2016 Poster Sessions

Julia Graham ’16, Grace Peralta ’16 and Bryn Gingrich ’16
Advancing the Mill River Greenway Initiative: Creating a Social and Ecological Space Along the Mill River; poster session deriving from classwork and environmental science and policy capstone project with Alexander Barron, assistant professor of environmental science and policy, Gaby Immerman, laboratory instructor in biological sciences and Gary Hartwell, project manager of facilities management

Jenny Banh ’18 and Sarah Thalheimer ’18
Force Chains in Granular Materials: Outcomes and Applications; poster session deriving from STRIDE and AEMES research with Nalini Easwar, professor of physics

Sarah Elghazoly ’19 and Christina Kielczewska ’19
Pulsed Power Supply for Powering a Magnetic Induction Ring Launcher; poster session deriving from AEMES research with Joyce Palmer-Fortune, lecturer and laboratory instructor of physics

Victoria Schein ’16 and Yuqing Zhu ’19
High-Precision Measurement of Mineral Refractive Indices Using a Laser Refractometer; poster session deriving from special studies with Doreen Weinberger, professor of physics and John Brady, Mary Elizabeth Moses Professor of Geosciences

Cathy Gu ’18 and Lucy Liang ’17
Measuring the Magnetic-Field-Orientation-Dependent Specific Heat of a Two-Dimensional Superconductor; poster session deriving from SURF research with Nathanael Fortune, professor of physics

Isabelle Bunge ’18
Exploring Phase Change Materials to Improve Solar Energy Collection – Solar Water Heating and Other Novel Applications; poster session deriving from STRIDE research with Joyce Palmer-Fortune, lecturer and laboratory instructor in physics

Tia Karapoulios ’16
Predictors of Basketball Performance: Wing Span Versus Vertical Jump; poster session deriving from special studies with Karen Riska, lecturer of exercise and sport studies and Jim Johnson, professor of exercise and sport studies

Liza Halpin ’16 and Rosangelica Perez ’16
Modulatory Effects of Withania somnifera on the Human Glycine Receptor; poster session deriving from thesis work with Adam Hall, professor of biological sciences

Jennifer Christensen ‘GS
Oxytocin in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala and Female Meadow Vole Seasonal Sociality; poster session deriving from graduate research with Annaliese Beery, assistant professor of psychology

Katherine Freitas ’16
Species, Day Length, and Cohabitation: Differences in Aggression in the Microtine Model; poster session deriving from special studies with Annaliese Beery, assistant professor of psychology

Mariana Villalobos-Ortiz ’16
Investigating the Neuroprotective Effects of Acetaminophen in a C. Elegans Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease; poster session deriving from special studies with Lisa Mangiamele, assistant professor of biological sciences and Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Emily Ohrtman ’16 and Meri Millman ’16
The Developmental Effects of Sibling Groups in Foster Care Children; poster session deriving from special studies with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Emilie Jones ’18, Linnea Hetland ’18J, Shuqi Brenda Mao ’18 and Susie Park ’19
Effects of BPS on Zebrafish Behavior and Physiology; poster session deriving from classwork with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Erin Walch ’16 and Varsha Subramaniam ’17
Modulation of Propofol-Enhanced GABAa Receptor Currents in the Presence of Novel Anesthetic Agents 2,6 Dimethylcyclohexanol and 2,6 Diisopropylcyclohexanol; poster session deriving from thesis work with Adam Hall, professor of biological sciences

Denicia Peterson ’17, Jordan Isaacs ’18, Zoe Rubinstein ’18 and Alyson Daniels ’17
Hippocampus Plasticity; poster session deriving from classwork with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Sarah Smith ’18, Ku-Nung Lin ’18 and Brigit McDannell ’18
Assessing the Toxicological Effects of Pyriproxyfen on Embryonic Zebrafish Brain Development and Behavior Related to Symptoms Characteristic of Microcephaly; poster session deriving from classwork with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Reja Javed ’18, Caroline Labriola ’18, Ivana William ’18 and Donna Mosley ‘AC
Effects of Circadian Disruption and a High Fat Diet on Fat Tissue Morphology; poster session deriving from special studies, AEMES and interterm research with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Sarah Lopez ’17 and Katrina Blandino ’17
The Use of Operant Conditioning to Assess the Presence of Affiliation Between Peer Meadow Voles; poster session deriving from classwork with Annaliese Beery, assistant professor of psychology

Nicole Lee ‘GS
Peer Affiliation in a Promiscuous and a Monogamous Vole Species; poster session deriving from independent graduate research with Annaliese Beery, assistant professor of psychology

Erika Correll ’16
The Role of the LOFC and MOFC in Alcohol Seeking in Adult Rats; poster session deriving from independent research at University of Massachusetts, Amherst with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology and David Moorman, assistant professor of psychology at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Fortunate Chifamba ’16, Wanqi Wang ’17 and Marilyn Romero ’17
Assessing the Effect of Voluntary Wheel Running on Glucose Tolerance in Circadian Disrupted Female Mice; poster session deriving from special studies with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology and Polly Molyneux, research assistant of psychology

Olivia Mallari ’16
The Role of the Orexin System in the Incubation of Alcohol Craving in Rats?; poster session deriving from thesis work with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology and David Moorman, assistant professor of psychology at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Shelby Hall ’18, Maya Salvio ’18, Anja Nordstrom ’18 and Farah Samawi ’19
The Effect of Prallethrin on Zebrafish Morphology; poster session deriving from classwork with Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in Life Sciences and professor of psychology

Heather Upin ’16
A Study of the Geochemical and Geomorphologic Evidence for Prehistoric Floods from Paulina Lake in Newberry Crater, Central Oregon; poster session deriving from thesis work with Robert Newton, professor of geosciences

Hannah Francis ’16
Experiments Investigating Retention of Sodium in Peatlands Affected by Road-Salt Pollution; poster session deriving from thesis work with Amy Rhodes, associate professor of geosciences

Emily DiPadova ’16
Metamorphism and Assimilation of Xenoliths of the Cuillin Centre, Isle of Skye, Scotland; poster session deriving from thesis work with Mark Brandriss, senior lecturer of geosciences

Sydney Reyes Beattie ’19
Archaeological Geology of Limestones used by the Pre-Columbian Maya People of the Yucatan Peninsula; poster session deriving from early research projects with Bosiljka Glumac, professor of geosciences

Naomi Jahan ’18
Storm-Deposited Boulder Ridges on San Salvador Island, Bahamas in the Aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin; poster session deriving from special studies with Bosiljka Glumac, professor of geosciences and H. Allen Curran, William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Geology

Sarah Dickson ’16
Petrographic Analysis of Sandstones from the Cretaceous Nanushuk and Torok Formations, Slope Mountain, Alaska; poster session deriving from Keck Geology Consortium Project with Bosiljka Glumac, professor of geosciences

Eli Molitors Bergman ’17
Investigating Impacts of Slow Slip Events on GPS Station Velocity and Subduction Zone Coupling in Cascadia; poster session deriving from special studies with John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Sofia Johnson ’19
Investigating Earthquake Hazard of the Cascadia Subduction Zone and Surrounding Faults; poster session deriving from STRIDE research with John Loveless, associate professor of geosciences

Kimberly Du ’18
Microfossils from Arctic Alaska; poster session deriving from AEMES research with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Jessica Chang ’17 and Kaitlyn Klema ’16
Archaeocyathan Reefs of the Lower Cambrian Wood Canyon Formation, Death Valley, California; poster session deriving from classwork with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences and John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Emma Roth ’17
Ecological and Chemostratigraphic Analysis of Ordovician Coral Reefs; poster session deriving from special studies with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Claudia Deeg ’17
The Effect of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction on Calcium Carbonate Accumulation; poster session deriving from special studies with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Claudia Deeg ’17 and Ziqiu Zhang ’18
Unusual Fossil Preservation in the Lower Carrara Formation, Death Valley, NV; poster session deriving from classwork with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences and John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Courcelle Stark ’18
Modes of Preservation in the Lower Triassic Virgin Limestone Member of the Moenkopi Formation, Death Valley, California; poster session deriving from classwork with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences and John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Helena Tatgenhorst ’16 and Tessa Browne ‘AC
Investigating the Environmental Conditions that Fostered Oncoid Formation at the Lower-Middle Cambrian Transition, Carrara Formation, Death Valley, Nevada; poster session deriving from classowork with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences and John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Chiza Mwinde ’18
Unusual Seafloor-Precipitated Carbonate Fans of the Neoproterozoic Rainstorm Member, Johnnie Formation, Death Valley, California; poster session deriving from classwork with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences and John Loveless, assistant professor of geosciences

Sabrina Cordero ’19
Silicified Fossils in the Lower Permian Kaibab Formation, Southern Nevada; poster session deriving from AEMES research with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Emma Schlam ’16
Cambrian-Ordovician Carbon Isotopes; poster session deriving from special studies with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Lizzie Stephani ’18
The Enigmatic Ediacaran Fossil Cloudina: Mineralogy and Preservation; poster session deriving from AEMES research with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Tessa McGann ’16
New Archaeocyathan Reefs of the Lower Cambrian Wood Canyon Formation, Death Valley, USA; poster session deriving from thesis work with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Rhiannon Nolan ’19
New Investigations of Lower Cambrian Fossils of Southwestern Mongolia; poster session deriving from STRIDE research with Sara Pruss, associate professor of geosciences

Emily Volkmann ’16 and Mandy Castro ’17
Reef Composition of Belize Dive Site Mexico Rocks; poster session deriving from special studies with L. David Smith, professor of biological sciences and Denise Lello, coordinator of the Four College Biomathematics Consortium

Emily Volkmann ’16 and Mandy Castro ’17
Soft Coral Abundance and Diversity on Mexico Rocks in Belize; poster session deriving from special studies with L. David Smith, professor of biological sciences

Laura Henry ’16
Effect of Purple Spot Disease on Spicule Form and Abundance in Soft Coral, Gorgonia flabellum; poster session deriving from special studies with L. David Smith, professor of biological sciences

Elena Karlsen-Ayala ’16, Shabnam Kapur ’16, Laura Henry ’16, Mandy Castro ’17 and Emily Volkmann ’16
Coral Reef Ed-Ventures 2015: A Marine
Environmental Education Program in San Pedro, Belize; poster session deriving from summer internship with L. David Smith, professor of biological sciences and Denise Lello, coordinator of the Four College Biomathematics Consortium

Elena Karlsen-Ayala ’16, Shabnam Kapur ’16 and Sarita Chiu ’18
Migration Versus Mutualism: Can the Small-Ranged Endemic Plant Rhododendron catwabiense Form Specialized Ericoid mycorrhizae with Soil Fungi North of Its Native Range?; poster session deriving from thesis work with Jesse Bellemare, assistant professor of biological sciences

Jane Weinstock ’16
Tidal and Diel Vertical Migration of Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) Larvae in the Eastern Gulf of Maine; poster session deriving from special studies with L. David Smith, professor of biological sciences

Elizabeth Besozzi ’16
Bottom-up and Top-down Controls on Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) Distribution: A “Landscape of Fear” on the Forest Floor?; poster session deriving from SURF, special studies and thesis work with Jesse Bellemare, assistant professor of biological sciences and Lisa Mangiamele, assistant professor of biological sciences

Sam Goss ’18 and Lisa Utzig ’18
Hemlock Decline Due to Invasive Insect Attack Could Result in Net Carbon Release from the Forest Floor; poster session deriving from AEMES research with Jesse Bellemare, assistant professor of biological sciences

Natalie Smith ’16
Protein Engineering for Transferrin Receptor-Mediated Drug Delivery Across the Blood-Brain Barrier; poster session deriving from thesis work with Sarah Moore, assistant professor of engineering

Gina Mantica ’16
The Evolution of Androgen Receptor Distribution in the Spinal Cord to Support Specialized Sexual Displays: A Comparative Analysis Using Staurois parvus; poster session deriving from thesis work with Lisa Mangiamele, assistant professor of biological sciences

Gina Cho ’17
How Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Impact Development of the Pharyngeal System; poster session deriving from special studies with Michael Barresi, associate professor of biological sciences

Zoe Brian ’18J
Can Playgroups Reduce Stress Behaviors in Shelter Dogs?; poster session deriving from special studies with Virginia Hayssen, professor of biological sciences

Emma Becker ’18, Ziqiu Zhang ’18 and Dara Brena ’17
Intertidal Bully: Interference competition by Littorina littorea on L. obtusata; poster session deriving from special studies with Paulette Peckol, Louise C. Harrington Professor of Biological Sciences

Abigail Bergman ’18
Police Training Videos Applied to the Shooter Bias Phenomenon; poster session deriving from STRIDE research with Fletcher Blanchard, professor of psychology

Leen Ajlouni ’18, Abigail Bergman ’18 and Autumn Mineo ’19
Isolating and Characterizing Antibiotic Producing Bacteria from Soil from the MacLeish Field Station; poster session deriving from classwork with Jan Vriezen, laboratory instructor of biological sciences

Ria Deshpande ’16 and Sahar Aftab ’18
Investigating the Mechanism of Cytoplasmic Dynein by Comparing Microtubule Binding Domains; poster session deriving from thesis work with Nathan Derr, assistant professor of biological sciences

Sophie Dilek ’17 and Siphokazi Kargbo ’18
The Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Largemouth Bass from Northwest Missouri; poster session deriving from special studies with Robert Merritt, professor of biological sciences, Robert Newton, professor of geosciences, and Marc Anderson, laboratory instructor in chemistry

Liz Tan ’16
The Trans-Atlantic Cactus: Rhipsalis baccifera; poster session deriving from thesis work with Robert Merritt, professor of biological sciences, Laura Katz, Elsie Damon Simonds Professor of Biological Sciences, Robert Nicholson, conservatory manager of Botanic Garden of Smith College and Richard Briggs, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences

Erica Wan ’17 and Daniela Deny ’18
Investigating the Susceptibility of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli to Colicins; poster session deriving from special studies with Christine White-Ziegler, professor of biological sciences and Robert Dorit, professor of biological sciences

Caroline Keroack ’16G, Kalani Williams ’18, Kaela DeAngelis ’16, Eirini Tsekitsidou ’16, Xela Miller ’18 and Kate Fessler ’18
Assessing the Potential Spread of Seal Heartworm (Acanthocheilonema spirocauda) Using Molecular Techniques; poster session deriving from thesis work with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences

Eirini Tsekitsidou ’16, Caroline Keroack GS, Kalani Williams ’18, Kaela DeAngelis ’16, Kate Fessler ’18 and Xela Miller ’18
Investigating the Evolution of Wolbachia spp.-Derived Genes in the Genome of Wolbachia-Independent Filarial Nematodes; poster session deriving from thesis work and special studies with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences

Meghna Purkayastha ’16, Tiffani Chang ’16 and Stephanie Capsuto ’18
Neurolenin: Drug Development for Lymphatic Filariasis; poster session deriving from special studies work with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences and Kevin Shea, professor of chemistry

Katie McGeough ’16 and Megan Neubig ’17
Extraction and Functionalization of Neurolenins from Neurolaena lobata; poster session deriving from thesis work with Kevin Shea, professor of chemistry

Melissa Torres GS
An Evaluation of Immunoinformatics Predictions and the Biological Relevance of These Predictions to Identify Putative T cell Epitopes Against the Causative Agents of Lymphatic Filariasis; poster session deriving from thesis work with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences

Chalis Bird GS and Sofi Vergara ’19
Gastrointestinal Nematodes in South African Wildlife; poster session deriving from thesis work with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences

Amalia Sweet ’17 and Yael Tsitohay ’17J
Development of a Nuclear Extraction Protocol for Isolation of Filarial Nematode Transcription Factors; poster session deriving from special studies with Steven Williams, Gates Professor of Biological Sciences

Amalia Driller-Colangelo ’18, Marina Cheng ’17, Jessica Morgan ’17 and Karen Chau ’16
Investigating the Biophysical Mechanisms of Dynein Ensemble Motility using DNA Origami; poster session deriving from SURF research and special studies with Nathan Derr, assistant professor of biological sciences

Emmie Knobloch ’17
Clocking Transgene Expression in Yeast; poster session deriving from special studies with Nathan Derr, assistant professor of biological sciences

Nicole DelRosso HC ‘16
Triggered Regeneration of Molecular Circuit Components to Impement Iterative DNA Strand Displacement Operations; poster session deriving from thesis work with Nathan Derr, assistant professor of biological science, Sarah Hews, assistant professor of mathematics at Hamsphire College, and Lee Spector, professor of computer science at Hampshire College

Sydney Walker ’16
Isoflurane Impacts the Actin Cytoskeletal by Impacting Cofilin Phosphorylation in Neonatal Murine Cortical Neurons; poster session deriving from special studies with Adam Hall, professor of biological sciences

Arcadia Kratkiewicz ’16
Analysis of Creatine Kinase Expression and Regulation Throughout C2C12 Myogenesis; poster session deriving from thesis work with Stylianos Scordilis, professor of biological sciences

Lauren Brunet ’16, Alyson Daniels ’17, Ghida El-Banna ’17, Becky Kuzma ’18, Carter Kyle ’18, Megan Wancura ’17 and Jinyi Yang ’18
Serum Proteins Following Exercise – A Course Based Research Experience; poster session deriving from course laboratory research with Stylianos Scordilis, professor of biological sciences and Kalina Dimova, laboratory instructor in biological sciences

Anna Carroll ’16, Isabella McNamara ’16, Pooja Hindocha ’16, Quinn Anex-Ries ’17, Ana Paola Garcia ’17 and Megan Wancura ’17
Synthesis and Analysis of Multi-Functional Polymer Hydrogel Biomedical Materials; poster session deriving from thesis work with Maren Buck, assistant professor of chemistry

Isabella McNamara ’16, Quinn Anex-Ries ’17, Pooja Hindocha ’16, Megan Wancura ’17, Ana Garcia ’17 and Anna Carroll ’16
Synthetic Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine; science poster deriving from special studies with Maren Buck, assistant professor of chemistry

Sigal Eini ’16
Post-Polymerization Modification of Reactive, Azlactone-Functionalized Block Copolymers: Rapid Synthesis of Polymeric Amphiphiles for the Assembly of Drug Delivery Vehicles; poster session deriving from thesis work with Maren Buck, assistant professor of chemistry

Naina Zaman ’16 and Julia Yun ’16
Synthesis and Purification of Stereoisomers in Cyclohexanol Analogs for Novel Anesthetic Properties; poster session deriving from special studies with Kevin Shea, professor of chemistry

Kelsey Mack ’17, Charnice Charmant ’16, Nomfuneko Mafunda ’17 and Emily Byers ’16
Nanoscale Topography of Si(100) Surfaces; poster session deriving from special studies with Kate Queeney, professor of chemistry

Clare Jacobson ’16, Suzanne Abreu ’17 and Mairead Bartlett ’18
Copper Mediated Methylation of Aromatic C-H Bonds; poster session deriving from special studies with David Gorin, assistant professor of chemistry

Emilia Arguello ’16, Sarah Krejci ’18 and Yueyu Yao ’18
DNA-Small Molecule Catalysts for Site-Selective Transformations; poster session deriving from thesis work and special studies with David Gorin, assistant professor of chemistry

Noelia Martinez-Munoz ’16
O-Methylation Using Dimethyl Carbonate: Mechanistic Studies; poster session deriving from thesis work with David Gorin, assistant professor of chemistry

KC Chen ’16
Ethylene Carbonate for Ethoxylation of Aromatic Nitrogen Nucleophiles; poster session deriving from thesis work with David Gorin, assistant professor of chemistry

Emily Boerger ’16 and Luojun Dong ’17
Effects of Cisplatin and Spiroiminodihydantoin Lesions on DNA Duplexes Investigated with NMR Methods; poster session deriving from thesis work with Elizabeth Jamieson, associate professor of chemistry and Cristina Suarez, professor of chemistry

Dominique Callahan ’18, Jazmine Collins ’17 and Sarah Tully ’17
Playing Drinking Games as a Form of Prepartying Among Young Adults; poster session deriving from classwork with Byron Zamboanga, professor of psychology