"Family and Sibling Dynamics: Exploring the Impact of Illness"

Advisor: Dr. Sarah Bisconer

The study of siblings within the context of illness is frequently overlooked when exploring sibling development or the influence of illness within a family. Examining the impact of having a chronically ill sibling is critical for a comprehensive understanding of family dynamics. The existing literature on this topic surveys illness, family dynamics, mental illness, guilt, roles of responsibility, and various other factors. However, there is a significant gap in the literature as to how sibling illness affects the bond in sibling relationships. This study summarizes and examines different areas of findings regarding sibling illness and empirically examines sibling bonds with a particular interest in whether the type of illness (e.g., mental, physical, or developmental) influences the relationship dynamics between the affected and healthy sibling. Findings suggest that siblings of chronically ill individuals are deeply affected by the shift in family dynamics and often face detriments to their mental health and self-perception. Moreover, these challenges are often overlooked by those around them due to the increased attention on the unwell sibling.

Saranga Bansal is a senior at William & Mary, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Data Science. Her research interests focus on family dynamics, adolescent development, clinical mental health, and parenting. Her honors thesis examines how sibling relationships shift when one sibling is diagnosed with an illness during childhood while exploring whether the nature of these changes varies based on the type of illness, including chronic, mental, or developmental conditions.

"Children’s Attachment Security and Maternal Sensitivity in the Context of Parental Incarceration"

Advisor: Dr. Danielle Dallaire

This study investigates the relation between maternal sensitivity (maternal warmth and responsiveness) and children’s attachment security (e.g., secure, insecure) in the context of parental incarceration and factors that may influence maternal sensitivity by analyzing data from the Family Life Project. The Family Life Project was a longitudinal study that looked at social risk and children’s development in rural communities. The current study hypothesizes that parental incarceration will be associated with lower levels of maternal sensitivity and higher rates of attachment insecurity. Additionally, we hope to explore maternal factors that are associated with higher levels of maternal sensitivity within families impacted by parental incarceration. This study will enrich the field of knowledge regarding parental incarceration by highlighting the protective factors that mothers in adverse situations employ to benefit their children’s attachment security.

Kathryn Callicott is a senior majoring in Psychology and Hispanic Studies at William & Mary. She conducts research related to developmental psychology. Her thesis explores maternal sensitivity and child development in adverse family situations.

"The Journey of the Jaw Harp; Studying the Sounds of Colonial Williamsburg"

Advisor: Dr. Neil Norman

The metallic twang of the jaw harp has been heard around the world for 1,600 years, eventually making its way from Asia to Colonial America. Archaeological evidence that spans centuries of history, showcases the ever changing shape and size of the jaw harp, and how it was modified to best fit the people and place where it was being played. This study reveals the specific patterns and typologies of jaw harps in Colonial Williamsburg. Studying the shape, size, material, and distribution of the harps throughout the settlement helps to grasp an understanding of how cultural goods were exchanged between 18th-century commoners, the primary players of and audience members for the harp’s distinct sound. The exchange of jaw harps, and other outsourced goods, was facilitated by the Meeting of Merchants held in Williamsburg in the late 18th century. The dispersal of goods and ideas that resulted from these meetings can be directly compared to dispersal patterns from traveling fairs in Europe, where the jaw harp trade thrived for centuries before being brought to America. Despite the instrument’s longevity and diversity, the study of its influence has been neglected for years, and this thesis rekindles its study in Colonial America.

Erin Cooper is a senior with an anthropology major and geology minor. Her study and research concentration is in archaeology, particularly the archaeology of music in Colonial Williamsburg. Her thesis is focused on an instrument called the jaw harp and its connection to socioeconomic status based on where artifacts have been excavated in Williamsburg. Cooper has hands-on experience with field archaeology, lab work, and artifact conservation.

"Discovery to Characterization: Isolation and Functional Analysis of Novel Phage Satellites"

Advisor: Dr. Margaret Saha

Bacteriophage, or phage, are viruses that infect bacteria. They are the most abundant biological entity on Earth, with estimates of there being 10^31 viral particles in the biosphere. They are the subject of intense scientific scrutiny due to their relevance to ecology, synthetic biology, and medicine, potentially serving as vectors for gene delivery. Scientists are especially interested in them as alternatives to traditional antibiotics, in light of the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. This project investigates a novel class of phage satellites, dubbed “phagelets.” Satellites are pseudo-viruses that lack essential genes for replication and infection, instead stealing their proteins from a helper phage to form full infectious viral particles. These phagelets infect Mycolicibacterium aichiense and, in doing so, are observed to induce the helper phage HerbertWM, a phage that normally lies dormant inside the bacterial genome. Two approaches were taken to investigate the phagelets. The first was to isolate novel phagelets from the environment, taking soil samples and looking for viruses that infect M. aichiense, then extracting their DNA to compare to existing phagelets. This led to the discovery of the viral particle named “MT”. The second approach was to create plasmids that would express particular genes found in phagelets known as antirepressors, which are hypothesized to be responsible for inducing HerbertWM. By expressing these genes in M. aichiense, induction could be measured, helping to elucidate the function of these genes in the infection process.

Mitchell Doherty is a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in CAMS in the mathematical biology track at William & Mary. His research pertains to bacteriophage biology, with a focus on novel phage characterization and synthetic biology applications. His thesis examines a novel class of phage satellites, characterizing and performing functional analysis on their putative genes.

“The Effects of Autistic Traits, Social Anxiety, and Other Social Factors on Academic Success, Campus Involvements, and Learning Mechanisms in College Students”

Co-Advisors: Dr. Joshua Burk & Dr. Cheryl Dickter

Due to the rise in commonality of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we are now seeing an increase of ASD individuals in the pursuit of higher education, but unfortunately, these students are still experiencing higher dropout rates when compared to their neurotypical peers due to social anxiety, struggles with self-efficacy, a lack of perceived social support, and differences in information processing (Gelbar et al., 2014; Tops et al., 2017; Zuckerman et al., 2019). Past literature has provided mixed results on the different social factors that can impact college adjustment in students with higher traits of ASD, and most research thus far has focused specifically on academic achievement and not on participation in other campus involvements, such as amount of credits taken, part-time employment, internship hours, research hours, and extracurricular experiences. This study expanded on previous research by asking two key research questions: 1) Are there differences in academic success (as measured by GPA) and the campus involvements of participants with varying levels of ASD traits and social anxiety? and 2) Are there correlations between certain learning strategies and higher ASD traits or social anxiety?. College-age participants completed multiple surveys to gauge their levels of ASD traits, social anxiety, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and learning techniques. This study sought to replicate past findings and further examine the correlations between social support, self-efficacy, ASD traits, social anxiety, and learning strategies. We hypothesize that individuals with higher traits of ASD and social anxiety will have lower scores on the Learning Attitudes and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) subscales that were examined. We additionally hypothesize that individuals with higher traits of ASD and social anxiety will have lower campus involvements. These findings could help to provide more insight on how individuals with varying traits of ASD engage with the college environment and provide better resources for them.

Allison Dolan is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology on the pre-med track at William & Mary. Her research areas include autism, social anxiety, and academic success. Her thesis addresses the differing effects that higher traits of autism and social anxiety can have on academic success and lead to differing study techniques. 

"Chinese American Trumpism: Translation of Political Discourses Across Cultural Contexts"

Advisor: Dr. Michael Hill

In the wake of an increasingly vocal Chinese American conservative movement, this project surveys an important force within it: members of a generation born in China and socialized amid the country’s dramatic transition from Mao’s leadership to the reform era before immigrating into a neoliberal United States in the 1990s. By examining select speeches and publications by prominent Chinese American conservatives, this project explores how the unique combination of two sociopolitical contexts in which they came of political age – China at the beginning of its economic reforms and the U.S. after Reagan’s presidency – contributes to the generation’s widespread affiliation with Republican, and increasingly, Trumpist, platforms. Special attention is given to the transfer of memories and discourses from one context to another and its implication for the political thinking of these “translators.” The project aims to highlight the interaction between two seemingly distinct political systems and to account for the conservative turn of Chinese Americans from a cultural perspective.

Liang Geng is a senior majoring in Government and Chinese Studies at William & Mary. His research areas include contemporary political thought, liberalism, and electoral politics. His thesis addresses post-1965 immigration history, Asian American conservatism, and grassroot political activism in the Trump era. He has previously conducted research on the liberal school within contemporary Chinese academia.

"Developing a New Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Harmful Heavy Metals in Water Sources"

Advisor: Dr. William McNamara

Drinking water is a very valuable resource, and the UN estimates that 3.5 million people die per year due to inadequate water supply and sanitation. Common sources of water pollutants are heavy metal ions, such as mercury and lead. Even in small concentrations, these heavy metal ions can be very harmful to human life, causing acute and chronic toxicities of the liver, kidneys, and intestines, and also certain cancers. The aim of this project is to develop organic molecules that are capable of binding to these heavy metals. Upon binding selectively to these heavy metals, changes in fluorescence or color of the molecule will indicate both what type of ion is in the water source, and how much of that ion is present. This would be a very quick and simple test for the quality of water and would be very useful in determining the safety and potability of many water sources, especially those without access to higher-tech treatments and testing.

Sarah Gresham is a senior chemistry major working in the McNamara Lab at William & Mary. She has worked in the McNamara Lab for two and a half years and is very passionate about chemistry. Her research involves using organic and analytical chemistry to develop a new chemical probe for the detection of metal ions in water sources. She is currently planning to begin her PhD in the Fall.

"Monosynaptic Connection From the Central Amygdala to the preBötzinger Complex"

Advisor: Dr.  Christopher A. Del Negro

Breathing is a critical behavior essential for life. While breathing is often automatic, occurring continuously without intentional commands, it is highly modulatable to allow rapid and instantaneous adaptation to various biological demands for survival. However, little is known about how various emotional and affective “breathtaking” events actively modulate the breathing pattern. Although such emotional events entrain corticolimbic activities necessary for their perception which can indirectly modulate breathing through a plethora of polysynaptic pathways, more direct and express subcortical connections may exist to link the fundamental, biologically essential emotion and breathing pattern. Such a link might also underlie aberrant breathing in response to pathological cortical activities, as observed in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. We demonstrate a direct relationship between two indispensable sites: the central amygdala (CeA), a major output hub of the amygdala, and the brainstem preBötzinger complex (preBötC), which generates the fundamental rhythm and pattern for breathing. Optogenetics-based electrophysiological analyses in isolated brain slices without corticolimbic connections in mice revealed monosynaptic and inhibitory CeA-preBötC connections. This pathway provides a mechanism for emotional or painful stimuli to arrest breathing. Moreover, the CeA-to-preBötC projection may help explain respiratory-related pathologies, such as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, a fatality attributable to long-last apneas that follow seizures invading the CeA via the basolateral amygdala. The CeA-to-preBötC link may be involved in more mild anxiety-related conditions, which incorporate bradypnea or short apneas, or even panic. These results elucidate a link between emotions and breathing, both of which constitute key brain functions in humans and all mammals necessary for their survival.

Jeffrey Gu is a senior majoring in Neuroscience at William and Mary. His research focus explores the relationship between two key brain sites: the amygdala, responsible for emotional processing and behaviors, and the preBötzinger Complex, the site for respiratory rhythm generation. His thesis examines the synaptic connections between these brain sites, and his work has been published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.

"Militant Monks? Religion and the 2021 Military Coup in Myanmar"

Advisor: Dr. Rani Mullen

While much has been written regarding the factors that influenced the Burmese military to stage the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, little research considers the impact of religion on the military's decision to depose the government. This paper aims to illustrate potential religious motives that caused the military to stage the coup, with a particular focus on the role of Buddhist nationalist organizations and their relationships with the Burmese military. Drawing on military press releases and an analysis of the locations in which conflict between the military and resistance groups has occurred, this paper intends to prove that the Burmese military believed that the privileged role of Buddhism in Myanmar was becoming increasingly threatened under the National League for Democracy-led government and therefore staged the coup, subsequently indicating that religion played a major role in the military's decision-making process. This paper will provide insight into the influence of religion on civil-military relations in Myanmar and throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Justin Horowitz is a senior majoring in Government at William & Mary. His research is primarily concerned with the politics of South and Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Myanmar. His thesis examines the potential impact of religion, with a specific emphasis on Buddhist nationalism, on the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. He is interested in democratization, civil-military relations, and religious nationalism.

"Role of Ulp1 and Ulp2 Proteases in K. marxianus Stress Tolerance and SUMO Stress Response"

Advisor: Dr. Oliver Kerscher

Cellular integrity depends on maintaining protein structure and function, especially after exposure to proteotoxic stressors such as oxidizing agents and temperature extremes. One cellular strategy for responding to stress involves modifying defective or aggregating proteins with the small post-translational modifier proteins Ubiquitin and SUMO. While Ubiquitination of proteins is involved in protein degradation, SUMO has been shown to stabilize aggregating proteins and protein complexes after stress exposure. Cells exposed to stress exhibit an increase in SUMOylation, called the SUMO Stress Response (SSR). The SSR has been studied mostly in the mesophilic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast, the thermotolerant yeast species Kluyveromyces marxianus (Km) exhibits a remarkably enhanced resilience to cellular stressors but it is currently not clear whether SUMOylation plays a role. This project aims to identify key SUMO pathway proteins responsible for Km’s robust stress response. We used a CRISPR/Cas9 system to mutate ULP1 and ULP2, two SUMO proteases with key roles in cellular SUMO dynamics. We compare the growth properties of ulp1 and ulp2 mutants and their respective WT controls after exposure to cellular stressors. Growth of Kmulp2 mutants was reduced in comparison to WT Km strains on media containing the DNA damaging agent hydroxyurea. This research will increase our knowledge of SUMO in the role of stress tolerant organisms. Additionally, it may help us to gain important insights into the resilience of cancer cells and pathogenic yeasts.

Catherine Hutson is a senior majoring in Biology at William & Mary. Her research areas include molecular genetics and cell biology. Her thesis focuses on the role of proteases Ulp1 and Ulp2 in the SUMO stress response following DNA damage.

"Developing Antibiotics for Pseudomonas Aeruginosa"

Advisor: Dr. Isabelle Taylor

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacterium, meaning that most antibiotics cannot treat infections caused by these bacteria. One reason P. aeruginosa is so hard to treat with typical antibiotics is that the bacteria utilize a cell-to-cell communication mechanism called quorum sensing. Quorum sensing allows the bacteria to cause all kinds of nasty problems including the production of toxins and the creation of biofilms, a layer of protection for the bacteria. Quorum sensing in these bacteria depends on the interaction between proteins PqsE and RhlR, so inhibiting this protein-protein interaction could turn off quorum sensing and allow the bacteria to be more easily treated. This research project explores screening a library of FDA-approved molecules as well as synthesizing molecules that could potentially inhibit this quorum-sensing ability in P. aeruginosa.

Hannah Jones is a senior majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Biochemistry at William and Mary. Her research areas include biochemistry, organic chemistry, and biology. Her thesis focuses on discovering antibiotics for the drug-resistent human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 

"The Role of HP1440 Anti-Sense Transcript in Helicobacter Pylori"

Advisor: Dr. Mark Forsyth

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that exists in 50% of human stomachs and can often lead to gastric ulcers and, in extreme cases, cancer. H. pylori is able to evade many normal human immune/inflammatory responses, such as nitric oxide. Our lab recently discovered that the HP1440 gene in H. pylori’s DNA is involved in this resistance of the nitric oxide that the human stomach uses to defend itself. However, it is not known what exactly it does to help out. During copying of H. pylori's DNA into RNA, there is an area inside of the HP1440 gene that causes it to be copied in the opposite direction in addition to the normal copy seen in most other sections of DNA. It is unknown why this 'antisense' area exists and if the product of the opposite direction RNA transcript is involved in the overall function of the HP1440 gene, or in the nitric oxide resistance of H. pylori. This honors research project focuses on this region of the HP1440 gene in H. pylori. The project utilizes microbiology techniques such as site directed mutagenesis, IVA cloning, and immunoblotting to answer this question. The goal of the project is to potentially identify a future Helicobacter-specific treatment target so the gut microbiome is not affected when undergoing ulcer treatments.

Mallory Junker is a senior majoring in Biology and minoring in Public Health at William & Mary. Her research areas include microbiology and genetics. Her thesis studies the affect of certain genetic mutations in gastrointestinal bacteria's ability to resist stomach defenses.

"Assessing the Ecological Carrying Capacity and Sustainability of Bivalve Aquaculture in a Shallow Estuarine Embayment Using Mass-Balance Modeling"

Co-Advisors: Dr. Mark Brush and Dr. James Skelton

Large-scale aquaculture operations of both the hard clam and the eastern oyster have dramatically altered many ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay from their natural state. High densities of cultured bivalves and the corresponding submerged gear are associated with a variety of ecosystem impacts, including changes to food availability, water quality, and bottom habitat structure. Bivalves filter phytoplankton out of the water, competing with other grazers and indirectly impacting higher trophic levels. Thus, the goals of this research were to quantify the ecological impacts on native fauna and assess the ecological carrying capacity of bivalve aquaculture at a shallow estuarine embayment on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. An ecosystem model, which is a mathematical representation of the trophic relationships in the ecosystem, was used to accomplish this. To parameterize the model, biomass and diets of the major trophic groups were compiled from previous studies and supplemented with tows for zooplankton and trawls for fishes in the summer of 2024 conducted along the length of the estuary. The model is being used to evaluate food web responses to varying densities of cultured clams and oysters. The results of the finalized model are anticipated to show that cultured shellfish have caused a decrease in the biomass of native fauna, particularly in the planktonic food web. Results will inform the management of cultured bivalves within the study site, with implications throughout the Chesapeake Bay and similar systems.

Ian Kenny is a senior majoring in Biology and minoring in Computer Science at William & Mary. His research interests are in marine ecology, with a particular focus on ecosystem modeling and the ecology of fishes. His thesis is centered around ecosystem modeling, community ecology, and the ecological impacts of aquaculture.

"Philippine Welser: Art and Science in Schloss Ambras"

Advisor: Dr. Catherine Levesque

My research focuses on the 16th century Philippine Welser, the morganatic wife of Ferdinand II of Tyrol. Ferdinand purchased and expanded Schloss Ambras, gifting the complex to his wife to ensure she would be housed and cared for in the event he predeceased her. Schloss Ambras is also the site of Ferdinand's kunstkammer, or art cabinet, one of the largest and most impressive examples of its kind. Philippine was known for her intelligence, beauty, and ability to practice medicine. Her cookbook and pharmacopeia are the two books most closely associated with her, which also highlight her diverse knowledge and understanding of the human body. Within Schloss Ambras, the bathing complex and medicinal garden are most closely associated with Philippine, and these are the main ways through which the modern museum promote her. This research seeks to understand Philippine within the context of medicine, science, the culture of collecting, and architecture.

Madeleine Kent is a senior majoring in History and Art History with a concentration in Critical Curatorial Studies. Her research areas include Renaissance art history, architecture, and the cultures of collecting. Her thesis addresses not only these areas, but also gender and medicine. 

"Cascade Aza-Prins Reactions to Access Novel Fused Tetracyclic Heterocycles"

Advisor: Dr. Robert J. Hinkle

The Prins reaction is an extensively studied reaction that enables the facile formation of new carbon-carbon bonds, using an nucleophilic addition of an alkene or alkyne to a cationic acid-activated aldehyde or ketone. (1) However, the Prins reactions involving addition to other cations such as iminium ions are well-documented; such a reaction is called the “aza-Prins” reaction. (2) Utilizing the Prins reaction in tandem with an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction enables the facile construction of polycyclic systems, molecules with multiple fused rings with at least one or more ring containing non-carbon atoms such as oxygen or nitrogen. As such, the Prins reaction has been employed in the synthesis of many heterocyclic natural products. (3) Alkyne Prins reactions, where an alkyne adds to an oxocarbenium or iminium ion, have been extensively documented for the construction of systems of three or less fused rings. (4)  However, its application in the synthesis of scaffolds with four or more fused rings is less documented.  Herein, we further explore the scope and limitations of the alkyne aza-Prins reaction, the addition of an alkyne to an iminium ion, in tandem with a Friedel-Crafts addition to synthesize tetracyclic molecules with both nitrogen and oxygen-containing heterocycles.  We demonstrate its utility and versatility with the synthesis of numerous compounds containing a novel 7,8-dihydro-6H-chromeno[3,4-c]quinoline core. The use of aldehydes with varying electronic properties, ranging from both electron-donating to strongly electron-withdrawing, all afforded our desired target molecule in high yield. 

As an undergraduate at William and Mary, Katherine Kim is a chemistry major and mathematics minor. She has worked in Dr. Hinkle’s lab since her sophomore year in  the fall of 2022.  Presently, she is investigating the use of the alkyne aza-Prins reaction as a part of a cascade sequence for the rapid construction of nitrogen-containing polycyclic molecules. She hopes to develop a method that may expedite the syntheses of nitrogen-containing natural products and life-saving pharmaceuticals.

"Relationships Judgments, Social Media, and Individual Differences"

Advisor: Dr. Xiaowen Xu

A substantial amount of research has examined the psychological factors that relate to people’s attitudes toward relationship infidelity in heterosexual couples, specifically focusing on physical infidelity. Research has also been conducted on emotional infidelity. Some factors researchers identified include trait personality, political differences, etc. However, as society progresses in both technology and in expression of sexual orientation and gender, the associated research needs to grow with it. There is a large gap in research regarding those who do not identify as heterosexual. There is also a gap in adapting to how social media has changed human interaction, and it is therefore important to better understand how social media access and usage can affect infidelity in relationships. Furthermore, it would be important to examine in greater detail how individual differences factors affect people’s perceptions of relationship infidelity. The present honors thesis examines how individual differences factors (e.g., personality, political differences) may relate to perceptions of infidelity in relationships. Undergraduate students are asked to complete measures of individual differences, and provide assessments for a range of potential relationship scenarios. This work can provide a more nuanced understanding of the specific types of characteristics that are associated with relationship infidelity, and can contribute to the literature in both personality psychology and close relationship research.

Preston Lin is a senior majoring in Psychology. Her research is based in psychology, and the areas include relationship, social, political, and personality psychology. Her thesis investigates the relationships between social media, individual differences, and infidelity. She has volunteered for The Trevor Project, as well as worked as a Behavioral Technician at ABA Today. 

"Narratives of Resilience: Maintaining and Redefining Historical Identity for Lower-Rhine Jewish Communities in Strasbourg and Neighboring Towns Following WWII and the Holocaust."

Advisor: Dr. Michael Leruth

Since the end of World War II and the Holocaust, France has been confronted with a recent past that has continued to leave traces in national memory. Much has resurfaced, including political collaboration with the Nazi German state, as well as resistance to said collaboration. The plight, as well as regeneration, of French Jewish communities has also been brought to light. Following the war, eastern French Alsatian Jewish communities experienced a rebirth that is as multifaceted as it is remarkable. While Judaism in this region regained some of its pre-war communal vitality, significant changes in demographics took place, which impacted how it rebuilt itself and reconciled this dark past. In what ways was the memory of the war and the Holocaust processed during the reconstruction of these communities? What changed, and what remained? With a focus on the city of Strasbourg, this study examines the legacies of the war period through two concepts: narratives of resilience and places of memory. Resilience narratives tell of how people endured through moments of trial or unsettling change, while places of memory refer to sites where an event of importance took place, and the memory of that event is preserved in some way. Relying on archival documents, primary sources, scholarly inquiries, and testimonial experiences, this study shows how these communities rebuilt themselves based on pre-existing historical relationships and continuities, all the while developing a mentality of active remembrance in the midst of inevitable change.

Aidan McCullough is a senior majoring in European studies and French at William & Mary. His research areas include French studies, European history, European transnational politics, and language studies (including the study of Russian language and culture). His thesis discusses the dynamics of reconstruction and remembrance for eastern French Jewish communities, primarily in Strasbourg, following WWII and the Holocaust.

"Pendant or Bound? Affects of Outer Coordination Sphere on Metal Coordination"

Advisor: Dr. Deborah Bebout

Of the group 12 metal ions, the biological essence of Zinc (Zn) is in stark contrast to the nearly ubiquitous toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg). As they are in the same periodic group, they share similar chemical properties. Studying the coordination chemistry of Zn relative to Cd and Hg is therefore biologically relevant. The 3-dimensional nature of metal coordination in proteins necessitates the use of X-ray diffractometry to study the metalloproteins. Due to the difficulties in crystallizing proteins for x-ray diffraction, experiments are performed in vitro using organic ligands in place of the amino acid residues of a protein binding site. These organometallic complexes can then be studied. In this method, I have been studying the coordination of Zn, Cd, and Hg with an organic ligand referred to as TLA. This ligand has 4 nitrogen binding sites. TLA does not have a positive or negative charge, however, the group 12 metals form cations with a positive two charge. As such, anions are typically present to provide a negative charge that neutralizes the charge of the complex. In my research I have prepared complexes of Zn, Cd, and Hg with TLA in the presence of two different anions. I have found that when the anion present is chloride (cl-), all 4 of the TLA binding sites are bound to the metal. When both chloride (Cl-) and perchlorate(ClO4-) are present, only 3 out of the 4 TLA binding sites are bound to the metal, with one binding site positioned away from the metal, described as pendant. I believe that this is due to the steric hinderences of the the secondary coordination sphere, however further study is required.

Andrew Meyer is a senior majoring in Chemistry at William & Mary. His research area is bioinorganic chemistry. His thesis discusses the coordination chemistry of Zn, Cd, and Hg with tris((6-methyl-2-pyridyl)methyl)amine.

"The Role of Azabicyclene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa"

Advisor: Dr. Isabelle Taylor

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen responsible for many antibiotic-resistant infections. Through a process called quorum sensing, P. aeruginosa is able to carry out intercellular communication and coordinate group behaviors necessary for causing persistent infections. The production of the molecule Azabicyclene is regulated through one of the key quorum sensing pathways. However, the role Azabicyclene plays in P. aeruginosa physiology remains unknown. Here we report the effects of Azabicyclene on the RhlI-RhlR quorum sensing pathway. By deleting key genes to the production of Azabicyclene, we’ve constructed a series of strains that help us tease apart the effects of various intermediates of the aze pathway on P. aeruginosa behavior. Supernatants from these engineered strains were applied to luciferase reporters to determine whether aze-related biosynthestic products themselves trigger a quorum sensing response. To directly test the metabolite in assays, a synthetic pathway for Azabicyclene was designed and is now being implemented to make purified Azabicyclene. Determining the role of Azabicyclene in P. aeruginosa will contribute to our knowledge of P. aeruginosa pathogenicity and potentially lead to the development of targeted antibiotics. 

Samantha Orr is a senior majoring in Chemistry at William & Mary. Her research areas include antibiotic development and small molecule biosynthesis. Her thesis investigates the role of small molecules in cell to cell communication processes. 

"Investigating Unsupervised Learning Techniques on Cell-Image Data"

Advisor: Dr. Gregory Hunt

Large-scale image datasets have become increasingly valuable in biomedical research, particularly for identifying patterns that are difficult to detect with traditional methods. This thesis investigates the application of dimensionality reduction techniques to high-dimensional cell image data, aiming to uncover hidden patterns relevant to drug discovery. By extracting features from cell images and applying unsupervised learning techniques like principal component analysis (PCA) and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), we identify distinct clusters associated with different mechanisms of action (MOA) of various drug compounds. This clustering suggests that dimensionality reduction can effectively capture complex phenotypic relationships in cellular perturbations, potentially linking specific MOAs to observable changes in cellular data. Such clustering is valuable in drug discovery, as it can enable researchers to predict the effects of new compounds based on similarity to known MOAs, accelerating the identification of promising drug candidates. However, some of the results require further evaluation due to significant batch effects in the data. Batch effects introduce the possibility that differences in the data could be due to the date the data was collected rather than the different composition of the molecule tested. A direction for future work could be implementing batch correction methods to mitigate these effects and improve the reliability of clustering results.

John Pendergrass is a senior majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science at William and Mary. His research areas include machine learning, algorithms, and cell-image data. His thesis addresses dimension reduction techniques for cell-image data and how analysis of this data can be used for applications in drug discovery. 

"From Hiroshima to Hippies: The Impact of the Fear of Nuclear Weapons on Children"

Advisor: Dr. Hiroshi Kitamura

The world entered a new era both militarily and culturally after the United States detonated the first atomic bomb in 1945. Suburban backyards became the new frontlines as humanity now had the power to cause its own extinction, which was a terrifying idea. Even more than the average American, children experienced the threat of war through Civil Defense programs at home and in school. They learned about nuclear science, participated in drills, played in bomb shelters, and wore dog tags designed to identify their remains after an attack. Furthermore, the government encouraged pen pals relationships, art exchanges, and international trips and used children as images of potential innocent victims to help deter nuclear war and promote democracy. Through Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) publications, first-hand recollections of school experiences, and archives of children's participation in President Einsenhower's People-to-People programs, it is clear that the government created an environment of fear and constant reminders of the possible apocalypse that shaped a generation's ideology. Their unique childhood had a neurological and psychological effect that changed their attitudes and perspectives about the future. Now, students and young adults in the early 1960s, the nuclear generation, created activist organizations of all political orientations founded on improving an American society that they saw as ideologically flawed and hypocritical. Some embraced more radical beliefs and a lifestyle centered around living for today because tomorrow was far from guaranteed.

Joe Shaklik is a senior at William & Mary majoring in history with a minor in accounting. His research areas include Cold War history, sports diplomacy, Spanish studies, and colonial history. His thesis addresses the effect of the United States government's handling of the threat of nuclear weapons on children in the early Cold War era. It focuses on how civil defense and nuclear education programs contributed to social movements in the 1960s.

"Contradictory Connections: Commercial Currents and Political Perspectives of Haitian Independence in the U.S. South"

Advisor: Dr. Julia Gaffield

On January 1, 1804, Haiti declared independence from France, becoming the first Black-led nation outside of Africa and a country’s whose creation was the culmination of the most successful slave revolution in history. Haiti’s independence underscores what scholar Marlene Daut calls the “1804 Principle,” or the idea that “racism, colonialism, and slavery are the greatest evils of any time.”  But Haiti’s nationhood depended on its commercial recognition by the Atlantic world’s other nations; nations that promoted the racism, colonialism, and slavery that the new Haitian state foundationally opposed.  This thesis explores the tensions of Haitian mercantile relations the slaveholding United States South. It asks how Haitian independence transformed commercial patterns and political discussions in and between the U.S. South and Haiti. After Haiti’s independence, the United States was Haiti’s largest trading partner. At the top of the list of ports that imported and exported goods in Haiti was Baltimore, Maryland, a city south of the Mason-Dixon line. At the same time, Charleston, South Carolina saw a dramatic decrease in ships trading with Haiti between 1803 and 1805. In 1803, 57 ships arrived in the South Carolinian port from Haiti. In 1805, only 3 ships came from the Black nation.  This project underscores the complexities of U.S. commercial recognition of Haiti in the slaveholding South and the dicey nature of the relationship between the U.S. South and Haiti during a time when the U.S. South was expanding slavery and Haiti was uncompromisingly anti-slavery.

Bennett Snyder is a double major in History and Government at William & Mary. He is interested in trade connections between the U.S. South and Haiti in the years surrounding Haitian independence. His work has combined historical shipping data with qualitative research on trade and politics. He has created historical datasets using the Charleston newspaper the Charleston Courier and the Haitian newspaper Gazette Politique et Commercial d'Haïti.

"Reflections: A Sculptural Installation Inspired by Forests"

Advisor: Professor Michael Gaynes

This installation, a series of sculptures in a large setting, is not so much an answer to a question as a desire to encourage people to think in different ways about what forests mean to them. I have found that my art subconsciously reflects my relationship with nature, from roaming and hiking in forests to starting seeds for flower and vegetable gardens. My studies at William & Mary have included courses on how our brains react to art and how our emotions respond to ecotherapy. During my courses I developed three small installations that were based on my ideas of trees. Since beginning to prepare for this project I have entered woods being consciously aware of my reactions to trees and their environment. The forms and perspectives I have experienced in these walks continue to inform my sculpture. I have also read extensively about the symbolism of trees and what they mean to different cultures. This has helped broaden my concept of the importance of trees and forests for the human psyche. In the Fall I mounted a small installation as an exploration for the final project. This experience, and the feedback from students and professors, helped me solidify the concepts that will guide the pieces I continue to make, and the form of the final installation. To give me an idea of immediate reactions I plan to provide a brief questionnaire and invitation for comments at the site of the installation. I anticipate varied reactions and hope to learn more about how to design future installation projects. 

Lynn Trott is a senior majoring in Studio Art at William & Mary. Her research areas include contemporary sculpture, ecological thought, plant communication and symbolism, ecotherapy, and neuro-aesthetics. She has made several forest-based installations at William & Mary and had a recent solo exhibition at the MacCallum More Museum in Chase City, Virginia. Four regional galleries carry her work.

"Age, Origin, and Tectonic Significance of the Arvonia and Buffards Formations in Virginia’s Piedmont"

Advisor: Dr. Christopher Bailey

Virginia’s Piedmont region is underlain by metamorphic rocks that originally formed during tectonic mountain-building events in the Paleozoic Era, 541-252 Ma (million years ago). The Arvonia and Buffards formations are enigmatic metamorphosed sedimentary rocks in central Virginia. These rocks include quartzite, schist, and commercial-grade slate of the Arvonia Formation; and conglomeratic, mica-rich schist of the Buffards Formation. Previous workers concluded that these formations are of Late Ordovician age (458-444 Ma) based on fossil assemblages. In addition, the age order of the two formations is contested. Some workers hypothesize that the Arvonia Formation is older, but others suggest it is younger. To constrain the depositional age of these formations and better understand their significance, we used new mapping and LA-ICP-MS geochronology, a technique which uses the radioactive decay of uranium to determine the formation age of detrital zircons (grains that have been weathered and transported from their original rock). Our field data requires that the Buffards Formation is stratigraphically above, thus younger than the Arvonia Formation. U/Pb zircon ages in the rocks reveal source rock as young as 400 Ma (Devonian), or about 50 million years younger than previously proposed ages. The Buffards Formation has a higher percentage of young grains than the Arvonia Formation. The different age populations indicate that the source material changed between the deposition of these formations. These age data provide new temporal control on the assembly of Virginia’s Piedmont.

Annika Wolle is a senior majoring in Geology at William & Mary. Her research focuses on metamorphic rocks in the Arvonia and Buffards formations in Virginia’s Piedmont, and how their age and origin relate to tectonic events of the Paleozoic Era. She presented a talk on this topic at The Geological Society of America’s 2025 Southeastern Section Meeting.

"Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of Thyroid Hormone Receptor Trα1 Acetylation and Non-Acetylation Mimics"

Advisor: Dr. Lizabeth Allison

Human thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1) is a protein that affects the expression of several genes in response to thyroid hormone. TRα1 is modified by the addition of small molecules called acetyl groups (acetylation) and their removal (deacetylation). Importantly, TRα1 is imported to and exported from the cell nucleus (nucleocytoplasmic shuttling) by dedicated proteins that recognize features in TRα1 called nuclear localization and export signals (NLS, NES). The current model for TRα1 shuttling predicts that acetylation occurs in the nucleus, but it remains unclear whether TRα1's nuclear transport is influenced by the presence or absence of acetyl groups. Here, we aimed to determine whether acetylation of TRα1 at three key locations within one of its nuclear localization signals affects its ability to shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. We artificially introduced fluorescently-tagged TRα1 mutants mimicking acetylation and non-acetylation, as well as normal (wild-type) TRα1 to human cells, then fused them with mouse cells to produce hybrid cells containing both a human and a mouse nucleus (heterokaryons). Fluorescence microscopy and analysis of the intracellular distribution of wild-type TRα1 and the two mutants revealed evidence of export from the human nucleus and import to the mouse nucleus, with no qualitative differences in the intracellular distribution of the acetylation, non-acetylation, and wild-type TRα1. These results suggest that TRα1 can be imported to and exported from the nucleus in both its acetylated and non-acetylated states.

Haytham Alsayed is a senior majoring in Biology at William & Mary. His primary research area is molecular genetics, and his work has been published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. His thesis aims to better understand the movement of thyroid hormone receptors between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, which is crucial to their functionality.

"Saints of the Next Generation: Recognizing Today's Youth in Catholic Culture"

Advisor: Dr. Michael Daise

Carlo Acutis was a fifteen year old boy from London who, very recently, was approved for canonization into sainthood, set to be completed in 2025. While this may seem standard, Acutis displays a unique circumstance in his path to sainthood, due to his age, fame, recency, and speed of canonization. Coined the “Patron Saint of Technology,” Acutis became known for his faith and efforts to document Eucharistic miracles on a website he coded himself. Taking only twenty years to be canonized, Acutis cemented himself as a special case, not only fast-tracking through the process, but also becoming one of the only young saints to be canonized while his peers are still young. This situation introduces the question of how, if at all, his canonization affects Catholic youth that may have been at risk of secularizing, and what potential there is for underlying political motivations. I will be comparing Acutis’ circumstances to that of past saints that share similar traits. I will also be utilizing a combination of a widely accessible survey and face-to-face interviews with both Catholic youth and authority figures to analyze public reaction to Acutis’ canonization and determine whether and how the event influences the youth. In determining these potential effects, this research offers a modern example of the Catholic Church’s actions towards the youth and these young people’s responses to those tactics. Future research may use this data to study the overarching question of how a powerful institution like the Catholic Church responds to modern secularization.

Sunjeong Bailey is a senior majoring in Religious Studies and Government at William and Mary. Her research focuses on the presence of major religions in modern culture and the evolution of both religious institution and practice. Her thesis tackles the Church's decision to canonize Carlo Acutis, the colloquially named "Patron Saint of Technology," and the influence that this new figure has on the young Catholic community.

"Novel Complexes of Bismuth Iodide and Copper Iodide With Various Sulfur Ligands"

Advisor: Dr. Robert Pike

My research is focused on finding novel compounds of primarily bismuth iodide and copper iodide, paying specific attention to the compounds' photophysical properties and their potential for use in solar panels. The research was performed as a part of the Pike lab at William & Mary. My research has been developing over the last three years, resulting in a publication in Inorganic Chemistry and many novel compounds being found. The experiments performed for this research have been cumulative, each one informing future chemical choices. Our research began with trying reactions in a more random manner, but has been refined over time down specific promising avenues. As a part of this research, a series of neutral bismuth-copper ternary complexes with tetrahydrothiophene were discovered among many more isolated compounds.

James Ballenger is a senior majoring in chemistry with a minor in mathematics at William & Mary. His research is focused on inorganic chemistry with potential applications in photovoltaics. His thesis studies novel bismuth and copper compounds, analyzing their chemical and physical properties, looking for compounds suitable for use in solar panels. He has published an article in Inorganic Chemistry.

"Modeling Motor Neuron Activity: Integrating Biophysical and Empirical Data for Enhanced Understanding Throughout the Lifespan"

Advisor: Dr. Evie Burnet

This project aims to develop comprehensive mathematical models to better understand the cellular mechanisms underlying motor neuron activity in normal and pathological conditions. The core objective is to establish a general central pattern generator (CPG) model using ordinary differential equations (ODEs) which captures the dynamics of normal walking. This model will incorporate relevant inputs from key neural regions integral to motor control. Additionally, tailored ODE-based models will be created to represent motor neuron activity as affected by the process of normal aging and pathological changes that characterize Parkinson's disease. These models will be grounded in biophysical and anatomical findings from existing literature. To validate and refine these models, empirical data on motor neuron activity and motor function will be utilized that has been collected from residents of Williamsburg Landing through the Center for Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Studies (CBAS). This data will be instrumental in understanding how the modeled neural activity translates into functional outcomes, such as gait, balance, and multitasking abilities during movement. By integrating theoretical modeling with empirical data, this project aims to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the neurophysiological basis of motor function across different life stages and disease states.

Catherine Bare is a senior majoring in neuroscience with a minor in biochemistry at William & Mary. Her research interests include neurodegeneration and pathologies of the nervous system, especially related to motor function. Her thesis specifically analyzes how motor neuron changes in aging and Parkinson's disease affect walking dynamics, building on data collected by the Center for Balance and Aging Studies in the W&M Kinesiology Department.

"Richard III, King of England: Monstrous or Maligned?"

Advisor: Dr. Amy Limoncelli

Richard III, the final Plantagenet king of England, has been both glorified and vilified since his death on Bosworth Field in 1485. Ever since the discovery of his bones under an unassuming car park in 2012, he has captivated a new generation of historians and average people alike. His televised reinterment in 2015 displayed every splendor fit for a king – even one five hundred years past his reign – attended by royal representatives, actors, and thousands of people. This thesis analyzes the relationship between the historiography of Richard III and the societal changes present in Great Britain from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first century. How did Richard III evolve from a largely reviled character to one adored by many? What is it about this king that so captivates the minds of the British public and modern historians? Much of the historiography on Richard has been devoted to his life and whether he murdered the princes in the tower. My research instead examines the language and image evoked of Richard as well as the backgrounds of his ‘historians’ to facilitate a discussion about whether the picture that has been painted of him is primarily factual or influenced partially by myth. This thesis illustrates how many of the writers were not historians, but scholars of other fields, explorers, nobility, and popular authors. As a result, the historiography of Richard has become a mixture of historical and non-historical sources. Examining historians' writings about Richard, including at archives in Great Britain, has been critical to piecing together changing perspectives about him and reasons for those changes. The historiography of his life and biographers has never been comprehensively studied and this thesis will provide scholars studying Richard’s life and reputation with a greater understanding of the state of the field and how society has created two polar opposites of his identity: monstrous devil and just saint. 

Catherine Bogut is a senior majoring in history. Her thesis research has focused on England's Richard III and his character. Her other main historical focus has been on World War II and how British foreign policy impacted the start of the war and its trajectory. She worked as a U.S. Army War College intern this past summer on a project about NATO and the Russia-Ukraine war's implications for that institution. She sees understanding history as key to interpreting countries' policy stances today.

"Revisiting Negation Patterns in the Conversational French of Tours, France"

Advisor: Dr. Anya Hogoboom

According to standard French grammar rules, a negative sentence in French is marked by both a negative particle 'ne' placed before the conjugated verb and a second negative, often the particle 'pas,' placed after the conjugated verb. However, linguists have long observed that modern French speakers often omit 'ne' and mark negation only with a second negative. Results from three corpora of conversational French recorded in Tours, France in 1976, 1995, and 2005 indicated that speakers’ use of 'ne' in negations was decreasing over time. For the present study, a new corpus of conversational French, consisting of informal interviews between the researcher and local young adults, was recorded in Tours in the summer of 2024. Roughly 18 hours of conversation with 17 participants aged 18-28 was transcribed and analyzed, and a ne-usage rate was calculated for each participant. The average ne-usage rate in the 2024 study was found to be 5.35%, and the difference between this average rate and the average ne-usage rate from the 2005 study was not statistically significant. These results suggest that little change has occurred in the rates of ne-usage over the past twenty years and that negation with 'ne' has remained a low-frequency construction in the repertoire of Tours French speakers. 

Carolyn Bonafede is a senior majoring in linguistics and chemistry with an undeclared minor in French. Her specialties include biochemistry, linguistic field methods, and French current events. She earned the Nancy Bedford Award for Excellence in Summer Study Abroad Research for her work on Occitan instruction in Montpellier, France. Her linguistics thesis analyzes negation patterns in the French speech data she collected during her self-designed summer research trip to Tours, France.

"The One Who Wears the Collar: Irish Industrial Schools and National Trauma"

Advisor: Dr. Frederick Corney

The Irish industrial and reformatory school system developed in response to the growing issue of poverty and public concerns surrounding the care of pauper children in the post-Famine period. Lasting from 1868 to the mid-1970s, these schools were part of an expansive incarcerative welfare system funded by the Irish state and managed by Catholic orders. RTÉ aired the documentary States of Fear in 1999, which exposed the extensive and severe abuse rampant across these institutions. This thesis traces the evolution of how Irish society perceived institutionalized children before and after the discovery of abuse. I interpret the sociocultural factors that influenced these perceptions, which reveals inextricable ties between Irish identity and the publicly conceived “institutionalized child.” I argue that the discovery of institutional abuse during the late 1990s acted as a threat to Irish national identity, pushing Irish society to seek a new collective past that isolated victims once more. With this research, I aim to provide further insight into the nature of Irish incarcerative care, the historical conditions which enabled the abuse to occur, and how instances of material violence manifest in the realm of historical memory.

Skylar Brotz is a senior majoring in History at William & Mary. Her research areas include modern European history, social history, and memory studies. Her thesis addresses institutional abuse in Irish industrial and reformatory schools between the 19th and 20th centuries.

"Multiply Marginalized: Effects of Race and Gender (Non-)Conformity on Attributions of Gender Identity and Transgender Status"

Advisor: Dr. Cheryl Dickter

As individuals are increasingly embodying multiple diverse identities, it is paramount to investigate how the intersections of these identities affect their perception. The present study investigates how race, gender-conformity, and sex assigned at birth affect perceptions of an ambiguous target's gender, as well as subjective opinions held towards the target. Participants (target n=280) will view one of eight vignettes describing an individual of varying combinations of the variables of interest. They will then fill out several perceived identity measures and scales measuring their attitudes towards transgender people of color. We predict that gender non-conforming Black targets will be more readily identified as transgender than other groups. Results will be analyzed for differences in perceived gender and transgender identity between conditions with Gender-Essentialism endorsement as a potential moderator. Investigating the interactions between race and gender non-conformity may have important implications for social perception research, as well as for policy and intervention development that will equitably address individuals of varying identities. 

Cy Butler is a senior majoring in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies at William & Mary. They are interested in researching a wide variety of topics relating to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, integrating both gender studies and social psychological concepts into an interdisciplinary approach. Their thesis investigates the effects of race, sex assigned at birth, and gender (non-)conformity on perceptions of an ambiguously gendered target. 

"Multi-Sensor Fusion and V2V Collaboration in Autonomous Vehicles: A Comprehensive Framework for Self-Driving"

Advisor: Dr. Sidi Lu

Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, represent a significant advancement in transportation technology. These vehicles utilize a combination of LiDAR sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to navigate without human intervention. The development of self-driving technology promises to enhance road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and decrease vehicle collisions. As the demand for autonomous vehicles increases, so does the need for robust systems that can reliably interpret complex environments, necessitated by the current challenges of navigating through dynamic, uncertain, and safety-critical scenarios in real-world driving. Key components of autonomous driving include lane detection, traffic sign recognition, and vehicle tracking, all of which are crucial for ensuring safe and efficient navigation. In addition, vehicle-to-vehicle collaboration plays an essential role in facilitating communication among autonomous vehicles, enabling them to make informed decisions based on real-time data from their surroundings. This paper presents a multi-modal autonomous driving framework designed for robotic vehicles, integrating critical functionalities such as lane detection, traffic sign detection, vehicle detection and tracking, and vehicle-to-vehicle collaboration. We evaluate the performance of our autonomous systems compared to Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD), Waymo’s self-driving, and CommaAI’s openpilot system. Our autonomous driving system achieves 92% accuracy in lane detection and an accuracy of 94% for various traffic signs.

Myra Cropper is a senior majoring in computer science at William & Mary. Her research areas include autonomous driving and computer vision. Her honors thesis addresses multi-sensor fusion and vehicle-to-vehicle collaboration in self-driving cars.

"Synthesis of Novel Triynes and Investigation of Their Antibiotic Activity"

Advisor: Dr. Robert J. Hinkle

Polyynes are a class of organic molecules with two or more carbon-carbon triple bonds. When found in nature, polyynes have displayed a variety of biological activity, including antibiotic and anti-fungal properties. These natural molecules are very structurally complicated and are not easily synthesized, but the polyyne backbone of these molecules can be created with common organic synthesis reactions. This project will therefore aim to synthesize a library of novel small molecules with a triyne (3 adjacent carbon-carbon triple bonds) backbone through a series of organic reactions, with varying side chains and functional groups in each starting material. These molecules will then be tested on bacteria to determine antibiotic activity; this will shed light on what gives natural polyynes their antibiotic activity and determine which functional groups are more effective in improving antibiotic activity.

Rebekah Gresham is a senior majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Bioengineering in Applied Science. She has done research in the Chemistry department since her freshman year of college, synthesizing organic compounds and looking into their biological activity. Her thesis is focused on making triyne compounds (molecules with three carbon-carbon triple bonds) inspired by natural products to uncover potential antibacterial properties.

"Hijackers: Characterizing Putative Satellite Phage Sequences from Metagenomic Data"

Advisor: Dr. Margaret Saha

Satellite phages, mobile genetic elements that parasitize other phage, harbor extensive and unique molecular machinery that could offer immense applications for research in synthetic biology. As ubiquitous as they are in the environment - 3.2 x 10^26 for marine phage satellites alone - their diversity and function remain largely unexplored and understudied. This project aims to identify and assemble genome sequences of suspected satellite phages from metagenomic data. To uncover these elements, paired-end shotgun metagenomic sequencing data were retrieved from the NCBI Sequence Read Archive. The raw sequencing reads were assembled into contiguous sequences (contigs) and then analyzed with a novel protein clustering algorithm, developed by a collaborator, to identify families of suspected satellite phages. Through this process, satellite phages were identified across five distinct satellite phage families. Their open reading frames (ORFs) were further analyzed to detect patterns in hypothetical protein similarity and genomic organization, revealing potential functional relationships and conserved elements within and across families. These findings offer new insights into the genetic landscape of satellite phages, shedding light on their roles in microbial ecosystems and their evolutionary relationships with both viruses and bacteria. Understanding these elements may also have applications in synthetic biology and virology, contributing to broader research on employing synthetic biology systems in real-world environments.

Emma Holley is a senior majoring in Computational & Applied Mathematics & Statistics at William & Mary. Her research areas include bioinformatics and bacteriophage, while her thesis addresses a knowledge gap in the area of phage satellites. 

"Investigating the Provenance & Metamorphic History of Kyanite Quartzites of the Virginia Chopawamsic-Milton Terrane Using Trace Element Thermobarometry & Trace Element Analysis"

Advisor: Dr. Clem Hamelin

The Virginia Piedmont is comprised of terranes accreted onto Laurentia during Paleozoic Appalachian orogenesis, but key aspects of these terranes’ metamorphic history remain poorly understood (Bailey & Owens, 2012). The Chopawamsic-Milton terrane, an Ordovician volcanic island-arc metamorphosed to amphibolite facies (~600ºC, ~6 kbar), contains kyanite quartzites with an unusual assemblage of quartz and kyanite (Owens & Pasek, 2007). In this study, I document kyanite textures using cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, conduct trace element (TE) analysis, and constrain pressure-temperature (P-T) metamorphic conditions recorded across the terrane using Ti-in-quartz and Zr-in-rutile thermobarometry. CL imaging of kyanite reveals (1) core-rim zoning patterns with CL-dark cores and CL-bright oscillatory rims, and (2) kyanite with no core-rim structure. Thermobarometry across the terrane yields amphibolite facies temperatures, but with much higher pressures than previously documented (Ingle 2024, AGU abstract). I further investigate trace elements in kyanite (Cr, Fe, Mg, P, Ti, V, S) and rutile (Nb, Zr, Cr, Fe) via electron microprobe analysis to elucidate chemical signatures of the protoliths and metamorphic processes/fluids involved in crystallizing these phases. Trace element analysis reveals a strong correlation between high Cr abundance and CL bright regions in kyanite. This data will provide context for application of U-Pb petrochronology to constrain the timing of protolith zircon crystallization and timing of metamorphism likely recorded by rutile in kyanite quartzite. 

Nathaniel Ingle is a senior majoring in Geology at William & Mary. His research areas include petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry. His thesis addresses the metamorphic history and petrogenesis of a suite of kyanite-bearing metamorphic rocks in the Virginia piedmont. He has presented his research at the southeast section of the Geological Society of America, and the American Geophysical Union. 

"Unraveling Withdrawal: The Role of Orexin A in Attentional Deficits Following Nicotine Withdrawal"

Advisor: Dr. Joshua Burk

Nicotine is a psychostimulant that affects many brain pathways involved in attention, learning, and memory, and is known for its highly addictive nature. Nicotine withdrawal is known to disrupt these cognitive processes. The orexin receptor is an excitatory neuropeptide found in the brain and expressed in areas that focus on attention and motivation. Previous literature suggests orexin levels decline during nicotine withdrawal, which may contribute to the cognitive decline experienced during withdrawal. The present study is designed to test whether orexin A administration can block cognitive deficits during nicotine withdrawal. The study will undergo two phases: 1) through training with a visual sustained attention task, control and experimental animals will be administered with either saline or nicotine followed by injections of saline to all rats, potentially inducing withdrawal in the nicotine-receiving group and 2) the effects of an orexin A agonist on task performance will be examined. We hypothesize that orexin A will improve the negative attention effects of nicotine withdrawal in nicotine-administered rats but will not improve attention in saline-administered rats due to the lack of nicotine dependance. Through this research we will develop an understanding of the mechanisms during substance withdrawal, as well as potential therapies for victims of nicotine abuse.

Sanjoli Jain is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Biochemistry at William & Mary. Her research areas include molecular biology, pharmacology, substance abuse, and psychological behaviors. Her thesis delves into substance abuse, withdrawal, and attentional deficits. She plans on publishing her work in the near future.

"Where the Crawdads Sing: Water Quality and Landscape Preferences of Crayfish Occurring in Streams Located in Eastern Deciduous Forests"

Advisor: Dr.  Matthias Leu

Crayfish are an integral part of aquatic ecosystems, providing a valuable nutrient source for over 240 consumers in North America. Furthermore, as an indicator species, crayfish presence or sudden absence often correlates with the quality of the water. While important to the local ecosystem, the patterns of their distribution are presently unknown. Crayfish in general prefer cool, oxygen-rich waterways, but data has yet to demonstrate the validity of this relationship in streams found on the Virginia peninsula. Further, an assessment of the landscape and forest cover surrounding the stream can be used to determine which external environmental factors influence crayfish habitat use. Through a combination of field sampling and spatial modeling, I am working to identify key factors that determine crayfish abundance. My research will provide crucial information on the effects of urbanization on stream health.

Emma Lankford is a senior majoring in Biology and Integrative Conservation at William & Mary. Her research areas include organismal ecology, geospatial analysis, statistical modeling, and conservation biology. Her thesis addresses factors influencing crayfish abundance in the Williamsburg watershed.

"Quantum Compiler: Optimizing Reconfigurable Neutral Atom Arrays"

Advisor: Dr. Qun Li

Quantum computing has been a focal point of research in recent years. Unlike classical computers that use binary bits, quantum computers leverage various physical systems as qubits to encode information. Among emerging platforms, reconfigurable neutral atom arrays (RAA) have gained prominence, where neutral atoms serve as qubits, and their interactions facilitate two-qubit gate operations. In this work, we advance the concept of RAAs by optimizing their construction and routing mechanisms. Our research aims to enhance compiler performance, ultimately improving the efficiency and scalability of future quantum computing architectures.

Jize Li is a senior majoring in Computer Science and Economics at William & Mary. His research areas focus on quantum computing. His thesis addresses the realization and optimization of quantum compiler.

"Carbon Dioxide Reduction Via Mononuclear Antipyrine Cobalt (II) Complexes"

Advisor: Dr. William McNamara

This research focuses on reduction of carbon dioxide, allowing for conversion to fuels or other higher value chemicals. N,N'-bis(4-antipyrlmethylidene)ethylenediamine, an organic molecule previously utilized in the McNamara research group, has been found to have increased catalytic activity in regards to CO2 reduction when complexed with Cobalt (II). The crystal structure of the complex was characterized using X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry was performed to determine the redox activity of the complex. Photochemistry was then utilized to facilitate the reduction of CO2 to carbon monoxide and gas chromatography was used to quantify these products. The goal of this research is to uncover an alternative method to energy production. Currently, liquid fuels are sourced from fossil fuels, which has been proven to be unsustainable and  have deleterious impacts on the atmosphere and surrounding environment. CO2 reduction presents a carbon neutral alternative to energy production while side-stepping issues associated with alternative energy sources such as electricity or hydrogen.

Kieran Loftis is a senior majoring in Chemistry and Environmental Science at William & Mary. His research is in artificial photosynthesis and CO2 reduction, which involves the reduction of protons or carbon dioxide into hydrogen or other molecules that can be used as fuel. His thesis is centered around the catalytic capabilities of a specific molecule when combined with cobalt, an Earth-abundant first row transition metal. 

"Exploring Women’s Legal Rights and Identity in the Babatha Archive: Gender and Law in Roman Judea"

Advisor: Dr. John Donahue

This thesis examines the intersection of women’s rights, legal practices, and identity as revealed in the Babatha Archive, a collection of legal documents from Roman-period Judea. Through an analysis of contracts, property disputes, and personal correspondences, my research highlights how Babatha navigated the legal system to assert her rights in matters of marriage, inheritance, and property ownership, and to declare her social and legal autonomy.

Sarah Long is a senior majoring in Classical Studies with a concentration in Latin at William & Mary. Her research interests lie in translation and critical analysis of texts describing the lived experiences of women in Antiquity and their interactions with ancient legal systems. Her thesis focuses the Babatha Archive, an example of women’s legal rights in the Roman Empire, with the goal of better understanding how women navigated ancient legal systems to assert their legal autonomy. 

"Rats and Reckoning: Ecological Upheaval and Identity Formation in Bermuda, 1617-1624"

Advisor: Professor Fabrício Prado

From 1617 to 1619, Bermuda endured an apocalyptic rat infestation, introduced via European ships, that destroyed crops and triggered famine. Colonists saw the plague as divine punishment, responding with strict religious discipline and desperate ecological measures—burning forests, importing predators, and poisoning fields—to reassert control. The Somers Island Company focused on extracting raw materials rather than governing ideologically, prioritizing profit over crisis management. This approach, coupled with the underdeveloped colonial government and lack of a unified Bermudian identity, left the settlers ill-equipped to manage the crisis effectively. The company’s priorities conflicted with the church’s theocratic control on the island, exposing the fragility of colonial social order and prompting an economic reorientation. When a tropical storm displaced the rats in 1619, settlers saw it as divine mercy, reinforcing their covenant with God. In the aftermath of the crisis (1620-1624), Bermudians began forging a distinct identity rooted in adaptation, faith, and communal reliance. By using the rat infestation as a lens, this study frames the rats as ecological scapegoats through which Bermudians navigated both environmental and spiritual turmoil, illustrating how crises shape identity. This interplay of ecological disaster, religious narrative, and colonial politics underscores the tensions between human authority and nature's unpredictability, revealing how identity can form in early modern societies.

Sydney Newell is a senior at William & Mary, majoring in History and Economics. Her research explores the historical and interdisciplinary study of rats, focusing on their economic, social, and cultural significance. She has conducted archaeological and archival fieldwork in Virginia and Bermuda, combining public history with data analysis. Her work examines human-animal relationships and the process of nation-building. Additionally, she has experience as a historical interpreter.

"Exploring the World of Cohousing: Community in Context"

Advisor: Dr. Meaghan Stiman

Housing and the communities it shapes are consequential social determinants of health, influencing a person’s likelihood of disease, lifespan, and overall life satisfaction. Despite boasting the world’s largest economy, Americans have insufficient access to public housing. Within the private market, Americans are increasingly isolated from diversity and even their closest neighbors. Cohousing represents a neoliberal option for individuals who feel the current housing systems are inadequate. It is a form of intentional, collaborative living in which residents reside in private-owned homes but cultivate shared spaces to encourage casual social interaction. Residents participate in the community's structural (governance and physical) design. I sought to discover what drives individuals to select non-traditional housing models and the extent to which cohousing generates unique economic, social, and environmental impacts. In pursuit of these goals, I spent the summer traversing Virginia and existing housing literature to learn how historic US policy has steered American communities towards individualism and influenced everything from wealth accumulation patterns to who you ask for a cup of sugar.  I used inductive interview methods and social network analysis to investigate the values and life circumstances that led cohousing residents to participate in communal living. Through these conversations, themes of social dynamics and hoarded social capital, implications for affordable housing, and expectations of utopia including environmental integration emerged.

Seneca RiceWoolf is a senior majoring in Social Policy and Environmental Policy at William & Mary. Her research leverages Social Network Analysis and ethnographic interviews to investigate the role of cohousing in the modern housing market. Her thesis addresses the complexities of community-building, social capital abundance, and policy influence on residents' lived experiences.

"Inhibition of the Acetyltransferase GCN5 Impacts Thyroid Hormone Receptor Localization and Acetylation Levels"

Advisor: Dr. Lizabeth Allison

Thyroid hormone (TH) plays a critical role in regulating metabolism, growth, and development by binding to thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and modulating gene expression. Evidence indicates an elaborate system of TR nuclear import and export that extends beyond its role as a transcription factor. TR contains nuclear localization signals (NLSs) and nuclear export signals (NESs) that promote interaction with nuclear transport proteins and subsequent import or export through nuclear pore complexes. The precise mechanisms and reasonings underlying TR nucleocytoplasmic shuttling remain elusive. A working model suggests a series of acetylation events are at play, catalyzed by lysine acetyltransferases (KATs). However, it remains unclear which particular KATs are involved. Our previous work with C646, a specific inhibitor of the p300/CBP KATs, points to their involvement in TR nuclear shuttling. To investigate the involvement of other KATs, we utilized CPTH2, a broad inhibitor of KATs p300/CBP, GCN5, and, to a lesser degree, PCAF. Our findings suggest that, like p300/CBP, inhibition of GCN5 disrupts the nucleocytosolic shuttling mechanism of TR, resulting in its impaired acetylation and increased nuclear localization. The results of our experimentation advance our understanding of the acetylation-dependent model of TR shuttling and may highlight potential targets for therapeutic intervention in diseases linked to improper TR localization.

Matthew Rosenthal is a senior majoring in Biology and minoring in Russian Language and Literature on the pre-dental track. His research areas include molecular biology and genetics. Matthew's research addresses the complex system of nuclear import/export of thyroid hormone receptor, and his previous research has been published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology.

"Eastern Oysters and Ocean Acidification: Does Family Impact Tolerance?"

Co-Advisors: Dr. Randy Chambers and Dr. Emily Rivest

The Eastern oyster is a bivalve species in Virginia that plays an important role in its aquatic ecosystem and supports a valuable aquaculture industry. Rising problems caused by climate change, such as ocean acidification (OA), threaten natural populations and the success of oyster aquaculture. This project examined whether the tolerance of juvenile Eastern oysters to OA differed among two families produced from broodstock bred for high performance in either high or low salinity conditions. Juvenile oysters from each family were exposed to either acidified or control conditions for two weeks. Respiration rates, calcification rates, energy stores, oxidative stress, and total protein content were measured to determine the impacts of the treatments on the oyster families. Respiration rates and one parameter of oxidative stress were similar in both treatments and for both families. Acidification did, however, significantly decrease calcification rates, increase energy storage content, and increase a different parameter of oxidative stress for both families. The impact of acidification differed between families for total protein only, with the low-salinity family having higher total protein content at acidified conditions compared to the high salinity family at that same condition. Total protein content between families was similar under control conditions. Overall, OA does have a negative impact on juvenile oysters, and genetics may play a role in tolerance to OA, suggesting that breeding oysters to better tolerate future OA conditions may be possible.

Amelia Slater is a senior majoring in biology and minoring in marine science. She is an intern at the Global Change Biology Lab at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Her thesis addresses climate change and oyster physiology. 

"Kya Hua Bole To: My Hyderabadi Childhood Through Memoirs and Poetry"

Advisor: Professor Caitlin McGill

The culture of Hyderabad is centered around Oral tradition. Facts are subject to creative freedom and our culture is kept alive through storytelling. Having grown up in this environment, my writing is influenced by the culture but also by hip-hop and various Western influences. My presentation will be focused on my melding of prose and poetry into the hybridized form I have created as well as how I was able to reconnect with my childhood through objects, photos, and conversations. My work aims to harken back to the romantics, accentuating the raw beauty of the human experience and trying to capitalize on the feeling of nostalgia that my work seeks to elicit. My presentation will describe my process that involved researching my memory in a way, that focuses on how I managed to follow chains of memory from different stimuli and bring those feelings and emotions into the present through poetry and prose. The implications of this research are to show how creativity courses through the veins of Indian culture, is seen as something innate, and is encouraged constantly at a young age. But then, is discouraged and frowned upon when a child chooses to take it seriously. My purpose is to show Indian children that there is value in their stories too, because they are OUR stories and are just as worth telling as the stories of a western childhood we are made to read in school.

Sahil Verma is a senior in the Joint Degree Program majoring in English, focusing on creative non-fiction. His work mostly deals with blurring the line between poetry and prose and bringing the traditional Hyderabadi storytelling techniques into the art realm. His thesis focuses on reconstructive memory and the interspersing of poetry into memoir form. He is the author of Hyd and Seekh and has published work in Makeout Creek Vol. 8 and St. Art Magazine.

"Adverse Childhood Experiences, Distress Tolerance, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Longitudinal Mediation Model Amongst College Students from Six Countries"

Advisor: Dr. Adrian Bravo

The present study explored the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), distress tolerance (DT), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Specifically, we examined whether ACEs longitudinally predict past year NSSI engagement via distress tolerance. Participants were 634 college students (75.2% female; mean age 22.4) from the USA who completed measures of ACEs (i.e., presence and amount), DT (i.e., experiential avoidance of negative emotional states), and NSSI (i.e., frequency within the past year when surveyed) on a longitudinal basis (ACEs at Time 1; DT at time 2, 3 months later). Within our estimated model (i.e., ACEs→DT→NSSI), we found significant associations between ACEs and DT, ACEs and NSSI, and DT and NSSI. Specifically, we found that higher ACEs scores at Time 1 was associated with lower DT at Time 2, which was therefore associated with increased frequency of NSSI. These findings suggest that introducing and strengthening healthy coping mechanisms may provide emerging adults who experienced ACEs with the with adaptive strategies to manage distress, and may reduce incidence of NSSI as a result. Note: Analyses are currently underway, and are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks- results will be reflected in an updated version of the abstract.

Kerris Watson is a senior majoring in Psychology at William and Mary. Her research areas include animal studies and psychopathology. Her thesis addresses adverse childhood experiences, and the mechanisms through which they impact mental health in college students in cross-national samples. 

"An Exploration of Principled Mappings Between English Adjective Order and Subjectivity"

Advisor: Dr. Kate Harrigan

Adjectives are strictly ordered in English; for example, speakers intuitively prefer “big, green frog,” over “a green, big frog.” One hypothesis proposes that order is governed by subjectivity, or the idea that two people can disagree on an adjective’s application and neither be incorrect. In this hypothesis, more subjective adjectives appear further from the noun. Currently there is little understanding of whether subjectivity is a productive cue for ordering relied on in the moment, or is instead resistant to manipulation. We ran two studies. One used images of fake objects, ""kertunks,"" which came in four colors (two clear, two ambiguous) and three sizes (small, ambiguous, large). Images were paired with sentences containing a size adjective (big/small) and color adjective (green/blue). Half the sentences followed the correct English order, and half were incorrect. Participants rated sentences as natural or unnatural. The second study had the same design but used tables of four different shapes (two clear, two ambiguous) and four materials (two clear, two ambiguous), with sentences containing shape/material adjectives (wooden/metal, round/square) instead of size/color ones. If subjectivity is a productive cue, participants should find incorrect constructions of color-before-size/material-before-shape more acceptable when color/material is ambiguous (subjective) and size/shape is clear. We find that participants were not accepting of incorrect constructions when order aligned with visual subjectivity, suggesting that they do not use subjectivity as a productive cue for adjective order and any principled relationship between order and subjectivity becomes solidified in learning."

Chloe Wright is a senior majoring in Psychology and Linguistics at William & Mary. Her research focuses on perceptions of subjectivity and adjective use. Her thesis explores the relationship between these two areas, addressing whether people are flexible in their preferences of adjective order based on subjectivity of a visual trait. She first presented this work at the Linguistic Society of America's 2025 Annual Meeting in January.