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• Student Accomplishments – December 2018

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Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in summer and fall 2018. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.

PUBLICATIONS

Keara Frawley ’18 (ENG) was first author on a recent publication from Dr. Seok-Woo Lee’s lab and her paper is featured in the journal cover:

Frawley, K.G., Bakst, I., Sypek, J.T., Vijayan, S., Weinberger, C.R., Canfield, P.C., Aindow, M., & Lee, S. (2018). A Nanoindentation Study of the Plastic Deformation and Fracture Mechanisms in Single-Crystalline CaFe2As2. The Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, 70(7). doi: 10.1007/s11837-018-2851-y

William Hunt ’19 (ENG) was a co-author on a recent publication from Dr. Kevin Brown’s (Biomedical Engineering) research group:

Brown, K.S., Allopenna, P.D., Hunt, W.R., Steiner, R., Saltzman, E., McRae, K., & Magnuson, J.S. (2018). Universal Features in Phonological Neighbor Networks. Entropy, 20(7), 526; doi: 10.3390/e20070526

Craig Mendonca ’18 (CLAS) worked in the Gene Therapy Center in Dr. Guangping Gao’s lab at UMass Medical School. Craig was a co-author on a recent publication from this research internship:

Wang, D., Li, J, Song, C.Q., Tran, K., Mou, H., Wu, P.H., Tai, P.W.L., Mendonca, C.A., Ren, L., Wang, B.Y., Su, Q., Gessler, D.J., Zamore, P.D., Xue, W., & Gao, G. (2018). Cas9-mediated allelic exchange repairs compound heterozygous recessive mutations in mice. Nature Biotechnology, 36. doi: 10.1038/nbt.4219

Kathleen Renna ’20 (CAHNR), an undergraduate in the Health Research Program, and Yue (Jacky) Yang ’19 (ENG), a 2018 SURF student, were co-authors on a recent publication based on research conducted with Dr. Ephraim Trakhtenberg at UConn Health:

Rheaume, B.A., Jereen, A., Bolisetty, M., Sajid, M.S., Yang, Y., Renna, K., Sun, L., Robson, P., & Trakhtenberg, E.F. (2018). Single Cell Transcriptome Profiling of Retinal Ganglion Cells Identifies Cellular Subtypes. Nature Communications, 9(1). doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05134-3

SUMMER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Jiana Baker ’20 (CLAS) conducted research in Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar’s lab in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn Health through the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Summer Research Fellowship Program. Jiana presented her work “Novel Polymer-Nanotube Composites: Small Molecule Drug Delivery Systems for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration” at the HCOP poster session.

Claudia Fernanda Pena-Sulantay ’20 (ENG) spent her summer in Nove Hrady, Czech Republic, engaged in a research project at the Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology (CNSB). Her work on the project “Structural and functional analysis of the yeast K+ translocation system(s) encoded by TRK1 and TRK 2 genes” was part of the REU program in Molecular Biophysics sponsored by Princeton University.

Tanya Miller ’20 (CLAS) engaged in structural biology research at the Laboratory of Structural Biology which is part of BIOCEV, the Biotechnology and Biomedicine Center of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Vestec, Czech Republic. She was supervised by Dr. Cyril Barinka during the 5-week summer program.

PRESENTATIONS

  • Jiana Baker presenting her research at the HCOP poster session.
    Jiana Baker '20 (CLAS)

Galaxy Community Conference-Bioinformatics Open Source Conference – June 25-30, 2018 – Portland, OR

Peter Richter ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Collecting Data for Association Genetics: Tripal Plant PopGen Submit Pipeline

American Society of Animal Science – Canadian Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting and Trade Show – July 8-12, 2018 – Vancouver, British Columbia

Lauren Engels ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient
The Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition on Fetal Brain Development

Helenrose Iannitti ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient
Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition during Gestation on Oxidative Stress in Offspring Muscle

Veronica Pleasant ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel recipient
The Effects of Maternal Milk Production on Dairy Calf Growth and Health

SACNAS 2018 – The National Diversity in STEM Conference – October 11-13, 2018 – San Antonio, TX

Vinayak Mishra ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Cellular Response to Biodegradable Stent in Vascular Bioreactor

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting – October 17-20, 2018 – Atlanta, GA

Amanda Johnson ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Assembly of Compact Neurostimulator Circuit Board for Neuroprosthetic Applications

Alexandra Liberti ’19 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Characterization of Tissue Response in Rodent Spinal Cords by Immunofluorescence Staining

Fawaz Mohsin ’21 (ENG & BUS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Vascular Laser Thermolysis of Blood Vessels Varying in Size

Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Annual Meeting – November 3-7, 2018 – San Diego, CA 

Skyler Sklenarik ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Behavioral Biases in People at Risk for Problematic Gambling and Pornography Use

Nathalia Hernandez ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Observational Learning in Rats: Effects of Number and Quality of Observations

Kyrstyn Jenkins ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Evaluating Mechanisms of Reward Enhancement by Nicotine in Humans

National Council of Family Relations Annual Conference – November 7-10 – San Diego, CA

Kalea Coles ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Child Birth Weight and Reading Skills: A Moderation by Race

SENTAC Conference – November 30-December 2, 2018 – Houston, TX

Anika Makol ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Pediatric Nasal Burns During Operative Cautery; Are Aural Speculums More Protective than Nasal Speculums? – A Retrospective Chart Review

• SURF 2019: Program Updates

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SURF logoWith the SURF 2019 application cycle underway, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight some updates and changes to this year’s SURF program. SURF continues to offer students from across the academic disciplines the opportunity to focus full-time on a research or creative project for 9-10 weeks over the summer.

Updates for 2019

New Application Management System

We are using the UConn Quest Portal, a new application management system powered by SurveyMonkey Apply, to collect, process, and review SURF applications for summer 2019. This new system will allow students to complete the various components of the SURF application in the most appropriate order for them and to make edits as needed prior to submission of their application.

  • Letters of Recommendation. As before, two letters of recommendation are required for the SURF application.
    • Student applicants must request recommendation letters through the application system by entering the name and email address of the faculty members who have agreed to write letters on their behalf. The system will send the recommenders an individual link for recommendation submission.
    • Faculty recommenders will receive an email from the Quest Portal on behalf of the student who is requesting a letter of recommendation. Both first and second recommenders will submit their letters through the portal by uploading a PDF file. Faculty who are serving as the project supervisor (1st recommender) will also be asked to answer a series of research compliance questions.

Application Reminders (See the full application outline here)

  • Budget reminders. Students should visit the Budget Policies and Samples page for detailed guidance about allowable expenses (now including maximum dollar amounts for expenses like poster printing) and examples of budgets that show the appropriate level of detail.
    • Student requesting stipend as part of a Plan A or Plan C budget should be careful to use accurate stipend language as noted on the Budget Policies page.
    • Faculty advisors of students conducting laboratory research: Please work with your advisee to ensure s/he has accurate information about the costs of lab supplies that can be procured through university purchasing channels and contracts.
  • Timeline reminders. Student should visit the Sample Timeline page for guidance on developing a detailed timeline. The SURF proposal timeline should clearly indicate start and end dates, the anticipated number of project work hours each week, and a week-by-week listing of planned project milestones.
  • Research Compliance reminders. Students and faculty should note that research compliance approvals are complex and take significant time. Please plan accordingly. While the necessary approvals are not required at the application stage, students should be aware that SURF funding will not be disbursed until all necessary compliance documents have been submitted to OUR, and that SURF awards will be rescinded if documentation is not received by the stated deadline. Both faculty and students are reminded to take care in reading the series of questions concerning biological materials as this category encompasses a wide range of items.

ESTA Requirement/Documentation of Safety Training

Students proposing SURF project work that will take place in a setting with hazards such as a lab, theater, or studio will be required to complete the Employee Safety Training Assessment (ESTA) with their faculty mentor to determine which safety training courses are required in order to work where hazards are present.

  • Student applicants will be asked about completion of the ESTA in the Research Compliance section of the application. We encourage students to complete the ESTA with their faculty supervisor prior to submitting their application.
  • Information on how to document completion of the ESTA and completion of the indicated training/registration for upcoming training is available on OUR’s Safety Training page.

SURF Mailing List. Students planning to apply for SURF can sign up for the SURF Mailing List to receive helpful application tips via email.

We look forward to another excellent set of SURF applications this year! The application deadline is Monday, February 4, 2019. We encourage all students to make use of SURF Office Hours to seek feedback on their draft materials and to ask any questions they might have about the program or the application. SURF Office Hours are scheduled for 1/22, 1/25, and 1/28. Full detail about times and location can be found in the sidebar on the main SURF webpage.

Photos of SURF recipients

• Congratulations, 2019 SHARE Award Recipients!

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We are delighted to announce the 15 student-faculty teams selected to receive awards for Spring 2019. Congratulations to all award recipients!

SHARE Awards support undergraduate research apprenticeships in the social sciences, humanities, and arts, offering students majoring in these fields opportunities to develop inquiry skills and explore research interests early in their college careers.

Project Title: Exploring the Upper Crust of Mesopotamian Society: An Archaeological Study of Bread Production at Tell Leilan
Student Apprentice: Stephen Baker, Anthropology and Physiology & Neurobiology
Faculty Mentor: Alexia Smith, Anthropology

Project Title: Head vs. Heart Beliefs: Comparing Intuitive and Rational Cognitive Judgments
Student Apprentice: Erin Blake, IMJR: Mental Health & Well-Being
Faculty Mentor: Crystal Park, Psychological Sciences

Project Title: Post-traumatic Growth in Eating Disorder Recovery
Student Apprentice: Michelle Franklin, Nursing
Faculty Mentor: Carrie Eaton, Nursing

Project Title: Study of Language and Math – Mapping Abilities and Math Fluency in Hearing and Deaf Children
Student Apprentice: Caroline Hebert, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences and Cognitive Science
Faculty Mentor: Marie Coppola, Psychological Sciences

Project Title: “Advice and Consent” or “Search and Destroy?”: The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Review of U.S. Supreme Court Nominations in the Era of Party Polarization
Student Apprentice: John Kelly, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Bergendahl, Political Science

Project Title: The Scholio Project: Designing Online News Comments to Promote Intellectual Humility in Public Discourse
Student Apprentice: Addison Kimber, Political Science and Biology
Faculty Mentor: Michael Morrell, Political Science

Project Title: Justice in the Dark: How Secretively Funded Campaign Advertisements Shape Judicial Campaigns
Student Apprentice: Hollianne Lao, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Virginia Hettinger, Political Science

Project Title: The PRISM Project: A Mindfulness Intervention on Substance Abuse
Student Apprentice: Kasey Macedo, Psychological Sciences and Human Development & Family Studies
Faculty Mentor: Beth Russell, Human Development & Family Studies

Project Title: Preterm Infant Feeding Type in Relation to Neurobehavioral Development Outcomes and Performances in the NICU
Student Apprentice: Effie Makris, Nursing
Faculty Mentor: Xiaomei Cong, Nursing

Project Title: Musical Rhythm and Nationalism in the Eastern Bloc
Student Apprentice: Maria Mandoiu, Music History and Anthropology
Faculty Mentor: Daniel Goldberg, Music

Project Title: Patterns of African American Life in Post War Hartford (1940-2010)
Student Apprentice: Chloe Murphy, Africana Studies
Faculty Mentor: Fiona Vernal, History and Africana Studies

Project Title: Puerto Rican Heritage Trail
Student Apprentice: Alejandro Rodriguez, History
Faculty Mentor: Anne Gebelein, Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Project Title: Digitizing the Paper Trail: Enslaved and Freedpeople in The Spanish Empire
Student Apprentice: Jenifer Rojas Orellana, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Ricardo Salazar-Rey, History

Project Title: Can Inclusive Education Programs Reduce Racial and Gender Discrimination in the Labor Market?
Student Apprentice: Mary Vlamis, Economics and Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Jorge Aguero, Economics

Project Title: Stratified Model Minorities: Educational Experiences and Social Mobility of Chinese Immigrants from Taishan and Fuzhou
Student Apprentice: Jingya Zhu, Sociology and Communication
Faculty Mentor: Simon Cheng, Sociology

• Deadlines Approaching for Summer 2019 Research Opportunities

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Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get valuable research experience this summer. Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research program should be preparing applications and requesting letters of recommendation now! Check out the following summer research programs with late January and early February deadlines.

NORC Summer Intern Program – University of Chicago
Deadline: January 18, 2019
http://www.norc.org/WorkingAtNORC/Pages/internship-programs.aspx
This 9-week paid summer internship is designed for upper level undergraduate students with an interest in social science research. The program introduces interns to the design, implementation and analysis of large surveys. Students will have the opportunity to learn the principles of survey research from leading practitioners while exploring recent innovations in data collection techniques and the integration of survey data with other types of data.

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies – Summer REU Program in Translational Ecology
Deadline: January 25, 2019
http://www.caryinstitute.org/students/reu-program
Cary Institute’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides the opportunity for 8-12 students each summer to conduct ecology research at a world-class institute. Students selected for this 12-week program receive a $6,600 stipend, a $900 food allowance and housing in an Institute dormitory.

NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) – Bay Area Environmental Research Institute
Deadline: January 30, 2019
https://baeri.org/sarp/
This 8-week summer internship program is targeted at rising seniors with a strong background in any of the physical, chemical, or biological sciences, mathematics or engineering and an interest in applying their background to the study of the Earth system. Research areas include atmospheric chemistry, air quality, forest ecology, and ocean biology. SARP participants will acquire hands-on research experience using one or more NASA Airborne Science Program flying science laboratories. $5,000 stipend and housing provided.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP)
Deadline: January 31, 2019
https://crissp.research.chop.edu/
The CHOP Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) is committed to educating and training future leaders in the biomedical sciences, with a special emphasis on advancing laboratory, clinical, behavioral and translational pediatric research. Summer stipend of $4,000 and housing provided.

Summer Internships in Science and Technology (SIST) – Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
Deadline: February 1, 2019
http://diversity.fnal.gov/sist/
Fermilab’s SIST program offers 12-week summer internships in science and technology. Internships available in physics, engineering (mechanical, electrical and computer), materials science, mathematics and computer science offer a chance for students to conduct research with Fermilab scientists and engineers.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program – Gerstner Sloan Kettering
Deadline: February 1, 2019
http://www.sloankettering.edu/summer-undergraduate-research-program
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering sponsors a 10-week summer research program for undergraduate students who are interested in the biomedical sciences. This is a competitive program that accepts 20 students. Applicants must have research experience. $6,000 stipend and housing provided.

SAO REU Summer Intern Program (contingent on funding by NSF)
Deadline: February 1, 2019
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/opportunities/reu//overview.html
The SAO Summer intern program is a research experience for undergraduates where students work on an astrophysics research project under the supervision of an SAO or Harvard scientist. Undergraduates interested in astronomy, astrophysics, physics, or related physical sciences are encouraged to apply. The 10-week program takes place at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Deadline: February 1, 2019
http://www.stjude.org/poe
This program provides a short-term training experience in either laboratory research or clinical research. Students will be matched with a faculty mentor and will participate in the mentor’s ongoing research projects. Qualified students with an interest in cancer research are encouraged to apply. $400/week stipend provided to selected students.

NSF-REU Internships in Astronomy – Maria Mitchell Observatory
Deadline: February 1, 2019
http://www.mmo.org/get-involved/internships/reu
Six REU internship positions are available for qualified undergraduate astronomy and physics students. These positions provide students the opportunity to conduct independent research supervised by a senior staff member of MMO. $2,000 per month stipend and housing provided.

REU Program in Solar and Space Physics – University of Colorado Boulder
Deadline: February 4, 2019
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/education/reu/
This 10-week summer REU program targets students with an interest in solar and space physics. Students work under the direction of scientists from one of a number of participating institutions, including Colorado’s Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics and the High Altitude Observatory. $500/week stipend and housing provided.

Undergraduate Summer Fellowship Program in Vision Science, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester
Deadline: February 4, 2019
http://www.cvs.rochester.edu/training/undergraduate/fellowships/index.html
Rising juniors and seniors with an interest in neuroscience, cognitive science and biomedical science are encouraged to apply for this summer of supervised laboratory training. $4,000 stipend and on-campus housing provided.

SENS Research Foundation (SRF) Summer Scholars Program
Deadline: February 4, 2019
http://www.sens.org/education/research-opportunities/srf-summer-scholars-program
This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct biomedical research under the guidance of a scientific mentor. Paid positions are available at a number of research institutions including Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Stanford University and Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Full descriptions of each research project can be found at the website link above.

• Apply Now for Summer 2019 Research Opportunities

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Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research or internship program need to plan ahead. December is the time to gather together all the required elements of the applications, including faculty letters of recommendation. All of the exciting summer opportunities listed below have application deadlines in December or January! Check out the programs below and consider if any would fit with your research goals and interests.

DAAD RISE – Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany
Deadline: Applications are due by December 15, 2018; Letters of Reference are due by December 22, 2018; https://www.daad.de/rise/en/
DAAD RISE gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering, and physics the chance to spend a summer working on research projects with doctoral students at German universities and research institutions. Interested students must first register online between November 1, 2018 and December 15, 2018. Student application materials must be submitted by December 15, 2018, with letters of reference due December 22, 2018.

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program (MLEF)
Deadline: December 17, 2018; http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/
The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy. It is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.

Summer Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SNURF) – University of Vermont
Deadline: January 6, 2019; https://www.med.uvm.edu/neuro/snurf
Two summer research programs will be hosted by the University of Vermont’s Department of Neurological Sciences. One is funded by NSF and the other by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Both offer generous stipends and housing. Interested students may apply to only one of the two programs. Details available on the website.

Summer Research Experience Program in Cancer Science – Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Deadline: January 10, 2019; https://www.roswellpark.org/education/summer-programs/college-students
This 10-week summer research program is open to students who are college juniors or junior-equivalents (credit-wise) at the time of application and who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree towards a biomedical research career. Areas of research include, but are not limited to: cancer biophysics, tumor immunology, cancer genetics, molecular pharmacology. Selected students will be working in a Roswell Park department alongside professional researchers and graduate students.

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Deadline: January 10, 2019; https://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at one of 17 participating Department of Energy laboratories.

Cold Spring Harbor Undergraduate Summer Research Program 2019
Deadline: January 15, 2019; https://www.cshl.edu/education/undergraduate-research-program
The URP program is designed to give students an opportunity to conduct first-rate research under the supervision of senior laboratory staff in the areas of cancer biology, neuroscience, plant biology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics, and genomics. Selected students receive room and board in addition to a $5,500 stipend.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships
Deadline: January 15, 2019; http://thinkswiss.tumblr.com/About
ThinkSwiss scholarships support highly motivated undergraduates who are interested in doing research at a public Swiss university or research institute. The scholarship is open to students in all fields. A monthly stipend of approximately $1,600 is provided for a period of 2-3 months.

Summer ORISE Fellowship Opportunities at the CDC
Deadline: January 18, 2019; http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/orise.html
Appointments through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship Program. Undergraduate students majoring in the applied sciences may apply. Biology and chemistry majors are preferred. Stipend of approximately $2,900 per month for undergraduate students.

Arecibo Observatory REU Summer Program
Deadline: January 25, 2019 (online application); February 1, 2019 (supporting documents); http://outreach.naic.edu/ao/reut
Students selected for this 10-week summer research opportunity will work with staff scientists at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico on projects related to ongoing research or instrumentation development. Applicants must be a US citizen or permanent resident and must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program during Fall 2019. Strong candidates will be students majoring in astronomy, physics, computer science, and electrical engineering. Stipend of $450 per week.

Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) – Columbia University
Deadline: January 31, 2019; http://ps.columbia.edu/education/student-life/office-diversity/programs/college-and-post-baccalaureate-students/summer-publ
The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in public health and biomedical science careers. Applicants must have completed at least two years of college. Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Approximately 40 students will be selected to participate. Students will receive a stipend, housing, and round trip travel.

Summer Undergraduate Program in Engineering Research at Berkeley (SUPERB)
Deadline: January 31, 2019; https://eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/research/superb
The SUPERB Computer and Information Science and Engineering program provides undergraduates with the opportunity to work on research projects focused on using Big Data. This 9-week program is open to rising juniors or seniors who have completed some upper division course work in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. Stipend of $4,500, housing, meals, and $600 travel allowance provided.

• Student Accomplishments – May 2018

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accomplishments-heading

Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in spring 2018. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.

AWARDS

Congratulations to Colby Buehler ’18 (ENG), Sydney Carr ’18 (CLAS), Vince Pistritto ’18 (CLAS, SFA), and Daniel Wackelin ’18 (ENG), the undergraduate recipients of 2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! They are among the 12 UConn students and alumni who won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships this year. Three other talented undergraduate researchers, Amy Robinson ’18 (ENG), Nicholas Russo ’18 (CLAS), and Nicholas Oliveira ’18 (ENG) received Honorable Mention recognition.

Naseem Sardashti ’18 (ENG), an undergraduate research in the Health Research Program working under the guidance of Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar, was awarded 3rd place at the 2018 Northeast Bioengineering Conference for her and her team’s work on the synthesis of hybrid skin models for product evaluation.

PUBLICATIONS

Jamasia Williams ’20 (CLAS), a participant in the Work-Study Research Assistant Program, was a co-author on a recent publication based on research conducted with Dr. Molly Waring:

Waring, M.E., Jake-Schoffman, D.E., Holovatska, M.M., Mejia, C., Williams, J.C., & Pagoto, S.L.(2018). Social media and obesity in adults: a review of recent research and future directions. Current Diabetes Reports, 18:34. doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-1001-9.

 

EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS

Spring 2018 included a series of art exhibitions and screenings by the following undergraduate students:

Matthew Bilmes ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Exit: A Short Film

Kiana Cao ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
An Examination of Immigration: A look into Buddhism, Community & Refugees

Yanlin (Eva) Hu ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
CHU: A Solo Exhibition of Ceramic Sculpture

James Keth ’19 (SFA, CLAS) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
The Khmer – A Personal Journey: On being Cambodian American

Austin MacDonald ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient & UConn Co-op Legacy Fellow
Prodigal: The Sentinel’s Garden

Emy Regan ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Clementine: The Adventures at Foxhead Manor

  • Exit Film Screening Promo Image

PRESENTATIONS

Joint Mathematics Meetings – January 10-13, 2018 – San Diego, CA

Rajeshwari Majumdar ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Applications of Multiplicative LLN and CLT for Random Matrices

Anthony Sisti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Black-Scholes Using The Central Limit Theorem

Plant and Animal Genome XXVI Conference – January 13-17, 2018 – San Diego, CA

Madison Caballero ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Designing a Genotyping Array for Genomic Selection in Loblolly Pine

Alexander Trouern-Trend ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Comparative Genomics of the Juglandacea

Maria Antony
Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR)

Conference on Electronic and Advanced Materials – January 17-19, 2018 – Orlando, FL

Hope Whitelock ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Real Nanoparticles Have Curves: Exploring the Polar Phase Transition Topology in Superellipsoidal Nanoparticles

International Stroke Conference – January 23-26, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA 

Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR) – ISC Junior Investigator Travel Award recipient
Oral presentation: Restoration of MiRNA MiR-181c-5p–Rescue From the Detrimental Effect of Social Isolation in the Mice Subjected to Ischemic Stroke 

Ocean Sciences Meeting – February 11-16, 2018 – Portland, OR

Jessica Hinckley presenting her research poster.
Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS)

Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Investigating Dissolved Gas Concentrations and Alkalinity in a Long Island Sound Time Series

International Neuropsychological Society Conference – February 14-17, 2018 – Washington, DC

Debra Tomasino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Informant Report of Cognitive Functioning in Geriatric Depression: Correlates with Objective Cognitive Tests and Structural Imaging

Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting – February 22-25, 2018, Baltimore, MD 

Caroline Brooks ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient

Caroline Brooks
Caroline Brooks ’18 (CLAS)
Savannah-Nicole Villalba presenting her poster.
Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS)

Cross Sectional Time Series Analysis on the Impacts of Race on Homeownership

Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS)
A Healthy Food Inventory of Waterbury, CT

Eastern Psychological Association Meeting – March 1-3, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA 

Allison Arnista ’18 (CLAS) & Kyrstyn Jenkins ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Evaluating Mechanisms of Reward Enhancement by Nicotine in Humans

Dilsara Liyanage
Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS)

Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The EEG Mu Rhythm and Language Abilities in 18- and 24-Month-Olds

Morgan Livingston ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Longitudinal Outcome of Attention Modification Training for Social Anxiety

Adam Mealy ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Longitudinal Stability of Hostile Attention Allocation, Attention Bias, and Hostility Symptoms

Michelle Padua ’18 (CLAS) & Skyler Sklenarik ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Behavioral Biases in People at Risk for Problematic Gambling

Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting – March 16-18, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA

Benjamin Redenti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Risk Stratification System for Use in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) and Correlation with Adverse Events During Hospital Admissions

Margaux Verlaque-Amara ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Impact of State-By-State Adoption of Key Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Provisions on PED Patients

American Chemical Society National Meeting – March 18-22, 2018 – New Orleans, LA 

Caroline Anastasia ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Multicomponent Flexible Film of Organometallic Polymers with Polyimide as High k and Low Loss Dielectric

Northeast Writing Center Association Conference – March 24-25, 2018 – Worcester, MA

Joseph Greenwald ’18 (BUS), Daniel Johnson ’18 (CLAS), & Kaylee Thurlow ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Cracking the Code: A Method for Designing and Implementing a Writing Center Honor Code

Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) & Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Assessing Our Practice: A Writing Center Fellow-To-Fellow Support System

Kharl Reynado and Odia Kane presenting at NEWCA.
Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) and Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS)

Anneliese Lapides ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Reassessing Our Responses to the Everyday Language of Oppression

Sierra Rice ’18 (ED) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Hosting a Regional Middle and High School Conference: A Practical Model

Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting – March 24-27, 2018 – Boston, MA

Roisin Healy ’19 (CLAS) & Jonathan Serino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Understanding “Thunder” is More Difficult than “Rainbow” when Performing a Concurrent Auditory Task

Northeast Bioengineering Conference – March 28-30, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA

Garrett Soler ’18 (ENG)
An Economical & Ergonomic Hydrocephalus Software System

New England Science Symposium – April 8, 2018 – Boston, MA

Brian Aguilera ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
CD13 Promotes Tunneling Nanotube Formation and Cell-cell Communication in Human Endothelial Cells and Mouse Primary Macrophages

Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Scientific Sessions – April 11-13, 2018 – Newark, NJ

Courtney Lopiano ’18 (NUR)
A Battle on Opiates: The NICU Nurse’s Perspective on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting – April 20, 2018 – Hartford, CT

Kayla Hope presenting her research poster.
Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR)

Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
What Type 1 Diabetes Nutrition Advice is Being Shared on Twitter and Who is Sharing It?

Experimental Biology Conference – April 21-25, 2018 – San Diego, CA

Jordyn Dickey ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Analysis of Physiology and Neurobiology (PNB) 2265 Course Redesign

 

• 2018 Mentorship Excellence Awards

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In recognition of the pivotal role that mentors play in supporting undergraduate research and creative activity, the Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the recipents of the 2018 Mentorship Excellence Awards. These awards recognize two faculty members – one in a STEM field, and one in a non-STEM field – and one graduate student who exemplify the ways in which outstanding mentors challenge and support their students, enabling them to take intellectual risks and achieve milestones they might not have initially envisioned being able to reach.

The 2018 Mentorship Excellence Awards were presented to Andrea Voyer, Nicholas Eddy, and Laura Mickelsen during the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition on Friday, April 13, 2018.

Andrea Voyer, Assistant Professor, Sociology
Professor Voyer’s award was presented by Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Savannah-Nicole’s presentation remarks.

Savannah-Nicole Villalba presents plaque to awardee Andrea Voyer.
Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Andrea Voyer.

I had Dr. Voyer for one of the required classes for our major, social theory. Dr. Voyer gracefully worked us through the dense theories of 19th century sociologists. It was my first time engaging with sociological theory, and many of us were struggling to understand the concepts. Dr. Voyer was patient with us as we tried to make connections to the material. She was encouraging so that we weren’t afraid of being wrong, and was personable in a way that encouraged students to work harder.

This mentality was one that she brought with her when we began the IDEA Grant application process. When we started discussing the possibility of applying, she did not bring me in to work on something she was interested in. In our first meeting, she asked me what I was passionate about and I could tell she genuinely cared. Dr. Voyer was the first person to believe in my passions and to tell me that my research questions were valid. We spent months working on the application process, and when the grant was approved, I knew it would not have been possible without her guidance.

With her own incredible research and personal life, she has always been accessible to discuss the newest challenge I faced. Instead of just providing answers, she would offer suggestions on ways to problem solve to reach reasonable solutions. Even though Dr. Voyer has been away this school year, she has helped me apply (and be accepted) to graduate school, supported (and protected) me at my first research conference, and has shown me what an academic mentor should be.

Nicholas Eddy, Assistant Professor in Residence, Chemistry
Professor Eddy’s award was presented by Pranjali Ichalkaranje ’18 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Pranjali’s presentation remarks.

Pranjali Ichalkaranje presents plaque to awardee Nicholas Eddy.
Pranjali Ichalkaranje ’18 (CLAS) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Nicholas Eddy.

Research with Dr. Eddy has been the most rewarding experience I could have wished for as an undergraduate. I was able to grow tremendously by obtaining knowledge and skills applicable not only in research but also other aspects of life. In terms of research, teaching an undergraduate student with experience in life sciences but limited knowledge in Organic Chemistry was a challenging task that Dr. Eddy took on with no hesitation.

I was challenged each day, whether it was mixing a solution or reading articles with little background on the material. He was not afraid to hold me to a higher standard and push me beyond my limits, allowing me to put classroom knowledge into practice and increase my critical thinking and problem solving skills. He encouraged me to read, write, ask questions, and – most importantly – make mistakes. Though I made more than he agrees to, he offered reassuring and constructive feedback each time. Most importantly, he made sure I had everything I needed to succeed in anything I put my mind to – a role he took on as my mentor.

My research experience opened my eyes to career opportunities in research and medicine. I have been able to grow immensely as a scientist, researcher, student, writer, teacher and an overall individual.

Dr. Eddy represents the diligence, passion and commitment that students, scientists and teachers need on a daily basis. He puts his students, researchers and colleagues before himself. He is the highlight of the students’ day, and a source of comfort for many as they embark on their undergraduate experience.

Laura Mickelsen, Ph.D. Candidate, Physiology and Neurobiology, Jackson Laboratory
Laura was presented with her award by Eric Beltrami ’19 (CLAS) and Jacob Naparstek ’18 (CLAS), two of the undergraduate researchers who work under her supervision in the Jackson lab. The following text is excerpted from Eric’s presentation remarks.

Photo of James Costanzo, Jacob Naparstek, awardee Laura Mickelsen, Eric Beltrami, and Alexander Jackson.
Award winner Laura Mickelsen, center, is pictured with undergraduate researchers James Costanzo, Jacob Naparstek, and Eric Beltrami, as well as Professor Alexander Jackson.

Laura is an incredible scientist and speaker, and she has made an effort to help develop those skills in us. She challenges us to explain our projects and try to troubleshoot our setbacks independently so that when we present our work we are prepared to take ownership of what we did and understand the scientific process behind it thoroughly.

Laura’s exceptional mentorship is not limited to guidance in our research projects. Laura has fostered a family of people who deeply care about one another… and the lateral hypothalamus. Laura makes coming to lab not only incredibly productive but also fun. With her effortless humor and kind heart she has made lab somewhere we look forward to going every day. She never hesitates to make sure we are keeping up in our courses and ask us about our extracurricular involvement. It is clear to us that she cares about our personal lives and is always there to provide us guidance in our daily life and about our career goals. I can honestly say that Laura’s mentorship was a major factor in my decision to pursue a career in which I can make research a part of my life.

Laura, whatever path you take on your journey to success will be an amazing and rewarding one because of your incredible dedication and love for what you do. I am constantly inspired by your personal drive and ability to master such a diverse set of skills. James, Jake and I cannot thank you enough for everything.

Congratulations to the 2018 award recipients! The Office of Undergraduate Research thanks the undergraduate students who nominated their faculty and graduate student mentors as well as the Peer Research Ambassadors who served on this year’s selection committee.

• Congratulations, 2018 SURF Award Recipients!

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SURF logo 2The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the selection of 59 undergraduate students to receive SURF Awards in support of their summer undergraduate research projects.

Click here to view the full list of Summer 2018 SURF awardees.

Congratulations, SURF awardees! Your academic achievements, curiosity, initiative, and motivation were evident in your applications. You have an exciting summer of deep engagement with the process of academic inquiry ahead of you. We look forward to hearing about all you learn and discover!

We thank the faculty members who supported SURF applicants in a range of roles: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members. SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. This program would not be possible without the support and participation of the UConn faculty!

OUR also extends thanks to SURF supporters in the UConn community. We are grateful to the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and to the Deans of the Schools and Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; Engineering; Fine Arts; Nursing; and Pharmacy, who all contributed funding to the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. This collaborative funding effort ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of undergraduate research endeavors. We are grateful to all of our program partners for making intensive summer research opportunities available to students seeking to enrich their undergraduate experience in this way.

Once again, congratulations to the recipients of 2018 SURF awards, and good luck with your summer projects!

• Congratulations, Spring 2018 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients!

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Congratulations to the 40 UConn undergraduates who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants in the spring 2018 funding cycle! 26 of the award recipients will be completing individual projects, and 14 will be working on collaborative group projects.

The award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from graphic design to history, animal science to biomedical engineering. They will conduct independent research, create art exhibitions and short films, design prototypes, and develop programs that engage the University community.

Click here to view the full list of spring 2018 UConn IDEA Grant award recipients.

Special thanks to the faculty and staff that supported student applications to the UConn IDEA Grant and to those who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects.

The UConn IDEA Grant program awards funding to support self-designed projects including artistic endeavors, community service initiatives, research projects, prototyping and entrepreneurial ventures, and other creative and innovative projects. Undergraduates in all majors at all UConn campuses can apply. Applications are accepted twice per year from individuals and from small groups who plan to work collaboratively on a project. The next application deadline will be in December 2018.

• Congratulations, Fall 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients!

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Congratulations to the nineteen UConn undergraduates who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants in the fall 2017 funding cycle! Thirteen of the award recipients will be completing individual projects, and six will be working on collaborative group projects.

The award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from nursing to puppetry, biomedical engineering to ecology and evolutionary biology. They will conduct independent research projects; produce documentaries, novels, and creative nonfiction pieces; design prototypes; and engage in service initiatives.

Click here to view the full list of fall 2017 UConn IDEA Grant award recipients.

Special thanks to the faculty and staff that supported student applications to the UConn IDEA Grant and to those who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects.

The UConn IDEA Grant program awards funding to support self-designed projects including artistic endeavors, community service initiatives, traditional research projects, entrepreneurial ventures, and other creative and innovative projects. Undergraduates in all majors at all UConn campuses can apply. Applications are accepted twice per year from individuals and from small groups who plan to work collaboratively on a project. The next application deadline is March 12, 2018.