Students: Cem Alemdar

Advisors: Prof. Ahmet Sabuncu

Train of Four Monitoring Device

Developing a monitoring device to collect data from the Train of Four method used by anesthesiologists. A glove that detects the movement of an unconscious or conscious patients hand.

Sponsors: The Department of Computer Science and the Kalenian Award

Students: Christian Anderson, Xin Tian

Advisors: Profs. Nikolaos Gatsonis, Michael Demetriou

Summer Opportunities in Aerospace Research: "UAV's for Estimation of Contaminant Plumes"

This research involves the visualization of the estimation of contaminant plumes from aircraft using UAV’s. Through the utilization of sensor modeling onboard UAV’s, the concentration of contaminant plumes are simulated. Various aircraft trajectory and visualization software are implemented with results of plume estimation codes.

Sponsors: NASA Mass Space Grant Consortium

Students: Maya Angeles & Jacquelyn Lopez

Advisors: Prof. Sarah Stanlick

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Support Vulnerable Populations

The purpose of this project is to support vulnerable populations within our communities; in this instance we are focusing our efforts to improve the quality of life for grandfamilies, families where the parents are removed from the family structure which causes the grandparents to become the primary caregiver to the children within the family. Typically grandfamilies suffer from several issues such as financial instability, a lack of mobility, health problems, and an increase of physical and social isolation. Our mission is to implement AI/machine learning to improve remote health care and community connection.

Sponsors: EREE Program, LSAMP Program, and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Katerina Angjeli & Max Pounanov

Advisors: Prof. Yihao Zheng

An Intuitive User Interface for Tele-Ultrasound

This research is in pursuit of a more intuitive way of conducting ultrasound scans through online mediums. A system is being developed wherein a patient can perform an ultrasound scan on themselves, by themselves, with the assistance of an off-site medical expert.

Sponsors: Medical and Manufacturing Innovation Lab

Students: Ishani Bedre & Angel Fernandez

Advisors: Prof. Patricia Musacchio

Using DOE Analysis To Optimize Ch Functionalization Reactions

The Musacchio Lab is currently optimizing a reaction involving the functionalization and hydroxylation of the tertiary carbon in an adamantane molecule. In order to speed up the process, a Design of Experiments (DOE) analysis is being implemented, in which multiple variables can be observed simultaneously, and the effect of factors on product yield, as well as their interactions with each other, can be determined.

Sponsors: EREE Program, LSAMP Program, and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Michela Benazzi & Isabella Piccione

Advisors: Profs. Kris Boudreau, David DiBiasio

Designing Hands-on, Context-Rich STEM Activities for Classroom Learning about Climate Change Mitigation and Threatened Communities and Climate Change Refugees

Isabella Piccione (CHE 2022) and Michela Benazzi (CHE 2023) are experimenting with non-traditional educational approaches to climate change under the supervision of Prof. DiBiasio (CHE), Prof. Boudreau (HUA) and PhD candidate Caleb Woodall (CHE). The curriculum will include laboratories on climate mitigation techniques such as Carbon Mineralization and will be aware of the humanitarian and socioeconomic context of climate change in threatened areas with a focus on indigenous Alaskan settlements.

Sponsors: EREE Program, Women's Impact Network, and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Andrea Boskovic, Harsha Lakamsani, & Caitlin Timmons

Advisors: Profs. Walter Gerych, Luke Buquicchio, Elke Rundensteiner

Machine Learning for Health Analytics

Our research aims to use mobile sensor data to predict instances of infectious diseases with machine and deep learning techniques. We are modifying existing machine learning techniques to deal with class imbalance problems and positive unlabeled datasets.

Sponsors: The Department of Computer Science, the Department of Data Science, and NSF REU site: Data Science Research for Healthy Communities in the Digital Age

Students: Robert Brodin & Emily Musser

Advisors: Prof. Chun-Kit Ngan

Optimizing Dynamic Convolutional Neural Networks for Skin Cancer Classification

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are a type of machine learning algorithm designed to mimic the human brain, and often perform well for image classification. As a research team, we desire to improve pre-existing self-improving CNNs by focusing on building effective pre-processing of images before they are fed to the neural network.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Ellery Buntel ,James Plante, & Eric Schmid

Advisors: Profs. Erin Solovey, Rodica Neamtu

Providing Easy Access to High-level Data Analysis with BrainEx

We constructed an intuitive interface built around the BrainEx timeseries exploration system to allow users of all technical skills levels to preform high-level data analysis on timeseries data. This tool will enable researchers to efficiently examine similarities between sets of timeseries data that would otherwise require advanced technical knowledge to analyze. In particular, our tool will be used to further understanding of brain data captured using fNIRS.

Sponsors: National Science Foundation

Students: Camila Carvalho

Advisors: Prof. Jeannine Coburn

Down-selection of Drug Candidates via Chemical Properties

The project utilizes Matlab to develop a data mining procedure for web-based information. This will be used to identify drugs that are predicted to bind to chondroitin sulfate materials, and other negatively charged biopolymers, for drug delivery with sustained release over time.

Sponsors: Coburn's Lab on Functional Biomaterials in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Students: Isabelle Chan & Jesse d'Almeida

Advisors: Profs. Alex Chiluisa, Loris Fichera

Simulations of a Steerable Laser Probe for Endoscopic Surgery on the Vocal Folds

We are working on simulating and verifying a steerable laser probe for an in-office procedure that removes tumors and other lesions in the larynx with a laser. This procedure help patients to avoid invasive surgery, however, because the laser fiber is usually straight and stiff, many patients still end up getting referred to surgery. We are simulating the procedure being done with a robotic wrist which can help move the laser into previously impossible or difficult to reach regions.

Sponsors: COMET Lab, NIH, and Brigham and Women's Hospital

Students: Danush Chelladurai

Advisors: Prof. Min Wu

Inferring Lateral Tension Distribution in Wall Structures of Single Cells

The project investigates tip growing cells, specifically protonema moss cells. We present an inference scheme that maps relative lateral tensions along the cell wall based on the cell's geometry.

Sponsors: N/A

Students: Connor Cumming

Advisors: Prof. Chris Brown

The Implementation of New Structure and Educational Resources

Over the summer I've worked to re-structure the Surface Metrology Lab. Creating a new team based plan to help organization and ease entry for new students. Along with writing and filming new educational resources to speed up the training process so students can get to hands on research as fast as possible.

Sponsors: Materials and Manufacturing Program

Students: Raymond Dolan

Advisors: Prof. Yanhua Li

Experimenting With Generative Adversarial Networks

This project aimed to examine the use of artificial intelligence networks that can generate data. These networks could be used in data science to predict things about areas without data by using a network trained on other areas.

Sponsors: The Office of Undergraduate Research and the Department of Computer Science

Students: Alison Drapeau & Samantha Havel

Advisors: Prof. Haichong Zhang

Bio-Incubator Ultrasound Imaging-Based Monitoring System

The application of ultrasound technology in imaging tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) currently under development non-invasively images the vessel as it is growing within a beaker containing a bioreactor. However, there is no framework in use that is able to quantify the growth of the vessel upon analysis of the ultrasound scan image produced through imaging at various times in the growth period. The goal of this project is first to develop code for simulating ultrasound scan images of computer phantom vessels where the diameter can be manipulated, and second to develop an algorithm to detect and measure the diameter of the vessels with a higher degree of accuracy compared to manual methods.

Sponsors: EREE Program, Women's Impact Network, and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Mariko Endo & Tyler Marcus

Advisors: Prof. Jennifer deWinter

Complex Simulations for Local Environmental Policy: Digitization, Analysis, and Activism

By using policy modeling as a foundation, we intend to find out whether or not the Worcester Green Plan is feasible within the means that have been set. Additionally, we will use this information to run simulations. This project will bring together Machine Readable Policy Models and Simulation Modeling together through the test case of public transportation in Worcester. Worcester City Council has a Green Worcester plan in place, and public transportation is a key topic that is eluding action from policy makers.

Sponsors: STAR/DraftKings Program

Students: Kaitlyn Fichtner

Advisors: Prof. James Urban

Enhancing Fire Fighter Situational Awareness in Wildland Fires

Entrapment, caused by escape routes unexpectedly becoming blocked by fire, is a safety concern for wildland fire fighters. The objective of this project is to use computer vision to develop a reliable method for detecting fire that can be integrated into a lightweight and affordable detection device or mobile application. The device could be worn as a body camera by fire fighters, attached to fire service vehicles, or placed around communities at high risk for wild fires.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Constantina Gatsonis

Advisors: Prof. Angela Rodriguez

Daily Behaviors and Technology Use

This project will investigate the relationship between two daily behaviors - phone screen time use and daily caloric consumption. Past research has looked at how television use affects eating behaviors, but there is limited research regarding cell phone use. Our research seeks to fill this knowledge gap.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Yaru Gong

Advisors: Prof. Jie Fu

Infinite Games on graph & Logic-based controller Synthesis

Infinite Games on graph & Logic-based controller Synthesis (IGLSynth) is a high-level Python API for defining and solving Infinite Game and logic-based strategy synthesis. It provides an easy interface to define two-player games on graph, assign tasks to players using formal logic, and write solvers to compute winning strategies in the game. Infinite two-person games are a natural framework for the study of reactive nonterminating programs. The effective construction of winning strategies in su Co games is an approach to the synthesis of reactive programs. It outlines a new construction of winning strategies. Currently IGLSynth is still under development.

Sponsors: The Office of Undergraduate Research and the Department of Computer Science

Students: Emily Gonzales

Advisors: Prof. Andrew Teixeira

Flow Chemistry for Continuous Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies are looking to convert their production of active pharmaceutical ingredients from batch processing to continuous flow processing. Continuous flow processing has many benefits over batch processing including being safer, having a higher efficiency, and they are easier to scale up the process to produce more products. Though these benefits are appealing, switching the production process would leave a large number of employees untrained in their own field. So, we are designing a 3 day, lab intensive course that utilizes new technology such as augmented reality goggles that will train the pharmaceutical manufacturers in flow chemistry and how to apply it to their production process.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: Mattea Gravina

Advisors: Prof. Jeannine Coburn

Characterizing Silk Scaffold Porosity

This research works to characterize the porous framework formed when creating 3D structures made from silk, a commonly used biomaterial. The size and shape of the pores are being studied using image analysis to better understand the process in which the scaffolds are created. This will help in making scaffolds that are ideal for cell proliferation and can be used to model different parts of the body.

Sponsors: NSF REU site EEC1559819

Students: Zijian Guan

Advisors: Prof. Erin Solovey

Effects of Digital Jury Moderation on the Polarization of Social Media Users

Here we propose a study comparing the attitudes of users interacting with political social media communities moderated with a digital jury versus traditional, top-down supervised moderation. We anticipate observing decreased levels of polarization in the group interacting with the jury-moderated content, due to the specialized knowledge of community behavior jurors would have over external moderators.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Ryan Hennigan

Advisors: Prof. Shamsnaz Bhada

Modelling Missouri Broadband Policy using SysML

My research consists of using a universal modelling language called SysML to model a policy for broadband internet adoption in Missouri. The overall goal is to show the benefits of using models to explain policy versus written language. Modelling allows for greater clarity in the policy's structure, as well as exposes gaps within the policy.

Sponsors: N/A

Students: Sola Hoffman

Advisors: Prof. Yihao Zheng

Engineering Research in Atherectomy: Performing Grinding in Human Arteries

Ischemic heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world. It is caused by the build up of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary artery. This study serves to investigate mechanical atherectomy as a treatment of ischemic heart disease. In this research, we propose to understand the atherectomy mechanism of action, causes of complications, and operation techniques from an engineering perspective, so as to identify and address gaps between clinical observations and engineering explanations, and potentially to improve the atherectomy protocols, device design, and clinical outcomes.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Catherine Hogan

Advisors: Prof. Vadim Yakovlev

Multiphysics Modeling of Millimeter-Wave Heat Exchanger

This project aims to help, through multiphysics modeling, design an efficient millimeter-wave heat exchanger, a new type of receiving device in the wireless power transfer technology. In the core of the heat exchanger, a panel of ceramic tiles absorbs power from the electromagnetic field and is heated to high temperatures. An iterative solution of the 3D coupled electromagnetic-thermal problem leads to a series of patterns showing the time evolutions of temperature distribution within the ceramic tiles. The project is focused on the development of models and their exploitation for studying the influence of the shapes of the ceramic tiles on the energy efficiency of the millimeter-wave heat exchanger.

Sponsors: Air Force Research Lab (via Leidos, Inc.)

Students: Aidan Horn & Olajumoke Jackson

Advisors: Profs. Randy Paffenroth, Rob Krueger

Project Okyeame: Building the "Ghanaian Dataset" through Collaborative Digital Storytelling

There has a been a growing concern on the application and implications of data collection technology, especially on the African continent which has historically lacked visibility. Our goal is to create an inclusive and subject-driven "Ghanaian Dataset" while also encouraging engagement with AI systems to increase familiarity and generate public interest. Through interactive games, chatbots, and creative writing spaces, we will be able to train neural networks to generate linguistic models, improve image recognition and annotation, and help diversify the datasets that will inform the future of data science.

Sponsors: EREE Program, LSAMP Program, and the Institute for Science, Technology, and Development

Students: Alisionna Iannacchione

Advisors: Prof. Erin Ottmar

Math Anxiety and Self-Efficacy: Comparing Two Math Technologies

For this project we are taking data from a large, federally funded IES study in which middle schoolers were asked to play through either ASSISTments (traditional problem sets) or From Here 2 There (a math learning game involving play and movement) over the course of six weeks. Students were given a pre- and post-test math assessment as well as questionnaires on math anxiety and self-efficacy. Our goal is to investigate the differences in math anxiety between conditions and possibly mediating factors between math anxiety and post-test performance.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Brady Jeong

Advisors: Prof. Doug Petkie

Optimization of Photoacoustic Spectroscopy using Photonic Integrated Circuits

The goal of this research project is to reduce the size of absorption spectrometers while maintaining its sensitivity using photonic integrated circuits. Specifically, we are focused on analyzing various antireflection methods to maximize the transmission of light in the spectrometer. By producing a smaller and reliable spectrometer, we have the potential to reimagine the applications of spectroscopy outside of the lab.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Rimsha Kayastha, Josh Lovering, & Nina Taurich

Advisors: Profs. Elke Rundensteiner, Monica Tlachac

Early Mental Health Uncovering

One goal of this research project is to train machine learning algorithms to detect mental health with previously collected phone data.These algorithms will be used to create an application that screens for mental health in users. The other goal is to prepare and launch a new data collection.

Sponsors: National Science Foundation, the Department of Data Science

Students: Aaron Krueger, Ashley Schuliger, & Christopher Vieira

Advisors: Profs. Rodica Neamtu, Danielle Cote

Microtrac and Hall Flow, Spherical Nano-indentation

These two projects revolve around Data Science research done in the Materials Science department for army lab research.

Microtrac and Hall Flow: This project is focused on analyzing data from the Microtrac system to predict Hall flow values. Our efforts included using machine learning techniques such as linear regression, classification, PCA, and LDA.

Spherical Nano-indentation: This project is focused on creating a tool useful for analyzing data gathered through nano-indentation. More specifically, it focuses upon the use of dynamic, spherical continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) based indentation stress-strain curve analysis.

Sponsors: Army Lab Research

Students: Caroline Kuhnle

Advisors: Profs. John Blandino, Jagannath Jayachandran

Summer Opportunities in Aerospace Research: “Application of Electrospray for Fuel Injection in Combustors”

The overall goal of this project was to assess whether an electrospray fuel injector can be used to create droplet populations with a desired mean and standard deviation. Twenty-eight articles and research papers on electrosprays for fuel injection in combustion were examined. In addition, COMSOL, a multiphysics finite element analysis solver and simulation software, was used to create a preliminary model of the droplet injection into the combustor.

Sponsors: NASA Mass Space Grant Consortium

Students: Nichole Leveille

Advisors: Prof. Yuxiang Liu

Noninvasive At Home Blood Test

Our project is a blood monitoring device that does not require blood to be drawn and can be used virtually anywhere. The device clips on a phone, so videos of your blood cell movement can be recorded and sent to your physician. This device is important for patients who require frequent blood monitoring.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: Meng Lian

Advisors: Prof. Kun-Ta Wu

Reproducing Viscek Model's Simulation on Active Matter's Collective Dynamics

My project is on developing a MATLAB-based Viscel model simulation, which demonstrated the collective dynamics of active constituents. The purpose of this simulation is to develop an active matter module that will be uploaded to a public available online platform so the public can access the concept of active matter better.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Benjamin Lunden

Advisors: Prof. Izabela Stroe

Inhibiting Amyloid-β aggregation with β-endorphins

Misfolding of the Amyloid Precursor Proteins (APP) into Amyloid-β, caused by the protein being cut by the wrong enzyme, is the most universally accepted theory for the onset of Alzheimer's disease at the current moment. We propose to investigate the possibility of utilizing the body’s natural processes to inhibit the formation of the disease, as it has been hypothesized that higher levels of β-endorphins could inhibit the aggregation of Amyloid-β. Using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, we can quantify the aggregation of the Amyloid-β cultured with different levels of β-endorphins.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Mona Ma

Advisors: Prof. Min Wu

Minimizing Infected Population and Estimating How Long Covid-19 Will Last for Counties in Massachusetts Using SIR Model and Control Theory

My project is about using the math model in epidemiology, the SIR Model, to understand the pattern of Covid-19. With parameter study that analyzes what factors have greater influence on the behavior of the model. Then, using control theory to formulate other conditions into math equations that helps estimating the situation in real life.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Catherine Masiello

Advisors: Prof. Scarlet Shell

Ribosomal Binding Site Characteristics of Mycobacterium

I am analyzing the ribosomal binding sites of M. tuberculosis, the microbe that causes tuberculosis, and M. smegmatis, a model organism, to determine which characteristics and trends make a good ribosomal binding site. Any trends and characteristics I’m able to find will then be added to a feature table of pertinent M. tuberculosis characteristics to allow us to see overarching trends for characteristics that may increase translation efficiency.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: Kaitlin Mason & Sahana Venkatesh

Advisors: Prof. Doug Petkie

Mapping Atomic Carbon and Carbon Monoxide in Stellar Forming Regions with Terahertz Astronomy

We are analyzing publicly released data from the HEAT (High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz) telescope mission to observe molecular evolution in stellar forming regions of the galaxy in the terahertz band. We are specifically looking at the atomic and spectral signature of carbon and carbon monoxide in cool regions of interstellar dust in hopes of contributing to the HEAT mission as well as other ongoing missions.

Sponsors: EREE Program, Women's Impact Network, and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Connor McLaughlin

Advisors: Prof. Ali Yousefi

Data Analysis & Visualization of IBS Dataset

This work was done as a part of a larger initiative to identify biological, social, and psychological factors for pain improvement across several different medical conditions. Our work focused on a study on IBS, where we indentified some of these factors and provided visualizations of their effect on patient response.

Sponsors: Provost Research Support, the Department of Computer Science, and the Department of Neuroscience

Students: Jocelyn Mendes

Advisors: Prof. Ronald Grimm

Interfacial States, Energetics, and Atmospheric Stability of Antifluorite Cesium Titanium Bromide Thin Films

We aim to synthesize and study solar-relevant cesium titanium bromide (Cs2TiBr6) thin films due to their band gap energy of ~1.8 eV, which makes them ideal for forming tandem-junctions with silicon in photovoltaic (PV) devices. We will subject the resulting films to a series of etching techniques, expose the resulting films to ambient atmosphere, and quantify the resulting chemical states and electronics. These studies will allow us to gather information about the fundamental interfacial chemical states and energetic properties of Cs2TiBr6 thin films and the relationship of these properties with previously studied large-grain Cs2TiBr6 crystals.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Victoria Mirecki & Juliette Spitaels

Advisors: Prof. Gillian Smith

Analysis of Quilting as a Metaphor for Computer Programming

Quilting has been used for years as a tool to teach computer science and programming to students in a K-12 setting. But when these metaphors are brought to real quilters, typical adult women, many of which are over the age of 60, they tend to fall apart. In an attempt to remedy this problem, a focus group of seven quilters met to discuss their opinions of both quilting and computers. Now we are analyzing their discussion to uncover the best method for teaching computer science and programming to historically excluded groups.

Sponsors: EREE Program, Women's Impact Network, and the Department of Mathematical Sciences

Students: Alana Miska

Advisors: Prof. Andrew Teixeira

Zeolite Synthesis and Microreactor Design

The focus of this project is to understand the fundamentals of the synthesis of zeolite crystals for industrial production. To do so, I am tasked with designing microreactors using CAD, which will be fabricated and used to synthesize zeolites. A goal of the project is to use in situ characterization techniques to study crystal development.

Sponsors: Teixeria Lab

Students: Justin Moy

Advisors: Prof. Scarlet Shell

Codon Optimality regarding M. tuberculosis mRNA Degradation

Codon optimality has been correlated to increased mRNA stability and translation efficiency in yeast and some species of bacteria; however, there is less research regarding the human pathogen M. tuberculosis. Preliminary in silico models done in the Shell lab have shown a relationship between mRNA stability and codon optimization. This project aims to review prior research of codon optimality in other species and use those findings to refine Shell lab’s mRNA degradation model.

Sponsors: Shell Lab

Students: Alex Nieto

Advisors: Prof. Andrew Teixeira

A Continuation of Membraneless Water Purification via Diffusiophoresis

For my project I am continuing a previous student’s work and I have been simulating his results with a software called COMSOL. I am working on a water filtration system that removes dirty particles via carbon dioxide. To improve on the project, I plan on seeing if other gasses would be more effective in removing dirty particles in the water compared to carbon dioxide.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: Julia Noel

Advisors: Prof. Anita Mattson

Enantioselective Tetrahydroxanthone Synthesis

My research project focuses on developing a novel method for the synthesis of complex molecules. The structure of these molecules are often based upon natural products which have medicinal applications. This project aims to provide access to these molecules so that they can be used as potential therapeutic agents.

Sponsors: The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and National Institutes of Health

Students: Sophia Noel

Advisors: Prof. Kristen Billiar

Improving a PDMS Post Stiffness Testing Device

I am working in Dr. Kristen Billiar’s lab in the Biomedical Engineering department helping to improve tissue engineered heart valves by studying the mechanical, chemical, and biological factors that affect cell growth and death. With the mentorship of Dr. Ying Lei in the lab, I am improving a device that tests the stiffness of materials used in tissue culture models to mimic conditions inside the body. I am really enjoying learning about integrating different sensors to create a cohesive, user-friendly, and highly specialized device, and the importance of these skills in research.

Sponsors: EREE Program and Women's Impact Network

Students: Rose Noggle, Despina Tomboulides, Tam Tuong, & Erin Venard

Advisors: Profs. Shichao Liu, Anglea Rodriguez, Mohamad Farzinmoghadam, Steven Van Dessel, Jacob Whitehill

RAPID: Measuring the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Stress, Engagement, and Academic Performance of Online Learning

The proposed work will examine the immediate and long-term impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on undergraduate emotional well-being, day-to-day functioning, and learning engagement and outcomes. Through a deeper understanding of the dynamic impact of SARS-CoV-2 on learning, higher-education institutions and policymakers will be better able to mitigate the effects of both the current pandemic and future pandemics.

The overarching goal of this project is to understand the longitudinal and dynamic impact of SARS-CoV-2 on undergraduate STEM students’ emotional states (such as stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and frustration), day-to-day life (such as social isolation, sedentariness, access to outdoor environments, and proximity to outbreak hotspots), and learning engagement and outcomes.

Sponsors: The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, the Department of Social Science & Policy Studies: Psychology, and the Department of Computer Science

Students: Monika Nowak

Advisors: Prof. Kristen Billiar

Independent Research/Assistance for Billiar Lab

As an independent, I do not have a specific project I will be working on all summer, however the next task I must work on is improving a force transducer already used in the lab. Previously, the force was applied by a lab member and tweezers, but that does not provide the accuracy a mechanical force can. I will try to implement this mechanical force application to improve the device.

Sponsors: National Science Foundation (Research Experience for Undergraduates)

Students: Shannon O'Connor

Advisors: Prof. Sneha Narra

Powder Spattering: Additive Manufacturing

The research that I have been working on this summer surrounds the dynamics of the powder spattering in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. I have been analyzing certain properties and behaviors of powder for samples with different laser powers and laser velocities in order to determine similarities of the behavior of particles between samples.

Sponsors: N/A

Students: Susanna Oppong

Advisors: Prof. Reeta Prusty Rao

Understanding Superbug Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)

Candida Auris, a species of fungus, was recently declared a multidrug-resistant superbug that poses a serious risk to public health. This project focuses on identifying the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Glucan Synthase gene that may contribute to its resistance to Caspofungin, an antifungal medication that targets the Glucan Synthase gene.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: Adrian Orszulak

Advisors: Prof. Scarlet Shell

Understanding the Link Between Gene Expression and Transcription Rate in Mycobacteria tuberculosis

The goal of the project is to be able to create a mathematical model that links the metabolic processes of transcription, mRNA degradation, translation, mRNA abundance, and protein abundance in bacteria – specifically Mycobacteria tuberculosis. This model will help form an understanding of the RNA metabolic pathway seen in the experimental data. This could then help develop a greater understanding in treating tuberculosis – the disease caused by Mycobacteria tuberculosis.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Brandon Persons

Advisors: Prof. Soussan Djamasbi

Empathetic Conversational Agent Assisting with Title IX Cases and Digital Counseling

I am working to develop an AI college companion named E.R.I.N. with the User Experience and Decision Making Lab. This research project was an extension of this college companion through IQP in order to develop a chatbot that could centralize all resources for Title IX and Mental Health Cases for students in a empathetic and friendly way. Through testing, it was found that this was a more desirable way to access WPI's resources especially on mobile devices.

Sponsors: Rachel Riley-Schafer, SDCC, Title IX Coordinator

Students: Vanshika Rohera, Yichuan Tang

Advisors: Prof. Haichong Zhang

Ultrasound Imaging of Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels in a Bioreactor

The research project was a continuation of an MQP project that was not fully completed due to the corona virus situation. The project surrounds the idea of using an ultrasound probe to image a tissue engineered blood vessel, or a phantom of any shape. The MQP team had already designed and built a prototype that allows the ultrasound probe to be rotated in order to construct a 360 degree cross sectional image, but throughout the summer we were able to upgrade their matlab code to be more efficient. We were also able to test different phantom shapes as well as improve the beamforming process.

Sponsors: Medical FUSION Lab

Students: Madison Rutherford

Advisors: Prof. Adam Powell

Magnesium Vapor Compression Distillation for Recycling and Primary Production

This project proposes using vapor compression distillation and electrolysis to produce and recycle Magnesium, an incredibly low-density metal that has applications ranging from jet fuel to car frames. Magnesium has been historically difficult to recycle through normal sorting and remelting processes, and current production methods are resource-intensive and release harmful pollutants; the new proposed method would create high-purity Magnesium alloys while reducing the energy cost and emissions. My research focuses on determining the cost of running the process.

Sponsors: Vice Provost of Research TRIAD Program

Students: Ally Salvino & Molly Sunray

Advisors: Prof. Erin Solovey

Developing and Studying Novel Sign Language Technology

This project identifies challenges that deaf users face with existing technology resources and explores preferences for ASL user interfaces. The focus is on search, navigation, and layout designs that align with the needs of the users and do not rely on written language.

Sponsors: EREE Program, Women's Impact Network, and the National Science Foundation

Students: Tyler Sanderville

Advisors: Prof. Yihao Zheng

Advancing Control and Communication for Remote-Ultrasound Examinations

Ultrasound Exams are made veritably slower and perilous for both sonographers and patients due to COVID-19. This project focuses on developing an equitable system that will deliver remote ultrasound examinations.

Sponsors: EREE Program and LSAMP Program

Students: James Scherick

Advisors: Prof. Craig Shue

Single Use Server

I worked on making small improvements to the Single Use Server project that was started last summer. I also made a video teaching people how to use it and a standalone forensics website to help people find possible security exploits.

Sponsors: National Science Foundation

Students: Adam Sochacki

Advisors: Profs. Nikhil Karanjgaokar, Michael Demetriou

Summer Opportunities in Aerospace Research: Aerospace Structural Health Monitoring for Polymer Bonded Explosives

This project investigated on-line structural health monitoring schemes to measure damages in Polymer Bonded Explosives (PBXs) using vibration measurements. The project involved the designing of real-time implementable monitoring schemes for the prompt detection of mechanical damages that lead to changes in the vibrational behavior of the PBXs.

Sponsors: NASA Mass Space Grant Consortium

Students: Jialin Song

Advisors: Prof. Loris Fichera

Making Surgical Lasers to Cut Better

We envision the creation of a smart laser cutting system able to independently calculate optimal dosimetry parameters for any given cutting task. We will achieve this goal by performing controlled laser cutting experiments, analyzing the geometry of material removal with a high-resolution profilometer, and using supervised machine learning algorithms to build models able to predict the outcome of future laser cutting actions.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Kevin Stern

Advisors: Prof. Vadim Yakovlev

Simulation of Microwave-Induced Temperature Fields in SiC Composites

The project is focused on multiphysics modeling of microwave-induced heating production of SiC composites by chemical vapor infiltration. The resulting composites are expected to be capable of withstanding temperatures beyond 1500 C and are meant to be used in nuclear reactors. The iterative solution of a coupled electromagnetic-thermal problem mimics the time evolution of the temperature field in a SiC preform in a large microwave cavity. Simulation of the heating of tubular samples at different resonant and non-resonant frequencies shows the heating rates and patterns of temperature distribution and generates recommendations for corresponding experiments.

Sponsors: National Nuclear Laboratory (U.K.), University of Birmingham (U.K.)

Students: Bryson Tang

Advisors: Prof. Ali Yousefi

Accumulating Big Data Surrounding COVID-19

The goal of this project is to take a snapshot of the globe through COVID-19 through the use of data. With various datasets (weather, demographic data, and number of cases) in one place, future researchers will have easy access to data that has already been cleaned and structured. You can visit this site to see some of my work in progress.

Sponsors: The Department of Computer Science

Students: Sarah Tarantino

Advisors: Prof. Jagan Srinivasan

Alzheimer’s Disease: Sex Bias and Natural Metabolites as Treatment

Through a literature review, my project aims to contribute further insight into the sex bias seen in Alzheimer’s disease as well as possible natural metabolites that may be used as treatment. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes neuronal death due to a buildup of amyloid-β plaques in the brain. It has been documented that females are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as males and that some natural metabolites, such as punicalagin, have shown success as treatments. Methods for testing sex-specific natural metabolite treatments using C. elegans Alzheimer’s Disease mutant models will also be proposed.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Nicholas Tourtillott

Advisors: Prof. Liz Ryder

Modeling Microbial Interaction

Microbial communities are complex groups of microorganisms engaged in symbiotic, commensal, or pathogenic interactions that have profound effects. Through a combination of experimental and computational approaches we aim to elucidate the interactions of C. albicans and B. subtilis with the intestine of the model organism C. elegans. The agent-based model constructed in Netlogo, provides a powerful visual interface that makes predictions based off of behavioral rules written for each of the three organisms, which can then be tested against experimental data.

Sponsors: Summer Training in Arts and Science Program (STAR) Program

Students: Lauryn Whiteside

Advisors: Prof. Markus Nemitz

Development of Low-cost, Bio-degradable Circuits from Paper Substrates for Soft Robotic Applications in Marine Environments

Soft robots are a new class of robots that are made from elastomeric polymers. These polymers are softer than human skin and are therefore inherently safe to interact with. In marine biology, soft robots have become an integral technology for the handling of fragile animals in deep waters. In my project, I work on electric circuits that can be made from biodegradable materials such as paper. The goal is to build robot systems that dissolve at the end of their lifetime, as opposed to polluting their environment.

Sponsors: N/A

Students: Shawna Winters

Advisors: Prof. Nima Rahbar

Designing a Negative Thermal Expansion, Negative Poisson’s Ratio Material

Applying previous research done by Professor Nima Rahbar and Dr. Jessica Rosewitz on the biomechanical structures in nature, I am looking to apply their brick and mortar concepts and integrate an auxetic structure with a degree of hierarchy to the structure, to improve the strength of the steel-concrete composite material without changing the composition, but the shape of the bio-inspired and architected structure of the steel support.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research

Students: Max Wojtas

Advisors: Prof. Yunus Telliel

The Future of Work

This project focuses on the future of work and what current technological developments like automation, artificial intelligence and robotics will have on the social aspects of our lives. Specifically, I am analyzing the disconnect in technical literacy in our national level policy making and how this might negatively affect our ability to legislate for the future.

Sponsors: EREE Program and the Department of Social Sciences & Policy Studies

Students: Ziyan Xie

Advisors: Profs. Haichong Zhang, Shang Gao

Simulation for Laparoscopic Photoacoustic Imaging

The goal of this project is to optimize designing parameter for the photoacoustic laparoscopy based on the design of the transurethral illumination probe. The following steps are needed to achieve the results of this project: 1) Former research about fiber measuring will be collected. 2) A Monte Carlo Simulation model will be built to determine the position of two fibers. 3) The model will be analyzed in k-wave.

Sponsors: WPI TRIAD Grant

Students: Mingzhang Zhu

Advisors: Prof. Yuxiang Liu

Investigation of Thinner-Diameter Fibers for Laser Delivery

The objective of this project is to explore the feasibility of reducing the diameter of the optical fiber used for the delivery of the laser energy, thus leading to further miniaturization of the laser probe.

Sponsors: National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Yuxiang Lab