URCA Associate Projects
2023 - 2024 URCA Associates
Autumn Belt
Major: Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation)
Investigation of Mortality in Drosophila Melanogaster Following Exposure to Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Along with Sublethal Concentrations of Carbamazepine
Hannah Bradley
Major: Biochemistry
Evaluation of the Ugi-Smiles Intromolecular Diels-Alder (US-IMDA) Reaction Through Modification of Solvents, Components, and Chiral Catalysts
Mackenzie Fisher
Major: Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation)
Predation on Copepods Based on Body Pigmentation Color
Ali Fraase
Major: Chemistry
Activation Mechanism for Dual Oxidase Enzymatic Activity
Ryan Kulasekara
Major: Electrical Engineering
Echocardiographic View Classification Using a Convolutional Neural Network
Madisen Nannini
Major: Biological Sciences with concentration in Medical Sciences (Chemistry)
Effects of temperature on Iocomotor performance in the Rock Mountain Tailed Frog, Ascaphus montanus
Kiya Rainey
Major: Psychology
The Strong Black Woman Schema's Effects on Mental health and Quality of Life Outcomes and the Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation
Stella Smith
Major: Special Education
Reframing Applied Behavior Analysis into a Trauma-Informed Therapy: An Examination of the Relationship between Applied Behavior Analysis and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Adults with Autism
Sydney Worth
Major:Chemistry with concentration in Forensics
The effect of environmentally relavent concentrations of SSRIs and SNRIs on Lymnaea stagnalis
2022 - 2023 URCA Associates
Jana Hamade
Major: Psychology
The Effects of Religious Trauma on Internalized Homophobia and Wellbeing in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual Individuals
Mentor: Dr. Rachel Bradely
Trevor Rallo
Major: Biology
Analyzing the Shredder and Microbial Interactions and their Relation to Stream Health
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Anderson Lucia Thompson
Major: Biology
Validating Fecal Sampling as a Noninvasive Method of Measuring Thyroid and Stress Hormone Levels in Mice
Mentor: Dr. Cinnamon VanPutte
Mackenzie Sievers
Major: Biology
Effects of Previous Alcohol Exposure on Drosophila STAT Activity
Mentor: Dr. Emily Petruccelli
Kelly Cruise
Major: Psychology
Age and Technological Mistakes in a Virtual Job Interview
Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Pettibone
Jenna Grabowski
Major: Biology
Exploring the Elicitation and Efficacy of Host Immune Defenses Against Bacterial Infections in the Amoeba-Paraburkholderia Symbiosis System
Mentor: Dr. Susanne DiSalvo
Hope Krisko
Major: Anthropology
Decolonizing Senegalese Worldview: A Grounded Theory Discourse Analysis of Senegalese Literature Through Time
Mentor: Dr. Cory Willmott
Kimberly Roskamp
Major: Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Sciences
Solar Panel Performance Enhancement: The Synergestic Effects of Water and Green Roofs for Cooling
Mentor: Dr. Bill Retzlaff & Dr. Serdar Celik
Simon Harper
Major: Biology
Population Survey of Ambystoma annulatum in an Introduced Biotope
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Anderson
Victoria Lefler
Major: Theater and Dance, History
Dance on Camera: Echoing the Past
Mentor: Professor Kristen Best-Kinscherff
2021 - 2022 URCA Associates
Kendra Selby
Major: Biochemistry
The effect of environmentally relevant concentrations of atorvastatin, lovastatin, and simvastatin on E. fetida
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Tucker
My Tran
Major: Biology
Assessing the evolutionary and contemporary relevance of bacteriophages for Paraburkholderia symbionts of soil amoeba
Mentor: Dr. Susanne DiSalvo
Natalie Sutton
Major: Biology
Bacteria-produced nitric oxide as a modulator of locust swarming behavior
Mentor: Dr. Brittany Peterson
Abbigayle Hedrick
Major: Chemistry
Identifying indigoids: analysis of indigo dye techniques in traditional cultural garments
Mentor: Dr. Edward Navarre
Ethan Hunsperger
Major: Chemistry
Development of reaction monitoring methods by HPLC for asymmetric multicomponent coupling reactions
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Luesse
Brooke Prater
Major: Biology
How seed and biomass production of Ocimum minimum (bush basil) is affected by vertical gardening and the integration of the pollinator companion plant symphyotrichum novi-belgii (New York alster
Mentor: Dr. Bill Retzlaff
Sai Medavaka
Major: Biology & Psychology
Effects of endocannabinoids on physical and mental fatigue in the high fat diet-induced obese rats combined with intermittent fasting
Mentor: Dr. Chaya Gopalan
Kaleena Davis
Major: Biology
Investigating the evolutionary dynamics of symbiotic bacteria Parabulholderia and bacteriophage Bonzo8 in amoeba model host system
Mentor: Dr. Susanne DiSalvo
Jillian Freeman
Major: Physics
Using X-scan pump-probe technique to determine the induced charge in the index of refraction of Europium doped tellurite glass
Mentor: Dr. Abdullatif Hamad
Emma MacNeill
Major: Environmental Science
Nutrient Pollution and water quality: understanding the correlation between agricultural practices and surface water nutrient pollution in Otter Lake
Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Guehlstorf
2020 - 2021 URCA Associates
Haley Brashears
Major: Environmental Science
Effects of Microplastic Exposure to Schmidtea Mediterranea
Mentor: Dr. Kyong-Sup Yoon
Macey Brown
Major: Psychology and Art
macebro@siue.edu
An Art-Based Research Study: Increasing Self-Awareness of Knowledge and Feelings Regarding People with Parkinson's
Mentor: Megan Robb
Zebediah Campbell
Major: Biomedical Sciences
B-Methoxy Aldehyde Preparation and Examination in a Novel Oxy-Michael Reaction
Mentor: Dr. Sarah Luesse
Kelsi Mann
Major: Biomedical Sciences
A Comparative Analysis Between JUULs and Cigarettes on the Supression of DDBZ Protein and the Expression of EMT
Mentor: Dr. Barbara McCracken
Sophia Melzer
Major: Chemistry
Effects and Localization of Pesticides in Radish Taproots
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Tucker
Alyssa Moore
Major: Studio Art, Psychology
The Relationship Between Art Hives and Anxiety
Mentors: Dr. Eunyoe Ro & Dr. Shelly Goebl-Parker
Kylea Perkins
Major: Studio Art
The Chains That Bind Us: An Exploration of the Connections Between Slavery and Hip-Hop
Mentor: Aimee Howard Clinger
Caleb Powell
Major: Psychology
The Effects of Academic Path and Major on Stress in Undergraduate College Students
Mentor: Dr. Catherine Daus
Alexis Reinders
Major: Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences
Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of BPA, BPZ and BPS and Their Effect on N. Davidi's Metabolite Concentration with Respect to Temperature Dependent Sexual Differentiation
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Tucker
Nathaniel Shelly
Major: Anthropology
Identification and Analysis of Paleoethnobotanical Samples of the Gehring
Mentor: Dr. Julie Zimmerman
Molly Walker
Major: Chemistry
Chemical Analysis of Drinking Water Available to the SIUE Community
Mentor: Dr. Edward Navarre
Joseph Walwer
Major: Nursing and Economics
Utlization of New Strategies to Identify Causal Relationships Between Healthcare and Crime: An Analysis on the Impact of Legalized Abortion
Mentor: Dr. Ariel Belasen
2019 - 2020 URCA Associates
Nicholas Grunloh
Major: Biological Sciences
nigrunl@siue.edu
EDC Impact on Metabolite Expression in Leech Ganglia
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Tucker
Mitchell Haddock
Major: Biological Sciences
mhaddoc@siue.edu
Protist-produced acetate as an anti-pathogen response in the gut of termites
Mentor: Dr. Brittany Peterson
Emily Lange
Major: Anthropology
elange@siue.edu
Tracing the Wisdom of the Near East: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Ancient Societal Values in the Context of Cultural Interaction
Mentor: Dr. Allison Thomason
Jordyn Nimmer
Major: Biological Sciences and Psychology
jnimmer@siue.edu
The effects of omega-3-fatty acids on cardiac autonomic neuropathy in high fat-fed mice
Mentor: Dr. Brianne Guilford
Noah Pyles
Major: Biology
nopyles@siue.edu
Agrobacterium-mediated Genetic Transformation of a Paphiopedilum philippinese Orchid
Mentors: Dr. Darron Luesse
Hannah Queen
Major: Criminal Justice and Psychology
hqueen@siue.edu
Effects of Self-Identification on Deindividuation and Aggression
Mentor: Dr. Elora Voyles
Ryan Raymond
Major: Psychology and Business
ryraymo@siue.edu
Interrelationships among Cognitive Ability, Vocational Personality, and Job Performance
Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Meinz
Kristina Springer
Major: Genetics and Cellular Biology
krsprin@siue.edu
Investigation of Epigenetic Alterations in Drosophilia Melanogaster Following Exposure to Sublethal Concentrations of Imidacloprid
Mentor: Dr. Kyong-Sup Yoon
Andrew Tresslar
Major:Biology (Medical Science)
antress@siue.edu
Does Time Truly Heal All Wounds?: Measuring Burkholderia Symbiont Amplification and Infectous Outcomes in Aging Social Amoebae Hosts
Mentor: Dr. Susanne DiSalvo
Colleen Wagner
Major: Biology
colwagn@siue.edu
Symbiont Genotypes and Infection Phenotypes; can symbiont abundance, location, and toxin production explain host outcomes?
Mentor: Dr. Susanne DiSalvo
