STEM Research Showcase

The STEM Showcase highlights the unique opportunities available to our students, where discovery and problem solving are at the core of their learning.

  1. College of Science & Engineering
  2. Dean's Office
  3. Summer Undergraduate Research Program
  4. STEM Research Showcase
Summer Research

Welcome to the 2024 STEM Research Showcase

This year, we invite you to engage with the exceptional research projects led by our talented students. These posters represent not only the culmination of their hard work, but also their curiosity and drive to solve real-world problems.

I am so impressed by the breadth of knowledge and innovation fostered in our undergraduate research community, and this year we have 40 total research projects with 63 undergraduate researchers! You will discover student-led projects across disciplines investigating everything from novel applications of AI to recommend pedestrian-safe routes, to exciting analysis of fruit fly genetics, and mapping the microbiome’s complex world. Each and every project is fascinating and showcases how STEM education at SU builds on a strong foundation of knowledge to inspire creativity and tackle real-world challenges.

Our STEM Showcase highlights the unique opportunities available to our students, where discovery and problem solving are at the core of their learning. The experiences gained here equip them to make a meaningful impact as future leaders in their fields.

Thank you for joining us today and for your continued support. Our summer research program is only possible due to the philanthropic and grant support from the following generous funders:

  • The Arline F. and Thomas J. Bannan Foundation
  • Simmons Endowment for Undergraduate Research and Application
  • The Lillian Doyle Undergraduate Research Endowment
  • The Donald W. Hoba Endowment
  • Peter L. and Patricia A. Lee Fellowship for Excellence in Student Research
  • Admiral Michael G. Mathis [Ret.] and Jannine C. Mathis
  • The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
  • The National Institutes of Health
  • The National Science Foundation
  • The PACCAR Professorship in Mechanical Engineering
  • Rose M. Southall
  • Research Corporation for Science Advancement
  • Patrick E. and Mary V. Welch

Together, we celebrate the creativity and dedication of our students, as they shape the future of science and engineering.

Sincerely,

Amit Shukla, PhD
Dean, College of Science and Engineering

Download STEM Research Showcase Program

2024 STEM Research Projects

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Kaiser / RESEARCH STUDENT Duc Vu PROJECT Examining the Role of the AAA+ ATPase Domain of the Bacterial Defense Factor BrxC

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Yasuda / RESEARCH STUDENTS Erin Tanaka, Kevin Huang, Kevin Nguyen / PROJECT Paternal Effect Genes and Animal Development

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Whitlow / RESEARCH STUDENTS Emma Weaver, Laurel Shepherd, Miranda Gormley / PROJECT Hopping Around the Salish Sea: Investigating How Shoreline Modification and Kelp Affect Wrack, Invertebrate, and Bird Communities

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Zanis / RESEARCH STUDENT Lilka Clocksin PROJECT Decifering Micrasterias rotata (Desmidiaceae Habitat Preference Using Experimental Microcosms)

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Zanis / RESEARCH STUDENT Nicole Teola / PROJECT DNA Barcoding and Population Genetics of Micrasterias Species

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Luckey / RESEARCH STUDENT Rohan Sethi PROJECT Hypertension in Motion: A Support to a Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Exercise Intensity on Cardiovascular Outcomes in the Hypertensive Rat Model

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Kremer-Herman / RESEARCH STUDENTS Anna Muller, Colin Hanrahan, Hadiya Chishti / PROJECT Sugarscape: Creating a Nexus for Interdisciplinary Research

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Kremer-Herman and Dr. Rutherford RESEARCH STUDENTS Amanda Nouwens, Gina Philipose, Rena Ahn, Zach Mullen / PROJECT Super Simple Biology Simulations

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Juneja / RESEARCH STUDENT Ashleen Sandhu PROJECT Beyond Words: How Text-to-Image Models Interpret Adjectives Across Various Dimensions

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Juneja / RESEARCH STUDENT Bryan Kim PROJECT Bias in the Spotlight: Analyzing Text-to-Image Models for Music Awards and Genre Representation

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Samavi / RESEARCH STUDENTS Aaron Shrestha, Benjamin Philipose, Yonnas Alemu / PROJECT Using Machine Learning for Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Bae / RESEARCH STUDENTS Alivia Zhao, Garland Lau PROJECT GeoAI for Walkable Path Planning

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Zhao / RESEARCH STUDENT Riley Young PROJECT A Tale of Two Cities: Insights from Software Developers in Big Tech and Non-Tech Workplaces

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Milkowski / RESEARCH STUDENT Max Tran PROJECT CASE: Context Aware Screen-based Estimation of Gaze

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Whidbey / RESEARCH STUDENTS Eugene Kiera Tanaputra, Jillian Hesse / PROJECT Labeling of Live Microglia Cells
and Protein Activity Assays

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Whidbey / RESEARCH STUDENT Tusani Nhleko PROJECT Activity-Based Protein Profiling for Functional Annotation

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Latch / RESEARCH STUDENTS Megan Morris, Roan Weinkauf / PROJECT Development of a Spectrophotometric Chlorine Actinometer for Field and Laboratory Use

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Latch / RESEARCH STUDENT Emily Chaffe / PROJECT Development of Quantitative-Structure Activity Relationships for Photochemical Reactions Involving Triplet Natural Organic Matter

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Frato / RESEARCH STUDENTS Ainsley Yukawa, Norah Zampardo, Willow Rotton / PROJECT Optimizing GC-MS Protocols for Monolignol Detection in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Skogerboe / RESEARCH STUDENT Lior Fisher PROJECT Preserving the Essence of a Crime: Development and
Evaluation of a Solid Phase Carbon Extraction/GC-MS Method to Capture the Smellprint of Forensic Evidence

FACULTY MENTORS Dr. Alaimo and Dr. Whidbey / RESEARCH STUDENTS Megan Bigalk, Zoe Quach / PROJECT Synthesis of Metabolic Mimicking Probes

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Alaimo / RESEARCH STUDENT Mireya Haran PROJECT A Copper-Catalyzed Approach to Selective Ortho-Nitration of Arenes: Exploring C-H and C-F Functionalization Supported by Bidente Directing Groups

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Louie / RESEARCH STUDENT Melvin Dang PROJECT Determining importance of Precise Load Profile Estimation for Residential Off-Grid Solar Power on the Navajo Nation

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Louie / RESEARCH STUDENT Dean Aquino PROJECT Automated Data Collection for Residential Off-Grid Solar Power on the Navajo Nation

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Louie / RESEARCH STUDENT Daniel Kasakula PROJECT Battery Discharge Tests Using Variable Load Profiles for Off-Grid Power Systems

FACULTY MENTORS Dr. Abraham / RESEARCH STUDENT Loritha Keza PROJECT Edge Computing for Remote Environmental Monitoring

FACULTY MENTORS Dr. Riazi / RESEARCH STUDENTS Azul Davila Carrasco, Sam Kinerk / PROJECT Optimizing Pipe Network Design Using Genetic Algorithm Integration in EPANET

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Lee / RESEARCH STUDENT Samhita Tovinkere PROJECT Effect of Vegetation Change on Streamflow in the Tolt River

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Zhang / RESEARCH STUDENT Lukas Nitsche PROJECT Machine Learning, Precision Medicine and Health Disparities

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Bahuaud / RESEARCH STUDENT Craig Horton PROJECT A Mathematical Exploration of Kepler’s Laws

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Egan / RESEARCH STUDENTS Amanda Blunt, Jonathan Shiner / PROJECT Ocean Rainfall Detection Using Spotter Buoy Audio Data

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Carter / RESEARCH STUDENT Joanna Van Liew PROJECT Modeling Broad-Frequency-Band Water-Wave Experiments

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Carter / RESEARCH STUDENT Makayla Allen PROJECT The Derivation of the Korteweg-De Vries Equation

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Dadfarnia / RESEARCH STUDENTS Rowen Jorgensen, Samuel Hannah / PROJECT Failure of 3D Printed Objects Under Combined Load Conditions

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Hoang / RESEARCH STUDENTS EJ Edora, Ian Agopsowicz, Marco-Antonio Sahagun, Sameer Gill, Samuel Mesfin / PROJECT Tuning and Validating a Multi-Rotor Drone Model Using a Stationary Frame

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Ren / RESEARCH STUDENTS Jacob Shinsato, Justin Lewis, Karin Stoddart, Michi Tawara, Ty Smith, Vincent Reitinger PROJECT Molecular Dynamics-Informed Optimization of Cryoprotectant Solutions for Enhanced Single-Mode Electromagnetic Rewarming

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Han / RESEARCH STUDENTS Ava Wiese, Devin Raleigh, Ethan Holden / PROJECT Phase Changing Materials (PCMs) in Soft Robotics

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Han / RESEARCH STUDENTS Kai Boydon, Eric Olson PROJECT Development of Air Tight Soft Robotic Actuators

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. Hughes / RESEARCH STUDENTS Fiona Kovisto, Leander Villarta, Vy Vuong / PROJECT Tidal Disruption of the Globular Cluster NGC 6544

FACULTY MENTOR Dr. McEwen / RESEARCH STUDENT Sarah Albrecht PROJECT SpaceTimePy: Scientific Computing and General Relativity

FACULTY MENTORS Dr. Alberg / RESEARCH STUDENT Alejandro Enguidanos PROJECT Vector Meson Contributions to the Light Polarized Sea Asymmetry of the Proton