Meet SURE Participants

Project: Association Between Hantavirus Host Reservoirs And Landscape Structure

Chau Tran

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Camila Carlos-Shanley

Project: How Gut Bacteria of Termites can be Affected by Different Ranges of Temperature

Edgar Torres

Major: Chemistry

Mentor: Dr. William Hoffman

Project: Rapid Differentiation of Isobaric Drugs Using Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe and Online Derivatization

Emilio Lara

Major: Biochemistry

Project: High-Throughput Preparation of Monodispersed Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Using Fiber Fluidic System

Isidoro Aburto Martinez

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Manish Kumar

Project: Cloning, Expression, & Purification of Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein in E. Coli

Jake Hermanson

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Sean Kerwin

Project: In Vitro Metabolism of Rooperol and CAPA

Jonathan Chica

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Dana Garcia

Project: Comparative Study of the Optic Nerve of the Texas Blind and San Marcos Salamander

Kafayat Oyejide

Major: Microbiology

Mentor: Dr. Mar Huertas

Project: Can Learning Environments Have an Impact on Students’ Stress

Michael Naley

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Irvin

Project: Identifying a Synthetic Method for Higher Molecular Weight Soluble Conductive Polymers

Mohammed Hossain

Major: Electrical Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Alexander Zakhidov

Project: Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cell Optimization

Renya Maku

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Shannon Weigum

Project: Paper Microfluidics: Cheap, Quick and Easy Platform for Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Rhoda Oladapo

Major: Microbiology

Mentor: Dr. Camila Carlos-Shanley

Project: Evaluation of the Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Bacterial Strains from the San Marcos River and Surrounding Water Bodies

Roberto Molina

Major: Wildlife Biology

Mentor: Dr. Andrea Aspbury

Project: The Effects of Urbanization on the Behavior of the Western Mosquitofish

Samantha Oliveira

Major: Microbiology

Mentor: Dr. Manish Kumar

Project: Development of a New Technique for Selectively Removing Chromosomal DNA from Circular Plasmid DNA

Shahad Abdulsahib

Major: Biochemistry

Project: Molecular Determinants of Immunogenic Cell Death Elicited by Nanoparticle-Mediated Dual Chemo and Photothermal Therapy

Stephanie Lopez

Major: Electrical Engineering

Project: Modeling an Off-Grid System Through Smart Power Consumption by Simulation

Victoria Reyes

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Kristy Daniel

Project: Family Interpretation of Conservation Messaging

SURE 2018

Alexander Adame

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Timothy Bonner

Project: The Degradative Effects of Formalin Preservation on Genetic Analysis

Angel Sandoval

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Raquel Salinas

Project: Two Research Examples Using the Genetics of the Xiphosphorus Genus

Carina Carla Al-der

Major: Chemistry

Minor: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Wendi David

Project: Utilizing Gel Electrophoresis to Visualize G-Triplex and G-Quadruplex Structures in DNA

Cesar Rosalio Sifuentes

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Dika Handayani

Project: Direct Force Measurement when Machining ADI

Chiedu Caroline Anyah

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Manish Kumar

Project: Effect of Miconazole Concentrations on Development of Resistance in Candida Ablicans

Cody James Rodriguez

Major: Microbiology

Minor: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Dana Garcia

Project: Investigating a Tumor Suppressor Protein (P16INK4a) in Zebrafish Retina

Danielle Alyssa Cordani

Major: Wildlife Biology

Project: Increasing Effectiveness of Bat Impact Reduction Strategies while Minimizing Cost for Wind Energy Developers in Texas

Diego Francisco Valdez-Oranday

Major: Biology

Minor: Chemistry

Mentor: Dr. Mar Huertas

Project: Nitrite is an Olfactory Disruptor in Goldfish (Carassius Auratus)

Elizabeth Nichol Alvizo

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Project: Implementation of Lean Manufacturing in Hydroponic Industry

Isaac Nicholas Cantu

Major: Microbiology

Minor: Chemistry

Mentor: Dr. Caitlin Gabor

Project: Effects of Acute and Chronic Predation on Mate Choice and Stress

Jacob Chance Weishuhn

Major: Wildlife Biology

Mentor: Dr. Thom Hardy

Project: Observer Bias Using Visual Encounter Surveys

Jean-Michel Mailloux-Huberdeau

Major: Computer Science and Physics

Minor: Applied Mathematics

Mentor: Dr. Eleanor Close

Project: Identifying Important Factors for Student Success in Introductory Physics

Jessica Sarah Barrera

Major: Biochemistry

Project: Investigation of Ability of Photothermal Treatment with PEDOT NPs to Lead to Immunogenic Cell Death

Joshua Robledo

Major: Wildlife Biology

Mentor: Dr. Astrid Schwalb

Project: Distribution of Mussels can be Explained with Life History Strategies in the San Saba River

Juan Elias Silva

Major: Industrial Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Bahrahm Asiabanpour

Project: Evaluating Factors Affecting a 20mm Plastic (PMMA) Optical Light Delivery Performance

Keondre Martiese Parker

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Minor: Applied Mathematics

Project: Reconfiguration for Better Efficiency Through Use of a Raspberry Pi

Loraine Ribon Gutierrez

Major: Industrial Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Sasha Dong

Project: Social Media Data Mining in the Transportation Field

Michaela L Livingston

Major: Biology

Minor: Art & Design

Mentor: Dr. Jessica Dutton

Project: Mercury Accumulation in Young-of-Year and Juvenile Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus Leucas) in Sabine Lake, TX

Nakya Lorena Mesa-Diaz

Major: Chemistry

Project: Development of a DNA Aptamer Functionalized Conductive Polymer Electrochemical Biosensor for the Detection of Disease

Accolades:

Received the 2018 SACNAS Student Presentation Award at the 2018 SACNAS: The National Diversity in STEM Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Nicholas D. Loftis

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Project: Solar Powered Passive Desalination using a Reflective Parabolic Dish

Pilo Calvillo

Major: Microbiology

Mentor: Dr. Andrea Aspbury

Project: Reproductive Investment and Body Condition in Female Gambusia Affinis Differs in Local Rural and Urban Environments

Rudy Padilla

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Joel Bergh

Project: Use of M4l-10 as the Primary Antibody for MRP4 Detection in Danio Rerio

Veronica Guadalupe Marin Ponce

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Irvin

Project: Electrospun Electroactive Polymers for Photocatalysis

Xandria Raemyn Quichocho

Major: Physics

Minor: Applied Mathematics

Mentor: Dr. Eleanor Close

Project: Examining the Intersectionality of Minority Students' Identities at MSIs

SURE 2017

Kyle Davidson August

Major: Electrical Engineering

Project: Atmospheric Water Generation Using Thermoelectric Cooling Systems

Luis Bichon III

Major: Physics

Project: Analysis of the Whirlpool Galaxy with the Hubble Space Telescope

Clint Boldt

Major: Physics, Applied Mathematics

Project: X-Ray Sources from the Whirlpool Galaxy

Katherine Casey

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Project: Passive Sunlight Capture

Kristin Dyer

Major: Wildlife Biology

Project: Potential Effects of Hantavirus Infection on Activity Patterns of Sigmodon hispidus

Jose Hernandez

Major: Electrical Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Karl Stephan

Project: Electrostatic Pendulum as a Model for Ball Lightning's Motion

Publications: Self-excited electrostatic pendulum showing electrohydrodynamic-force-induced oscillation

Riley Kay Horner

Major: Manufacturing Engineering

Project: Nutrition Delivery System

Gabriel Hurtado

Major: Computer Science

Mentor: Dr. Habil Zare

Project: Applications of RASL-Seq in the Analysis of Immune Response

Evelyn Ibarra

Major: Microbiology

Minor: Biochemistry

Project: Determining the Effect of MRP4 Knockout on Pigment Granule Position in Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Mentor: Dr. Dana Garcia

Noel Mireles

Major: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics

Mentor: Dr. Christopher Rhodes

Project: Investigation of the Effects of Iridium Substitution with Nickel Hydroxide Nanosheets

Nicholas Moore

Major: Physics

Project: Classification of Stellar Objects Through the Use of Machine Learning

Alyssa Parsons

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Irvin

Project: Electroactive Polymer-based Biosensors for Cancer Detection

Hannah Perkins

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Caitlin Gabor

Project: Synergistic Effects of Roundup and Cor on Antipredator Responses in Incilius nebulifer Tadpoles

William Poeppelmeyer

Major: Electrical Engineering

Mentor: Dr. Karl Stephan

Project: Solid-State Electrometer and Ultraviolet Photoelectricity

Karina Salinas

Major: Biology

Project: Wild Vertebrate Exposure to Soft Ticks in Central Texas

Michael Sanchez

Major: Physics

Project: A Spitzer Study of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC)

Mohamed Sghari

Major: Electrical Engineering