Past Participants

Eliana Asfini, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
Quantitative Analysis of Microbial Violacein Production
Funded by: DermBiont

Morgan Blume, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Grocery Store Workers During COVID
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Caroline Bolen, Mentored by Dr. Williams
Quantifying Blue Carbon Stored in Bay Point Regional Shoreline
Funded by: Mal & Sylvia Boyce

Mark Brunetti, Mentored by Dr. Sigman
Development of a Fluorescent System to Monitor the Induced Fit of Neurolysin
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Kirthi Chillakanti, Mentored by Dr. Kurji
Heat vs Light: What is the main Factor that Drives the Movement of Azobenzene Containing - Liquid Crystal Elastomers?
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Juliana Davis, Mentored by Dr. O’Neil
Examining the Impact of Racial Bias Training on Jury Decision-Making and Implicit Bias
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Sahiba Dogra, Mentored by Dr. Blaisdell
The Effect of Virus-Infected Plants on Aphid Choice and Behavior
Funded by: Chevron Endowment

Molly Dreher, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
Coping Strategies of Grocery Store Workers During COVID
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Emily Ferbet, Mentored by Dr. O’Neil
Sports Performance Anxiety in Starters Versus Nonstarters
Funded by: Scott Edgar

Gabriel Fuentes, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
Predation Proficiency and Phenotypic Transformations of In-Lab Evolved M. xanthus Strains
Funded by: Dr. Karl Beutner

Joshua Galla, Mentored by Dr. Chandrasekaran
Signaling Pathways and Proteins Involved In Dendritic Growth Regulation
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Justin Jerome, Mentored by Dr. Lee
Assessing the Role of Magnetic Fields in the Star Formation Process
Funded by: Dr. Dennis Meiss

Isaiah J. Jimenez, Mentored by Dr. Ruff
Analysis of a Tandem Glycine Riboswitch with Variable Glycine
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Justin Li, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
Stress and Anxiety Among Latinx Individuals During COVID
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Gabriela Lucania, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
Latinx Ethnic Identity and Coping Strategies During COVID
Funded by: Fletcher Jones Endowment

Boston Lufti, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
Quantifying the Mortality of Microbes by Competition Assays
Funded by: DermBiont 

Dominick Milkie, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
The Inhibition of Microbial Growth by Quantitative Bioluminescence Assays
Funded by: DermBiont

Rosa Nelson, Mentored by Dr. Williams
An Analysis of Blue Carbon Sequestration Sites in Contra Costa County
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Ben Nguyen, Mentored by Dr. Ruff
Investigation of a Putative Singlet Glycine Riboswitch
Funded by: Dr. Dennis Meiss

Fiona Quimby, Mentored by Dr. Marchetti
California Newt Trophic Ecology
Funded by: Fletcher Jones

Ayana’a Sudduth, Mentored by Dr. Chandrasekaran
Toxicological Assessment of Microplastic on Neuronal Development of Zebrafish
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Natalie Totah, Mentored by Dr. Vu
Mental Health Effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on Familial Caregivers
Funded by: Fletcher Jones

Ishita Valluru, Mentored by Dr. Blaisdell
Prevalence of Cereal Plant Viruses on Saint Mary’s Campus
Funded by: Nancy Richardson

Lucy Wetherall, Mentored by Dr. Hause
State and Trait Anxiety in Primary Care
Funded by: School of Science

Emily Wright, Mentored by Dr. Kurji
Quantification of the Movement of Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Ben Harte, Mentored by Dr. Lee
Investigating the Evolution of Prostellar Spins Using Numerical Simulations

Andrew Abou Jaoude, Mentored by Dr. Ruff
Analysis of Singlet Glycine Riboswitches and their Benefits for Bacterial Growth and Survival
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Jacob Brockert, Mentored by Dr. Ruff
Optimizing Bacterial Growth in Minimal Media in order to study Glycine Riboswitches
Poster & Video
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Ariel Canonizado, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
The Relationship between Body Ideals, Body Satisfaction, and Anxiety in
Biracial and Multiracial Women
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Ashley Chin, Mentored by Dr. Schuh
Toxicity of BPA and BPA alternatives on rat and human adipose-derived stem cells.
Poster & Video
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Isabel Cohen, Mentored by Dr. Schuh
The effect of BPA alternatives on adipogenesis in human mesenchymal stem cells, with implications for obesity.
Poster & Video
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Chay Dupee, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
Genetic analysis of microbial interactions
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Justin Eisenmann, Mentored by Dr. Burley
Air Quality Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Arizona
Poster & Video
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Liana Garcia, Mentored by Dr. Burley
How Long-Term PM2.5 Exposure Affects International Covid-19 Mortality and Morbidity Rates
Poster & Video
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Andrew Glover, Mentored by Dr. Baldridge
Mars Small Satellite Mission Design
Poster & Video
Funded by: Fletcher Jones Endowment

Daya Grewal, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
Comparing Treatment Approaches for Substance Use Disorder.
Poster & Video
Funded by: Fletcher Jones Endowment

Ben Harte, Mentored by Dr. Baldridge
Mars Small Satellite Mission Design
Poster & Video
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Alex Hildenbrand, Mentored by Dr. Coyle
Health impacts of a putative lichen parasite
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Angelo Karam, Mentored by Dr. Lee
Assessing the accuracy of binary star detection methods
Poster & Video
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Hailey Lompa, Mentored by Dr. Hause
The Impact of Math Self-Efficacy and Test Difficulty on Conformity and Confidence
Poster & Video
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Joey Makhoul, Mentored by Dr. Berleman
Analysis of Microbial Mutations through Transposon Mutagenesis
Poster & Video
Funded by: Summers Endowment

Morgan McDaniel, Mentored by Dr. Baldridge
Mars Small Satellite Mission Design
Poster & Video
Funded by: School of Science Endowment

Lucy Moore, Mentored by Dr. Schuh
Rat and human adipose-derived stem cells and their differentiation to neuroglial support cells.
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Henry Rausch, Mentored by Dr. Williams
Quantifying Carbon Sequestration by Trees on Saint Mary's College of California: A Case Study
Poster & Video
Funded by: SOS Advisory Board

Hannah Stevenson, Mentored by Dr. Barajas
The Relationship between Body Ideals, Body Satisfaction, and Anxiety in Biracial and Multiracial Women
Poster & Video
Funded by: Filippi Endowment

Anthony Vazquez, Mentored by Dr. Lee
Using synthetic observations to discern the cradles of star-formation
Poster & Video
Funded by: Fletcher Jones

Posters from other School of Science Student Researchers
Justin Jerome, Mentored by Dr. Lee
Promoting Student Inquiry and Understanding Using WorldWide Telescope
Poster & Video

Henna Shaghasi, Mentored by Dr. Pesavento
Comparative Genomic Analysis for Identifying H4K79 Methylating Enzymes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Toxoplasma gondii
Poster

Acknowledgments
Thank you to all the financial supporters of this program, including the Filippi Endowment, the Robert W. and Beverly J. Summers Scholarship, the Fletcher Jones Foundation, the School of Science Advisory Board, and the Chevron Corporation.

In addition, this year’s program would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the SMC support staff who made it possible for us to return to campus safely. Thank you in particular to those in Janitorial Services, Housing, Dining Services, and the Health and Wellness Center.

Finally, a huge thank you to our School of Science Staff: Martha, Julie, Felicia, and Jessica, who keep all things running smoothly.

Nicole Marlow
Chemical Trappings of Surfactant Systems
Mentor: Dr. Steven Bachofer (Chemistry)

Olivia Schneider
Recreational Drug Use: Attitudes of Rural and Metropolitan Young Adults of the West Coast
Mentor: Dr. Mark Barajas (Psychology)

Nicholaus Salm
Detecting and Quantifying DNA Using qPCR to Compare the Presence of Genetically Distinct Strains
Mentor: Dr. James Berleman (Biology)

Gabriel Ponce
Long Term Trend in Surface Ozone in Industrial Areas
Mentor: Dr. Joel Burley (Chemistry)

Eileanior Dawson
Paradise Fire Impacts on Sacramento O3 and PM2.5
Mentor: Dr. Joel Burley (Chemistry)

Esther Woo
Environmental Privilege: Evaluating Air Pollution in Working Class Communities
Mentor: Dr. Joel Burley (Chemistry)

Joana Rowlands
Acclimation of Lichen R Menziesii Across a Coastal-Inland Climate
Mentor: Dr. Jessica Coyle (Biology)

Dante Martin
Oak Moss Lichen Fungal Infection Pathology by Lichenlcoulous Fungus
Mentor:  Dr. Jessica Coyle (Biology)

Cameron Lum
Exposing Individuals to Racial Privilege: Impact of Gender and Method of Exposure on Discomfort and Attitudes Towards White Privilege
Mentor: Dr. Emily Hause (Psychology)

Jocelyn McLean
Exposing Individuals to Racial Privilege: Impact of Gender and Method of Exposure on Discomfort and Attitudes Towards White Privilege
Mentor: Dr. Emily Hause (Psychology)

Connor Martin
Telescopic Rehabilitation and Exoplanet Confirmation through Data Analysis in the TESS Followup Observing Program
Mentor: Dr. Brian Hill (Physics and Astronomy)

Courtney Robinson
Investigating the Role of the RhoA GAP, p190RhoGAP, in the Organization of the Actibn Cytoskeleton in Breast Epithelial Cells
Mentor: Dr. Khameeka Kitt-Hopper (Biology)

Kathryn Lombardi
The Role of Asef in the Maturation and Maintenance of Cell-Cell Adhesions in Breast Cancer Cells
Mentor: Dr. Khameeka Kitt-Hopper (Biology)

Deja Hermosillo
Diffusion of Ferrocene-Based Probes by NMR and Cyclic Voltammetry
Mentor: Dr. Mark Lingwood (Chemistry)

Katelyn Esposto
Immobilizing Radicals for Dynamic Nuclear-Polarization Enhanced Magnetic Resonance
Mentor: Dr. Mark Lingwood (Chemistry)

Mylan Biltz
Mutational Analysis of Singlet Glycine Riboswitches and Comparison to Tandem Glycine Riboswithes
Mentor: Dr. Karen Ruff (Chemistry)

Anne Marker
Comparison of Glycine Binding and Gene Control to Dissect the Timeframe of Riboswitch Folding
Mentor: Dr. Karen Ruff (Chemistry)

Darynne Cross
Manipulation and Analysis of Glycine Concentration in Bacteria
Mentor: Dr. Karen Ruff ( Chemistry)

Kristen Harnett
Investigating the Cytotoxicity and Teratogenicity of BPA Alternatives in Amphibian and Mammalian Cells and Embryos
Mentor: Dr. Sonya Schuh (Biology)

Rylee Lautrup
Investigating the Presence of Heavy Metals in Chemotherapy Drugs and their Effects on Cell Division and Development
Mentor: Dr. Sonya Schuh (Biology)

Alyssa Plummer
Development of a Fluorescent Tagged System to Monitor the Induced Fit of Neurolysin
Mentor:  Dr. Jeffrey Sigman (Chemistry)