Schedule-at-a-glance
9:00–9:30 Registration & Breakfast Olin Center Rotunda
9:30–9:45 Welcome Olin Center 115, Michele Angrist, Dean of the Faculty and VP for Academic Affairs
9:45–10:30 Poster Session 1 Wold Atrium
10:30–11:30 Paper Session A Wold 010 & Olin 106
11:30–12:15 Poster Session 2 Wold Atrium
12:00–1:00 Lunch Reamer Dining Hall
12:45–1:15 Film Screening Olin 115
1:15–2:15 Paper Session B Olin 106, Wold 010, Wold 128
2:15–3:00 Poster Session 3 Wold Atrium
Sangay Yeshi
Skidmore
Chemistry 2029
Tianai Zhang
Skidmore
Biology 2028
Isabel Hoffmann
Skidmore
Biology 2027
AlgaeMine: Green Recovery of Rare Earth Elements with Microalgae
Rare earth metals (REMs) include a group of 17 elements, including lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium, that are integral parts of electronics, renewable energy systems, and medical devices. Mining these rare earth metals results in the generation of toxic and hazardous waste, leading to the production of acidic wastewater and radioactive byproducts. Use of microbes to remediate and recover these metals offers an eco-friendly and sustainable approach. In particular, photosynthetic algae are promising green alternatives for remediating and recovering REMs from contaminated water resources. Microalgae cell walls have diverse functional groups that bind to REMs, thereby removing them from the water source. Thanks to their plasticity, these tiny microorganisms can adapt and thrive in toxic wastewater along with generating biomass, which could be used for biofuel production. The aim of this project was to investigate the efficiency of an acid-tolerant alga for the recovery of three REMs: lanthanide (La), scandium (Sc), and yttrium (Y) from the aqueous systems. The acid-tolerant alga, Micractinium sp., exhibited high tolerance towards the three REMs, showing efficient removal of 100 mg/L of La and Y and 50 mg/L of Sc. Moreover, the alga was able to remediate the mixture of these REMs (25 mg/L of La and Y, 17.5 mg/L of Sc). The FT-IR spectra showed binding of these REMs to the algal cell surface. Notably, the alga was able to maintain its photosynthetic efficiency under the metal stress. We are now looking to the uptake mechanism of these metals by the alga and alterations in the metabolism and cellular machinery.
Chutria Lallman
Russell Sage
Early Childhood Education 2029
Fairy Beliefs and Human Experience: Exploring Changelings in Irish Folklore
My project is going to explore the cultural significance of changelings in Irish folklore, exploring how these legends shaped beliefs about the supernatural and influenced people's understand of unfamiliar or unexplained experiences. In Irish traditions, changeling were believed to be fairy substitutes left in place of human children taken by the Sidhe, or fairy folk. These beliefs provided explanations for changes in behaviors, illnesses, disability, and other experiences that communities struggled to understand.
Through historical accounts, literary connections, and scholarly perspective, this poster presentation will investigate the roles of changelings legends in Irish society and the way folklore reflects cultural fear, social values, and beliefs about the unknown. The historical case of Bridget Cleary, who was killed in Ireland in 1895 after her husband and others came to believe she had been replaced by a fairy, illustrates the potential real world consequences of these beliefs. The presentation also considers the preservation of Irish folklore through storytelling and literature, including the work of W. B. Yeats, as well as the continued influence of changeling themes in contemporary popular culture.
Finally this project examines folklore as more than a collection of supernatural stories. It considers how traditional legends can reveal the ways communities interpret unfamiliar experiences, respond to uncertainty, and transmit cultural beliefs across generations. By exploring changelings through historical, literary, and cultural perspectives, this presentation highlights the lasting significance of Irish folklore and its relevance to understanding the relationship between myth and human experience.
Eden Eskelin
Skidmore
Human Health and Physiological Sciences / Psychology 2028
Sofia Kirshon
Skidmore
Neuroscience 2028
Comparison of a Standard American Diet with military Meals-Ready-toEat (MRE) versus a Whole Food Diet with Essential Provisions® MealsReady-to-Eat (MRE) on Body Composition, Cardiometabolic and Fitness Outcomes in Women and Men
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of a low-processed, high-quality protein diet incorporating whole food Essential Provisions® MRE (EP-MRE) diet versus a standard American diet using a commercially available standard MRE (SAD-MRE) on indices of body weight, total and regional body composition, mood state, cardiometabolic and fitness outcomes over a 4-week study period (0-4 weeks). Specifically, this study aims to compare an EP-MRE diet (1200 calories/day women; 1500 calories/day men; 4 meals/day) to an established calorie-restricted standard American diet (SAD-MRE; 1200 calories/day for women; 1500 calories/day men). Data is still being collected currently, however in the first round of participants measured there was one variable that was significantly different between the SAD-MRE and EP-MRE groups--Visceral adipose tissue (VAT). It was found that the EP-MRE group had a significantly greater decrease in VAT in comparison to the SAD-MRE group. More data is being collected, therefore our results are subject to change and development.
Nicholas Gestring
Union
Chemistry 2027
Rotational Chararization of Propargyl and Allyl Nitrites: Key Intermediates in RSR + NOx Reaction Pathways
Fossil fuel combustion remains one of the most prevalent methods of power generation today. While effective at meeting our modern day energy demands, the environmental drawbacks of these combustion processes are starkly evident in the widespread formation of harmful emissions such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter like soot and ash. Although there is existing literature on how the formation of soot is driven by high-temperature reactions of resonance-stabilized hydrocarbon radicals (RSRs), the elementary mechanisms governing how RSRs interact with NOx species remain poorly understood. To gain a greater understanding of the fundamental chemical steps in these systems, this study investigates the initial adducts of the allyl and propargyl radical + NO2 model reactions, which play an important role in governing downstream chemical reactions. In this work we plan to synthesize propargyl nitrite and allyl nitrite to characterize their rotational spectra using chirped-pulse microwave spectroscopy. Complementary quantum chemical calculations will validate lowest-energy conformational states, establishing key structural parameters for subsequent investigations.
Molly Graiff
Russell Sage
Early Childhood & Childhood Education 2028
Authentic Authors: Translanguaging to Treasure Tradition Together
The Family Literacy Project creates a platform for collaboration among English Language Learners and their caregivers. This initiative was started by Sujin Kim, Kim H. Song as a means to connect communities of individuals from varying language backgrounds. Through consistent workshopping sanctioned by school districts, students are given guidance on structuring a cohesive and creative writing piece centered around their family history. Locally, the Albany International Academy recently began the Family Literacy Project. Immigrants, refugees, and students born in surrounding communities came together for a 3 session workshop series titled, "Multilingual Authors: Family Writing Project." Albany International Academy is home to a Spanish-English immersion elementary school (Pre-K–Grade 5) and K–12 Newcomer Program, the target demographic for a series on translanguaging. These workshops promoted the idea of intertwining various languages into one cohesive piece promoting communication in the new language as well as the native one. Through a mix of direct instruction on poetry structures and freedom to let the words flow, students and caregivers crafted meaningful memories shared with their loved ones.
Rebecca Schnefel
Russell Sage
Childhood Education 2029
The Role of Curiosity in Education
Curiosity plays a vital role in education by encouraging students to ask questions, explore new ideas, and actively engage in learning. It fosters critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and independence. Educators can cultivate curiosity by creating supportive environments that encourage diverse perspectives and real-world connections, driving student motivation and lifelong learning. Research shows that curiosity prepares the brain for learning by enhancing attention, memory retention, and overall comprehension. Rather than focusing solely on rote learning, prioritizing meaningful connections over rote-based experiences empowers students to take ownership of their education and develop a lasting love for learning.
Claire Escher
Colgate
Molecular Biology / Classical Studies 2028
Dreams at the Threshold of Empire: Memory and Violence Consume the Foundation of Rome
Vergil’s Aeneid, an epic poem about the Trojan hero Aeneas and the legendary origins of Rome, explores how memory shapes the way societies understand power and history. This project examines the role of dreams and memory in Aeneas’ journey toward founding the civilization that will eventually become Rome. In Book 6, Aeneas travels into the Underworld, where his deceased father, Anchises, reveals Rome’s future greatness and the rise of Augustus, Rome’s first emperor. Anchises commands Aeneas to remember the principles that should govern Roman power: to impose peace, spare the conquered, and conquer the proud (A. 6.851–53). Yet Aeneas leaves the Underworld through the Ivory Gate, associated with false or deceptive dreams (A. 6.893–99), casting uncertainty over the vision of Rome’s future that he has just received. This tension becomes most significant at the poem’s violent conclusion. Aeneas defeats Turnus, the leader of the people resisting the Trojans’ settlement in Italy, and initially considers showing him mercy. When Aeneas sees the belt of Pallas, a young ally whom Turnus had killed in battle, however, his grief and desire for revenge overcome his hesitation, and he kills Turnus (A. 12.931–52). Aeneas thus ends the epic by violating the very principle of mercy his father instructed him to remember. Because Aeneas is presented as the ancestor of Augustus, his actions also raise questions about how Rome remembers its own violent origins. Written during Augustus’ rise to power, the Aeneid presents Rome’s empire as destined while revealing the grief and violence beneath its foundation. This project argues that Vergil uses dreams and memory to explore how political power is shaped not only by the future a society imagines, but by the past it chooses to remember.
Jocelyn Crespo Hernandez
Skidmore
Biochemistry 2029
Effects of proline isomerization on binding pathway of yeast Abp1p SH3 domain and the intrinsically disordered protein ArkA12
The yeast Abp1p SH3 domain binds with proline rich intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) such as ArkA12. ArkA12 contains a PXXP motif which allows it to form a PPII helix secondary structure. The SH3 domain and ArkA12 have a proposed two step binding pathway where SH3 and ArkA12 firstly enter the encounter complex and then they become fully bound. Proline is unique because it can sample both cis and trans conformations, which has been hypothesized to have effects on the binding pathway between AbpSH3 and ArkA12. Specifically because the formation of PPII helix requires all proline residues to be in the trans state. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to characterize proline (-2) on the ArkA12 in cis conformation within the bound state between AbpSH3. Analysis revealed that while the proteins remained bound most of the time, there were still some differences in contacts made between SH3 and ArkA12, as well as a disruption in the formation of secondary structures.
Araya Cserepy
Union
Biomedical Engineering 2027
Gut-Brain Metabolites as Markers of Cognitive Decline: A Machine Learning Approach to Staging Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) often precedes Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is subdivided into early (EMCI) and late (LMCI) stages. Accurately staging this transition is vital for prognosis, yet little is known about how gut-derived metabolite profiles shift across this continuum. This study identifies a stable, reproducible metabolic signature that distinguishes EMCI from LMCI, and characterizes the biological pathways it represents. Serum metabolomic profiles of 104 gut microbial metabolites from 643 ADNI participants (222 EMCI, 421 LMCI) were analyzed. A two-stage feature selection approach, combining mutual information filtering with logistic regression recursive feature elimination, was applied across 100 cross-validation folds to derive a consensus 15-metabolite panel. A Random Forest classifier trained on this panel was evaluated on a held-out 20% test set, and its robustness was assessed across 100 repeated train–test partitions. Nine of the 15 panel metabolites were selected in every cross-validation fold. The classifier achieved a held-out test accuracy of 0.783 and a mean accuracy of 0.798 ± 0.031 across the 100 repeated partitions. Functional enrichment analysis identified fatty acid biosynthesis as the most enriched pathway (q = 0.0137), a pathway independently implicated in AD pathology. These results show that serum metabolite profiles, particularly those involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, differ reproducibly between MCI stages. This work establishes a biologically grounded candidate panel and provides a framework for subsequent mechanistic and longitudinal validation.
Anja Gundale
Skidmore
Biology 2028
Elizabeth Pottle
Skidmore
Biology 2027
Maize Flavonoids in Defense Against Fall Army-worm Herbivory Damage
Maize (corn) is a leading crop in the agricultural sector with millions of people relying on it as a food, livestock feed, and bioenergy source. The rapid spread of the invasive pest Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, in recent years has increased maize yield losses, threatening the stability of cereal crop agricultural sectors. As a polyphagous insect, FAW not only affects maize, but also several other crops, particularly grasses such as sorghum and rice. In this study, we investigated survival of FAW larvae using detached-leaf feeding assays and collected data on ten maize cultivars that produce differing amounts of pigments such as flavonols and anthocyanins. We also performed in-planta feeding assays to characterize plant cellular responses to FAW herbivory damage compared to artificial mechanical damage in selected cultivars. Confocal imaging of damaged sites using Mitotracker stains showed different patterns of active mitochondrial accumulation in leaf dermal cells. Moreover, cell death onset was detected farther from the damage site as a response to herbivory damage than to mechanical damage. The results indicate diverse cellular responses around the feeding sites in leaves that have differing levels of flavonols and anthocyanins. This study contributes to a larger understanding of natural plant defense mechanisms, such as flavonols, as a component of environmentally friendly pest management systems.
Rachel Alpert
Hamilton
Chemistry 2027
Tuning the Isomerization Properties of Azobenzene Materials
Optical storage devices are responsible for the collection of data as well as the display function in our computers, TVs, and smartphones to work simultaneously. Liquid crystals are known for their unique phase properties and have previously been incorporated into these devices to efficiently read and inscribe data. Azobenzene-doped liquid crystals have been utilized because the inclusion of these organic molecules allows for the liquid crystals to easily bend and for the lasers in optical storage devices to function properly while conserving energy. This process is driven by the isomerization of azobenzenes, and while some substitutions on these compounds have previously been studied, there are many more variations that can alter the rate of isomerization. Herein, we synthesized two new azobenzene materials, C12-AZO and C12-AZO-C12, that were then characterized to determine their chemical properties. We investigated the photoisomerization of these materials as well as four previously synthesized azobenzenes using various LEDs. We determined the 475 nm LED to allow for the most efficient cis to trans isomerization of all materials tested. We also observed that symmetrical materials had faster isomerization rates than their asymmetrical versions. Thermal back relaxation, an alternate method for the reverse isomerization of azobenzenes, was investigated on two previously synthesized materials, and the temperatures for full conversion were determined. Finally, thin film studies were conducted on the C12-AZO material to quantify its solid state properties.
Zara Mirza
Union
History 2028
Decolonizing the Ocean: Understanding the Postcolonial Narrative of South Asia's Maritime Technology and Control
After the 1948 partition of India and Pakistan, changes were made to their acquisition of maritime technology and control. The trade in imports and culture came to a halt. Yet these communities have grown side by side, subtly continuing the traditions and cultures that have occurred for centuries in the Arabian Sea.
Isabella DiMura
Skidmore
Chemistry 2029
Photooxidation of Nonanoic Acid on Sea Spray Aerosols and Its Impact on Water Uptake
Sea spray aerosols (SSA), produced by wave breaking or bubble bursting on the marine boundary layer, are the world’s largest source of natural aerosols. They originate from the sea surface microlayer (SSML), which is enriched in hydrophobic compounds such as fatty acids and light-absorbing materials. Even when enriched with this hydrophobic material, field studies show that SSA is interacts strongly with water and behaves as a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). To understand this paradox, we investigated the photooxidation nonanoic acid (model fatty acid) in the presence two marine chromophore proxies under atmospherically relevant conditions. Using theory and experiments, we established the rate of nonanoic acid photooxidation within SSA, and subsequent changes in water update capacity, showing that nitrogen-containing chromophores are less effective to form CCN.
Sara Conti
Hamilton
Physics / Mathematics 2027
Reconstructing Short Muon Tracks in TMS for DUNE
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment will send a beam of neutrinos through the earth and compare the flavor composition of the neutrino beam before and after the neutrinos travel 1300 kilometers to better understand the way neutrinos change flavor as they travel. To determine the initial composition of the neutrino beam, the near detector array uses a liquid argon time projection chamber (ND-LAr). Muon neutrinos interact with the argon, producing muons. The Muon Spectrometer (TMS) is placed downstream from ND-LAr to measure high energy muons that do not stop within ND-LAr. However, the algorithm that reconstructs muon tracks in TMS often misses muons that stop just after entering TMS. In this poster I introduce a strategy for recovering these short muon trajectories in TMS using the position and momentum of the muon when it leaves ND-LAr to predict where the muon will enter TMS. A trajectory can be reconstructed by searching for signals in TMS in a region around the predicted muon position. This increases the range of neutrino energies that can be detected, and in turn, the precision of the experiment.
Kathryn Cohen
Skidmore
Biology 2028
Sarah Finkelman
Skidmore
Biology 2028
Understanding Copper Resistance in Enterobacteria
While copper is an essential trace element, at high concentrations, copper can be toxic to all cells, including bacteria. Enterobacter cloacae ATCC13047 possesses two 20-gene copper resistance gene clusters, one of which is encoded on a plasmid (pECL_A). Increasing environmental copper concentrations drove bacteria to evolve the Copper Homeostasis and Silver Resistance Island (CHASRI) – a genomic island module that promotes copper tolerance under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.1 CHASRI can be clustered on plasmids such as pECL_A.
Misheel Batjavkhlan
Hamilton
Biology / Theatre 2028
Hannah Bigley
Hamilton
Biology / Genetics 2028
Investigating Zea Mays Ab10 Motor Protein Strength and Segregation Capacity in a Yeast Synthetic System
Meiotic drive is a phenomenon where the inheritance of certain alleles is skewed higher than Mendelian genetics predict. It can be observed in Z. mays (maize) in the presence of abnormal chromosome 10 (Ab10). Ab10 is a selfishly acting chromosome that contains two large heterochromatic DNA regions, knob180 and TR-1, which consist of repetitive DNA sequences that function as neocentromeres. These knob180 and TR-1 neocentromeres interact with the kinesin motor proteins Kindr and Trkin respectively. This interaction was simulated in yeast strains using the LexA-LexO tethering system, where the LexA protein was fused with either Kindr or Trkin and bound to LexO DNA sequences located on an acentric plasmid. Previous data was collected on the inheritance of acentric plasmids in yeast strains containing either one or both of the motor proteins. We continued existing trials on both the negative control strain and dual strain containing both motor proteins. Additionally, we developed a new assay to measure the strength of the motor proteins compared to an endogenous centromere. We created a “dicentric” event on yeast Chromosome III with tethered Kindr and Trkin kinesins competing against the natural centromere. If the kinesins are able to segregate with the same strength as centromeres, the resulting tug of war on the chromosome will result in the breakage and loss of the chromosome. To facilitate this assay, we mated two haploid yeast lines to produce diploid strains containing Kindr-, Trkin- and Kar3-LacI and an autotropically marked copy of Chromosome III containing the LacO array. These diploid yeast strains were then grown on selective media to confirm their identity in preparation for the chromosome loss assays that will accomplish the above purpose. By investigating the proteins that are responsible for preferential segregation in maize, our project aims to advance research in meiotic drive that will benefit agricultural technology.
Allison Wen
Colgate
Physics 2028
Effects of Rising Sea Surface Temperature on the Microstructure and Crystal Orientation in Nucula proxima in the Gulf of Mexico
Anthropogenic climate change is affecting the oceans globally. The northern Gulf of Mexico is currently facing a variety of changes in water conditions, including increasing sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and decreasing dissolved oxygen (hypoxia). These changes can impact biomineralization and can be observed through changes in the crystal microstructure of calcifying marine organisms. To understand the impacts of a changing climate on coastal environments, we investigated changes in the microstructure of Nucula proxima, a deposit-feeding bivalve, geographically and over time.
Previous work by other researchers found that warmer sea surface temperatures positively correlated with thicker nacre tablets and greater crystal disorder in more acidic conditions. We have used two microscopy techniques to examine the microstructure of Nucula: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The shells that we are using have been sampled from off the coasts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Using SEM images, we have been measuring the crystal tablet thickness in the nacre layer of Nucula proxima shells, where we have found that there is a positive correlation between larger tablet thickness and areas with warmer water, like Florida. Furthermore, we have observed that live-collected specimens tend to have thicker tablets than their dead-collected counterparts. Using EBSD, we are most interested in the shells that were collected live and shells that are dated to be alive >150 years before the present, before the Industrial Revolution. From EBSD scans of Nucula proxima cross-sections, we have seen how misorientation of the crystals differs across Live and Dead collected samples, and also across samples from Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Thus far, we have noticed that the outer nacre and outer prismatic layers of the shell have both shown that there is less misorientation in samples from Florida and more misorientation in Louisiana samples.
Miraj Parekh
Union
Computer Science 2027
Bayesian Optimization Finds Repeatable Gaits in a Vibrational Tensegrity
Tensegrity robots are a network of tensile cables connecting rigid struts together to form a singular structure. SPVVVECTR (Spring framed PCB Wireless Vibrationally ESP Controlled Tensegrity Robot) is a 6-bar 3-motor tensegrity that locomotes vibrationally with billions of RPM combinations. Consequently, empirically testing gaits is inefficient and impractical as trials cost time. Previous research demonstrated that Bayesian Optimization can discover vibrational gaits with few physical trials. We build on that result with SPVVVECTR by finding that our machine learned gait traveled not only 38% farther, but was also three times more consistent than an empirical baseline gait hand-picked for high displacements. Notably, our learned gait’s behavior produced a much more predictable motion despite the fitness function simply being linear displacement over a 20-second period. These results illustrate the displacement capability and consistency machine learned gaits may have over empirically chosen ones.
Maxwell Gold
Hamilton
Government 2028
Artificial Voices: A Historical Approach to the Regulation of AI-Generated Misinformation
AI-generated political misinformation is a growing issue in today’s society, making online media less trustworthy and more able to sway people’s opinions without them realizing it. The road to regulation and management is built upon past attempts at curbing the spread of misinformation, philosophical arguments on the freedom of speech, historical precedent for the US government getting involved in the development of emerging technologies, and finally current legislation that begins to address some aspects of this problem. X, the company formerly known as Twitter, has used Community Notes as an initiative to make users aware of the misinformation they see, however the largest pitfall is the delay between misleading information being posted and the corrective notes being added. Next, John Stuart Mill’s logic regarding freedom of speech is used to emphasize that an outright ban on AI-generated media is not a viable solution for the federal government, pointing instead to one that informs individuals of what they are seeing while allowing anyone to create or publish anything they choose. Applying this logic to the origin of the telephone in America, the government restricted monopolistic practices while allowing phone companies to determine how they wanted their product to be used by consumers. Finally, current laws that address AI do not effectively manage the scope of the problem or the immediacy needed in order to solve it. This research leads to the solution of a federal mandate on AI developers to automatically include a visual disclosure on any AI-generated political media.
Nick Dutkewych
Union
Psychology 2028
Social Media and Muscle Dysmorphia in the Male Gym Going Population
The current project examines the correlation between Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) symptoms and social media usage among college-aged gym-going men who lift weights. 41 participants so far have been recruited from Union's campus and online through prolific to complete a Qualtrics survey. They initially completed metrics on their gym frequency and dedication, and then the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory, a scale that assesses Muscle Dysmorphia symptoms. Finally, they completed questions assessing their social media usage, the type of content, frequency, and duration. We hypothesized that: (1) Male gym-goers would show a higher prevalence of MD symptoms than the general male population (2.8%); (2) Greater time spent on social media would be associated with increased MD symptom severity; (3) Short-form, image-based platform use (e.g., TikTok, Instagram) would show a stronger association with MD symptoms than longer-form platforms (e.g., YouTube); (4) Higher gym devotion (frequency, supplement use, and fitness-related content consumption) would be associated with greater MD symptoms; and (4) increased exposure to fitness content will further amplify symptom severity. At the current moment inital data collection is occurring, the survey will be out for Union students until March 13, 2026 or until 200 participants have completed it. If below 200 participants on that day the survey will be put out onto Prolific for final data collection.
Rachel Alpert
Hamilton
Chemistry 2027
Tuning the Isomerization Properties of Azobenzene Materials
Optical storage devices are responsible for the collection of data as well as the display function in our computers, TVs, and smartphones to work simultaneously. Liquid crystals are known for their unique phase properties and have previously been incorporated into these devices to efficiently read and inscribe data. Azobenzene-doped liquid crystals have been utilized because the inclusion of these organic molecules allows for the liquid crystals to easily bend and for the lasers in optical storage devices to function properly while conserving energy. This process is driven by the isomerization of azobenzenes, and while some substitutions on these compounds have previously been studied, there are many more variations that can alter the rate of isomerization. Herein, we synthesized two new azobenzene materials, C12-AZO and C12-AZO-C12, that were then characterized to determine their chemical properties. We investigated the photoisomerization of these materials as well as four previously synthesized azobenzenes using various LEDs. We determined the 475 nm LED to allow for the most efficient cis to trans isomerization of all materials tested. We also observed that symmetrical materials had faster isomerization rates than their asymmetrical versions. Thermal back relaxation, an alternate method for the reverse isomerization of azobenzenes, was investigated on two previously synthesized materials, and the temperatures for full conversion were determined. Finally, thin film studies were conducted on the C12-AZO material to quantify its solid state properties.
Maria Flores
Colgate
Mathematics 2029
Counting 8-arcs in 3D Projective Space
An n-arc in projective space PG(k,q) over the finite field 𝔽_q is a set of n points such that no k+1 lie on a common hyperplane. Counting n-arcs by brute force means checking every n-subset of points against every hyperplane; for n=7, this means checking 34 billion cases.
In 1988, David Glynn produced an algorithm that reduces the problem of counting n-arcs in PG(2,q) (n points, no 3 collinear) to counting strong realizations of superfigurations. which are highly connected, irreducible planar spaces. A strong realization of a superfiguration is an injective mapping of its points into PG(2,q) so that all incidence relations are exactly preserved without accidentally forming anything extra. Counting these strong realizations is intricate because they're highly dependent on the 𝔽_q we're working in, and we need counts that hold for all prime powers q.
In 2022, Kelly Isham generalized this algorithm to work in PG(3,q), where we now consider hyperfigurations (the 3D analogue of superfigurations)---highly connected irreducible planar spaces. This leaves us the formula Cn,4(q)=p(q)+hph(q)Ah(4,q). which expresses the count of n-arcs, Cn,4(q), in as an inductively derived polynomial p(q) plus the sum of terms contributed by each hyperfiguration’s strong realization count Ah(4,q) multiplied by a coefficient of influence ph(q). Her paper gives counts for sets up to n = 7.
In our project, we extend this work to n=8, where we run into a combinatorial explosion leaving us with 235 hyperfigurations, compared to just 6 for n=7, each needing its own strong realization count. We developed two methods using a programming language called Sage to computationally make these counts feasible while cross-referencing our results to ensure accuracy. Many of these counts proved to be algebraically intricate. We've found roughly half of the counts needed and once all of them are found, we combine them into the modified Glynn's algorithm to obtain the count of 8-arcs in 3D projective space.
Jacob Kagan
Russell Sage
Biology 2027
Hidden Risks of Waking Up From Anesthesia
Most people think the riskiest part of surgery is the operation itself. However, waking up from anesthesia, a phase called emergence, carries risks of its own that are often overlooked. This project reviewed published case reports, patient studies, and hospital quality improvement work to explore what can go wrong as the brain recovers from anesthesia.
Confusion after surgery turned out to be common. Emergence delirium can appear as soon as patients wake up, while postoperative delirium can develop over the following days, especially in older adults. Patients whose main language is not English appear to face a higher risk. Rare case reports also describe patients who wake up temporarily unable to use their native language, speaking only a second language they learned later in life. This condition, called foreign language syndrome, is still not understood.
These risks are hard to catch because communication is often weakest during emergence, when interpreters are difficult to use and confused patients may not be able to describe what they are experiencing. Simple, low-cost tools, such as cards with key phrases in patients’ languages, have shown early promise in helping staff communicate at these moments.
Waking up is a critical but underappreciated part of anesthesia care. Closer attention to emergence may help clinicians recognize these hidden risks sooner and keep patients safer.
Alex Persaud
Hamilton
Biochemistry 2029
Microscopy Assessment of Kinesin-Driven Acentromeric Plasmid Inheritance in Budding Yeast
Meiotic drive refers to the selfish transmission and inheritance of specific genes during mitosis, allowing select genes to be transmitted up to an 80% inheritance rate – breaking Mendel’s Law of Segregation. An abnormal variation of chromosome 10 (Ab10) in maize (Zea mays) has been shown to cause this phenomenon of meiotic drive with genes encoding for specialized motor proteins Kindr and Trkin that produce this selfish phenotype. The Ab10 chromosome also contains tandem repeats encoding for heterochromatic DNA sequences or “knobs” named Knob180 and TR-1, which work with the specialized motor proteins to transform them into motile neocentromeres. Although there is evidence that the Kindr and Trkin motor proteins are required for neocentromere activity and meiotic drive, it remains unclear whether these motor proteins alone are sufficient in generating biased segregation. To investigate, an analogous system was created in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), utilizing acentric yeast plasmids with the bacterial LacO/LacI system in lieu of the Knob180 and Trkin DNA sequences. Due to their high affinity for one another, the LacO/ LacI system is capable of directly tethering the kinesins to the acentric plasmids. Acentric yeast plasmids are rarely transmitted during cell division allowing for the ideal environment to observe whether kinesin proteins can drive biased segregation. Using this system, experimental yeast strains modified to express the motor proteins Kindr and Trkin were assessed on their capacity to segregate acentric plasmids. Green fluorescent proteins (GFP) were used to visualize the segregation, and a GFP dot assay was done to quantify division rates amongst all strains. Through observations, we found that the kinesin proteins, Kindr and Trkin, alone were able to promote segregation in acentric plasmids.
Cindy Ma
Hamilton
Biology / Chinese 2028
Identifying the nucleotide salvage pathway of T. thermophila
Tetrahymena thermophila is a model eukaryote that relies on a nucleotide salvage pathway to get essential nutrients from its environment. The specific membrane location where transport occurs remains unclear, which allows for two proposed hypotheses: does it happen at the cell surface (plasma membrane) allowing direct uptake or internally after phagocytosis?
This study investigated the subcellular localization of NTP11, a member of the Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter (ENT) family, and tagged the gene with mPlum and mNeonGreen fluorescent proteins. Live-cell confocal microscopy revealed that NTP11-mPlum localized to oval-shaped intracellular structures. To verify the identity of these compartments, we performed colocalization assays using Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated dextran.
The resulting colocalization between the NTP11 signal and labeled food vacuoles suggests that nucleotide transport is mediated by internal membranes (phagocytosis) rather than the plasma membrane. This internal localization likely represents an evolutionary strategy to prevent the efflux of captured nutrients. These findings provide a foundational understanding of protozoan nutrient acquisition and offer a valuable system for studying transporter biology with implications for human pharmacology and drug delivery.
Leo Liu
Colgate
Chemistry / Mathematics 2027
Photophysical Characterization of Bi-Ni Complex for photocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Current methods for the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into energy-storing chemicals utilize two components: a photosensitizer and a catalyst. Efficiency and scalability is limited by the use of rare transition metals and inefficient energy transfer between system components. Our work aims to address these common pitfalls by investigating bismuth–nickel (Bi–Ni) complexes designed to combine light absorption and catalytic function within a single molecular framework using earth-abundant and cost-effective elements. A combination of steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopies will be used to probe the photophysics of these complexes. Steady-state measurements establish the ability of the complexes to absorb light and their photostability. Whereas, time-resolved measurements allow us to capture the photophysical image of the complex, including excited-state lifetimes and charge-transfer behavior., By connecting spectroscopic results to the chemical structure and catalytic activity, we will examine the structure-function relationship, which is essential for optimizing photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Current steady-state spectroscopic results and progress towards time-resolved measurements will be reported.
Amy Glasman
Colgate
Psychology 2027
Kaliyah Honore
Colgate
Psychology 2027
Leo Li
Colgate
Molecular Biology 2028
Bedtime Family Environment and Child Temperament are Associated with Child Developmental Outcomes
This study investigates how neighborhood environments and family dynamics influence sleep quality and executive functioning in children aged 3–5. The goal is to inform parents about routines and interactions that support better sleep and cognitive development.
Data on neighborhood and family factors were collected via parent surveys and video-recorded bedtime routines. Observers coded soothing versus arousing interactions and evaluated parental sensitivity on a 1–4 scale across five domains: acceptance, sensitivity, consideration, and quality of physical and vocal contact.
Sleep quality was assessed using Actiwatch accelerometers, tracking total sleep duration, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset (WASO). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS.
Preliminary findings (n=98) show that quiet, low-stimulation bedtime activities shared with siblings significantly correlate with longer sleep duration. Although this relationship requires further research given the current sample size, it highlights how positive sibling engagement can promote healthy sleep habits.
Additionally, higher parental sensitivity was associated with enhanced executive functioning, as supportive parental involvement aids the development of self-regulation skills. Overall, identifying key family and temperamental factors at bedtime can guide evidence-based routines that foster optimal sleep and early childhood cognitive growth.
Hanyu Ruan
Skidmore
Chemistry 2027
Comparing the Properties of Manganese (II) Complexes with Three Different Size Crown Ether-Based Ligands as Superoxide Dismutase Mimetics
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an essential enzyme in the metabolic pathway that eliminates reactive oxygen species (ROS), toxic side products of respiration. SOD biomimetic compounds are of interest to help eliminate abnormal levels of ROS. We have synthesized three aza-crown ether compounds (ring sizes 12, 15, and 18), each containing one pyridine group, and their Mn2+ complexes. Ligands were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, and elemental analysis. Crystal structures of complexes were determined using single crystal X-ray crystallography. Potentiometric titration, cyclic voltammetry, and a spectrophotometric assay were used to test stability, redox potential, and reactivity with superoxide ion, respectively. The result show that ring size has a dramatic effect on the properties of the complexes.
Aurora Labarta Cluet
St. Lawrence
Biochemistry 2029
Single-Hollow Molecular Imprinted Carbon Dots (HMIP@CD) to Detect Tetracycline
Tetracycline is a widely used antibacterial in the livestock industry. When it is utilized in high quantities it can be passed into animal products which then are consumed by humans. It can create health and safety problems for humans like antimicrobial resistance. Concurrently, if released to the environment it can cause environmental hazards like ecotoxicity. To detect the antibiotic, carbon dots were modified by creating a hollow structure, making it more sensitive to detect tetracycline since it improves its ability to bind to the antibiotic. To ensure that the carbon dots were modified properly, it was tested on other antibiotics. Additionally, another carbon dot was synthesized but without the hollow structure, it was used as a control.
After spending the summer synthesizing and testing the carbon dots the results were promising. The modified carbon dot showed a higher sensitivity and more effective quenching to tetracycline than the control. Future studies are needed to determine if its sensitivity changes when tested on food like milk or honey, but the initial results were successful.
Peter Stubler
St. Lawrence
Chemistry 2027
Electrochemical Profile of Methyl Orange
Methyl Orange is a clothing dye that belongs to the azo dye family. A group of industrial dyes characterized by two phenyl groups attached by a nitrogen-nitrogen double bond. Because of these dye’s light absorbent properties, their presence in an aquatic ecosystem makes it more difficult for light to be absorbed and used by plants, as a result posing serious risk to the entire ecosystem. These dyes are difficult to treat using common wastewater treatment methods, and methods to remove it are expensive. Therefore a cost-effective method of removing it would be immensely beneficial. One such method would be oxidizing the Methyl Orange, destroying it’s nitrogen-nitrogen double bond and removing color, and as a result, it’s light absorbent properties. However, this route could potentially lead to the creation of another harmful chemical in the water, as the aryl amines resulting from the oxidation could intercalate with the DNA of aquatic life, interfering with processes such as transcription and replication. To understand the oxidation of methyl orange, and potentially create a safe method of removal for it, it’s electrochemical data must be understood. To do this, several control experiments were conducted on Methyl Orange in an electrolyte solution, including scan rate dependent cyclic voltammograms in the positive and negative directions, 10 cycle cyclic voltammograms in positive and negative directions and differential pulse voltammetry in positive and negative directions. These were done on both Methyl orange, as well as Acid Violet 3, another azo dye for comparison. These scans were done on two types of electrodes, those being glassy carbon, and indium tin oxide.
Bridelle Toumani
Russell Sage
Biology 2026
The Spanish American War and Its Positive Impact on Spain
Through secondary analysis, this study aims to fully examine the extent of the Spanish American War’s impact on Spain and reframe the common interpretation of the war being a complete disaster for the European country. As a result of the Spanish American War, despite losing its remaining territories, the end of Spain’s reign as a global power was met with a spur of economic activity and an intellectual movement that spawned a cultural renaissance that transcended artistic limitations and global art indefinitely. Rather than reflecting on the war through a negative lens, historians and readers should consider the positive impacts, as they align with a common throughline throughout global history: there is always good in dismantling both imperialism and colonial exploitation while additionally promoting both liberation and independence.
Emely Abreu
Union
Biological Sciences 2027
Does Benthic Mat Type Predict Chlorophyll-A Content and Nutrient Demand in Glacial Meltwater Streams in the Mcmurdo Dry Valleys?
Streams are an important part of any ecosystem, connecting the landscape through transport of water, nutrients, and organic matter. In the glacial meltwater streams of Antarctica, photoautotrophic organisms found in benthic mats have evolved various mechanisms that allow for survival in conditions of low nutrient availability and seasonal variability of water levels. We asked how structural difference in biomass (chlorophyll-a content) may influence function (nutrient demand) between two types of benthic mats found in these streams. We expected chlorophyll-a content and nutrient demand to be controlled by mat type and time. We predicted that black mats in Taylor Valley would have greater chlorophyll-a abundance than orange mats because nitrogen-fixing Nostoc may alleviate nutrient limitations needed for growth. We further predicted that differences in chlorophyll-a content would accompany differences in nutrient demand between mat types. To test these predictions, chlorophyll-a data was analyzed from a long-term dataset (1994-2025), and extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA) assays were conducted in conjunction with fluorometric chlorophyll-a measurements from samples collected during the 2024-2025 flow season. Contrary to our prediction, chlorophyll-a content in orange mats was greater than in black mats in Bonney and Hoare basins, potentially due to less scouring in the stream channel. Analysis of the intraseasonal dataset is ongoing, but preliminary results suggest that though both mat types share similar biomass, nutrient allocation strategies differ. This work emphasizes the importance of investigating structure and function in polar streams as these insights serve as real time guides to global ecosystem change.
Cam Armstrong
St. Lawrence
Conservation Biology 2027
Reassessing the Water Lily Leaf Beetle's Potential as a Biocontrol Agent for Water Chestnut
Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an invasive annual aquatic plant, which has been spreading throughout the Northeast United States’ waterways since the late 1800s. T. natans tends to outgrow native plants and spreads along the surface to form dense carpets of rosettes. To combat the most recent invasion of T. natans in the Oswegatchie river in Northern New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has employed mechanical harvesters, volunteer hand pulls, and herbicide. Both herbicide and harvesters negatively impact native species, and it can be quite difficult to assemble enough volunteers to have an impact. Biocontrol could be another option and would be much cheaper and easier to manage. The water lily leaf beetle (Galerucella nymphaeae) has been reported to lay eggs on and consume T. natans leaves, and their impact on the growth and reproduction of T. natans was studied in 2005, which did not yield promising results. After 21 years, it would be reasonable to infer some degree of adaptation could occur. Considering the amount of time since the impact of G. nymphaeae on T. natans was last formally assessed, and the difference in the target environment, with the last study being conducted in the finger lakes region of New York, we decided to reassess G. nymphaea’s ability to act as a biocontrol agent for T. natans. Using wild caught and lab-reared specimens, we observed the herbivory damage done to each leaf of each T. natans rosette, with a varying amount of T. natans as the available food source. Over a 14-day period, we analyzed the herbivory and found that not only does G. nymphaeae prefer native vegetation over T. natans, but the herbivory damage is also not significant enough to impede T. natans growth or reproduction.
Dev Sethi
Colgate
Biochemistry 2027
Evolution of Black Carbon Coatings during Firex-Aq: Plume-to-Plume Variability and the Role of Coagulation
Due to the abundance of co-emitted species in open combustion sources, rBC from wildfires tends to be more thickly coated than urban rBC, however, the time dependence and mechanism of growth remain uncertain. This limits our ability to accurately predict the radiative impact and lifetime of the emitted particles. Here we present time trends in refractory black carbon (rBC) coating thickness observed in wildfire plumes of up to 30 hours old, sampled during the 2019 FIREX-AQ campaign. We observe quick initial growth within the first few hours in all plumes, followed by a slower increase over the subsequent day, and a plume-to-plume variability in coating thickness of about a factor of 2 (from 60 to 120 nm of coating on 4-6 fg rBC cores) after 5 or more hours of aging. We find little relationship between rBC coating thickness and either fuel type or combustion conditions. Instead we find that the variability is best explained by differences in plume transport conditions, with denser plumes (those with higher CO concentrations) leading to thicker coatings. We then compare the growth rate inferred from our observations to that calculated due to coagulation, and find that coagulation alone explains only a fraction of the observed growth. This implies that, although coagulation is an important mechanism for growth of coatings on rBC, other factors, such as accumulation of condensible vapors, may also play a role. These observations characterize the breadth of rBC coating thicknesses that can result from open combustion and improve our understanding of the processes that control this variability.
Jack Boge
Skidmore
Mathematics 2029
Ekedahl-Oort Types of Some Artin-Schreier Curves
Artin–Schreier curves are interesting geometric objects which are given by equations of the form yp – y = f(x), where p is a prime number and f(x) is a rational function. When p = 2, these curves have been studied extensively, as they have applications to cryptography and algebraic coding theory. In our project, we study patterns in an invariant, called the Ekedahl–Oort type, of Artin–Schreier curves of the form yp – y = xm, where m = 3, 4, or 5, and where m divides p – 1.
Nabeel Naqvi
Union
Physics / Mathematics 2027
Meson and Glueball Spectra through Holographic QCD
This project was centered around a model that aims to study properties of hadrons through holographic quantum chromodynamics. In particular, we are focused on deducing the model's predictions for meson and glueball masses, and comparing these results to data from lattice simulations. Our goal is to determine the best mapping between the eigenvalues from our model and the results from lattice sources. Eventually we hope to find the Kaluza-Klein mass associated with this mapping.
Prakriti Pradhan
Union
Physics / Mathematics 2027
Calibrating Phoswich Detectors for Ion Beam Therapy
Carbon ion therapy provides very precise tumor targeting via the Bragg peak, yet secondary nuclear fragmentation poses challenges for out of field radiation monitoring. Accurate particle identification relies on precise energy calibration of "phoswich" detectors, which combine a fast plastic scintillator with a slow barium fluoride (BaF) crystal to perform Pulse Shape Discrimination. This work presents a framework for calibration with carbon ion beam experimental data (86 to 430 MeV/u) and Geant4 simulations. Beyond tracking total energy deposition, an integral component of the simulation is with the optical photon transport and scintillation physics to model light collection and signal losses. By coupling these optical detector models with automated raw waveform trace integration and Gaussian peak fitting algorithms, this study bridges theoretical particle interactions with experimental reality, enhancing the validity of detector response and patient safety in ion beam therapy.
Nahielys Nunez
Russell Sage
Criminal Justice 2028
Untitled
In my presentation, I will discuss immigration as one of the most important issues in today's world. I will look at the different reasons why people immigrate, the benefits and challenges of immigration, and how it affects both immigrants and the communities where they settle.Since Immigration remains one of the most complex and defining issues now a days .Today, global migration is driven by a big mix of economic necessity, political instability, climate change, and the search for safety. As millions cross borders, the phenomenon creates a profound tension between national sovereignty and humanitarian responsibility. Even the views on immigration are deeply polarized. Some people argue that immigrants are essential engines of economic growth, filling critical labor shortages, fostering innovation, and revitalizing aging populations. They view migration as a fundamental human right and a catalyst for cultural enrichment. Conversely, critics often express concerns regarding the strain on public infrastructure, the preservation of national identity, and the challenges of social integration. These voices frequently emphasize the need for strict border security and controlled, merit-based entry systems. For the individuals involved, the impact is life-altering. Immigrants often face the "immigrant paradox" the struggle to balance the trauma of displacement and the difficulty of assimilation with the hope for a better future. Meanwhile, host communities experience shifting demographics that can lead to both vibrant multiculturalism and social friction. Ultimately, immigration is not merely a policy challenge; it is a human experience that reshapes the social, economic, and cultural fabric of our modern world.
In conclusion, my presentation will show that immigration is a complex issue with many different perspectives. By looking at both the challenges and the opportunities, I hope to help us better understand the experiences of immigrants and the impact immigration has on our society.
Dua Sadiq
Russell Sage
Health Sciences 2028
Feasibility of 3D Printed Dental Instruments
Calculus is calcified dental plaque consisting of minerals such as various calcium phosphate salts in different quantities causing unique formations on the subgingival and supragingival surfaces. Microscopic crevices and surface irregularities promote bacterial colonization, initiating the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. The removal of calculus is typically performed by using sonic, ultrasonic, or hand instruments to dislodge hardened deposit, followed by curettes until smooth. Although stainless steel instruments are the standard; 3D printing presents the opportunity to reduce expenses and create tailored instruments.
This study investigates how different 3D printed instruments of various reinforcing materials preform when used to extract synthetic calculi. Currently 3D printing instrument seems useful, current resin materials do not yet achieve the mechanical reliability required for a functional dental instrument.
Sofia Sanzo
Russell Sage
Business Administration (Pre-Law) 2026
The Business of College Sports: Executive Power, Antitrust Law, and the Future of NCAA Governance
My interest in both business and law, alongside being a collegiate student-athlete, inspired this research into the changing legal landscape of college athletics. Following the NCAA v. House settlement, college athletics has entered into a new era in which athlete compensation, name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) agreements, revenue sharing, and transfer policies raise significant questions about the future of the NCAA. Recent presidential executive orders have attempted to address these issues by encouraging greater restrictions on athlete compensation and eligibility while seeking to preserve traditional college sports.
This project examines the intersection of business strategy, antitrust law, and federal executive power. Through an analysis of executive orders, court decisions, and proposed legislation, this research explores how federal intervention could affect the NCAA’s governance model, universities’ financial decisions, and student-athletes’ opportunities. It also considers whether executive orders can provide lasting stability to an industry shaped by ongoing litigation and changing political priorities.
Ultimately, this research seeks to evaluate the legal and business implications of federal intervention in college athletics and whether long-term solutions require a more consistent legislative and governance framework. By combining business and legal perspectives, this project examines how institutions can balance financial stability, competitive fairness, and the rights of student-athletes.
Ethan Madeiros
Skidmore
Political Science 2027
Food and Politics
In the modern world, food is becoming increasingly politicized. Access to food is defined by the economy, security, war, and other political factors instead of need. To understand the new status of food, we have put together a dataset of instances of intentional food weaponization around the world since 1990. To understand access to food and what defines it in people’s day-to-day lives in America, we put out a survey using other food security survey modules that have studied food security at the personal and household levels in other countries. We adapted this survey to be administered online and surveyed 50 respondents in a preliminary round, with further administrations of the survey to happen in the future.
Irem Tuana Ciftci
St. Lawrence
Data Science / Sociology / Arabic Studies / Francophone Studies 2027
Understanding Think Tank Networks and Challenges in Morocco
The number of think tanks has developed exponentially since the 1930s, reaching over eight thousand think tanks worldwide in 2019 (McGann, 2020). Despite this increase in numbers, the Global South does not benefit as much from think tanks, with North America and Europe making up more than 50% of the think tanks, while the Middle East and North Africa’s think tanks only represent 6.1% of think tanks in the world (McGann, 2020). Similarly, most academic research on think tanks derives case studies from the Global North, due to the higher prominence of think tanks in this region, leaving the role and impact of think tanks under-researched in developing countries, including the MENA region. Therefore, this study aims to understand the role, networks, and impact of think tanks in the region, with a focus on Morocco. The scope is specifically on the role of Moroccan think tanks in shaping internal and foreign policy. For this research, I conducted face-to-face in-depth interviews with workers from think tanks, professors working in the civil society sphere, and other field experts in Morocco. Additionally, I looked at think tanks’ websites and their social media accounts to analyze their publications and events, looking at their impacts in the political sphere in Morocco.
Ruby Bradford
St. Lawrence
Global Studies / History 2027
Gendered Violence and the Paradox of Progress: Uncovering Sweden's Response to Intimate Partner Violence
Gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most severe and persistent human rights violations affecting women worldwide, with an estimated one in three women experiencing some form of violence in their lifetime. This project examines the systemic, cultural, and political structures that allow such violence to persist, specifically within the Swedish context. While this period of research was incredibly valuable, it only touched the surface of the wide array of themes that were discovered during the eight weeks. Of particular interest was the "Nordic Paradox": despite ranking as the most gender-equal country in the European Union, Sweden reports disproportionately high rates of GBV. Supported by an eight week fellowship, this project is based on on-sight qualitative research in Gothenburg, Sweden, utilising a combination of field observations, literature review, and interviews with experts in fields of gender studies, social work, public health, and sociology.
Through the interviews, insight was gained on how Sweden addresses GBV and how Swedish society is socialized to recognise and respond to these issues. While there are multiple prevailing theories on understanding the Nordic Paradox, interviewees often brought up the ‘backlash effect’ as a prevailing argument, suggesting that a woman’s growing economic, social, or educational independence acts as a direct trigger for male violence. The other dominant argument is that women in the Nordic countries are more socially encouraged to recognise and report violence, and therefore the rates of violence on paper are higher than other countries with lower reporting rates. This project also investigated notions of cultural mythology, ‘othering’ in the media, accessibility for women seeking care, prevention tactics, legal policy, and the privitisation and shifting neoliberal values in the shelters across the country.
Caroline Pickard
Russell Sage
Psychology 2028
Physiological Effects of Alcohol on the Hippocampus
The hippocampus is a critical brain structure involved in memory formation, learning, spatial navigation, and even aspects of emotional regulation, making it particularly vulnerable to substances that disrupt normal neural functioning. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that can interfere with hippocampal activity through changes in neurotransmission, reduced neurogenesis, and structural alterations. This literature review examines whether the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, specifically beer versus hard liquor, produces different levels of hippocampal impairment, or whether the effects are primarily determined by ethanol exposure. Research from animal models, human neuroimaging studies, and behavioral experiments were examined to evaluate alcohol’s effects on hippocampal structure and function. Across the literature, alcohol consumption was consistently associated with reduced hippocampal volume, decreased neurogenesis, and impairments in memory, learning, and spatial navigation. However, the findings did not support beverage type as an independent cause of greater hippocampal damage. Instead, ethanol exposure, total alcohol intake, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) appeared to be the primary factors influencing neurological outcomes. Although hard liquor contains a higher concentration of ethanol and can contribute to faster increases in BAC, its greater potential for impairment appears to be largely related to drinking behavior rather than an inherently greater neurotoxic effect on the hippocampus. Faster consumption can produce higher BAC levels and intensify acute cognitive and hippocampal impairment. Ultimately, the original hypothesis that hard liquor would directly produce greater hippocampal impairment than beer was rejected, although it was partially supported when differences in consumption patterns and BAC were considered. These findings suggest that ethanol itself, along with the amount and rate at which it is consumed, is more important in determining alcohol-related hippocampal impairment than the specific type of alcoholic beverage.
Britta Arvold
Skidmore
Environmental Science 2027
Summer Saifee
Skidmore
Environmental Science 2027
Management of Forest Canopy Cover Influences Above- and Below-Ground Microclimate
In forest ecosystems, canopy cover reduces light availability, thereby stabilizing microclimatic variables such as soil moisture and temperature. Selective timber harvesting inherently reduces canopy cover, and might foster conditions that increase or decrease eastern hemlock susceptibility to invasion of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Four replicated silvicultural treatments were used to alter canopy cover in an Adirondack forest near Warrensburg, NY. Digitized fish-eye lens photos quantified variation in leaf area index due to harvesting. Automated environmental sensors monitored air temperature, light, soil temperature, and soil water content in response to forest management. We demonstrate how specific harvesting treatments alter environmental conditions in 60 separate 15-m radius plots, which provides insight into how forest composition and structure are related to eastern hemlock health and resilience to invasive pests.
Campbell Gray
Skidmore
Environmental Science 2027
Jacqueline Lambert
Skidmore
Environmental Science 2028
Management of Forest Canopy Cover Influences Biogeochemical Cycling
The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) is an invasive insect that threatens the survival of eastern hemlock trees in the Adirondacks. Because HWA depletes nutrients in hemlock, those trees might be sensitive to both the initial soil nutrient content of a forest and the conditions that regulate biogeochemical cycling in Adirondack forests. Moreover, selective timber harvesting alters canopy cover and forest species composition, and therefore soil nutrient dynamics. Four replicated silvicultural treatments were used to alter canopy cover in an Adirondack forest near Warrensburg, NY. We collected soil and hemlock foliage from 60 separate 15-m radius plots across our forest treatments to measure soil and plant nutrient responses to treatments and illustrate how forest management might help mitigate the damage from HWA.
Luke Kretschman
Skidmore
Environmental Science / Biology 2027
Revealing Hidden Crustose Coralline Algae on Coral Reefs: Implications for Reef Calcification and Recovery
Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, yet many ecologically important organisms remain overlooked by traditional monitoring approaches. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are particularly important because they cement reef frameworks, contribute to reef calcification, stabilize carbonate structures, and provide settlement cues for juvenile corals. CCA was quantified across the Florida Reef Tract using >180 sediment-cleared benthic plots. Preliminary analyses revealed that CCA occurred more frequently in northern Florida Reef Tract samples (Coral AP; 92%) than in southern Florida Reef Tract samples (Florida Keys; 24%). Mean sample-level CCA abundance was approximately 2.6-fold greater in Coral AP (~354 mm² plot⁻¹) than in the Florida Keys (~138 mm² plot⁻¹), with substantial variability among sites and shelf positions. Differences may reflect variation in grazing pressure, turf-algal competition, CCA community composition, and temperature regimes. By quantifying a commonly overlooked and cryptic reef calcifier, this research provides new insights into reef carbonate budgets, calcification potential, recovery, and the management of increasingly threatened reef ecosystems.
Colin McKee
Union
Physics 2029
A More Precise Rotation Period for Asteroid (2555) Thomas
We have combined new observations of asteroid (2555) Thomas with previous measurements taken from the literature to create a composite lightcurve. We find the rotational period to be 2.8582 +/- 0.0012 hours, which is a substantial improvement in precision over the previous dense coverage. A precise value of the period is necessary to compare data across multiple years. These results are part of a larger study of the spins of members of the Koronis Family.
Minkyu Kim
Union
Biomedical Engineering 2028
Synthesis of Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitor for Cancer Treatment
One of the approaches to treat cancer is using fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors. FASN is an enzyme that is responsible for the synthesis of fatty acids, vital components of cell membranes and a source of energy. This lipogenic metabolism plays a significant role in the growth and survival of tumor cells. FASN is highly expressed in various cancers including prostate, ovarian, breast, endometrial, thyroid, colorectal, bladder, lung, thyroid, oral, tongue, esophageal, hepatocellular, pancreatic and gastric carcinomas, malignant melanoma, mesothelioma, nephroblastoma and retinoblastoma, soft tissue sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Small-molecule FASN inhibitors such as cerulenin have been shown to hinder the growth of liver cancer cells.5 Furthermore, other inhibitors such as C75 and orlistat have been shown to induce apoptosis (a normal form of cell death) in several cancer cell lines and delayed tumor cell growth in prior research. Therefore, designing FASN inhibitors is a feasible method to kill these cancer cells and to reduce side-effects of current drugs.
One way to identify FASN inhibitors is using molecular docking. During molecular docking, a computer program (e.g. AutoDock Vina), calculates the binding affinity of molecules to a target protein and ranks them based on binding energy. Former members of Dr. Pedzisa's lab docked ~300,000 compounds and identified several compounds that are predicted to bind strongly to FASN. These compounds serve as pivotal points to designing potential inhibitors. Identification of FASN inhibitors using molecular docking has been validated in ocular cancer cells.
Harry Wu
Hamilton
World Politics 2027
Civil-Military Relations: Oversight Attitudes in the 119th United States Congress
Congress has extensive oversight over the U.S. military and its operations, including the constitutional powers to declare war, raise and support the armed forces, and regulate military spending. This research paper examines the factors that shape attitudes toward civil-military relations in the 119th Congress through interviews with individual members of Congress and congressional staffers. Participants were categorized according to partisan leaning, age, relevant committee membership, and type of constituency represented. The study finds a general consensus across all participants on Congress’s responsibility to oversee the military. However, partisan leaning produced the greatest variation in responses. Liberal-leaning offices generally viewed current oversight as too limited, whereas conservative-leaning offices generally considered existing oversight adequate. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of the state of civilian control over the military in the United States by identifying how partisan perspectives may shape perceptions of congressional oversight and the factors that may influence whether civilian control is perceived as being upheld or eroded.
Avi Nozic
Union
Chemistry / Economics 2028
Student Experiences Before, During, and After a Leave of Absence from Medical School
Background: Leaves of absence (LOAs) are consequential transitions during medical education. Prior research has focused primarily on reasons for leave and educational outcomes, with less attention to learners’ experiences before, during, and after leave. Understanding experiences across this trajectory may identify opportunities to improve communication, continuity, support, and reintegration.
Objective: To characterize medical learners’ experiences across the LOA trajectory, use learner narratives to contextualize quantitative findings, and integrate both data sources to develop a comprehensive understanding of these experiences.
Results: Quantitative findings identified 54% of participants as not at all knowledgeable about the LOA process, 46% as not at all connected to their medical community, and 76% as unsatisfied with institutional financial support. Qualitative themes revealed how cumulative personal and academic stressors, unclear institutional procedures, and inconsistent support shaped experiences across leave. Integrated findings suggested that academic challenges frequently reflected broader life circumstances and that the availability of support alone did not guarantee responsiveness to learners’ needs.
Conclusions: These findings may inform institutional approaches to leave and reintegration by identifying opportunities to strengthen proactive coordination and individualized support before, during, and after leave.
Alizeh Qazi
Hamilton
Neuroscience 2029
Early Endosomal Alterations in the Cerebellum Across Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease
Early endosomal dysfunction is increasingly recognized as an early cellular feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including enlargement and altered trafficking of early endosomes. However, these abnormalities have been studied primarily in brain regions classically associated with AD pathology, while the cerebellum remains less characterized. We hypothesized that AD cerebellar tissue would exhibit altered EEA1-positive early endosomal puncta compared with control tissue. Cerebellar tissue from APP(SAA) and APP/PS1 mouse models was immunostained for early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1) and neuronal markers and imaged using spinning-disk confocal microscopy. Maximum-intensity projections were analyzed in Fiji (ImageJ) using background subtraction and threshold-based particle segmentation.
In the APP(SAA) cohort, two AD samples exhibited larger mean EEA1-positive puncta (0.221 and 0.208 µm²) than the control (0.189 µm²), while mean fluorescence intensity was lower in both AD samples. In the APP/PS1 cohort, the younger AD sample exhibited increased mean puncta size (0.340 µm²) and abundance (14,538 puncta) compared with the control (0.305 µm²; 8,624 puncta). In contrast, an older APP/PS1 sample exhibited substantially fewer detectable puncta (762) and a smaller mean puncta size (0.259 µm²) than the younger AD sample, a phenotype reproduced across independent staining experiments.
These findings suggest altered EEA1-positive early endosomal morphology in AD mouse cerebellar tissue, with abnormalities potentially varying across models and disease stages. Increased puncta size in multiple AD samples is consistent with early endosomal enlargement, while the distinct older APP/PS1 phenotype suggests these alterations may evolve with disease progression. Additional animals and biological replicates are needed to determine whether these differences are consistently associated with genotype and disease stage.
Muhan Cui
Hamilton
Biochemistry / Psychology 2028
Madison Ray
Hamilton
Biochemistry 2027
Investigating the Process of Phagocytosis in Tetrahymena thermophila
Tetrahymena thermophila are single-celled ciliate eukaryotes used in genetics research; however, knowledge of their phagocytic digestion process is limited. Previous research investigated the colocalization of fluorescent dyes in these ciliates using a Nikon AXR confocal microscope and indicated that the digestion mechanism of Tetrahymena thermophila was not homogenous as once thought. This work further investigated this conclusion by repeating the experiments but fed the dyes separately, rather than simultaneously. To accomplish this, the cells were fed E. coli expressing fluorescent protein (emission wavelength 648 nm), then fed a dextran-based dye (emission wavelength 525 nm) an hour later. The resulting data demonstrated colocalization of the dyes in several vacuoles over time. This suggests that Tetrahymena thermophila vacuoles may fuse and share contents during nutrient digestion, indicating that this process may not be linear.
Rianne Almontaser
Hamilton
Psychology / Sociology 2027
University Support’s Effect on Student Wellbeing and Help-Seeking Behavior
Expanding the current literature on university support and help-seeking, the present study utilizes survey responses from undergraduate students to provide a greater understanding of the process behind seeking support. This study delves into the relationship between the awareness and usage of institutional and departmental services. It also explores how psychological measures pertaining to belonging affect this relationship. The current study specifically examines how psychological measures affect awareness and usage of support differs between the services offered by the institution versus the departments, as well as how awareness and usage of services offered at institution versus department level affects students’ sense of belonging, and how these psychological measures affect service usage. This study takes place at a Russell Group UK university in North England.
Elva Chen
Hamilton
Psychology 2028
Being, Doing, and Understanding Diversity: What It Means to Belong in College
Despite Hamilton College’s emphasis on diversity as a central component of its liberal arts education, there is a significant dissonance between the institution’s public commitment to diversity and students’ lived experiences on campus. This paper examines how Hamilton defines, promotes, and enacts diversity, particularly through its educational goals and institutional approaches to student belonging. Drawing on interviews with students, faculty, and administrators, as well as literature on the commodification of higher education, I argue that Hamilton upholds an aversive racialized view of diversity while failing to address the discrimination and isolation students experience. Although Understanding Cultural Diversity is one of Hamilton’s eight educational goals, students are not held accountable for engaging with different identities, perspectives, or cultural traditions, allowing them to graduate believing they understand cultural diversity without necessarily challenging their own biases. Simultaneously, the college’s color-blind approach to discrimination dismisses students’ concerns and places the burden of navigating an unwelcoming environment on individuals. These contradictions contribute to feelings of isolation, distrust, and institutional betrayal, leaving students from diverse backgrounds in survival mode. I argue that Hamilton must move beyond its symbolic commitment to diversity by taking accountability for discrimination, creating inclusive spaces beyond cultural centers, and strengthening institutional support for students.
Alexandria Gonzalez
Hamilton
Chemistry / Education Studies 2027
Quantifying Salt-Dependent Phase Separation Across SUF4 Variants
Phase Separation is a process that has been hypothesized to have importance in carrying out biological processes for a variety of organisms. One unique protein that controls a biological process through phase separation is SUF4, which regulates flowering time of the Arabidopsis Thaliana plant. SUF4 contains an evolutionarily conserved GLEBS region, whose mutations are thought to promote or inhibit its phase separation in the cell, having downstream effects on plant behavior. In this project, we investigated the role of the EERR amino acid sequence in the GLEBS region on SUF4 phase separation at various salt concentrations. Using turbidity assays to build phase diagrams of WT and variant SUF4 constructs, it was found that the reentrant salt-dependent phase separation of SUF4 was preserved among its GLEBS variants. Additionally, the temperature boundaries of SUF4 phase profiles shifted due to overall GLEBS domain charge and amino acid type.
Stephen Jervis
Colgate
Physics 2028
Effects of Ocean Temperature on Biomineralizing Balanus Amphitrite's Microstructure
Balanus Amphitrite, a species of acorn barnacle, is a small marine organism found on coastlines all over the world. The goal of this research project was to examine different components of the protective barnacle shell to see how they may adapt to different ocean conditions. Both the parietal plates and the base plate were examined on each sample.
One aspect of the project dealt with adult barnacles. For the adult barnacle section of the project, we worked collaboratively with The College of New Jersey and Prof. Gary Dickinson. The adult barnacles that were sent to us were separated based on pH and temperature. Here at Colgate, we utilized Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) on the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to try and see how different temperatures and pH conditions affect the crystal structure and crystal orientation of the barnacle shells. Both MUD scores and grain size data were examined. The MUD score is a measure of the randomness of the orientation of the crystals. Grain size data is based on sections of crystals that have the same orientation, which creates individual grains.
For another aspect of the project, we examined the barnacles in their juvenile stage. The barnacles were broken into groups based on the temperature, and how long after settlement they were collected. First we documented, imaged, and measured many samples after being grown in incubators here at Colgate. Additionally, we began to EBSD samples to see the effects of temperature and time after settlement on the crystal structure and orientation; additional samples are needed to put together a significant data set due to individual biological variability.
Overall, a main goal of this research was to see how these barnacles could be affected or adapt to climate change. Though more data is needed, some trends have definitely been developing.
Alice Lee
Hamilton
Chemistry 2028
Synthesis of a 4-Chloro Halopyridinium Ketene Hemiaminal Electrophile and its Use in SNAr Reactions
Cyclic compounds containing a nitrogen atom are the most common heterocycle found in bioactive substances. Among this class of compounds pyridine, and its derivatives, are particularly well represented. Therefore, medicinal chemists have long sought new methods for creating nitrogen-containing heterocycles for the synthesis and testing of new drug-like molecules. Our lab previously developed a new class of reagent (bench stable pyridinium ketene hemiaminals) that participates in a range of exceptionally mild substitution reactions with carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur nucleophiles. However, previous chemistry was primarily limited to substitution at C2 of pyridine rings. In an effort to expand the scope of this chemistry, we developed a new reagent 4-chloro-1-(1-ethoxyvinyl)pyridin-1-ium triflate. Synthesis of this new reagent was non-trivial due to the inherent instability of 4-chloropyridine, a key starting material. Our hypothesis was that by using the stabilized hydrochloride salt of 4-chloropyridine, we could develop alternative methods for making 4-chloro-1-(1-ethoxyvinyl)pyridin-1-ium triflate that involved in situ proton transfer to alkoxyalkynes, or generation of free amines in situ. Both strategies have been developed, leading to production of a new reagent. A series of nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions were then conducted to further investigate the reactivity of this growing class of compounds and broaden the scope of halopyridinium salt electrophiles for the synthesis of drug-like small molecules. In conclusion, this new reagent will lay the foundation for producing 4-substituted pyridine compounds, a highly valuable subclass in medicinal chemistry.
Bryce Galster
Hamilton
Biochemistry / Molecular Biology 2028
Expression, Purification, and Pull-Down of α1Bβ2B Tubulin Heterodimer To Assay for its Tubulin Binding Proteins
Microtubules are composed of a diverse set of α- and β-tubulin isoforms and are characterized by rapid shifts between polymerization and depolymerization. These transitions between growth and shrinkage allow them to carry out many of their crucial cellular functions, including altering cell shape, chromosome shuttling, and trafficking of organelles and proteins. Much of the diverse dynamics observed in microtubules are regulated by interactions with non-tubulin proteins. Compared to Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs), proteins that bind directly to microtubule polymers, Tubulin Binding Proteins (TBPs) are understudied due to previous difficulties in expressing and purifying experimentally useful tubulin heterodimers. TBPs bind directly to soluble tubulin and facilitate the polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules, thus representing an under-researched group of key regulators of microtubule-related cellular functions. Here, I present a method to express and purify a Strep- and decahistidine-tagged recombinant α1Bβ2B tubulin heterodimer using the established Bac-to-Bac expression system as well as a series of chromatography purification techniques. This isoform is highly expressed in the brain and thus was selected as a relevant candidate for brain lysate TBP assays. I demonstrate a method to test for α1Bβ2B’s TBPs using a mouse brain lysate- α1Bβ2B pull-down approach with the goal of assaying for the known Tubulin Binding Proteins tau and CLASP2. Despite inconsistent α1Bβ2B yields and inconclusive pull-down results, these approaches provide a strategy to potentially identify novel TBPs, although further optimization is recommended for future studies.
Jessica Corbett
Hamilton
Biology 2027
Ab10 KINDR Kinesin Rescues Inhibited Chromosome Segregation in Transgenic Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
The Zea mays abnormal chromosome 10 (Ab10) haplotype exhibits preferential inheritance through female meiotic drive, subverting Mendel’s Law of Segregation. The haplotype encodes two kinesin proteins, Kindr and Trkin, that interact with tandem repeat knob180 and TR-1 DNA sequences, respectively, to convert these regions into mobile neocentromeres. Once each kinesin is associated with its neocentromere, they direct poleward movement along the spindle ahead of their standard centromere counterparts. Kindr is the primary driver of this transmission mechanism, while Trkin's role remains unclear; it may collaborate with Kindr to reinforce meiotic drive, or it may instead act antagonistically, ultimately dampening Ab10's advantage. Here, we aimed to investigate the segregation ability of Kindr and Trkin individually, and whether this capability shifts when both kinesins are present. We utilized transgenic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains containing a centromere-adjacent GAL1 promoter. This promoter conditionally inhibits the centromere and subsequent assembly of the kinetochore when the cells are grown in galactose media, limiting chromosome segregation to kinesin activity alone. Segregation ability was assessed using a qualitative plating assay and a quantitative growth curve assay, both of which revealed that Kindr and Kindr-Trkin together could rescue chromosome segregation in the absence of typical kinetochore-spindle interactions. The same was not observed with Trkin. This research will deepen our understanding of the factors involved in the Ab10 meiotic drive system and offer insights into how kinesins can substitute for kinetochore function. These findings may also inform the development of genetic tools that can engineer inheritance of desirable traits in plants.
Isabel Kats-Rodgers
Colgate
Chemistry 2027
Probing the Liquid-Solid Interface through Infrared Nanospectroscopy
Nanoscale spectroscopy through infrared scattering-scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) has become a powerful probe of molecular structure and material interfaces. We extend this approach to the liquid-solid interface using total internal reflection geometry illumination and detection. Despite the experimental success, existing theoretical models provide an inaccurate physical description of the spectroscopy. We demonstrate a numerical approach for modeling s-SNOM at the liquid-solid interface. By examining spectra under a range of experimental conditions, we show compelling agreement between theory and experiment. Our approach provides a route for interpreting near-field spectroscopy at liquid interfaces, and is easily extended to s-SNOM in a broad range of complex geometries.
Irene Ding
Hamilton
Chemistry 2027
Design and Synthesis of TRIP13 Inhibitors for Treatment of HPV-Positive Cancer
Available treatment of cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) are non-selective, leading to adverse effects associated with the death of healthy cells. To address this issue, novel therapies that selectively target HPV-positive cancers are currently in development. Alisertib, an Aurora A kinase inhibitor, had been observed to demonstrate selectivity towards HPV-positive cells when co-administered with a TRIP13 inhibitor. However, to the best of our knowledge, no effective TRIP13 inhibitors are currently clinically available. Our lab had previously used a leading TRIP13 inhibitor, DCZ0415, to develop T62, which yielded promising results when administered as a TRIP13 inhibitor. This molecule can be further improved which is why we have designed, synthesized, and characterized 9 derivatives of T62. These synthesized derivatives add different functional groups that improve simulated binding efficiency. We have performed various biological assays with the synthesized derivatives to determine which addition was most effective. The results determined if the derivatives were more effective than preliminary models.
Maxwell Gold
Hamilton
Government 2028
Artificial Voices: A Historical Approach to the Regulation of AI-Generated Misinformation
AI-generated political misinformation is a growing issue in today’s society, making online media less trustworthy and more able to sway people’s opinions without them realizing it. The road to regulation and management is built upon past attempts at curbing the spread of misinformation, philosophical arguments on the freedom of speech, historical precedent for the US government getting involved in the development of emerging technologies, and finally current legislation that begins to address some aspects of this problem. X, the company formerly known as Twitter, has used Community Notes as an initiative to make users aware of the misinformation they see, however the largest pitfall is the delay between misleading informations being posted and the corrective notes being added. Next, John Stuart Mill’s logic regarding freedom of speech is used to emphasize that an outright ban on AI-generated media is not a viable solution for the federal government, pointing instead to one that informs individuals of what they are seeing while allowing anyone to create or publish anything they choose. Applying this logic to the origin of the telephone in America, the government restricted monopolistic practices while allowing phone companies to determine how they wanted their product to be used by consumers. Finally, current laws that address AI do not effectively manage the scope of the problem or the immediacy needed in order to solve it. This research leads to the solution of a federal mandate on AI developers to automatically include a visual disclosure on any AI-generated political media.
Grace Papetti
Hamilton
Biology 2027
Rooted in Crisis: How Different Maize Genotypes Redirect Carbon Under Drought Conditions
Carbon is vital for plant growth and survival. Through carbon allocation, plants distribute this element to various organs and metabolic sinks. Multiple factors contribute to carbon allocation, including environmental stress and genetic trait variations among maize varieties. Specifically, carbon flows differently across the plant under well watered treatment, but its behavior remains poorly understood under drought conditions or across diverse genotypes. The project aims to assess carbon allocation patterns under drought stress across multiple genotypes. We assessed six inbred maize genotypes under two treatments, well-watered and drought, and measured exudation rate, aerenchyma number, morphological traits, and cortex thickness. Results show that root morphological traits depend on genotype and water availability. Additionally, drought-stressed plants overall are exuding more carbon. Within the root systems, anatomy is also highly dependent on water, as aerenchyma number increases with drought. With the progression of global warming, weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable as altered rainfall and rising temperatures have contributed to both more intense and frequent droughts. As maize yield decreases, food insecurity is expected to increase, so studying maize carbon cycle can give insight into mechanisms of plant adaptation that can be useful for breeding and plant engineering. More research in this topic will allow farmers and scientists to prepare for the future.
Adelaide Brislen
Colgate
Environmental Biology 2027
Rethinking Conservation: Learning from Tribal Perspectives on Cultural Burning in and Near Sequoia National Park
In the past 5 years, uncontrollable wildfires in the Sierra Nevada region have killed an estimated 20% of the Sequoia tree population. Climate change is not the sole contributor to these wildfires. The forced removal of Native Tribes from these areas and criminalization of their cultural fire practices have led to a 150-year buildup of flammable undergrowth. After these fires, more attention has been centered on sustainable ways to prevent wildfires while moving away from intense fire suppression. Cultural burning by Indigenous communities has been shown to effectively reduce the risk of catastrophic fires. I interviewed Tribal chairmen and council members involved with cultural burning in and around Sequoia National Park. The goal was to understand what barriers and successes they have experienced working in this field, specifically dealing with policy and relationships within federally governed protected areas. Four common barriers throughout these interviews included federal recognition, the length of environmental policy cycles, lack of compensation for tribal advice, and changes/cuts to federal staff.
Rachel Lyubansky
Skidmore
Psychology 2029
The Body-Object Interaction (BOI) Effect on Children’s Eye Movements During Reading
One recently investigated lexical variable is that of body-object interaction (BOI), or the extent to which the human body can interact with a word’s referent. While some words have relatively low body-object interaction ratings (e.g., cloud, flame, moon), others have high body-object interaction ratings (e.g., belt, drum, soup). Previous research using visual word recognition and sentence reading tasks has shown that adults process words with higher BOI ratings easier than words with lower BOI ratings. In the current study, we explored this effect in developing readers (ages 8–12). Children read sentences with a target word that either had a low or high BOI rating while their eye movements were monitored. Words were matched on several lexical and sublexical properties. Significant BOI effects were seen in early (first fixation durations), late (total times, regressions in, second pass times), and post-target measures. There were also interactive trends that suggested that younger readers and weaker decoders showed the strongest BOI effects. These findings indicate that children rely on sensorimotor information during sentence processing and that this type of semantic information facilitates lexical access in developing readers.
Aleena Kuriakose
Union
Biology / Spanish & Hispanic Studies 2027
CA-CBT: A Scoping Review
Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been lauded as a gold standard intervention for many psychiatric conditions, but its ethnocentric foundation of Western cultural values can limit its relevance to non-Western or culturally minoritized populations. Culturally adapted CBT (CA-CBT) aims to better align with the cultural value systems of specific populations. This scoping review examined how CA-CBT interventions are developed, the extent to which adaptation frameworks guide this work, and how adaptation processes are documented.
Method: Following PRISMA-ScR guidance, we searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Search terms included: cultural* and (adapt* or responsive or appropriate or competent) and (cbt or “cognitive behavioral therapy” or “cognitive-behavioral therapy” or "cognitive behavioural therapy" or "cognitive-behavioural therapy") and (race or racial* or ethnic*). This was applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords. We supplemented the database search with handsearching, particularly for articles that were referenced to describe the CBT adaptation process. Two authors charted study and intervention characteristics, adaptation frameworks, development processes, and adaptations. The team iteratively synthesized themes.
Results: Thirty-eight articles representing 24 unique CA-CBT interventions were included. Most interventions targeted adults (n=21, 87.5%), racial/ethnic minoritized populations (n=23, 95.8%), and mental health or psychological well-being (n=18, 75.0%). Sixteen interventions (66.67%) reported the steps taken to develop the culturally adapted intervention. However, only seven (29.2%) explicitly cited the use of a conceptual model or framework to guide the adaptation of standard CBT. Reported adaptations commonly included culturally resonant examples and metaphors, attention to cultural and social values, language and terminology changes, and modifications to intervention delivery.
Discussion: CA-CBT development often incorporates cultural responsiveness, yet inconsistent explicit framework use and transparent reporting limits replication, comparison across interventions, and translation into practice. Standardized reporting of adaptation rationale, development procedures, and specific modifications could strengthen the evidence base and support implementation of culturally responsive CBT in behavioral medicine settings.
Kangli Wang
Skidmore
Psychology 2028
Effects of Word Context on Children's Learning of Novel Words
Words hold both mapping and semantic information; knowing the word apple means knowing that the label "apple" maps to a round fruit with a core and that they are edible. In this study, children aged three to six (n=160) were read rhyming stories that highlight the label mapping (vs. stories that did not) and were asked about label and semantic information in the stories. Children in the map focus condition performed significantly better than children in the general focus condition overall. However, there was an interaction between condition and question type such that accuracy was higher for label questions than for semantic questions in the map focus condition and this was referred to in the general focus group. These results suggested that children might remember general information better than label information unless the label is highlighted.
Oskar Ruser
Skidmore
Biochemistry 2028
A Photocatalytic Approach to Synthesizing Sulfinamides: Precursors for Drug Discovery
Sulfoximines are valuable compounds in drug design due to their high solubility, chirality, and metabolic stability. Since sulfoximines can be easily made by the alkylation of sulfinamides, it is of great interest to find new and efficient ways to synthesize this class of compounds. We propose a photocatalytic approach to synthesize sulfinamides by oxidizing readily available starting compounds (sulfenamides). The scope and versatility of this reaction was assessed by incorporating various functional groups in our starting inputs. A wide range of sulfinamide products were synthesized by our photocatalytic method, and efforts were made to purify, isolate, and characterize these compounds.
Gori Goto
Hamilton
Art 2028
Gathering Herring Eggs
Gathering Herring Eggs is the documentary film exploring the controversial herring fishing in Sitka, Southeast Alaska. Herring signal the arrival of spring by turning the ocean milky in Sitka. Indigenous Tlingit people have traditionally harvested herring eggs by placing branches and kelp in the ocean for herring to spawn. However, in the late 20th century, the Japanese herring market collapsed due to overfishing and climate change, and a commercial herring fishery began in Alaska to export the herring roe to Japan. This commercial fishery has destroyed the ecosystem and Indigenous cultures by capturing schools of herring with a huge net, only getting roes, and throwing away fish meat.
Welcome to a world of beautiful nature, the rocking of the boat, and wildlife. Experience and reflect on the process of decolonization which should go beyond just knowing unfamiliar cultures.
Anika Amann
Hamilton
Biochemistry / Molecular Biology 2027
Elucidation of the Biosynthesis of Pantocin A
Pantocin A is a ribosomally synthesized, post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural product that exhibits antibiotic activity through the inhibition of histidine biosynthesis. The gene cluster that gives rise to pantocin A contains genes for two putative biosynthetic enzymes, PaaA and PaaB. PaaA has previously been shown to modify the EEN core of the precursor peptide to generate a bicyclic structure similar to, but distinct from, the final structure of pantocin A; no characterization of PaaB has been reported to date. Herein, we determine the structure of the PaaA product, resolving the outstanding ambiguity in previous structural characterization. Moreover, we show that this species is accepted as a substrate by PaaB, an Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes a unique 1,4-dehydrogenation to furnish the mature post-translational modification. These studies complete the biosynthetic pathway of pantocin A and the steps involved in its maturation.
Alekhya Buragadda
Union
Biology / Psychology 2028
Peripheral Blood Immune Gene Dysregulation in Parkinson’s Disease: A Computational Analysis Supporting the Gut-Brain Axis Hypothesis
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a type of neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the buildup of alpha-synuclein. Due to neuronal loss that comes early on despite the diagnosis happening much later, peripheral blood biomarkers can help us to detect early systemic changes of PD in an easier way. Using three publicly available peripheral blood Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE22491, GSE72267 and GSE99039), this paper looked at the difference in gene expression levels between PD subjects with healthy controls. Differentially expressed genes were characterized using the results of functional enrichment analysis via Gene Ontology Biological Process, Reactome, and DisGeNET from Enrichr. Although only LRRN3 was the gene that could be matched at the protein level, the analysis still pointed out the common aspects in biological processes including immune inflammatory signaling, gut barrier and microbial-response pathways, mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction. Apart from the LRRN3, PD-related genes such as those involving TLR4-mediated innate immunity pathway, complement system dysfunctions, and intestinal epithelial integrity appeared in all datasets. This study, in general, offers some insight that peripheral blood transcriptomes might reflect, in a way, the systemic changes of the disease which are linked to PD pathogenesis. In addition, even after the multiple testing was corrected for, several of the disease associations with DisGeNET remained significant which was not the case with the GO Biological Process and Reactome pathway enrichments. Because of this, these conclusions at a pathway level, although promising, are still to be checked through larger-scale and/or longitudinal studies with a multi-omic approach.
Elizabeth Pyle
Skidmore
Biology 2028
Reprogramming Algae Metabolism for Enhanced Biofuels and Bioproducts
Photosynthetic algae are capable of converting CO2 and waste materials to valuable biomass which could be used for nutraceuticals, food, feed, and biofuels. To enhance the yield of these biomaterials, the use of small chemical modulators as probes can induce desired alterations in algae metabolism. In this study, we investigated the impact of a potent photocatalyst, phosphomolybdic acid (PMO12), on the physiology and metabolome of a novel acid-tolerant alga (Micractinium sp.) isolated from Ecuador, South America. Notably, the addition of PMO12 enhanced starch and lipid accumulation in the alga without affecting its biomass productivity. Biophysical and biochemical analysis showed that algal cells induced with PMO12 redirected their intracellular carbon flux towards storage molecules, highlighting the potential of this alga for biofuels and nutraceuticals production.
Gray Birchby
Skidmore
English (Creative Writing) / Gender Studies 2028
Making and Unmaking Home: Cartographies of Diasporic Absence in Tessa Hulls’ Feeding Ghosts (2025)
How do we understand “home” that only exists in nostalgia and memory? This poster conceptualizes diaspora definitions of “not-home” by close reading Tessa Hulls’ Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic autobiography Feeding Ghosts. Hulls’ work examines generational trauma cycles in her family that she has inherited from her grandmother and mother. Diasporic autobiographers like Hulls transnationally reconfigure home against national dominant archives. Building on transnational feminist frameworks, my work shows how Feeding Ghosts uses hybrid autobiography to make invisible absences visible as presences. Specifically, I argue Hulls’ memoir reframes the relationship between intergenerational trauma and its effects on our feminist constructions of home. Mapping “not-home,” I unravel how generational memory distorts linear temporality and opens room for histories outside of the dominant archive. Refiguring truth to center lived experience, my framework opens new possibilities for how scholars can simultaneously analyse presences and absences.
Dorottie Joseph
Union
Psychology 2029
Let There Be Light
A story about what is behind the stars.
Nicolette Fox
Colgate
French / Global, Public & Environmental Health 2027
Portraits of Anxiety: A Medical Humanities Analysis of Nineteenth-Century Literature
Mental health disorders like generalized anxiety disorder can profoundly affect daily life, but elements of these conditions continue to elude researchers and physicians, preventing them from creating a comprehensive understanding. In light of this gap, literary portraits can offer understandings of anxiety from an artistic, emotional viewpoint that is often excluded from initial primary care visits and scientific criteria. This project aims to explore how French authors of the 19th century depicted anxiety, employing examples from texts written by Honoré de Balzac, Théophile Gautier, and Guy de Maupassant. These examples are compared to the innovative neurological and psychological research emerging during the same time period and analyzed in conjunction with our modern scientific comprehension of anxiety, in hopes of demonstrating literature's essential role in medical spaces and conversations. While mental health research has made drastic improvements since the 19th century, the care itself still presents shortcomings; narrative medicine, and the discipline of medical humanities as a direct result of the presence of literature in medical spaces, can provide a solution to these faults. Narrative medicine is centered around the personal testimonies of patients, which are only possible in clinician-patient relationships built on respectful, active listening. This model of practicing medicine also incorporates close, analytical reading of written testimonies to pick up on small details or important clues that could further inform the doctor about the patient's condition. Like real patients entering a clinic, fictional characters are not defined by one aspect of their life, one personality trait, or one particular experience. How their condition manifests itself is a result of their life story with defining moments that may contribute more than others; these details, for understanding the whole story of a patient's condition and for understanding a character, are an essential aspect of practicing narrative medicine and analyzing literature.
Yi Lan
Hamilton
Philosophy / Art 2027
Annexing Failure: Illustrated Through the Rule-Following Problem
The rule-following problem asks how a present application can be answerable to a rule when every interpretation offered to determine the rule’s application must itself be applied. This project traces one argumentative line of response to that problem: from appeals to community to accounts centered on intersubjective relations. In schematic form, community accounts place the standards by which an individual counts as following a rule within communal practice, whereas intersubjective accounts locate those standards in relations of interpretation, correction, uptake, or recognition between particular speakers. Yet each also gives a particular shape to the relation in which understanding becomes possible. The question that gradually emerges is whether the shape given to this relation leaves open the possibility that an attempt at understanding may fail without assigning that failure its significance in advance—as error, correction, repair, or a stage toward agreement.
Laurie Fleming
Skidmore
Environmental Science / English 2028
Writing Wonder Outdoors: Creative Writing Pedagogy for Camp Northwoods
This presentation will go over the methods, process, and reflections of our study into the pedagogy of creative writing in relation to cultivating wonder through service learning. This summer we worked with Camp Northwoods to engage kindergarten through seventh grade students in creative writing to bring mindfulness and environmental awareness to a typically high-energy camp. We developed materials for eight sessions of poetry and fiction writing workshops and led activities with facilitation from Professor Greaves. This is an extension of Professor Greaves’ work in wonder, which we helped to create a definitive course reader and guiding materials on wonder for her FYE course. Our work will continue as we write an article on our experience in active creative writing pedagogy.
Theodore Gercken
Hamilton
Government 2027
The Durability of District Distinctiveness: The 2011 North Carolina Gerrymander’s Failure To Nationalize Political Discourse
Gerrymandering has become a prominent concern, driven by fears that when political elites select their voters, they turn Congressional elections into national partisan referendums. This paper tests the relationship between gerrymandering and nationalization by analyzing platforms in three North Carolina Congressional districts before and after the state’s 2011 redistricting, widely described as a gerrymander and struck down by the Supreme Court in 2017. It develops a method for conducting pairwise comparisons between the issues discussed and positions taken by Congressional candidates, revealing significant differences in both dimensions. Variation between districts was substantially greater than variation at the national level, suggesting that Congressional candidates continue to respond to their districts’ unique concerns. Moreover, redistricting significantly altered rhetoric in only the most extreme case, but the effect size was substantially smaller than the difference associated with winning, indicating that, even after gerrymandering, local communities reward Representatives who champion their interests.
Emma LaBelle
St. Lawrence
Neuroscience / Public Health 2028
Beyond Availability: Understanding Barriers to Healthcare Access Among Older Adults in St. Lawrence County, NY
Social determinants of health refer to the social, political, and economic conditions that shape health outcomes. Research suggests that these conditions disproportionately affect older adults (people aged 65 and older), especially those living in rural areas. Through in-depth interviews with 14 older adults in St. Lawrence County, NY, this study explored the perceptions and experiences of older adults regarding the non-medical factors influencing their health. The data were analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis, revealing key barriers to health service use by older adults in the county. These barriers include low health literacy, limited social connections, and structural and financial exclusion from care. We argue that expanding access to resources beyond medical care is essential for overcoming barriers to health and wellbeing, especially for older adults in rural counties whose limited access to modern technology constrains their use of digital health services. Addressing the care needs of older adults beyond medical treatment is critical to supporting aging in place in St. Lawrence County, NY. This research also makes a case for further research to understand how digital exclusion intersects with informal, word-of-mouth communication pathways to shape health information gaps among rural older adults.
Bill Schnefel
Russell Sage
Criminal Justice, 2028
Does the Juvenile Justice System Deter Future Criminal Activity
Does the criminal justice system actually deter juveniles from committing future crimes?
Ignatio Tran
Hamilton
Biology & Japanese 2027
Assessing Kinesin-Driven Acentric Plasmid Inheritance in Budding Yeast Utilizing Fluorescence Microscopy
Meiotic drive refers to the selfish transmission and inheritance of specific genes during mitosis, allowing select genes to be transmitted up to an 80% inheritance rate – breaking Mendel’s Law of Segregation. An abnormal variation of chromosome 10 (Ab10) in maize (Zea mays) has been shown to cause this phenomenon of meiotic drive with genes encoding for specialized motor proteins Kindr and Trkin that produce this selfish phenotype. The Ab10 chromosome also contains tandem repeats encoding for heterochromatic DNA sequences or “knobs” named Knob180 and TR-1, which work with the specialized motor proteins to transform them into motile neocentromeres. Although there is evidence that the Kindr and Trkin motor proteins are required for neocentromere activity and meiotic drive, it remains unclear whether these motor proteins alone are sufficient in generating biased segregation. To investigate, an analogous system was created in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), utilizing acentric yeast plasmids with the bacterial LacO/LacI system in lieu of the Knob180 and Trkin DNA sequences. Due to their high affinity for one another, the LacO/ LacI system is capable of directly tethering the kinesins to the acentric plasmids. Acentric yeast plasmids are rarely transmitted during cell division allowing for the ideal environment to observe whether kinesin proteins can drive biased segregation. Using this system, experimental yeast strains modified to express the motor proteins Kindr and Trkin were assessed on their capacity to segregate acentric plasmids. Green fluorescent proteins (GFP) were used to visualize the segregation, and a GFP dot assay was done to quantify division rates amongst all strains. Through observations, we found that the kinesin proteins, Kindr and Trkin, alone were able to promote segregation in acentric plasmids.
Nyx Roman
Skidmore
Biochemistry 2029
Mikhail Vinch
Skidmore
Biochemistry 2028
Characterization of the Bacillus Subtillis Asn-tRNA^Asn Synthetic Pathways
The amino acid asparagine can be ligated onto its cognate tRNA, an essential step for all of life, through two distinct routes. In one pathway, asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) directly catalyzes the aminoacylation of asparagine (Asn) onto tRNA^Asn. In the other, Asn-tRNA^Asn is synthesized in a transamidosome complex formed between nondiscriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (ND AspRS), GatCAB, and tRNA^Asn. ND-AspRS misaminoacylates tRNA^Asn with aspartate (Asp), then GatCAB converts aspartate into asparagine to yield Asn-tRNA^Asn. Eukaryotes solely use the direct route as their means of Asn-tRNAAsn synthesis, whereas most prokaryotes rely on the other pathway. However, the bacterium B. subtilis is capable of synthesizing Asn-tRNA^Asn both ways. To understand why B. subtilis encodes both routes, we measured the stability and kinetics of the relevant enzymes, which provides insight into the life-cycle of this probiotic organism.
Xinyuan Huang
Skidmore
Management & Business/Accounting, Auditing 2027
When Prior Effort Clouds Judgment: Sunk Cost Bias in External Auditing and the De-biasing Role of GenAI Decision Support
Once auditors have put a lot of work into an audit plan, they may resist changing it, even when new evidence says they should. This study tests whether generative AI (GenAI) can help auditors overcome this sunk cost bias, and whether the kind of help matters.
Practicing auditors complete an online experiment. They review a fictional client case, Symtrex Robotics Corp., where revenue under ASC 606 shows warning signs after planning is mostly done. After making an initial judgment, each participant sees one of four conditions: no AI, an AI that organizes information, an AI that recommends procedures, or an AI that challenges their judgment. We then measure how willing they are to revise their risk assessment and audit plan.
We expect AI support to increase revision, with the challenger having the strongest effect. The findings will show which kinds of AI help auditors stay skeptical rather than stick with past decisions.
Elaina Schlesinger
Skidmore
Chemistry 2029
Heterogeneous Ozonolysis of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds
Atmospheric aerosol particles provide active surfaces that adsorb organic compounds. During atmospheric transport, adsorbed terpenes (natural oils produced by many plants) react with ozone, producing surface bound oxidized compounds. Understanding the product formation and kinetics of this process allows a deeper understanding of how aerosols affect the chemical balance of the atmosphere. Here, we present a study of ozonolysis reactions of several terpenes adsorbed onto alumina, a component of mineral aerosols. In-Situ analysis was used to investigate oxidation kinetics, while ex-situ analysis identified reaction products. A newly developed spectroscopic system integrated into the state-of-the-art reaction chamber enabled studies at lower ozone concentrations, providing new insights into ozone concentration effects in interface reactions. Overall, the adsorbed terpenes lifetime increases three orders of magnitude compared to gas-phase.
Seohyun Park
Union
Computer Science 2028
Biological Evaluation of Black Box Models vs. SHAP
SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) is a popular explainable AI method that has been utilized in many scientific fields, but it has remained largely untested with biological data. Utilizing a compendium of approximately 20,000 samples of Escherichia coli (E. coli) collected from pre-existing publicly available data deposited up until the year 2025, my research compares the biology extracted from a typical neural network built of ADAGE models to the information extracted from the SHAP matrix. To make my comparison, I am using the models’ weight matrices to compare the gene-gene correlations inside to our predefined biologically annotated database, EcoCyc. I hypothesize that SHAP will show greater success in finding biological information within the dataset than the neural network.
Cate Cochran
Skidmore
Environmental Science 2027
Restoration Under Pressure: Algae Turfs, Sediment, Heavy Metals, and Land Use Dynamics in the Florida Keys
Sediment load has traditionally been studied as a major indicator of reef stress, however in-depth quantification of specific sediment size classes, proximal land use, and heavy metal contamination have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Algae turf (benthic microalgae <5 mm) have a propensity to accumulate sediments (often lathed in nutrients, heavy metals, and toxins), threatening coral growth and resiliency. The Coastal Zone Management Act, UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, baseline quantification of sediment dynamics, and bottom-up controls across restoration sites represent a critical knowledge gap. This research comprehensively compares facets of sediment grain sizes, heavy metal analysis protocols, and spatial land use factors across coastal reef regions.
Charlotte Blake
St. Lawrence
Conservation Biology 2027
Assessing Ecological Predictors for Water Chestnut Dominance at Heuvelton, NY
The Heuvelton reservoir, located on the Oswegatchie River, can be considered the “epicenter” of water chestnut invasions in Northern NY. Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an invasive aquatic plant with a submerged stem and floating leaves that form dense mats across water surfaces. We worked to understand and combat the invasion at Heuvelton through ecological research, invasive plant removal, and educational outreach. This study asks: Among invaded sites at the Heuvelton reservoir, which ecological factors are correlated with a higher water chestnut dominance? At 11 water chestnut-invaded sites along the Heuvelton reservoir, we studied the effect of Milfoil Dominance*, Water Depth (in), Sediment Depth (in), Organic Matter in the Sediment (%) , Light Penetration (% of surface light that reaches the bottom) and Flow Rate (m/sec) on Water Chestnut Dominance*. (*Milfoil is another invasive aquatic plant at Heuvelton. Both Milfoil Dominance and Water Chestnut Dominance were measured by Importance Value (IV), an index value calculated by the Relative % Cover, Relative Frequency, and Relative Biomass of each species in relation to the total aquatic vegetation present.) We found that across sites, greater water chestnut dominance was correlated with a deeper sediment layer, lower light penetration, and a slower flow rate. We found no significant correlation between Water Chestnut Dominance and Water Depth (in), Milfoil Dominance (IV), nor Organic Matter in Sediment (%). Understanding which environmental factors are favored by water chestnuts can help us predict vulnerable sites where water chestnuts may thrive in the future, thus highlighting areas where we can prioritize prevention and control. Water chestnut invasions are spreading across Northern New York, significantly impacting ecosystems, local economies, and livelihoods in ways that we have yet to fully understand. Early action is crucial, and targeted and efficient conservation management strategies are essential.
Emma Sullivan
Russell Sage
Informatics 2029
Transfer Learning At The Strain and Genus Levels
Phylogenetic trees are used to determine the evolutionary relationships between different organisms in which the length of the branches represent how closely-related two organisms are. These have previously been created using sequence alignment techniques. However, research has started to explore how machine learning can be used to further clarify these evolutionary connections. One such machine learning technique that is being tested in neural networks. This project tests the performance of a denoising autoencoder (DAE), a type of neural network, in identifying biologically significant patterns in the RNA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and different strains of Escherichia coli. To do this, the DAE will be trained and then fine-tuned on different strains of E. coli or P. aeruginosa and the results will be compared to biological databases to determine if the results are concordant with the database. Thus far, the microbial data has been filtered by genes and samples. Next steps will include training single models of the DAE on the different strains before combining them in order to eventually train and fine-tune with a combination of strains.
Elsie Paxton
Union
Mechanical Engineering 2027
Sunflowers and Science: Environmental STEM Education as Peacebuilding for Children Affected by War in Ukraine
Children in Ukraine face disrupted schooling, chronic stress, and limited access to participatory science education. English and STEM are typically taught as separate subjects, yet for students learning English as an additional language, science offers a concrete, observable context for building vocabulary and confidence. This project examined how integrating English instruction with place-based environmental STEM can positively affect children living through war.
Funded by a Davis Projects for Peace grant, Sunflowers and Science reached over 100 children ages 6 to 14 across four sessions in partnership with Space of Knowledge and the Lyceum Atlantyka School in Ukraine. Five Union College volunteers each led groups of about 15 students through four English language lessons using simple vocabulary, each rooted in students' own surroundings. In the robotics lesson, solar powered cars and wooden house kits connected solar energy to infrastructure in Ukraine. In the environmental lesson, students studied Ukrainian plants and flowers under handheld microscopes and recorded observations in English in notebooks. Students were encouraged to share their experiences and observations. Each child received a personalized kit, shipped in partnership with Operation Foxhole, helping schools in the United States provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The scientific materials were paired with pen pal letters from American students. Air raid alerts, shipping constraints, and the need for in-person teachers during advanced robotics lessons required constant readjustment.
Because surveying caregivers during wartime would have added an unreasonable burden teachers documented student reactions in real time. Children shifted from tense after air raid alerts to excited and curious. Teachers were able to sustain attention while examining local plants under microscopes, assembled complex robotics kits well beyond their years, and used English to describe their STEM learning. These observations suggest that combining English, STEM, and place-based environmental education can engage students more fully than teaching any in isolation, and that remote, volunteer programs can offer unique opportunities in conflict settings when partnered with local facilitators supporting advanced content. This model is replicable and informs a planned STEM pen pal program connecting students in Schenectady and Ukraine.
Maung Thein Nyunt
Hamilton
Chemistry 2028
Optimizing the Expression and Purification of BcCwlJ for Biochemical Characterization
Certain bacteria form endospores that remain dormant for extended periods, enabling them to survive environmental conditions that are unfavorable for vegetative growth. Upon returning to favorable growth conditions, the spores undergo germination whereby the cortex peptidoglycan is degraded by the cortex-lytic enzymes SleB and CwlJ. While SleB has been characterized as a lytic transglycosylase, the catalytic activity of CwlJ remains undefined, as the enzyme has proven difficult to obtain in soluble form. This project aimed to express and purify soluble CwlJ for biochemical characterization. We used the Bacillus cereus homologs BcCwlJ1 and BcCwlJ2, since they are homologous to Bacillus subtilis CwlJ and were previously found to exhibit better expression in E. coli. We evaluated constructs across two E. coli expression strains (C43 and LOBSTR-BL21), different solubility tags (MBP and GST), cytoplasmic vs periplasmic expression, and His-tag positions (N- vs C- terminal). Expression levels were assessed by Coomassie-stained SDS-PAGE and anti-His HRP Western Blot assays. While C-terminally His6-tagged MBP-CwlJ2 expressed relatively well in both strains, most of the protein accumulated in the insoluble pellet fraction. Therefore, we ran solubility trials by resuspending the pellet in buffers at varying pH values and NaCl concentrations, the results of which indicated that these variables had no appreciable effect on improving solubility. However, the addition of detergents and stabilizing osmolytes, specifically 1% Triton X-100 and 20% glycerol respectively, to pH 7.5 HEPES demonstrated moderate improvements in solubility. Overall, C-terminally His6-tagged GST-CwlJ2 periplasmically expressed in C43 gave the best combination of expression level and solubility, with maximal recovery from the pellet when resuspended in HEPES (pH 7.5, 400 mM NaCl, 1% Triton X-100, 20% glycerol). This construct represents a promising starting point for further solubilization optimization and for the biochemical characterization of CwlJ.
Alec Haines
Union
Physics 2029
Development of a Simulation Framework for Monolithic AC-LGAD Detectors
The High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) and Future Circular Collider (FCC) will operate at extreme luminosities, producing high particle fluences and severe pileup within detectors. This environment will demand next-generation vertex detectors capable of accurate spatial resolution, picosecond-level timing, and an optimized material budget. Monolithic AC-LGADs (MAC-LGADs) could be able to address this issue by integrating sensing and readout electronics within a single device, thereby theoretically achieving precise tracking and time-of-flight capabilities. This project works towards the simulation infrastructure required to accurately model and validate that performance. MAC-LGAD simulations require agreement across several tools since no single framework currently spans the necessary range of physics. Tools like Silvaco TCAD solve semiconductor device physics, doping profiles, depletion, and the static electric field with high spatial resolution, but their finite-element solvers are too slow to simulate the many independent tracks needed to characterize detector response during the R&D phase of development. Signal formation in a silicon detector is described by the Ramo-Shockley theorem, which assumes every material is a perfect conductor or a perfect insulator, which means that the detector geometry responds instantly and a static weighting potential works just fine. In an AC-LGAD with a resistive n+ layer, it takes a finite time to redistribute charge, and the electrode response itself evolves with time. W. Riegler’s extension of the Ramo theorem for detectors contains a solution for conductive media by making the weighting potential time-dependent and the induced current a convolution, decomposed into a prompt weighting field evaluated at the instant of carrier motion and a delayed term which accounts for the relaxation of the resistive structure.
Riley Cushman
St. Lawrence
Environmental Studies/Biology 2028
Habitat Assessment of Northern New York Waterways for Invasive Water Chestnut
Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an invasive species originally from Eurasia that was brought to North America in the mid-1800s. Since then, it has spread throughout the northeastern United States, colonizing many water bodies along the way. Water chestnut can alter habitats, outcompete native species and on top of that, it can disrupt fishing and boating. Our objective was to determine where in northern New York water chestnut had the greatest potential of colonizing. Environmental data such as depth and light were collected across northern New York, assessing 46 different sites and 13 water bodies. Each site was given a score based on similarity to sites that were already invaded. The data was then used to create a map showing the risk levels across the water bodies that we sampled. Black Lake, Little Sucker Brook, and Tibbets Creek all pose high risk for invasion. In contrast, the Little River and Lower Lake pose little to no risk for colonization. These results can help researchers and other groups prioritize management and monitoring of areas that are at higher risk.
Alexia Goldenberg
Union Physics & Chinese 2027
Computational Simulations of Dust Cloud Growth and Destruction in Galactic Halos
Molecular gas and interstellar dust are transported through hot galactic outflows to arrive outside the galactic disk. We used the GAMER-2 adaptive mesh refinement code (Schive, et al. 2018) to complete four cloud crushing simulation runs of varying densities at a resolution of 10 parsecs. We initialized a cold gas cloud in a hot, fast moving background wind. By implementing radiative and metal cooling processes, we determined clouds with number densities above a critical number density ncrit will survive and exhibit mass growth. Additionally, we observed clouds with high number densities cool to molecular temperatures.
Yifei Dai
Skidmore
Sociology & Economics 2027
How Can Small Restored Habitats Support Pollinator Movement through Fragmented Landscapes
Pollinators support plant reproduction and ecosystem resilience, but habitat fragmentation can limit movement among resources, nesting areas, and future colony sites. This project addresses if small restored spaces can support pollinator movement through human-dominated regions. An agent-based model is developed using the computer simulation tool, Netlogo. This simulation represents a simplified landscape that includes large habitats and restored habitat patches, where the pollinators (agents) move randomly throughout the landscape. The simulation tests how small restored habitat patches affect survival, energy, distance traveled, and inter-fragment movement success. A second model incorporates movement goals of habitat detection and nest-founding. Preliminary analyses suggest that restored patches are effective in supporting movement; however their contribution depends on spatial availability, energetic payoff, and life-stage-specific movement goals.
Lydia DeTraglia
Hamilton
Chemistry 2028
Synthesis of Novel Symmetric and Asymmetric Trimethine Cyanine Dyes for Biomedical Imaging and Labeling Applications
Trimethine cyanine dyes such as AF555 and Cy3 are widely used fluorophores with a range of labeling applications for biomedical imaging. However, there is a lack of common, general methods for their synthesis applicable to dyes with a broad range of emission wavelengths. We report concise synthetic routes to symmetric and asymmetric trimethine dyes from inexpensive, readily available precursors. Each sequence proceeds in only a few steps, delivers consistently high isolated yields, and avoids extensive chromatographic purification common to cyanine dye preparation. The synthesized asymmetric trimethine dyes were converted into monofunctional conjugates, which are suitable for single-molecule imaging in biological and medical sciences by application of click chemistry or classic esterification and amidation. The novel dyes were conjugated to cross-linked iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted imaging of atherosclerotic plaques in vivo.
Eunsol Do
Hamilton
Biochemistry/Molecular Biology 2028
Abigail Durbin
Hamilton
Biochemistry 2028
Enzymatic Synthesis and Purification of Peptidoglycan Fragments Containing Muramic δ-Lactam
Bacteria will undergo sporulation to increase their chances of survival in unpermissive growth conditions. When favorable conditions present themselves, the spore peptidoglycan (PG) contains structural modifications crucial in germination. Two enzymes, SleB and CwlJ are responsible for initiating degradation of the cortex peptidoglycan during germination. A unique modification to the spore PG, muramic-δ-lactam, is hypothesized to localize SleB and CwlJ to the cortex layer but how these enzymes specifically recognize cortex PG has not been investigated. Structures of SleB and CwlJ bound to the cortex would provide clues, but this requires obtaining a suitable PG substrate that contains muramic-δ-lactam. We have begun optimizing a procedure to generate a lactam-containing tetrasaccharide by enzymatic synthesis. The PG precursor Lipid II was purified and polymerized in vitro. The lactam modification was installed by treatment with CwlD, PdaA, and SwsB to produce linear cortex peptidoglycan strands. This polymer was digested with mutanolysin to afford a lactam-containing tetrasaccharide that can be purified by HPLC. We expect these results will allow us to conduct structural studies to identify how lactam interacts with lytic enzymes, such as SleB and CwlJ, involved in spore germination.
Abby Hagos
Hamilton
Biochemistry 2028
Development of A Phototunable System for Investigating Effects of Intracellular Gelation on Cell Mechanics
Fibroblasts are connective tissue cells that can undergo activation, meaning they can transition from a quiescent state to one where they experience changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion and modeling, cell morphology, and migration (Younesi et al., Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol, 2024). This activation occurs in response to biochemical stimuli, especially when tissue is experiencing wounds or disease (Chang et al., APL Bioeng, 2025). We are interested in how altered cell mechanics can change how fibroblast activation is induced and how fibroblasts behave, specifically through alterations within the cells. To further investigate this, we aimed to develop a system for spatiotemporally modulating intracellular cell mechanics, with the final goal of transfecting fibroblast spheroids with phototunable PEG (polyethylene glycol) macromers that can form and degrade crosslinks in the cytoplasm when exposed to UV light. So far, we have optimized spheroid growth, synthesized and performed rheology tests on various gels, and successfully transfected PEGs into fibroblast spheroids. We synthesized PEG conjugated with lipoid acid (LA), which is phototunable and can form crosslinks with itself (Nelson et al., Adv Mater, 2024). PEG-LA is able to gel with exposure to UV light and degrade when treated with lithium phenyl-2, 4, 6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (Lap) in addition to UV light exposure. So far, we have performed only one successful transfection of fluorescent PEGs into fibroblast spheroids. We will eventually transfect PEG-LA into the spheroids; by monitoring their behavior - specifically secretion of ECM and migration patterns - we can assess the relationship between controlled changes in cell mechanics and fibroblast behaviors such as ECM secretion. Carrying this out successfully would contribute to the goal of creating spheroid and organoid systems that perform as accurately to the human body as possible for drug testing and other experiments.
Christina Monroe
Hamilton
Psychology 2027
Kate Noonan
Hamilton
Psychology 2028
Ema Shedroff
Hamilton
Psychology & Art 2027
Transition from College to Career: Identifying the Career Center Services that Predict Higher Job Satisfaction for Those with ADHD
Previous research indicated that a significant proportion of individuals in the workplace met diagnostic criteria for ADHD; however, many of these individuals were not receiving adequate support for these difficulties, thus affecting their performance and productivity. Although prior research explored resources that facilitate successful adjustment to high school demands for students with ADHD, there is a gap in the literature regarding the transition from college to career. The current study recruited Hamilton and Landmark College alumni who graduated in 2018-2021, to explore whether college career center practices were associated with job satisfaction, and to determine whether these relationships differed according to ADHD symptom severity and ADHD diagnostic status. Alumni who reported greater ADHD symptomatology were less satisfied with and gained less knowledge and practical help from their college career center experiences. Greater symptomatology was also associated with lower early career satisfaction on average. ADHD symptomatology and diagnosis were also found to be crucial moderators in this study. For those with greater ADHD symptomatology, more positive career center experiences predicted greater job satisfaction. However, positive career center experiences only predicted later job satisfaction when students did not have an ADHD diagnosis. Possible explanations for these findings as well as limitations and future directions are proposed. Institutions should consider implementing principles of inclusion in career centers to make practices and programs more accessible to all learners.
Olivia Pearre
Colgate
Chemistry & Mathematics 2027
Defining Pnictogen-Specific Control of Palladium Catalysis through a Ppnp Pincer Series (Pn = N, P, Sb, Bi)
Modern chemical synthesis is driven by catalysis, which serves two purposes: efficiency and practicality. Of the C-C bond-forming reactions, one of the most vital is the aldol reaction; however, despite its usefulness, aldol reactions are typically limited due to poor selectivity and the need for harsh, highly basic conditions. As a result, there has been a longstanding need for a catalyst that can drive an aldol reaction quickly, selectively, and under mild conditions. While catalyst design conventionally focuses on tuning the transition metal using classical non-metal ligands, growing evidence shows that heavy main-group ligands can reshape the catalytic energy landscape profoundly. We have previously studied a bismuth-supported palladium compound BiPdCl as a catalyst for an aldol reaction between aldehydes and isocyanoacetate with unprecedented efficiency. However, controlled comparison across Group 15 in a constant ligand scaffold is unexplored. We here report on the investigation of an analogous catalyst supported by an antimony ligand, SbPdCl, whose structure was fully characterized by XRD and NMR spectroscopy. of SbPdCl from quantitative to 75% under the identical condition. In particular, kinetics experiments demonstrated that the reaction rate shows a half-order dependence on the concentration of SbPdCl, in contrast to the first-order-dependence for BiPdCl, implying a unique but less understood pnictogen effect. Further stoichiometric studies of SbPdCl in addition to systematic comparison with analogous complexes supported by phosphorus and nitrogen ligand, PPdCland NPdCl are in progress. These results will guide the design of future efficient catalysts using heavy main-group elements.
Sarah Hailey
Skidmore
Biochemistry 2028
Tess Velez
Skidmore
Biochemistry & Sociology 2029
HPLC Analysis of Capsaicin and Its Metabolites in Human Urine Samples
Consuming spicy foods is associated with increased physical health parameters in human subjects such as increased blood flow and lower blood pressure. There is a need for capsaicin studies to monitor the variation in absorption of these spicy compounds from oral intake by detecting elevated levels of capsaicin and its metabolites in human urine. We developed a method to pre-concentrate urine samples with solid phase extraction followed by HPLC analysis to measure the concentrations of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and their major metabolites. We will present our efforts to determine the analytical performance metrics. Using this method, we were able to successfully identify the patterns in capsaicin elevation that we expected to find in human subjects’ urine in a study assessing the impact of ingestion of capsaicin supplements on markers of cardiovascular health.
Seth Gustafson
St. Lawrence
Psychology, Political Science & Gender Studies 2027
Narrative Episodic Future Thinking's Effect on Discounting in a Group of Risk-Averse Participants
Delay discounting is the decline in the present value of reward with delay to its receipt. Excessive delay discounting has been referred to as a trans-disease process underlying choice behavior. However, “risk-aversive” individuals may present opposite delay discounting behavior and seem “less impulsive” in delay discounting tasks and probability discounting tasks. Excessive risk aversion is associated with maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies such as rumination and difficulty updating working memory related to new information. Narrative episodic future thinking (NEFT) is a psychological intervention involving vividly imagining specific thematically connected future events that has been seen to alter delay discounting and decision making. The current study recruited 1 participant with the goal of eventually recruiting 5 to 10 risk-averse participants, determined by their scores on a baseline delay discounting and probability discounting task, to engage in narrative episodic future thinking prompts. Qualified participants take a measurement of delay discounting and probability discounting once a week across 8 weeks and engaged with NEFT 4 out of the 8 weeks. According to our hypotheses, NEFT should induce a change in discounting so that participants become less “risk-averse” and more comfortable with positive risky situations. In other words, they should have higher rates of delay discounting in the NEFT phase.
Zoe Chamberlain
Hamilton
Chemistry 2027
Spatial Variations in Offshore Sediment Carbon
The carbon cycle is the process where carbon moves from between storage reservoirs through various mechanisms. Carbon compounds regulate the Earth’s temperature, make up the food that sustains us, and provide energy that fuels our global economy. The ocean acts as a carbon reservoir by capturing and storing 25% of the Earth’s carbon dioxide every year. Marine sediment can be analyzed using elemental analysis and isotope ratio mass spectrometry to determine its gas hydrate volume and source.
This summer, our goals were to characterize sediment carbon deposits in different offshore environments in the South Pacific and Southern Ocean and explore contributions of terrestrial and marine sources to sediment organic carbon burial using stable carbon isotopes. The three expeditions from which data was examined were EXP372 and SO226 in New Zealand, and NBP2501, in the Ross Sea of Antarctica. The main goal of EXP372 was to examine the possible effects of gas hydrates on submarine landslides in the Tauheni Landslide Complex in the Hikurangi Trough off of New Zealand. The goal of expedition SO226 was to assess methane flux and its contributions to organic and inorganic carbon pools in and around the Chatham Rise Pockmarks. The primary objective of the Ross Sea project, NBP2501, was to determine current volumes of gas hydrate loading in Ross Sea sediment, contributions to shallow sediment and water column carbon cycling, and to update predictions from coastal carbon models related to climate change.
Sediment samples were processed and analyzed for total carbon, organic carbon, and nitrogen content, as well as the isotope ratios of each. Isotope ratio spectrometry and organic to inorganic carbon ratios allowed for examination of sediment carbon sources. For EXP372, isotope analysis indicated that submarine landslides have a tendency towards creeping rather than solely existing as catastrophic events. For SO226, shallow sediment analysis indicated upwards movement within the pockmarks, with interior samples containing more carbon from deep marine sources than exterior samples. For all sites, we completed analysis of the gas hydrate volume in each sample, adding to and updating previous knowledge of current marine carbon cycling.
Itzel Torres Perez
Colgate
Chemistry 2030
Biodegradability and Soil Health with Eggshell Biocomposite: Preliminary Testing for Utilization in Coffins
Conventional burial practices contribute significantly to environmental pollution through resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, creating a need for more sustainable burial materials. This project evaluates short-term degradation and impacts of an eggshell biocomposite on soil health using tablets buried in soil from Greenwood Cemetery. Tablet mass, soil pH, nutrient and moisture percentage, and electrical current were monitored over an 8 day experiment.
Compared to the negative control, treatment soil showed higher measured nutrient values, moisture, and electrical current, and lower pH. The tables exhibited an average mass loss of 10.76 g over 8 days. These results demonstrated short-term changes in the biocomposite and surrounding soil and support further investigation of our material. In addition, future work should focus on improving the formulation to reduce wildlife attraction while maintaining structural integrity and creating a time-efficient system for the eggshell-to-powder process.
Alice Bussiere
Hamilton
Chemistry 2028
Nanoconfined Electrolyte Solutions in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Slit Pores
Aqueous-phase chemistry under nanoconfinement has applications in biological transport, filtration, fuel cells, and desalination of salt water into fresh water. This provides more drinkable water sources in times of drought. However, conducting experiments to determine the most efficient membrane to act as the filter is near impossible due to limited spectroscopic techniques. Thus, computational strategies must be used to determine the behavior of electrolyte solutions under nanoconfinement. These strategies are inefficient, however; maintaining high accuracy with long calculation times through quantum mechanics, or short calculation times with low accuracy through molecular simulations. Our research bridges the gap between efficiency and accuracy using machine learning, allowing us to compute condensed-phase calculations with greater efficiency.
In previous research, the lab examined the ion-pairing behavior of lithium halide bulk solutions, as well as in graphene slit pores. This summer, we researched the ion-pairing behavior of lithium fluoride and iodide in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) slit pores, where hBN behaved both as a flexible and rigid membrane. This was prepared conducting short simulations using foundational models which were then trained to produce a converged MACE machine learning potential. Longer simulations were conducted and later analyzed using radial distribution functions, free energy profiles, surface propensities, coordination numbers, density profiles, and diffusion coefficients.
We found ion-pairing behavior was dependent on the composition of the slit pore and the ions present in the electrolyte solution. The behavior is salt-dependent, with LiF remaining predominantly associated while LiI tends to dissociate, although this may vary with the rigidity of the membrane, in which Lewis-acidic boron sites are only seen interacting directly with the anions under rigid conditions. We also found that polar membranes alter the ion-pairing behavior as opposed to nonpolar membranes, which can be investigated in future work with direct comparison between graphene and hBN slit pores.
Ocean Lin
Skidmore
Chemistry 2027
Exploring Hexadentate Ligands for Manganese(Ii) Biomimetic Compounds
Superoxide ion (O2-) is a toxic byproduct of cellular respiration that is converted into molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide by metalloenzymes known as superoxide dismutases (SODs). We are interested in developing manganese-containing compounds that mimic the activity of SODs as potential pharmaceuticals. These compounds must be stable in aqueous solution, able to penetrate cells, and catalytically active. One family of compounds we are exploring feature hexadentate ligands. This summer we synthesized a novel hexadentate ligand with five N-donors and a hydroxide (-OH) group and made good progress on an analogous ligand with a methoxide (-OCH3) group. Compounds were purified by column chromatography and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectroscopies.
Runjia Song
Skidmore
Computer Science & Math 2027
Less Data, Reliable Manipulation? Evaluating Demonstration Efficiency in Rorot Pick-and-Piace Tasks
Robot imitation learning enables robots to acquire manipulation skills from human demonstrations, but collecting high-quality demonstration data is often costly and labor-intensive. This project investigates how the amount of demonstration data and training configuration affect the performance and data efficiency of robot imitation learning. We evaluated ACT (Action Chunking with Transformers), a Transformer-based imitation learning policy, on robot pick-and-place tasks from the LIBERO benchmark.
Experiments systematically varied demonstration dataset size (10%, 20%, 50%, and 100%), training duration, and action chunk size while maintaining a consistent evaluation protocol. Policy performance was evaluated primarily using task success rate across multiple manipulation tasks. The results show that performance depends not only on the amount of available demonstration data but also strongly on training configuration and task difficulty. Increasing the dataset size did not consistently guarantee higher success rates, and longer training provided limited benefits after approximately 40,000 training steps. Reducing the action chunk size from 100 to 20 improved performance when the full demonstration dataset was available but did not provide consistent improvements with smaller datasets.
These findings suggest that reliable robot manipulation can sometimes be achieved with fewer demonstrations when training configurations are selected carefully, highlighting opportunities to improve data efficiency and reduce the cost of demonstration collection in imitation learning.
Ellie Catalfo
Skidmore
Chemistry 2029
Naomi Danison
Skidmore
Chemistry/Biochemistry 2027
Characterization of the Dual Direct and Indirect Pathways for Asparaginyl-tRNA Formation in Bacillus Anthracis
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, encodes two routes to synthesize asparaginyl-tRNA (Asn-tRNAAsn), a key step in protein synthesis. In one route, asparagine is directly attached to tRNAAsn by asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS). In the other pathway, asparagine is synthesized on tRNAAsn using non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetases (ND-AspRS) and GatCAB. B. anthracis acquired an archaeal AspRS (AspRS2) for the role while also encoding a bacterial AspRS1. We hypothesize that this redundancy allows for survival across a range of environments, potentially leading to antibiotic resistance. To test this, we are investigating the kinetics and thermal stability of each enzyme under different conditions using malachite green and thermal shift assays. Identifying distinct differences between the enzymes will potentially expose selective drug targets to inform a more targeted antibiotic.
Kyle Yoon
Colgate
Chemistry 2029
Role of Bismuth in Catalyzing Challenging Ketone Reactions
Palladium catalysts have revolutionized the efficiency of large-scale chemical reactions and are highly valued in pharmaceutical and materials industries. However, they are limited due to their reliance on a high temperature, air-free environment, long reaction time, and high cost, so creating more efficient catalysts has been an ongoing problem. In our lab’s previous studies, we found that the BiPdCl catalyst offered unusually high and rapid yields for reactions between methyl isocyanoacetate and aldehydes while circumventing the limitations faced by palladium catalysts. So in this project, we sought to determine whether this bismuth catalyst would also work with heterocyclic ketone substrates, which are less reactive and can poison many palladium catalysts.
To determine the effectiveness of the bismuth catalyzed reactions, we varied the mole percent of BiPdCl, the specific ketone substrate, and replaced BiPdCl with various palladium catalysts. Under ambient conditions, we found that the BiPdCl had relatively high or moderate yields for a variety of substrates while the palladium catalysts experienced no reaction at all. We also found that BiPdCl successfully catalyzed a variety of different ketone substrates, albeit with varying success, that would otherwise poison most palladium catalysts. In the future, we plan to continue examining the scope of the BiPdCl, especially in comparison to palladium.
Tony Xu
Colgate
Biology & Computer Science 2028
Gut Microbiome, Diarrhea, Stunting, and Thinness in School-Age Ethiopian Children: A Cross-Sectional 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Study
Stunting, thinness, and diarrheal disease remain major childhood health burdens in low- and middle-income countries, and the gut microbiome is a plausible link between them. However, the evidence is largely limited to children under five, and to our knowledge no study has examined these conditions together in school-age Ethiopian children. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the 16S rRNA gene sequencing data from 198 children aged 6–17 years in Jimma and Hawassa to examine associations between recent diarrhea, stunting, thinness and gut microbial diversity, composition, predicted functional profiles, microbial network structure. We identified five differentially abundant genera depleted in the exposures: Oribacterium and Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group with diarrhea, an unclassified Prevotellaceae lineage with thinness, and two unclassified lineages of Sutterellaceae and vadinBE97 with moderate stunting. Across all analysis, the differences proved consistent in direction but small in magnitude. Only diarrhea was associated with overall community composition (p=0.03); predicted pathways differed for all four exposures but needed careful interpretation; although hub taxa and genus associations shifted, overall network architecture remained preserved; our mediation analysis does not find any role for diarrhea in the microbiome–growth relationship. We then asked whether microbiome features improved classification beyond demographic and clinical variables. While microbiome features alone carried genuine signal for diarrhea, thinness, and severe stunting, they added nothing to demographic and clinical variables (all p > 0.05). In these children the gut microbiome tracks diarrheal and nutritional status only weakly and does not substitute for routinely collected clinical data. Longitudinal and shotgun metagenomic studies are needed.
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