Category: SRS 2025 (all projects)

Reconstructing Volcanic Processes at Mt Ijen (Nicholas Barber)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

You will join Prof. Barberís Volcanology and Igneous Petrology (V.I.P.) to study the lavas produced by Mt. Ijen volcano, East Java. These samples were gathered on a field trip with W&L students last summer. We are attempting to reconstruct the eruptive history of Ijenís many volcanic vents, with a focus on Kawah Ijenís 1817 eruption. You will study sample microstructure, analyze 2D and 3D textural data, gather first-of-its-kind geochemical/microstructure data, and produce computational models (using QGIS, Python, and/or MATLAB) that fit your observations. You will do this in collaboration with local (Virginia Tech) and international (Cambridge, McGill, Gadjah Mada) partners. You will also participate in professional scientific conferences like the Geological Society of Americaís annual meeting in the Fall of 2025 (thanks to generous EEG department support) following our summer work together. I am looking for one to two students.

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Prerequisites

Ideally, the student will have prior experience with geoscience related cousework. However this is not required. If interested in relevant coursework: registering for EEG 322: Volcanology or any section of our “Dynamic earth” intro course this winter, or prior completion of EEG 211 (Earth materials) or EEG 105 (Volcanoes of the US) last academic year will be sufficient

Special Comments

Travel will be regional to visit supporting research facilitites/analogue field sites. 90% of work will be completed on campus in my lab.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Nicholas Barber (email: nbarber@wlu.edu)

Machine learning based method for rock texture analysis (Mengying Liu)

Hybrid: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

The typical methods used to assess crystallographic texture of rocks are classical U-stage microscopy (which is based on light microscopy) or electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD, which is based on scanning electron microscopy). The first is an inherently laborious technique with low resolution, while the second is very time-consuming and could only take a limited number of grains per measurement. The idea of this project is to leverage both techniques’ strengths and develop an automated system capable of accurate crystallographic texture analysis using polarized light microscopy. Using machine learning, we can now analyze the polarization-dependent reflectance signals of crystalline surfaces from a stack of micrographs and register them with their crystal orientations. The success of the proposed research can revolutionize the texture analysis of rocks by reducing the time from days to minutes.

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Prerequisites

One student has taken Materials Engineering or Earth Materials or plans to take in Winter 2025; The other one student must have coding experience with MATLAB or Python

Special Comments

Students are expected to take one credit research during Winter or Spring 2025; One student might need to travel to the University of Cambridge for data collection.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: Hybrid

Contact Information: Mengying Liu (email: mliu@wlu.edu)

Building W&L’s first digitial archive of rocks and minerals (Nicholas Barber)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

W&L hosts world class collections of rocks and minerals, most of which are locked in cabinet drawers away from the public eye. For the minerals on display as part of the generously donated Funkhouser collection, we are lacking crucial information about their origin, composition, and their role in W&L’s history. You will work alongside Prof. Barber to build W&Lís first digital archive of our teaching and research rock and mineral collection. You will work with Prof. Barber and the University library, using digital archiving tools like Omeka to design the database and develop the collection interface. You will also learn and apply geoscientific analytical tools like the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the IQ Center to determine the composition and origin of unknown samples. This project will see you build a diverse suite of analytical and computational skills, while contributing to the preservation of W&L’s rich scientific and cultural history. After the conclusion of our work together, you will have the opportunity to present the results of your work at the Geological Society of America annual meeting in the Fall of 2025, thanks to generous EEG department support. I am looking for one to two students on this project.

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Prerequisites

No prerequisite knowledge or training required; passion for rocks/minerals/gems is crucial!

Special Comments

No corequisites or significant research travel.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Nicholas Barber (email: nbarber@wlu.edu)

Reciprocal interaction between pesticide-induced shifts in the tadpolesí gut microbiome and the epigenome (Leah Lanier)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

It is well established that the gut microbiome can affect the health of the brain and central nervous system. The central aim of our project is to develop a detailed understanding of the impact of chronic subacute low level exposures to different classes of pesticides and herbicides, similar to the kinds of exposure humans obtain from their food and environment on a daily basis, can affect the composition of the gut microbiome. Specifically, this summer we plan to determine whether there are associated changes in the tadpolesí epigenome.

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Prerequisites

No

Special Comments

No

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Leah Lanier (email: lanierl@Wlu.edu)

Social Media and Blog Planning for Shenandoah (Beth Staples)

Remote: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

Shenandoah, W&L’s literary magazine now in its 75th year, publishes fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and comics. It’s 75th anniversary issue will launch, along with a new website, on June 15, 2025. This summer research project will give students experience with our blog and social media accounts creating a plan for the summer and into the fall organizing special features and promoting the issue. Our blog features all kind of promotional contentóauthor interviews, videos, ìBehind the Poemî essays, Instagram takeovers, and more. Professor Staples seeks 2-3 Summer Research Scholars to assist with these initiatives. This is an invaluable experience for students to work directly with contemporary writers and to gain experience editing and designing content for the website and social media.

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Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required, but love for creative writing is a huge plus, as is experience with social media. Special consideration will be given to applicants who have already taken ENGL 453: The Shenandoah Internship class.

Special Comments

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: Remote

Contact Information: Beth Staples (email: bstaples@wlu.edu)

Reciprocal interaction between pesticide-induced shifts in the tadpolesí gut microbiome and the epigenome (Fiona Watson)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

Please note, project is in collaboration with Dr. Leah Lanier: It is well established that the gut microbiome can affect the health of the brain and central nervous system. The central aim of our project is to develop a detailed understanding of the impact of chronic subacute low level exposures to different classes of pesticides and herbicides, similar to the kinds of exposure humans obtain from their food and environment on a daily basis, can affect the composition of the gut microbiome. Specifically, this summer we plan to determine whether there are associated changes in the tadpolesí epigenome.

Apply now

Prerequisites

no

Special Comments

W2025 Neur 421/401 or BIOL 421/401

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 1

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Fiona Watson (email: watsonf@wlu.edu)

Bedrock erosion by plucking; experimental flume analysis (David Harbor)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

Since 2015, we have investigated the process of plucking, which is the removal of bedrock blocks from streams and dam spillways by hydraulic forces alone. We use an experimental flume to conduct experiments and are collaborating with a team from UC -Davis that does numerical modeling of erosion in our turbulent flows. This summer we will use a new flume to conduct many experiments with varying slope, discharge, block shape, and nonuniform flow conditions. We will collect video for block motion, flow in the bedrock and water surface profiling synced with digital data including pressure and turbulence. See it for yourself: https://vimeo.com/892423876

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Prerequisites

No prerequisites except curiosity, although 3D modeling and python coding are helpful skills to start.

Special Comments

The summer will include a week-long field trip and the fall will result in a presentation at the AGU meeting in San Francisco in December.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: David Harbor (email: harbord@wlu.edu)

The role of Uchl-1 in adult frog optic nerve regeneration (Fiona Watson)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

In my lab we use the adult forg’s optic nerve axon crush injury model to investigate the genes involved during the period of regeneration. Currently, we are examining the expression pattern of a gene product expressed in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We have carried out these assays on young (one and two-year olds) adult frogs. This summer students will be carrying out experiments using aged (5 and 10-year olds) frogs to determine whether aging slows the ability to regenerate.

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Prerequisites

no

Special Comments

Biol or Neur 421 course during Winter 2025

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Fiona Watson (email: watsonf@wlu.edu)

Developing Safer Chemotherapeutics (Sarah Kim)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

The goal of the Kim lab is to prolong patient survival and decrease risks associated with cancer treatment by developing safer and more effective chemotherapeutics. We have two projects underway, both of which are available to summer students: Project 1: Pediatric brain tumors. For adult patients with cancer, chemotherapeutics can cause undesirable side effects such as hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. However, when chemotherapeutics are given to children, the side-effects can be more severe. Children may experience lifelong hearing loss, vision loss, or learning disabilities. SRS students will learn about current challenges and promising new therapies for pediatric brain tumors. In the lab, students will formulate chemotherapeutics that are targeted to tumor cells. This project is done in collaboration with a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Duke University. Project 2: Medication allergies. You may remember that after we received our COVID vaccines, we were asked to wait 15 minutes before leaving. This was due to the possibility that the vaccine could cause life-threatening allergic reactions requiring hospitalization. Which component of the vaccine could be the culprit of these severe allergic reactions? One leading candidate is a synthetic material called polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG is derived from petroleum. Unsurprisingly, some peopleís bodies identify PEG as an unnatural toxin. Consequently, their immune system launches a severe allergic reaction in response to PEG. Unfortunately, several chemotherapeutics are made with PEG, which could induce allergic responses in cancer patients. SRS students will develop safer, natural alternatives to PEG based on elastin ñ a protein that is found in our bodies.

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Prerequisites

Fundamentals of Biology (BIOL 111) and General Chemistry (CHEM 110)

Special Comments

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Sarah Kim (email: skim2@wlu.edu)

Using 2nd and 3rd generation generative AI to discover novel approaches to genome annotation (Gregg Whitworth)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/8/2025.

Project Description

All modern biomedical studies conducted at a systems level depend on high quality genome annotation. But there are a very small number of organisms for which high quality genome annotations exist. This problem frustrates work in both model research organisms and in mammalian genomes closely related to humans. Efforts were made 20 years ago to use ML techniques to pseudo automate the annotation of genes, most of which largely failed. Recent advances in LLM-based approaches suggest the time may have come for this approach to finally be useful and productive. I am interested in recruiting new students to work on both the computational project and bench validation.

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Prerequisites

No. Programming skills in any language are preferred if you are interested in a computational focus.

Special Comments

I recommend all new research students enroll in Biol-401 this winter. We will meet once a week for a few hours to discuss recent papers and possible project directions.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/8/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Gregg Whitworth (email: whitworthg@wlu.edu)