2017

Sajant Anand is a rising senior at Wake Forest University, majoring in physics and computer science. He hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in physics after graduation. He loves tennis, cannolis, and e-sports.

Project: Harmonic frequency combs in quantum cascade lasers: Probing the intrinsic dynamics
Mentors: Federico Capasso, Paul Chevalier, Marco Piccardo
Funding: NSF Collaborative Research: Quantum cascade laser sources of high-power, coherent frequency combs | NSF ECCS-1614631

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Daniel Angel studies physics at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His primary interest is understanding nanoscale phenomena and their potential impact on science and technology. He loves to learn, exercise, and explore nature.

Project: Guided modes in 2D materials investigated by near field optical microscopy
Mentors: Federico Capasso, Kundan Chaudhary, Michele Tamagnone
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

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Nooralhuda Arkan is a rising senior at Wright State University studying biomedical engineering. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, hiking, and traveling in her free time.

Project: Wearable device for sweat analysis
Mentors: George Whitesides, Maral Mousavi
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

LinkedIn Profile

Christian Baehr is a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis studying economics and political science. After graduation, he plans to study political methods in graduate school and the long run would like to develop methods to aid social scientists with quantitative analysis. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing lacrosse and football, and experiencing new cities.

Project: Differentially private regression
Mentors: Salil Vadhan, Victor Balcer
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

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Shubhayu Bhattacharyay was born in Kolkata, India and mainly raised in Los Angeles. He is a rising sophomore at Johns Hopkins University, where he is double majoring in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics & statistics and is minoring in Spanish. In his free time, he enjoys playing the violin, playing pickup basketball, and exploring Baltimore and D.C.

Project: Pan-neuronal Imaging of larval zebrafish during motor adaptation to increasing viscosity environments
Mentors: Jennifer Li, Drew Robson, Joao Marques
Funding: The Rowland Institute at Harvard

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Alberta Boafo-Arko is currently biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major at UMBC. She loves to travel, relax at the beach and play the piano in her free time.

Project: Low-cost agricultural diagnostics
Mentors: George Whitesides, Christoffer Abrahamsson
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

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Anthony Bogachev is from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is a rising junior at Harvard. He is majoring in bioengineering with a potential minor in global health. After graduation, he would like to pursue graduate school or medical school. Outside of academics, Anthony enjoys hiking, biking, and traveling with family and friends.

Project: Characterization and Sensor Integration in a Soft Robotic Glove
Mentors: Conor Walsh, Kate Zhou, Asli Atalay
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Dominic Bosco is from Newton, MA, and is a rising junior at Oberlin College. He is double majoring in mathematics and computer science. After graduation, he would like to pursue living a fulfilling and folly-filled life, replete with good food. In his free time, he enjoys playing the violin, chamber music, reading voraciously, being outside, and eating it all.

Project: Collective motion: Jamming and crowd dynamics
Mentors: L. Mahadevan, Sarah Iams, Christoph Weber, Orit Peleg, Alex Heyde
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Jan Brüdigam is from Munich, Germany, and is an undergraduate at the Technical University of Munich. He is studying electrical engineering. After graduation, he would like to pursue a master’s degree or Ph.D. in the area of robotics. Outside of academics, Jan enjoys playing basketball or soccer with his friends.

Project: Thumb actuation for grip glove
Mentors: Conor Walsh
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Nikita Budnik is a rising junior at McGill University, studying cognitive science and philosophy.

Project: A proteomic investigation of olfactory system miswirings within psychiatric brain disease
Mentors: Kit Parker
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Christopher Camillucci is a Navy veteran from Upton, MA. As a sophmore at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown, MA, he is pursuing a degree in information technology and will transfer to Northeastern University in the fall. While in the Navy he was a Rescue Swimmer and a Fire Control Technician. Apart from academics, his interests include music, ultimate frisbee, soccer, and making cider.

Project: Dirac-like organic crystals
Mentors: Joseph Checkelsky, Junwei Liu
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Shannon Castellon is currently attending Northern Virginia Community College to obtain an associates in science. She plans to attend a university with a major in veterinary sciences, or another science. She served in the US Navy from 2011-2014.

Project: Yield stress fluid in a porous media
Mentors: David Weitz, Yaniv Edery
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Gina Isabel Castillo Piedra is a rising sophomore at Vassar College, double majoring in mathematics and physics. She is currently working on two start-up companies: Rx4All and Izana. She enjoys learning about animals, reading, running and working out. She loves martial arts; especially Muay Thai. She is planning on getting her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering.

Project: Design, fabrication, and testing of microfluidic devices of biochemical analysis
Mentors: William Wilson, Arthur McClelland, Ling Xie
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Nixia Chen is a rising senior studying physics and math from Wellesley College.

Project: Simulation of topological materials
Mentors: Efthimios Kaxiaras, Bert Halperin, Shiang Feng
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Rebecca Cheng is a rising senior studying mathematical physics at Brown University. After college, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in physics or applied physics. She is passionate about representation in the scientific community. Outside of academics, she spends her time singing, performing, and cooking. She has a strong affinity for vocal jazz music and musical theatre and enjoys going on hikes.

Project: Optimization of low-loss lithium niobate nanowaveguide fabrication
Mentors: Marko Lončar, Cheng Wang, Mian Zhang
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Katherine Clayton is a rising senior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. She is double majoring in government and French with a minor in anthropology. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in political science and eventually become a professor. She also loves hiking, cooking, travel, skiing, and triathlon training, and she is excited to be competing at the Triathlon National Championships in Omaha this summer!

Project: Replications using differential privacy
Mentors: Salil Vadhan, Georgios Kellaris
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

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Ricardo Cruz is a rising senior at California State University, Fullerton majoring in Chemistry. He plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry or a related discipline. In his life outside of the lab, he loves snowboarding, hiking and Sunday morning motorcycle rides.

Project: Origins of life: Autocatalytic reactions
Mentors: George Whitesides, Sergey Semenov, Ekaterina V. Skorb
Funding: The Simons Foundation: Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life

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Julia Davis is from Rye, NY, and is a junior at Harvard College. She is majoring in mechanical engineering, S.B., with a minor in global health and health policy. After graduation, she would like to pursue a combination of lab work and science communications. Outside of academics, Julia enjoys rowing on the varsity lightweight crew team, running, hiking, and playing guitar.

Project: Soft robotics
Mentors: Conor Walsh
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Anthony DePinho is a rising junior at Manhattan College, majoring in mathematics with a minor in computer science. He attributes his interests in math, numbers and data analytics to his love of sports and years of collecting baseball cards as a young New York Yankees fan. His other interests include community service, on-campus leadership, and the outdoors. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a master’s degree in applied mathematics, but for now, he is making the most of every opportunity that presents itself.

Project: What's in the air? Using mathematical models to predict Boston air quality
Mentors: Pavlos Protopapas, Weiwei Pan
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TriCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Nico Deshler is a rising sophomore at UC Berkeley pursuing a major in physics and a minor in computer science. He is passionate about fluid dynamics, bio-inspired robotics, sensitive instrument development, and interdisciplinary STEM research. Outside of his academic endeavors he enjoys designing remote-control aircraft, composing music, playing soccer, and sailing.

Project: Measuring densities using magnetic levitation
Mentors: George Whitesides, Shencheng Ge
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Alina Diaz came to this country at the age of 14 from Cuba. She is graduating with a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering.

Project: 3D structures from 2D printing
Mentors: George Whitesides, Victoria Campbell
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Michael Di Martino is a rising junior attending the University of Pennsylvania come fall 2017, where he will pursue a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. Born and raised in Hawaii, Michael's research interests lie in synthetic & medicinal chemistry. He loves singing, acting, and weightlifting, and has watched all of America's hit-mockumentary The Office twice.

Project: Turing patterns to patterned material
Mentors: Joanna Aizenberg, Amos Meeks
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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John Doyle is from Boston and is a junior at University of Massachusetts - Lowell. He is majoring in biology. After graduation, he would like to pursue a career in medicine. Outside of academics, John enjoys underwater basket weaving and base jumping.

Project: Organ-on-a-chip: Human platform for drug assessment
Mentors: Kevin Kit Parker, Ben Maoz, George Touloumes
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Daniel Drennan is studying geomatics and advanced mathematics with a minor in business at Nicholls State University in south Louisiana. He plans to earn a Ph.D. in geodesy upon completion of his undergraduate studies. He is United States Army veteran and served in the 101st Airborne Division from 2009 - 2013.

Project: Using Raman spectroscopy to investigate Kevlar crystallization
Mentors: Kevin Kit Parker, Grant Gonzalez, Christophe Chantre
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Tiana Edwards is a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth majoring in bioengineering. In her free time, she enjoys going to church, community outreach, and spending time with family.

Project: Evaluating the effects of collagen-alginate hydrogels and biochemical cues on tooth development using dental pulp stem cells
Mentors: David Mooney, Kyle Vining
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Brad Eisenschenk is a current sophomore at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he is majoring in electrical engineering. He is interested in the fields of robotics and machine vision, especially how robots and humans interact. Brad is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps (2011-2016) where he was deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. In his free time, he enjoys working with the student robotics club, lifting weights, and spending time with friends and family.

Project: Machine learning with soft robotic actuators
Mentors: Katia Bertoldi, Nick Vasios
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

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Kayla Engelstad is from Norwood Young America, Minnesota and is a rising sophomore at the University of Minnesota. She is majoring in Computer Science. After graduation, she would like to pursue robotics and artificial intelligence. Outside of academics, Kayla enjoys reading, drawing, golfing, martial arts, playing piano, and doing projects with Tesla Works, a student-run maker space at the University of Minnesota.

Project: Cyberus
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Nic Carey, Jeff Dusek
Funding: Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) program, a joint project of the CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) and the Coalition to Diversify Computing (CDC), which is funded in part by the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing program | NSF CNS-1246649

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Haileyesus Ephrem just earned his A.S. in engineering at Bunker Hill Community College and is transferring to the civil engineering program at University of Massachusetts - Lowell. He is originally from Ethiopia and immigrated to the U.S. 6 years ago. Aside from his great love of math and physics, improving the transportation and road infrastructure in Ethiopia serves as an inspiration to him in his education and career. He loves playing and watching soccer, and is a huge fan of Barcelona.

Project: Diamond radio receiver
Mentors: Marko Lončar, Linbo Shao
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Michael Ferris is a full-time student at NOVA Community College. He served five years as an active duty Marine fixing and launching out fighter jets and specializing in avionics and electrical repair. His goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in physics and continue to research throughout his college years. He enjoys rowing, swimming, and surfing.

Project: Chemical engineering and mechanical testing of jet valves
Mentors: Kevin Kit Parker, Francesco Pasqualini, Luca Cera
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

LinkedIn Profile

Erika Gutierrez is a first-generation, bilingual college student currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science at California State University, San Bernardino. Her interest in programming and robotics is motivating her goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in the future. She is a talented violinist, provides several hours of community service, and enjoys spending time with her family. Growing up in San Bernardino, California, Erika has learned that hard work pays off; it is not about where you come from, it is about what you make out of the opportunities that are given to you.

Project: Outdoor autonomous robots
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Nicole Carey, Jeff Dusek
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Danial Haei Najafabadi was born and raised in Iran. He moved to the United States in 2013 to pursue his educational goals. He is passionate about math and physics. currently, he is studying mechanical engineering at Bunkerhill Community College and he is planning to transfer to a four-year university to earn his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. In his free time, he spends time with his family and rides his bicycle. He likes to meet new people, exchange ideas and learn about the latest projects in science and engineering.

Project: Mechanical exfoliation of 2D material
Mentors: Philip Kim, Jae Young Shin
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

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Jesus Hernandez is a rising junior at Swarthmore College. He was born in Southern California and enjoys eating spicy food.

Project: A Low-Cost Agile Robot for Outdoor Collectives
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Nic Carey, Jeff Dusek
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Ethan Hobbs is a rising senior at Carthage College majoring in mathematics and physics. He enjoys making and listening to music along with reading and exploring new cities. After graduating, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in applied mathematics as a step towards pursuing a career in mathematical research.

Project: Collective motion: Jamming and crowd dynamics
Mentors: L. Mahadevan, Sarah Iams, Christoph Weber, Orit Peleg, Alex Heyde
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TriCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Michael Hoeft is originally from Northern Illinois but currently, lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughter. He was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment from 2012-2015 and was deployed to Afghanistan where he conducted missions with other members of the Joint Special Operations Command. Currently, Michael is pursuing a degree in mechatronics at ECPI University in Greensboro, NC. His hobbies include target shooting, being outdoors, and cooking.

Project: Characterization of thickness dependent rupture
Mentors: Katia Bertoldi, Andrew Gross
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Jordan Howard-Jennings is a junior at Harvey Mudd College studying engineering (his major) and feminist, gender, and sexuality studies (his concentration). He is personally and academically invested in exploring and helping implement STEM in ethical ways that provide marginalized communities with accessible tools to empower them. Outside the classroom, you can find Jordan writing poetry, playing the saxophone, and having nuanced conversations about using STEM as a liberatory tool.

Project: On prototyping a soft organic LCD
Mentors: Zhigang Suo, Shuang Zhou, Hubert Lecocque
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

Alyssa Hu is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is studying computer science and mathematics, and she intends to pursue a Ph.D. after graduation. She enjoys making puns, solving puzzles, and having tea with friends.

Project: Differentially private causal inference: Evaluation of confidence intervals
Mentors: Salil Vadhan, Vishesh Karwa
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

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Tara Ippolito is a rising junior at the University of Redlands in Southern California. She is double majoring in computer science and mathematics with a minor in environmental Studies. In her free time, she loves to spend time outdoors, hang out with friends, and eat ice cream.

Project: What's in the Air? Using Mathematical Models to Predict Boston Air Quality
Mentors: Pavlos Protopapas, Weiwei Pan
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TriCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Belinda Joseph is studying civil engineering at Valencia College in Orlando, FL where she is now a sophomore. She is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She plans on going back to her homeland to implement mostly home renovation projects. She is grateful for great opportunities like this one that will ensure that she will be able to positively impact people's lives soon.

Project: Laser-induced bubble on plasmonic topography
Mentors: Joanna Aizenberg, Cathy Zhang
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Kayla Keepseagle is a senior at Montana State University majoring in chemical engineering and intends on obtaining a Ph.D. to pursue a career in research. She is originally from Bismarck, North Dakota and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and snowboarding in her free time.

Project: Flow of large deformable vesicles through porous media
Mentors: David Weitz, Shima Parsa Moghaddam, Tina Yuting Huang
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

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Sunil Lamichhane is a rising senior at the chemical engineering program at Howard University. His research interest lies in material sciences, especially using novel materials to provide efficient and viable renewable energy. He dreams of going back to his home country Nepal and taking part in steering its development. He loves cooking, swimming, cycling and engaging in meaningful discourse.

Project: Device fabrication for electronic exploration in graphene
Mentors: Amir Yacoby, Andrew Pierce, Michael Kosowsky
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Minh-Chau Le is a rising junior at the University of Central Florida. She is majoring in mechanical engineering, and double minoring in music and materials science and engineering. In the future, she would like to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and start her own company making affordable medical devices. In her spare time, Minh-Chau enjoys singing, learning guitar, playing percussion, playing badminton, and especially, trying out new restaurants with friends.

Project: Prevention of occlusion and cell adhesion in 3D-printed, liquid-infused tympanostomy tubes
Mentors: Joanna Aizenberg, Jennifer Lewis, Ida Pavlichenko, Nicole Black
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Biyonka Liang is a rising junior from UC Berkeley studying Statistics with a Mathematics concentration. Her academic interests include the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases and machine learning. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, singing and trying new food.

Project: What's in the air? Using mathematical models to predict Boston air auality
Mentors: Pavlos Protopapas, Weiwei Pan
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TriCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

LinkedIn Profile

Erica Lopez studies materials science and engineering at the University of Florida. She has a passion for learning and research which fueled her desire to obtain her Ph.D. In the future, she hopes to make a lasting impact on the world and those around her through the implementation of her research findings. When she is not working out, she enjoys art, reading, writing, and photography. She finds ultimate fulfillment in her relationship with Jesus, which drives her yearning to meet societal needs.

Project: Probing ferromagnetism in 2D materials
Mentors: Amir Yacoby, Trevor David Rhone
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

LinkedIn Profile

Michael LoPiccolo is a rising senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics. He has a passion for computer science education and currently hopes to become a professor. He's interested in the social effects of computing and wants to fight to make sure that technology benefits everyone. Right now, he's taken a special interest in privacy and algorithmic fairness issues. In his free time, Michael enjoys finding new music, playing board games, and meeting new people!

Project: TransformeR: Safe R-like variable transformations for PSI
Mentors: Stephen Chong, James Honaker
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

Binh Ly was born in Vietnam and raised in Chicago. After completing his tour of duty with the United States Army as an M1 Abrams tank battle systems maintainer, he returned to school. As a veteran student and peer advisor attending the University of Illinois at Chicago, he has helped other transitioning veterans return to school after the military. As an engineering physics major, he remains flexible to all aspects of science and technology while aspiring to work for the US Energy Department to further serve his country.

Project: Surface energy machine learning model
Mentors: Efthimios Kaxiras, Matthew Montemore, Grigory Kolesov
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

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Puyang Ma is a junior from Mount Holyoke College, a double major in physics and statistics. She is very interested in various applications of data science, and she is training myself to be sophisticated with R, Python, and Java. In her free time, she likes to work on some pet projects, read about economics and politics, as well as swimming!

Project: A Database-driven approach to discovering new topological insulators
Mentors: Alan Aspuru-Guzik, Daniel Tabor
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Sarah McDonald is a rising junior at Cornell University majoring in materials science and engineering. She recently returned from a semester abroad in South Africa where she studied multiculturalism and human rights, themes that she hopes to connect into her future work in the sciences. Outside of the classroom, Sarah loves hiking, creative writing, and community service.

Project: Optimization of CMOS-compatible zero-index metamaterials
Mentors: Eric Mazur, Daryl Vulis
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Vanessa Machuca is a rising senior at Pomona College majoring in mathematics and minoring in biology. She’s most recently carried out research on the response of Antarctic fish populations to fluctuations in krill populations and ice mass, which she plans on continuing for her senior thesis. In her free time, she enjoys biking, writing, drawing, playing her guitar, and having deep conversations with friends and family.

Project: Oscillations and macro patterning in electroless silver deposition on copper
Mentors: George Whitesides, Katja Skorb
Funding: The Simons Foundation: Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life

LinkedIn Profile

Roman Marcarelli is a rising junior at Cornell University studying physics and math. He is from Jupiter, Florida, and in his free time, he enjoys watching movies and going to the beach. He plans on getting his Ph.D. in physics and eventually becoming a professor.

Project: Low-loss zero-index metamaterials induced by a bound state in the continuum
Mentors: Eric Mazur, Yang Li, Ling Xie
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

Ranye Mclendon is currently enrolled as a sophomore at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is majoring in computer engineering and is a collective member of the Baltimore Dance Crews Project. She plans on obtaining a bachelor's degree in computer engineering. She loves to watch anime and dance. She wants to experience the world after graduation.

Project: Cyberus
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Jeff Dusek, Nicole Carey
Funding: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

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Enrique Alejandro “Hondo” Mejia IV was born and raised in Laredo, Texas. He is currently pursuing degrees in physics and electrical engineering at University of Texas - Austin and is particularly interested in optical technology. One day, he would like to improve education in his hometown and help others pursue physics.

Project: Dynamies of mid-infrared harmonic frequency combs
Mentors: Federico Capasso, Marco Piccardo, Paul Chevalier
Funding: NSF Collaborative Research: Quantum Cascade Laser Sources of High-power, Coherent fFequency Combs | NSF ECCS-1614631

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Vanessa Moody is from Dexter, Michigan, and is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. She is majoring in bioengineering with minors in neuroengineering and math. After graduation, she would like to pursue further neuro-engineering and nanomaterials research in graduate school. Outside of academics, Vanessa enjoys biking and traveling whenever and wherever she can.

Project: Biohybrid cellular nanoengineering
Mentors: Neel Joshi, Junling Guo
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Javier M. Morales-Ferrer is an undergraduate student of mechanical engineering with a minor concentration in pure chemistry at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico - Bayamon campus. He is interested in keeping forward to graduate school, that's what drives him to apply to research programs. Hopefully, this helps him to conduct his research one day.

Project: Finite element modeling of the motion of 3D printed tympanic membrane grafts in response to acoustic stimuli
Mentors: Jennifer Lewis, Nicole Black
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

LinkedIn Profile

Jong-Woo Nam is from South Korea and is a rising senior at Olin College. He likes to play guitar, talk about movies, and travel when he can afford it. He also loves talking about math.

Project: Improvements in the 3D bacteria tracking algorithm
Mentors: Katje Taute, Marianne Grognot
Funding: The Rowland Institute at Harvard

LinkedIn Profile

Eshita Nandini is originally from the Fiji Islands; currently, and is a junior at the University of California, Merced studying applied mathematics with an emphasis in computational & data science. She is interested in computational mathematics and machine learning. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree after finishing at UC Merced. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dog, hiking, traveling, learning new skills, reading, and taking pictures.

Project: ​Course recommendation system
Mentors: Margo Levine
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TriCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Janie Neal is a rising Junior at Pomona College in Claremont, California. She is a math major with minors in computer science and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, finding new music, and reading sci-fi/fantasy books.

Project: ​Course recommendation system
Mentors: Margo Levine
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Kaela Nelson is from Norwell, Massachusetts. She is studying applied and computational mathematics with an emphasis in economics/financial markets at Brigham Young University. Outside of mathematics, Kaela enjoys cooking, skiing and country dancing.

Project: ​What's in the air? Using mathematical models to predict Boston air quality
Mentors: Pavlos Protopapas, Weiwei Pan
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

LinkedIn Profile

Annamira O'Toole is from Cambridge, MA, and is a rising 11th grader who takes part-time classes at Harvard Extension and Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. She plans to major in computer science and minor in either economics or political philosophy in college. Outside of academics, Annamira enjoys sailing competitively, scuba diving, hiking, reading, and following politics.

Project: ​What's in the air? Using mathematical models to predict Boston air quality
Mentors: Pavlos Protopapas, Weiwei Pan
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

LinkedIn Profile

Taylor Olson is a rising senior at the University of Northern Iowa studying computer science, math, and philosophy. He is interested in artificial intelligence/machine learning and philosophy of the mind. In his free time, Taylor enjoys playing basketball, working out, and playing video games.

Project: Course recommendation system
Mentor: Margo Levine
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Shubhankar Patankar is a rising senior at the University of California - Davis, majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in Russian. In the future, he hopes to attend graduate school to get a Ph.D. in bioengineering and learn about brain-machine interfaces. This summer, Shubhankar is going to be working on a project to understand how an animal learns to assemble complex motor sequences.

Project: Spatio-temporal factorization of neuronal imaging data
Mentors: Drew Robson, Jennifer Li, Joao Marques
Funding: The Rowland Institute at Harvard

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Arielle-Cherie Paterson grew up in Bowie, MD and spent time living in Los Angeles, CA. She is a rising junior at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, majoring in computer science and minoring in political science. After graduation, she intends to obtain her Ph.D. and enter the private sector as an entrepreneur.

Project: A low cost, outdoor, autonomous robot
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Jeff Dusek, Nicole Carey
Funding: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

LinkedIn Profile

Isabella Pestovski is a rising junior at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. She is currently majoring in mechanical engineering with an interest in robotics and controls engineering. She enjoys playing guitar, discovering new music, and exploring whatever city she is in.

Project: SEA-STAR actuators
Mentors: Rob Wood, Michael Bell
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Zachary Pitcher is from Colorado Springs and is a senior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He is majoring in chemistry. After graduation, he would like to pursue a Ph.D. Outside of academics, Zachary enjoys hiking, camping, and fishing.

Project: Nucleation studies of thin film oxides using atomic layer deposition
Mentors: Jiangdong Deng, Mac Hathaway
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Christiana Prater-Lee is a rising junior studying math and sociology at Vassar College. On-campus, Christiana is an urban studies research assistant and a member of the track and cross country teams. She hopes to go to law school and pursue a career in policy research.

Project: Course recommendation system
Mentor: Margo Levine
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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Amina Rahimi is a senior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. She is majoring in biochemistry and microbiology and is interested in going to medical school upon graduating. She is particularly interested in the development of organ-on-a-chip models to enhance our understanding of how diseases unfold at a molecular and biochemical level and for precision therapeutic screening. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and basketball and reading the works of Atul Gawande and Oliver Sacks. She is fluent in Spanish and Arabic.

Project: Organ on a chip
Mentors: Donald Ingber, Rachelle Baun-Prantil, Papa Laure-Anne
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Karla Rivera is currently obtaining a degree in biochemistry. She is the generation in her family to attend a university. She is of Honduran descent. In the future, she aspires to obtain a career in pediatric neurosurgery. She enjoys outdoor activities, skydiving and working out along with reading in my spare time.

Project: In-vitro self-assembly of extracellular matrix networks to recapitulate the brain microenvironment
Mentors: Kevin Kit Parker, George Touloumes
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Elise Rizzi is a rising junior at Smith College, double majoring in biochemistry and engineering with research interests in biomedical engineering, synthetic biology, and bionanotechnology. Outside of the lab, she spends most of her time riding horses competitively, but also enjoys playing the cello and spending time with friends and family.

Project: Decoding the microbiome
Mentors: George Whitesides, Benjamin Davies
Funding: NSF Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at Harvard (MRSEC) | NSF DMR-1420570

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Louis Paul Romero is a product from the “Salad Bowl of the World,” Salinas, California, grown about 30 miles south of the world’s produce capital in an underserved, impoverished, and rural town named Greenfield. As of spring 2017, he is a student at Hartnell Community College in Salinas that is relentlessly working hard towards an associate in science for transfer degree in engineering. In fall 2017, he will be applying for transfer to a University of California to pursue electrical engineering; he aspires to be a professor and researcher. His research interests include contributing to a deeper understanding of quantum computing, microprocessors, memory, drive controllers and artificial intelligence. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his parents, wife, and children, contributing to the community, enabling student success, reading, and playing video games.

Project: Controlling contact properties of a monolayer MoS2 transistor by electrostatic doping
Mentors: Donhee Ham, Houk Jang
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

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Originally from Arizona, Gabe Salmon studies physics and chemistry at Oberlin College. He hopes to develop new tools to reveal and manipulate biological structures. Gabe enjoys cycling, hiking, and discovering new food.

Project: Assessing and characterizing bacterial metabolites
Mentors: George Whitesides, Mohit Verma
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

Gabrielle Séjourné is from Guilford, CT, and she is a rising senior at Harvard College where she is pursuing a degree in physics. She hopes to go on to medical school and continue with research in the medical field in the future. Gabi enjoys soccer, running, summiting mountains and playing guitar.

Project: A mechanical basis for gyrification in the ferret brain
Mentors: L. Mahadevan, Jun Chung
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Syed Nabeel Shah is a rising junior at Loyola University Chicago. He has lived in Chicago (IL), Alexandria (VA), San Antonio (TX) and Fort Campbell (KY). He just finished his obligation to the US Army where he was working as a combat medic. He has studied at Northern Virginia Community College and earlier at College at DuPage. He is excited to be a part of Ms. Madrid’s project in biophotonics this summer.

Project: Fabricating laser-activated nano-structured substrates for intracellular drug delivery  
Mentors: Eric Mazur, Marinna Madrid
Funding: NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) | NSF ECCS-1541959

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Alexander Shields is a rising senior at Columbia University majoring in biomedical engineering; he is currently interested in the use of nanotechnology in combating blindness. After undergrad, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. Outside of class, his interests include learning American Sign Language and playing Rugby.

Project: How porosity and effective stiffness impact bone marrow-derived stem cell morphology and differentiation 
Mentors: David Weitz, Jing Xia
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Tyler Sisley is a rising senior at California Polytechnic State University. For two years, he has been researching and developing affordable paper-based diagnostic assays for the developing world. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry after receiving his bachelor's degree.

Project: Automated ELISA on thread-based analytical device 
Mentors: George Whitesides, Mohit Verma
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Kathleen Smith is a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She is majoring in physics with a second major in classics. She is currently researching organic solar cells in a lab on campus. When not engaged in academic pursuits, Kathleen enjoys playing the viola, dancing in student pieces on campus, hiking with the Outing Club, and skiing. She hopes to continue research in condensed matter physics while pursuing a Ph.D. after graduation.

Project: Jamming of emulsions in tapered channels: Order in chaos? 
Mentors: David Weitz, Yaniv Edery
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Rylan Spence is a four-year Army Veteran, who is currently at Bunker Hill Community College. He is interested in mathematics, computer science, and economics. He will be transferred to the University of Chicago in the fall and hopes to one day attend graduate school in a mathematics-related field.

Project: Simulations for scanning capacitance microscopy 
Mentors: Robert M. Westervelt, Sagar Bhandar
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Dannette Spotted Horse is currently an entering her junior year at the University of Montana – Missoula majoring in social work. Dannette recently graduated from Blackfeet Community College in Browning, MT with two associates degrees in social work and criminal justice.  After graduation from the University of Montana, Dannette plans to enter law school. She intends on focusing on Indian Law with specific emphasis on environmental policy on Native American Reservations. Dannette, with great love and respect towards her culture, has served as President of the BCC Indian Club and works as an advocate for Indigenous culture.

Project: Using drones to capture network formation of beaver building activities
Mentors: Radhika Nagpal, Jordan Kennedy
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Lansing Sugita was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a rising senior at the University of Hawaii Manoa studying mechanical engineering. She plans to pursue a career in research and hopes to one day teach as a professor of engineering.

Project: Multinozzle multimaterial 3D printing 
Mentors: Jennifer Lewis, Mark Scott
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Kathryn Taylor graduated this year from Emory University with a double major in international studies and computer science. Her honors thesis focused on the politics of internet governance. Starting in August, she will complete a one year Junior Fellowship at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC in Cyber and Nuclear Policy.

Project:  Analyzing results of usability study of the private data sharing interface (PSI)
Mentors: Salil Vadhan, Jack Murtagh
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

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Kane Two Feathers is attending Bunker Hill Community College.

Project: Hydrofracking
Mentors: David Weitz, Yaniv Edery, Jules Thierry
Funding: NSF REU Site in Biomaterials Research Initiative Dedicated to Gateway Experiences | NSF DMR-1559890

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Alexander Vera is a rising senior at Columbia University's School of Engineering. He is studying Applied Physics with a minor in Materials Science. He enjoys working in the field of nanotechnology, in particular with 2D materials, but in his free time, he likes to work out or take long walks.

Project: Towards high-quality gate-defined quantum devices in graphene
Mentors: Philip Kim, Ke Wang
Funding: NSF EFRI 2-DARE: Quantum Optoelectronics, Magnetoelectronics, and Plasmonics in 2-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures, Research Experience, and Mentoring Supplement | NSF EFMA-1542807

Antoine Vignon is a computer science and mechanical engineering student. He was born in Togo, graduated from high school in France, and is pursuing his bachelor here in the U.S. He is interested in robotic especially artificial intelligence. He would also like to research several energy sources and better ways to store energy (solar energy for instance). His ambition is to help developing countries like Togo access better education and free energy. He likes to consider himself an artist, he has studied Art History in France, he also paints and draws regularly.

Project: Growth of vanadium di-sulfide (VS2) by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition
Mentors: Jing Kong, Quingqing Ji
Funding: NSF Science & Technology Center - Center for Integrated Quantum Materials (CIQM) | NSF DMR-1231319

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Evelin Villegas Diaz was born in Mexico but she was raised in Phoenix, Arizona for most of her life. She is currently enrolled at St. Mary's University located in San Antonio, Texas and she is majoring in electrical engineering. She enjoys hiking and spending time with family as well as exploring new places and people.

Project: Soft robotics
Mentors: Rob Wood, Shuguang Li
Funding: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering

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Lancelot Wathieu is a rising senior at Georgetown University. He is a mathematics major, with plans to study computer engineering. Lancelot hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and become an astronaut. Outside of academics, he enjoys swimming, biking, and being outdoors.

Project: Differentially private causal inference: CEM
Mentors: Salil Vadhan, Vishesh Karwa
Funding: NSF Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC): Frontier: Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data | NSF CNS-1237235

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Rebecca Wayne is a rising senior at University of Massachusetts - Lowell pursuing a BS in mathematics. She plans to go straight to a doctoral program after receiving her bachelor's to bring her closer to her goals of being a university professor. In her spare time, she loves to ballroom dance both recreationally and competitively.

Project: Collective motion: Jamming and crowd dynamics
Mentors: L. Mahadevan, Sarah Iams, Christoph Weber, Orit Peleg, Alex Heyde
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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James Worsham is from Nashville, Tennessee, and is a rising junior at Baylor University. He is majoring in mathematics with minors in international studies and Japanese. After graduation, he would like to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics. Outside of academics, James enjoys playing and listening to music, photography, and outdoor activities.

Project: Collective motion: Jamming and crowd dynamics
Mentors: L. Mahadevan, Sarah Iams, Christoph Weber, Orit Peleg, Alex Heyde
Funding: NSF REU Site - Team Research in Computational and Applied Mathematics (TRiCAM) | NSF DMS-1460870

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