration are successful. This project was supported by funding from the Richard & Dorothy Foose Endowment and F&M’s Committee on Grants Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Dorothy Merritts, Department of Earth and Environment

The incorporation of vibrational-reporter-containing unnatural amino acids (UAAs) into a protein sequence can give insight into the local environment and structure of the protein. The Heme-nitric oxide and/or oxygen (H-NOX) protein has previously been shown to bind cyanide (CN–) at the heme,1 and that 4-Cyano-L-Phenylalanine (pCNF) can be site-specifically incorporated without affecting protein structure or function2. Both CN – and pCNF are vibrational reporters and it is hypothesized that by incorporating both into the same H-NOX protein with CN– at the heme and pCNF elsewhere, the degree of vibrational coupling between the two groups can be used to determine the distance between them. This study will provide Ultraviolet- visible and Infrared spectroscopic data for various Caldanaerobacter subterraneus H-NOX mutants containing both CN– and pCNF, providing the starting point for a tool that can be used to measure intramolecular distances in proteins. This project was supported by funding from the Eyler Fund and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor:  Professor Christine Piro, Department of Chemistry

Established in 1932, the Huntsdale State Fish Hatchery is one of Pennsylvania’s largest hatcheries, producing over one million cold, cool, and warm water species annually. The hatchery’s success is largely attributed to high-quality groundwater from at least 15 local springs that contribute water to the site. Despite their importance, these springs remain poorly studied in terms of geochemistry,geohydrology, and source(s). Discharging an average of 7,000 gpm (442 l/s), the springs remain clear even after major precipitation events. Our study, based on four sampling rounds, analyzes physicochemical properties, major and trace elements, tritium concentrations, and isotopic signatures. Results reveal that some springs with similar geochemical signatures are not necessarily geographically close, suggesting shared groundwater flow paths, some with long transit times. Given the hatchery’s sensitivity to traditional dye tracing, we are now employing natural tracers to delineate the sources of these vital waters. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Timothy Bechtel, Department of Earth and Environment

The current study investigates the relationship between movement performers (e.g. dancer, choreographer) with themselves and others through interviews conducted both in person and online. A total of 14 questions were asked to these dancers and were analyzed qualitatively. The participants were majority women and some men, all adults, ranging from Franklin & Marshall students to dancers that the researcher has networked and recruited via email. Data collected and presented today serves to gather evidence for or against the main hypothesis: Improvise dancing increases the frequency of neural oscillations between brain regions and mirror neurons, resulting in improved cognitive functions such as: attention control, working memory, impulse control, emotional regulation, social interaction, creativity, and adaptability. The method of interviews would assist in understanding one's unique embodied experience with their dance and psychology interacting. Studies empirically approaching the same hypothesis niche involves the interaction of dance in trauma symptomatology within the competing neurobehavioral decision systems model, brain synchronization, and togetherness (Basso 2020; Basso 2023; Speranza 2024). Dance also shows signs of assisting in executive functions such as decision making (Madlon-Kay 2024). The use of interviews are validated to use for empirical purposes (Lacono). This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Elena Cuffari, Department of Psychology

Light is an appealing tool for artificially controlling biochemical pathways, as its passage through a cell is relatively non-invasive. The primary technical barrier is engineering light dependence into the pathway of interest. Photocaged compounds and optogenetics have been used for these purposes. Generally, caged inhibitors are introduced in a biologically innocuous form. Removal of a photoprotecting group reveals the active inhibitor. The work here presents a complementary strategy. Thus, Src kinase activity could be turned off through conventional inhibition and then switched back on with temporal and/or spatial precision by a pulse of light. A known Src inhibitor was modified to include an ortho-nitrobenzyl group, so that the compound is cleaved by photolysis. We show here that the kinase domain of recombinant human Src is inhibited by the nitrobenzyl-modified version of the inhibitor. Preliminary tests suggest that irradiation of the compound in vitro with UVB light lifts the inhibition. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Gabriel Brandt, Department of Chemistry

RotationSlicing is a Python package designed to slice 3D galaxy clusters at custom angles being developed for contribution to Astropy, a community-written common core package for Astronomy. We report here our progress addressing three key challenges in scientific software development---packaging, version control, and documentation---in a way that ensures compliance with Astropy's stringent standards. We packaged with Hatch and made RotationSlicing easily installable via pip and compatible with Python environment managers like conda. Version control was implemented through a structured GitHub repository, ensuring reproducibility and collaborative development. We built base documentation using Sphinx and NumPy-style docstrings to auto-generate detailed Application Programming Interface (API) references and user guides. Additionally, we applied an Astropy-compatible theme and laid groundwork for example galleries. By addressing these challenges, this project enhances RotationSlicing’s accessibility and usability, essential for contributing to the growing ecosystem of open-source, standardized scientific software that supports transparent and reproducible research. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholars Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Beth Praton, Department of Physics and Astronomy

This study aimed to investigate the roles of the ASIL1 and ASIL2 transcription factors during the development of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To investigate stomatal development, Arabidopsis plants were grown for 10 days, and cotyledons were analyzed for stomata formation (including stomatal density and index). In addition, 3-day, 5-day, and 12-day plants were stained to identify in which specific cell types ASIL1 and ASIL2 were expressed. These observations aim to enhance our understanding of how ASIL transcription factors may influence Arabidopsis responses to both developmental cues contributing to broader insights into plant adaptation at the cellular and physiological levels during critical growth transitions.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Pablo Jenik, Department of Biology

Carbon accumulated and stored in wetlands is a major sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, accumulation rates and total carbon stocks of wetlands in temperate climates are poorly characterized and many temperate, river-wetland corridors have been degraded by the legacy of colonial mill daming. Here, we present loss-on-ignition (LOI), carbon and nitrogen (C:N) ratios, and bulk organic δ13C data to reconstruct the Holocene history of carbon accumulation and paleoclimate from Great Marsh in Chester County, PA. This site serves as an analog for other buried or degraded valley-bottom marshes formed in a periglacial environment. We paired 210Pb and 137Cs chronologies and radiocarbon dating to calculate rates of both short-term (~100 years) and long-term (multi-millennial) carbon accumulation. Our analysis of carbon cycling in a surviving Piedmont wetland will help to better understand carbon cycling in analog systems for the ongoing restoration of river-wetland corridors in southeastern PA. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholars Program and the Chesapeake Watershed Initiative..

Project Mentors:  Professors Adam Benfield, Christopher Williams and Dorothy Merritts, Department of Earth and Environment

In the Summer of 2024, I received the Hackman summer experience under the tutelage of Professor Padmini Mongia, working with the Bill Hutson Poster Collection at the Phillips Museum of Art. The collection amasses over 270 posters featuring exhibitions of varying artists collected by Hutson between 1962 and 2019 in the U.S., France, and several countries in Africa. My task was to ensure our data in the Phillips Museum’s database was correct and formulate a chronology of this poster collection. In addition, I generated a chronology of the Bill Hutson artwork holdings in the PMA collection, which along with the poster chronology, will be fantastic tools for future research and sharing of Bill’s collection. My Hackman experience is part of a much larger research project I have been working on all year under the instruction of Professor Padmini Mongia and in collaboration with F&M Archives and the Phillip’s Museum. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholars Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Padmini Mongia, Department of English

Almost two-thirds of adults in the United States report having at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE). ACEs are strongly associated with death and disease, and can affect individuals throughout their lives. College students with a history of ACEs often engage in risky behaviors, with male students engaging in more risky behaviors (e.g., aggressiveness and sexual violence) than female students. Emotion regulation is known to mediate the relationship between ACEs and adult health outcomes. Furthermore, those with ACEs are more likely to develop negative mental health and behavioral issues via having lower resilience in stressful situations. Together, emotion regulation and resilience have been studied as mediators between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine emotional regulation and resilience as potential mediators in the relationship between ACEs and engagement in risky behaviors among a male college student population.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Christina Abbott, Department of Psychology

Through a year-long independent study, I wrote, produced, directed, and edited a narrative short film to culminate four years of film education at Franklin and Marshall. The story follows a dinner party told through the perspectives of three different but closely intertwined characters, each with their own chapter. Each chapter is further distinguished through its technical elements: differences in lighting, camera movement, wardrobe, set design, and sound. The timeline of this project began with a semester of pre-production in the fall in preparation for production in early January, and ending with post-production in the spring. The project will be officially completed, however, following an oral defense in front of my chosen thesis committee, after which I hope to pass and graduate with honors. After graduation, I plan to submit my film to various festivals locally and nationally as well as place it in a portfolio for future graduate school applications. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the Marianne S. and Joseph P. Nolt ‘59 Endowed Performing Arts Fund.

Project Mentor:  Professor Jeremy Moss, Department of Visual Arts

Down Syndrome (DS) is caused by a triplication of chromosome 21. People with DS have skeletal defects such as short stature, low bone mineral density, and osteoporosis. Using the mouse model, Dp(16)1Yey, we studied conserved genes between mice and humans. To measure when differences in bones first arise, we used bone staining to stain cartilage of femurs to measure bone length and endochondral ossification. To target misexpression of triplicated and non-triplicated genes as observed in DS bones, we used RT-qPCR. No significant differences in bone development were found (ANOVA, p=0.269) prenatally between males and females or DS and normal embryos.. We found an overexpression of Dyrk1a (triplicated gene) and Runx9 (non-triplicated gene) in developing forelimbs. Insight into these developmental differences may improve the quality of life of individuals with DS or develop treatments/therapeutics. Developmental differences allow comparisons to further understand the impact of trisomy on cellular functions.This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program

Project Mentor:  Professor Clara Moore, Department of Biology

Post-synthetic transformations (PST) are important for creating complex novel nanomaterials used in sustainable energy technologies and thermoelectrics. Applying knowledge on the kinetics of Cd2+ cation exchange following Te2- anion exchange on Cu2-xS nanorods, this project examines the regioselectivity of the Cd2+ cation exchange. Aliquot studies of Cd2+ exchange were conducted on Cu2-xS/Cu2-xTe nanoparticles with increasing levels of Te2- exchanges to observe the progression of Cd2+ deposition over time. A higher intensity of Cd2+ exchange allowed cation exchange in both Cu2-xS and Cu2-xTe domains with an external Cu2-xTe shell, while a lower intensity of exchange showed selective exchange. Trends in regioselectivity were monitored using scanning transmission electron microscopy - energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS), scanning electron microscopy - energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Understanding this regioselectivity could have applications in creating novel CdS/CdTe geometries with exciting optical properties. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program and the National Science Foundation. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Katherine Plass, Department of Chemistry

This study examines the impact of floodplain-wetland restoration on surface water temperature along Big Spring Run (BSR) in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. Legacy sediment removal (~20,000 metric tons) and aquatic ecosystem restoration were completed in 2011. Monitoring by USGS (1993-2001) and by our research group at F&M (2003-present) collected water temperature data before and after the restoration. In addition, during the summer of 2024 continuous in-stream temperature data were collected via in situ temperature loggers deployed in the stream upstream, downstream, and within the restoration area. Temperature comparisons during peak summer conditions revealed a significant reduction in surface water temperatures within the restoration site. This reduction, attributed to improved groundwater-surface water exchange, and exposed springs, highlights the effectiveness of floodplain-wetland restoration towards lowering water temperatures and improving the health of aquatic ecosystems. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Timothy Bechtel, Department of Earth and Environment

Magic captivates audiences by seemingly defying physical laws, yet it often relies on well-established physics principles. This study explores the intersection of magic and physics education, investigating how illusions enhance conceptual understanding and engagement. We analyze key parameters—such as launch angle, velocity, and timing—and their limits in creating effective illusions. Focusing on tricks involving projectile motion, mechanics, and optics, we assess both the underlying physics and their pedagogical impact. A key demonstration featured a precision-engineered illusion launching a coin along a controlled trajectory. Simulations modeled projectile motion with and without air resistance, plotting velocity vs. time and motion in vertical vs. horizontal axes. To assess learning outcomes, two student groups received different instruction methods: one through a traditional lecture and another incorporating the magic-based demonstration. The latter outperformed the former by 9.8% on a post-lesson questionnaire. These results suggest that magic-based physics education enhances engagement and conceptual retention.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

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

Mutations in WDR73 are causative of Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GMS), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cerebellar hypoplasia, microcephaly, renal failure, developmental delay, and cognitive/psychomotor impairment. Our lab investigated the WDR73 interactome using affinity purification/mass spectroscopy and identified interaction with the eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC/CCT. TRiC/CCT is a 16-subunit hetero-oligomer that completes protein folding for about 10% of the proteome. Our lab determined that WDR73 is a substrate for the TRiC complex and thereby assists in the folding of endogenous WDR73. Occupation of the catalytic core of TRiC/CCT with beta-actin 360(A5) takes the chaperonin offline and renders WDR73 unstable, targeting WDR73 for destruction. My data suggest that WDR73 interacts with TRiC subunits CCT2, CCT5, CCT6, and CCT8. Moreover, I will present early evidence that WDR73 is targeted for lysosomal degradation when TRiC/CCT is blocked. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholars Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Robert Jinks, Department of Biology

Geodesic domes and spheres have been used in architecture as cost-efficient and easy-to-build structures. They also have applications in molecular chemistry and the biology of viruses. In this project we construct a mathematical model of geodesic spheres for the purposes of computer simulation and planning the construction of physical models, such as with origami. By analyzing the mathematical properties of geodesic structures, we aim to design an algorithm capable of generating 3D models that accurately represent the physical origami forms. This involves exploring geometric transformations, folding patterns, and computational methods to bridge mathematical theory with practical implementation. This project was supported by funding by the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor:  Professor Thomas Hull, Department of Mathematics

Is it better to help siblings get things they want or help strangers get things they need? Research shows that adults prioritize helping close others over strangers in zero-sum dilemmas and condemn strangers who deviate from their own moral judgments (McManus et al., 2020; Niemi et al., 2023; Rottman et al., 2023). However, questions remain about how people evaluate others’ loyalty and impartiality. We presented 250 participants with four dilemmas where a child protagonist chose between helping a sibling with a luxury or a stranger with a necessity. They assessed the protagonist’s moral character and partner choice desirability, and which person the participants should and would help. Participants judged protagonists as most socially desirable when they helped distant people, regardless of whether they believed it was right, and when their beliefs conflicted with the protagonist’s choice. Future research should investigate whether adult protagonists and child participants would alter the results.  This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program

Project Mentor:  Professor Joshua Rottman, Department of Psychology

Identifying the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the freshwater mollusk Physa acuta is crucial for understanding its ecological implications in aquatic ecosystems. This research examines the impact of UVR, focusing on mortality rates and potential acclimation mechanisms from early UV exposure. A controlled baseline experiment quantified the relationship between UV exposure and survival, revealing a significant increase in mortality rates with higher UV doses, particularly at 20.8 kJ/m² for a 12-hour exposure, where survival declined from 1.00 to 0.20. A subsequent pilot study explored the acclimation hypothesis by incubating eggs and newly hatched snails under low UVR doses. After three weeks, survival rates were compared between acclimated and non-acclimated snails following a short-term UVR dose. Additionally, shell thickness, pigmentation, and photorepair capacity were assessed. Notably, over 50% of subjects exhibited substantial shell degradation, indicating detrimental effects on physical integrity. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program

Project Mentor:  Professor Mark Olson, Department of Biology

Minnie Atkins, a 15-year-old Euchee (Creek) girl from Muskogee Indian Territory, Oklahoma, was among the first Native American students sent to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania in 1881. An orphan of mixed heritage, she adapted to the school's strict environment, excelling in domestic skills and gaining recognition in The School News. She participated in a Philadelphia field trip and Carlisle’s Outing Project, where she worked in white households to further assimilation. After leaving Carlisle in 1884, Minnie moved to Kansas and later Oklahoma, where she married Harry B. Folk and had four children. She became the central figure in *Atkins v. United States* (1922), a legal dispute over land rights inherited from her son. Minnie passed away in 1919 before the case concluded, but her heirs received compensation. Her story highlights the complex legacy of assimilation policies and Native resilience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.This project was supported by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant. 

Project Mentors: Professors Mary Ann Levine, Department of Anthropology and Eric Hirsch, Department of Earth and Environment

Transfer hydrogenation has long been a cornerstone of organic chemical synthesis since its first utilization over 100 years ago today (1). The Hanzch Ester, a popular mimic of NADH, is commonly used for transfer hydrogenation acting as a hydride. The biggest drawback of using the Hanzch Ester, however, is that one must remove pyridine byproducts via column chromatography, which is costly and time consuming. A suitable replacement for the Hanzch Ester is the Hanzch Amide, which does not require the process and is thus more practical in synthetic experiments (Van Arman et. Al is this going to be referenced?). Previous Research has shown that many different compounds can undergo transfer hydrogenation with the Hantzsch amide but we have not had success with acceptors containing an amide. In order to investigate why, the synthesis of similar compounds were attempted (reference figure) to understand what factor was preventing the reaction. A variety of methods were tested to determine the synthetic method which produced the highest yield. The Dean-Stark Apparatus was found to be most efficient. However, although small-scale synthesis of these compounds was possible and produced high yields, large-scale synthesis has been unsuccessful. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Summer Scholars Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Scott Van Arman, Department of Chemistry

Previous research shows that by 5-months-old, infants recognize the benefit of eliciting information from a social partner. As they continue to develop, they form new preferences for learning, showing a bias for learning from verbal communication and infant-directed speech patterns. The proposed study looks to evaluate the influence of social informants and the presentation of information on the preference and recognition capabilities of infants. Additionally, we will factor in the size of the infant’s social network to determine how the size and quality of social relationships influence how children learn. To explore early learning preferences, infants will be presented age-appropriate toys with different pedagogical cues from different informants. Analyzing the possible relationships between the social informant, the way information is provided, and the infant’s social network characteristics will allow us to add to developmental literature on early learning preferences. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program. 

Project Mentor:  Professor Lauren Howard, Department of Psychology

The proboscis-retractor muscles of Glycera dibranchiata are capable of producing relatively high forces over a long range of lengths. However, the mechanism that allows for this degree of elongation is not well understood. Unlike other obliquely striated muscles, folded or wavy muscle fibers have been found in the proboscis-retractor muscles. This could potentially be the mechanism that allows for the proboscis-retractor muscles to operate over a long range of lengths. To test this hypothesis, proboscis-retractor muscles were fixed at two different biologically relevant lengths. Confocal microscopy was used to image individual muscle fibers and measure the waviness index of each sample. If folded muscle fibers are the mechanism that allows for the long operating range of proboscis-retractor muscles, it is expected that the muscles fixed at the shorter length will have a higher degree of folding than muscles at the longer length. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor:  Professor Joseph Thompson, Department of Biology