2016 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARH ONFERENE · 8:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. REGISTRATION & PRESENTATION SET-UP Poster Presentation Set-up; Energy, ... models of Martian geological evolution constrained

Excite ● Explore ● Experiment October 14, 2016

2016 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Welcome!

PROFESSOR ISIAH M. WARNER Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

Boyd Professor of Chemistry Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor

Welcome to the 2016 LSU Undergraduate Research Conference (URC), Excite, Explore, &

Experiment! For the past seven years, this conference has served as a platform for showcasing the

research talents of more than 650 students from more than 20 universities. As Vice President for the

Office of Strategic Initiatives, my primary goal is to create opportunities that promote student success in

research. As we celebrate our eighth year of hosting this conference, we are excited about the growing

number of institutions that will be represented.

We are delighted to have Dr. Christopher Impey, HHMI Professor, from The University of Arizona as our

keynote speaker. Dr. Impey is an accomplished researcher and an exceptional mentor and educator. His

keynote talk will Excite our undergraduate students through his discussion on “Water Worlds: The Search

for Habitable Exoplanets.”

This year’s agenda also includes a panel of experts who will discuss Space: The Next Frontier. In this

discussion, we will Explore cutting edge space exploration and colonization research. Our goal is to

encourage students to think broadly and creatively about their real world research experiences.

Most importantly, we will showcase the research Experiments of students from the STEM, humanities,

and social sciences disciplines. For some of you, this conference will serve as your first opportunity to

present, while for others it will be a great addition to your research portfolio. We encourage you to take

advantage of all that we have planned for you today, as it will aid your preparation for the journey that

lies ahead.

As the next generation of research leaders, we hope that you will walk away from today’s conference

energized and excited about the work that you and your colleagues have done, are doing, and will

continue to do. Furthermore, we celebrate your already great accomplishments and know that the best is

yet to come for each of you. Congratulations and continue to follow your passions!

Best Regards,

AGENDA LSU UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Excite, Explore, Experiment October 14, 2016

8:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. REGISTRATION & PRESENTATION SET-UP Poster Presentation Set-up; Energy, Coast, and Environment Building

8:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. OPENING REMARKS Dr. Stacia Haynie, Dean, LSU College of Humanities & Social Sciences Professor, Political Science

8:45 a.m.–9:30 a.m. POSTER PRESENTATIONS, LEVEL 1 (see map in rear for poster location)

9:30 a.m.–9:40 a.m. BREAK

9:40 a.m.–10:35 a.m. POSTER PRESENTATIONS, LEVEL 2 (see map in rear for poster location)

10:35 a.m.– 10:45 a.m. BREAK

10:45 a.m. –12:00 p.m. ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Life Sciences A – Room 1087

Life Sciences B – Room 2087

Math & Physical Sciences – Room 3087

12:00 p.m.–12:40 p.m. LUNCH

12:40 p.m.–2:10 p.m. KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. Christopher Impey - “Water Worlds: The Search for Habitable Exoplanets” University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, HHMI Professor, Associate Dean College of Science, University of Arizona

2:10 p.m.–2:20 p.m. BREAK

2:20 p.m.–3:30 p.m. EXPLORE PANEL: “Space: The Next Frontier”

3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m. AWARD PRESENTATIONS Dr. Isiah M. Warner Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

3:50 p.m.–4:00 p.m. CLOSING REMARKS & ADJOURNMENT Dr. Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy, Assistant Dean for Diversity, LSU College of Science

Mistress of Ceremonies: Valori Washington, Academic Coordinator, LSU Upward Bound Program

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

CITE

Dr. Chris Impey Water Worlds: The Search for Habitable Exoplanets

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy

Associate Dean, College of Science Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor

Chris Impey is a University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Associate Dean of the College of

Science at the University of Arizona. He has over 180 refereed publications on observational cosmology,

galaxies, and quasars, and his research has been supported by $20 million in NASA and NSF grants. He has

won eleven teaching awards, and has taught two online classes with over 80,000 enrolled. Impey is a past

Vice President of the American Astronomical Society and he has been an NSF Distinguished Teaching

Scholar, the Carnegie Council’s Arizona Professor of the Year, and most recently a Howard Hughes Medical

Institute Professor. He’s written over 50 popular articles on cosmology and astrobiology, two introductory

textbooks, a novel called Shadow World, and 7 popular science books: The Living Cosmos, How It Ends,

Talking About Life, How It Began, Dreams of Other Worlds, Humble Before the Void, and Beyond: The

Future of Space Travel.

PANEL DISCUSSION

PLORE

This panel will feature a few representatives from research labs at LSU that are exploring the cutting edge of

space exploration and colonization. This year, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

announced that, for the first time, scientists made the groundbreaking observation of ripples in the fabric of

spacetime, called gravitational waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe.

This confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an

unprecedented new window onto the cosmos. LSU Assistant Professor and researcher at LIGO, Thomas

Corbitt, will discuss this global news-making event. LSU Researchers also explore the possibility of life

beyond Earth. Dr. Suniti Karunatillake, who leads the Planetary Science Lab will discuss his efforts to find life

on Mars and share his thoughts on the possibility of Mars colonization.

Thomas Corbitt, PhD Assistant Professor LSU Department of Physics LIGO

Suniti Karunatillake, PhD Assistant Professor Geology and Geophysics, LSU Planetary Science Lab

Joseph Givens Director, McNair Research Scholars Program Louisiana State University

Panel Discussion with Q&A

PANEL DISCUSSION

PLORE

-PANELISTS-

LSU Assistant Professor Thomas Corbitt focuses his research on advanced quantum metrology techniques

for a future detector. This represents more than 45 years of cutting-edge research, with state and

institutional commitment, and long-standing multimillion dollar support from NSF producing educational

opportunities for students and postdoctoral researchers, several of whom have gone on to professorial

appointments around the world. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech in 2001, and

began work with LIGO in the summers at the Hanford detector. He pursued a PhD at MIT under the

advisement of Nergis Mavalvala, who received a MacArthur fellowship while he was working with

her. Mavalvala's PhD adviser was Rainer Weiss, a founder of LIGO. After receiving his PhD, Corbitt

continued at MIT as a post-doctoral associate before arriving at LSU in 2011.

LSU Assistant Professor Suniti Karunatillake received his undergraduate from Wabash College before

continuing his PhD at Cornell University. Through is researcher, he pursues a dream of discovering life

beyond Earth. He explores Mars across several areas of planetary geoscience, with an emphasis on

synthesizing in situ and regional observations to constrain geologic evolution, sedimentary processes, and

aqueous alteration at the crust-atmosphere interface. He has established a planetary research group with

the goal to assess geological evolution and habitability of planets. Group research activities include chemical

and mineralogical characterization of the Martian surface, statistical analysis methods involving GIS,

terrestrial analog research in planetary science, models of Martian geological evolution constrained with

remote sensing, and cross-calibration of in situ and orbital observations. Through his work, he hopes to

inspire graduate and undergraduate students to join the vanguard of planetary exploration.

Joseph R. Givens is the director of the LSU Ronald E. McNair Research Scholars and an instructor of Art

History. An advocate for marginalized artists, Joseph Givens specializes in the scholarly investigation of

overlooked and neglected art movements. He has presented papers at the International Comics Art

Conference in conjunction with ComicCon International and is a contributing author to Oxford Art Online’s

Grove Dictionary of Art.

RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

PERIMENT

POSTER PRESENTATIONS, LEVEL 1 Poster Competition Categories: Level 1 = 1st year researcher; Level 2 = 3 semesters + Full Abstract Proceedings are available online at www.lsu.edu/urc

Life Sciences, Level 1

Board #

1 “Using Diatoms as a Bio-Indicator of Water Quality” ALEXIS CAMBRIDGE. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Duke University, Mentor: Dr. Mark River

2 “Optimization of a Bacterial Expression System of 15-Lipoxygenase-1” KAYLEE GROSS. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Marcia Newcomer

3 “Construction of Recombinant Oncolytic Adenoviral Vectors for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy” BIANCA FRANCESCA HILDERBRAND. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. J. Michael Mathis

4 “Effect of In Utero Second-Hand Smoke Exposures on Elastase-Induced Emphysema in Adult Male Mice” TAYLA KELLY-EPPS. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Alexander Noel

5 “Both Interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-1β Contribute to Host Protection Against Pulmonary Klebsiella Pneumoniae Infection” JOSELYN KNOWLING. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: LSU Veterinary School, Mentor: Dr. Samithamby Jeyaseelan

6 “The Role of Co-Feeding Arthropods in the Transmission of an Emerging Rickettsial Pathogen” ALLISON LATOUR. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Kevin Macaluso

7 “Generation of Cystic Fibrosis Neutrophil Cell Lines for CF Research and Drug Screening” CAMILLE LOY. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Mentor: Dr. Scott Jennings

8 “Effects of Nutrient Enrichment and Sediment Addition on Productivity of Spartina patens” SHANNON MATZKE. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Tracy Quirk


PERIMENT

POSTER PRESENTATIONS, LEVEL 1, continued Poster Competition Categories: Level 1 = 1st year researcher; Level 2 = 3 semesters + Full Abstract Proceedings are available online at www.lsu.edu/urc

Math & Physical Sciences, Level 1

Board #

9 “Fabrication and Characterization of High-Speed Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors”

SHERRON BATES. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Alabama A&M University, Mentor: Dr. Mostafa Elaasar

10 “Optimization of Novel Nanoparticle-Enzyme Based Hybrids (NEBH) Synthesis: A Search for Electron-Spin-Hole (ESH) Turnover Steps” AMANDA BURNS, TAYLOR DUNNE, NICOLE FALGOUST, KATHERINE GEROSA, & KAITLYN MERCER. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Chemistry Department, Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Kresimir Rupnik

11 “GUMBOS: Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts” MY CHEL ROBINSON. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Mentor: Dr. Isiah M. Warner

12 “Depositional Processes of the Fort Saint Phillip Crevasse Splay on the Lower Mississippi River from 210Pb and 137Cs Geochronology” RODNEY STIEFFEL. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Samuel Bentley

13 “Exploring the Atomic Nucleus: Boron” LOGAN WOOLSEY. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Kristina Launey

14 “Characterizing Adhesion Strength of Thin-Film Systems with Opto-Acoustic Microscopy.” GRACE YUAN. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Southeastern Louisiana University, Mentor: Dr. Sanchiro Yoshida


PERIMENT


Humanities & Social Sciences, Level 1

Board #

15 “Stress Deafness in Monolingual Speakers” SARAH BURNS. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Todd Gibson

16 “Strong foundations? Is There a Relationship Between Formidability and Differential Judgment Across Moral Foundations Categories?” STEPHANIE CLARK. Tulane University, Research Institution: Tulane University, Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Kerry

17 “Genetics of Specific Language Impairment: Gender, Race, and Positive Family History” CAITLIN COX. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Janna B. Oetting

18 “What the Eyes Know About Memory” DWAYNE HINTON. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Megan H. Papesh

19 “Social Networks of Sexual Minority Homeless Youth” SKKY MARTIN. Xavier University of Louisiana, Research Institution: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mentor: Dr. Dan R. Hoyt

Engineering & Technology , Level 1

Board #

20 “Multiple-Gene Release Using Multiplexed Magnetic Heating Of Single Crystal Nanoparticles” HAWBER ABDULQADER. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Casey

21 “Reconstructing a 3D Model of the Equine Skeleton to Examine Degenerative Joint Disease” JEREMY BAKER. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Michelle Osborn

22 “Computational Study of Interacting Particle Clusters in Viscous Fluids” MANON BART. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Nandakumar

23 “Luminescent Nanoparticles for Droplet Barcoding in Microfluidics” CLEVELAND DOUGLAS III. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Adam T. Melvin


PERIMENT


Engineering & Technology , Level 1

Board #

24 “Smartphone-Based Fluorescence Imaging System for Food Pathogen Detection” STEVEN GROUCHY. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Manas Gartia

25 “Modeling Evaporatively Cooling Rooms in India by Determining Thermal Properties of Building Materials” AAGRIKA NEUPANE. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Michigan State University, Mentor: Dr. Randy Beaudry

26 “Synthesis and Characterization of Adipose-Derived Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels” ANTHONY SAGONA. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Nick Poche

POSTER PRESENTATIONS, LEVEL 2 Life Sciences, Level 2

Board #

27 “Genotyping of the BR and SD Alleles of Heat Shock Protein 70 in Both Heat-Selected and Unselected Lines of Tigriopus Californicus” COLLEEN CECOLA. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Morgan Kelly

28 “Enhancing the Chemical Mixture Methodology: Revising the Health Code Number Assignments of Hazardous Chemicals to Account for Central and Peripheral Nervous System Effects” JEWEL DATRI. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Department of Homeland Security- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Mentor: Dr. Xiao-Ying Yu

29 “Preliminary Facies Reconstruction of a Late Pleistocene Cypress Forest Discovered on the Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf” SUYAPA GONZALEZ. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Samuel Bentley

30 “Novel HDAC Inhibitors Decrease Proliferation and Invasiveness and Induce Apoptosis in vitro in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells” SYDNEY HODGESON. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: NuPotential Inc, Louisiana Emerging Technology Center, Baton Rouge, LA, Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Eilertsen


PERIMENT


Life Sciences, Level 2, continued

Board #

31 “Sexually Dimorphic Oxytocin Receptor Expressing Neurons in the Mouse Hypothalamus” RYAN LEBLANC. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Ryoichi Teruyama

32 “CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Knock Out of a Tigriopus Californicus Thermal Tolerance Gene” VIDAL VILLELA. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Morgan Kelly

Math & Physical Sciences, Level 2

Board #

33 “Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Boron Dipyrromethenes” BRANDON BYRD. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. M. Graca H. Vicente

34 “Comparison of Compartment Models of Tumor Growth with Necrosis” IVAN HIDROVO. Louisi-ana State University, Mentor: Dr. Joyoni Dey

35 “A Study of Helium-4 Using an Improved Large-scale Computational Mehtod” SEAN LAUGHLIN. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Kristina Launey

36 “Localization of Interacting Particles in a Random Potential Well” KHANG PHAM. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Juana Moreno

37 “Purification and Characterization of a Pyrene Based Blue Emitter for Organic Light Emitting Di-odes” SIERRA STERLING. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Girja Sahasrabudhe

38 “Electrochemical Properties and Structure of Amide-Based Electrolytes for Lithium Ion Batteries” KAYLEE WOODARD. Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Daniel Kuroda


PERIMENT


Engineering & Technology, Level 2

Board #

39 “Biomedical Applications of Thiol-Acrylate Polymerization” JOSEPH GOMBEDA. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. John A Pojman

40 “3-D Printing of Practical Vitrification Devices for Germplasm Repository Development in Aquatic Species” CONNOR TIERSCH. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: Louisiana State University, Mentor: Dr. Todd Monroe

ORAL PRESENTATIONS Full Abstract Proceedings are available online at www.lsu.edu/urc

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. “Analysis of Gene Expression Data from Primary B Cells Infected with Epstein Barr Virus During the Transformation Process” VARUN AMIN. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Research Institution: Duke University, Mentor: Dr. Jason Anderson

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. “Utilization of Magnetic Nanoparticles for the Detection and Capture of Prokaryotic Cells in a Microfluidic Device in Spacecraft” AKIRA LUMPKIN. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Illya Tietzel

11:15 -11:30 a.m. “Fixing to Invade: How nitrogen fixation rates vary between two species of Sargassum and different anatomical features” SHANNON MATZKE. Louisiana State University, Research Institution: University of Southern California, Mentor: Dr. Doug Capone

11:30 – 11:45 a.m. “Isolation of Eggs from Caenorhabditis elegans” COVEN-LI SANTA CRUZ. Langston Hughes Academy, New Orleans, LA, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Illya Tietzel

Life Sciences, Session A, Room 1087


PERIMENT

ORAL PRESENTATIONS, continued Full Abstract Proceedings are available online at www.lsu.edu/urc

Life Sciences, Session B, Room 2087

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. “Clean Surfaces (Sanitary surface 3-D Imprints) as Antimicrobial Strategy for Common-Use surfaces Exposed to Human Contact and Microbial Transfer” PAULA DATRI. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Christian Clement

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. “Microfluidic Device to Study the Survival of Caenorhabditis Elegans in Different Solutions” APRIL HARDING. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Illya Tietzel

11:15 – 11:30 a.m. “Optimizing the Protein Yield of TsrM, a Class B Radical SAM Methylase” BRIANNE JONES. Baton Rouge Community College, Research Institution: Pennsylvania State University, Mentor: Dr. Squire Booker

11:30 – 11:45 a.m. “Developmental Studies of Caenorhabditis elegans Using Microfluidic Device” DIAMANIKA MOSS. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Illya Tietzel

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. “Using Non-magnetic Nanoparticles in Microfluidic Device to Capture And Detect Microbes” ALTONEISHA ROSE. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Illya Tietzel

Math & Physical Sciences, Room 3087

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. “Measuring the Effects of Radiation and Changes in DNA in Caenorhabditis Elegans” ROSHAUN MITCHELL-CLEVELAND. Southern University at New Orleans, Research Institution: Southern University at New Orleans, Mentor: Dr. Mostafa Elaasar

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. “Stepwise Free Radical Reaction Pathways for the Formation of Canonical Nucleosides” PHOENIX WILLIAMS. Spelman College, Research Institution: Spelman College, Mentor: Dr. Yassin Jeilini

ORAL PRESENTATION RM—2087 (2nd floor)

ORAL PRESENTATION RM—3087 (3rd floor)

LSU UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

ENERGY, COAST, & ENVIRONMENT BUILDING

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Sponsors LSU Academic Affairs LSU Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization Office of Strategic Initiatives

Advisors Dr. Isiah M. Warner, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives Dr. Gloria Thomas, Executive Director of Research, Education & Mentoring, Strategic Initiatives

Coordinator

Dr. Ashleigh Wright, Office of Strategic Initiatives, HHMI Program Manager

Program Participants

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Chris Impey Program Remarks: Drs. Stacia Haynie & Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy Panelists: Drs. Thomas Corbitt & Suniti Karunatillake Moderator: Joseph Givens

Lead Judge

Dr. Guoqiang Li, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

Judges and Moderators

Special thanks to all industry professionals, faculty, post docs and graduate students who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to our undergraduate research competition.

Additional Acknowledgments Participants attend the following institutions

www.lsu.edu/urc

#LSUURC16

OSI Staff and student workers IMSD Program LSU Graduate School

LSU Discover LSU Department of Psychology LSU Administrators, Faculty, & Staff

Baton Rouge Community College Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts Langston Hughes Academy Louisiana State University

Southern University at New Orleans Spelman College Tulane University Xavier University of New Orleans

http://www.lsu.edu/urc

Documents

2016 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARH ONFERENE · 8:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. REGISTRATION & PRESENTATION SET-UP Poster Presentation Set-up; Energy, ... models of Martian geological evolution constrained