Annual Student Research Poster Session

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  Zermelo's Theorem: How To Reach A Standard of Perfect Play in Chess

  Elisha Amadasu '26

  Zermelo’s theorem establishes that in any two player zero-sum game with perfect information (without the element of chance), either one side can force a win regardless of how the other side plays, or both sides can force a draw (if allowed in the rules). This theorem encouraged me to see how I could better my chess to see if I could exploit the existence of this perfect standard. I considered how chess engines play, as they are currently the strongest at playing chess. I understood that they often look 60-70 moves deep from the opening stage of the game, which leads to the endgame. I decided to mimic this method by finding a statistical correlation between opening moves and the type of endgames that may occur from them.

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  Comparison of two disaccharides and their saccharide components in AOT reverse micelles: Impacts of D-trehalose and D-sucrose

  Delaney Collier '25, Bridget L. Gourley, and Nancy E. Levinger

  Reverse micelles, featuring an AOT surfactant with a polar head group and nonpolar tail, encapsulate a polar phase at the nanoscale. With water as the polar phase, the nanoconfined water pool interactions and water-interface interactions mimic biological nanoconfinement. Thus, we investigated the impact of osmolytes on AOT reverse micelles to explore the role they play in biological systems. We investigated two disaccharides, D-trehalose and D-sucrose, and their monosaccharide components, glucose+glucose and glucose+fructose. We chose these molecules for their biological significance and to allow us to investigate whether subtle structural changes in the osmolyte impacts the intermolecular interactions in confinement as strongly as is found with monosaccharides (Halliday). In determining the size of reverse micelles, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) indicates saccharide-containing reverse micelles are smaller than reverse micelles with the same volume of water. Additionally, DLS shows there is no difference in reverse micelle size between D-trehalose and sucrose or their saccharide components. We further probed the system using a fluorescent dye molecule for lifetime measurements to determine the impact confinement and saccharides have on relaxation processes. Optical spectroscopy experiments, such as fluorescence anisotropy measurements, indicate relaxation processes are slowed by confinement and by increasing saccharide concentration. Similar to DLS results, there is seemingly no difference between the impact of D-trehalose and sucrose or their saccharide components on relaxation processes. Halliday et al. Langmuir. 2024.

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  What Meney Meney Mothers There Are With Whom I Would Not Trade: Scanning & Transcribing the 1916 Diary of Frederika Heinen

  Laney Collier '25 and Caroline Gilson

  Laney Collier scanned and transcribed a 1916 diary owned by Caroline Gilson, passed down from her mother, Arlene Abel Luchsinger. The diary was kept by Caroline’s great-great grandmother, Frederika Heinen. Frederika recorded her daily activities, the weather, community events, household activities, and family member interactions. Laney and Caroline created a manuscript transcription style guide and appendices to aid in the reading of the diary. Diary research included women and diary-keeping practices, personal communication, Kansas history, and history of Clay County/Green, Kansas. This diary serves as a historical artifact that tells the story of a family and community in 1916.

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  A Community-Level Investigation of Heavy Metal Pollution in Street Sediments from Terre Haute, Indiana

  Kyra Copp '25, Kenneth Brown, Nora Bedwell '26, and Camden Brown '25

  Urban environments contain environmental legacy issues that can have long-term negative public health consequences. Investigating these legacy issues can help constrain potential sources and their impact on communities. This study focuses on street sediment found in Terre Haute, Indiana, a city with an extensive history of coal-fired power production, high-traffic volumes, steel manufacturing, and Pb-based paint usage. This research specifically focuses on Terre Haute’s Sheridan Park community. Six bulk street sediment samples were analyzed by pXRF at DePauw University. This analysis revealed elevated concentrations of Pb (22-152 ppm), As (8-15 ppm), Cu (35-237 ppm), and Zn (149-634 ppm) in all six samples. Street samples collected near automotive buildings had the highest concentrations of heavy metals, with some concentrations seven times higher than background concentrations reported for natural soils in the area. Particle types found within the street sediment were identified using a standard stereomicroscope. This revealed four main categories: geogenic sediments, organic matter, anthropogenic debris (e.g., plastic), and metal particles. A more detailed investigation of the particle types was completed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). This analysis revealed Fe-rich spheres, silica-rich micro-beads, and other minor heavy metal-bearing particles. This study confirms the presence of heavy metal pollution within this community. Present-day sources of these metals include the automotive industry (e.g., mechanic shops) and vehicle transportation. The Fe-rich spheres may be a byproduct of past steel manufacturing and coal-combustion within the city.

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  Avoidance behavior of Oppia nitens (oribatid mites) to herbicide: Glyphosate compared to microplastics in standard artificial soil.

  Thi Doan '27 and Philips Akinwole

  Despite growing public interest in environmental issues, awareness of contaminants affecting soil organisms remains broadly lacking, despite decades of research. This study investigated the impacts of a common herbicide; glyphosate, (Roundup), on the avoidance behavior of Oppia nitens - a soil mite species used as an indicator of soil health, and soil moisture content. The study involved exposing O.nitens to standard artificial soil treated with glyphosate concentrations ranging from 47.8 to 501.6 mg/kg. Avoidance behavior was assessed by observing mite distribution between treated and untreated soil over a 48-hour period. Results demonstrated clear avoidance behavior at higher glyphosate concentrations (501.6 mg/kg), with EC50 of 4,630 mg/kg suggesting that glyphosate contamination can negatively impact soil ecosystems by affecting key organisms. The testing of water loss between glyphosate and other microplastics such as Polyethylene (PE) and Polystyrene (PS) showed that glyphosate enhances water loss as a desiccant and this is an inverse trend compared with PS and PE. Moreover, when juxtaposing their EC50 with other bioplastics consisting of Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) and Sodium Polyacrylate (NaPa), glyphosate is only less toxic than PS, but significantly more toxic than PE, PVA and NaPa. Loss of soil moisture content can contribute to the overall avoidance behavior in the exposure of Oppia nitens with glyphosate. The observed avoidance of glyphosate-treated soils by O. nitens and possibly other soil fauna such as earthworms or springtails could have significant cascading effects on soil ecosystems. The consequent alteration in mite distribution could potentially impact soil quality and obstruct degradation processes, highlighting the need for further investigation into the long-term impacts of glyphosate on soil biodiversity and health.

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  Designing an Attachment Assay for Keratinocytes Stimulated by Fibroblast Conditioned Media

  Linh "Kas" Do '26 and Colleen L. Doçi

  Cell attachment involves the interaction between an individual cell with its neighbors and the extracellular matrix. These interactions are often regulated by the signaling molecules, including a variety of proteins, cytokines and growth factors. It is found in several studies that keratinocytes in the epidermis communicate with dermal fibroblasts in a bilateral paracrine model, in which they were simultaneously stimulated by the byproduct of the others. We developed this protocol with a simple, low-cost, and effective model to examine keratinocyte attachment that could be applied to examine the effects of fibroblasts on cell adhesion. For this method, we collected the conditioned media from fibroblasts and use it as a treatment for keratinocytes. Treated keratinocytes are then plated in a matrix and quantified with immunofluorescence techniques to determine the amount of attachment based on different treatment concentrations.

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  Foreign Direct Investment and Global Supply Chain Reshaping in ASEAN

  Nam Khanh Hoang '25 and Guangjun Qu

  The intensifying geopolitical tensions between the United States and China have led to profound changes in global supply chains, particularly in recent years. Additionally, China's strict Zero Covid policy has further complicated the operations of multinational corporations during the pandemic. These developments have forced companies to rethink their sourcing strategies, diversify their suppliers, and relocate manufacturing to reduce tariff impacts and minimize supply chain risks. This study examines how the trade war and the Zero Covid policy have accelerated the diversification of foreign direct investment (FDI) flows from the U.S. and China into Southeast Asia. We analyze FDI data from key ASEAN economies, exploring correlations between the trade war and the evolving FDI patterns of the U.S. and China in the region. Our research finds that neither the trade war nor the COVID-19 pandemic has had a statistically significant impact on the growth and pattern of U.S. FDI into the region. However, there has been a notable shift in the distribution of Chinese FDI across the region. This suggests that U.S. government policies aimed at reshaping global supply chains have partially succeeded—not by altering American manufacturers' supply chains in the region, but by prompting their Chinese counterparts to restructure theirs.

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  Comparison of S100β Expression in SK-MEL-25 and A-375

  Nev Hommel '26, Ayusha Pokharel '27, and Nipun Chopra

  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects more than 2 million Americans each year. S100β protein acts as a biomarker for TBI– studies have shown that micromolar levels of S100β are dangerous to neuronal health. Our plan for the summer was to experiment with whether miRNA-4705 could inhibit the production of S100β or not. To get started on the transfection, we had two hurdles to overcome. One of them was to find an efficient s100B primary antibody and the second was to ensure our s100B siRNA worked. By analyzing various research papers and their western blot, we identified and selected two s100B primary antibodies. Our study investigated the ability of two S100β siRNA - used to confirm successful transfection of RNA into the selected cell lines - to silence the S100β genes in two cell lines: A-375 and SK-MEL-28. These cells were cultured and plated in 24-well plates. Each plate had 6 conditions: mock (transfection agent RNAiMAX and media), untreated (just media), negative control siRNA (not expected to reduce S100B levels), beta-actin siRNA (A positive control for transfection), S100β-1 siRNA, and S100β-2 siRNA. After 72 hours of incubation, the cells were lysed for the purpose of running a gel electrophoresis and Western blot. Our Western blots showed varying results, though we determined that A-375 cells do not produce enough endogenous S100β protein to be detectable, while SK-MEL-25 does produce S100β protein above levels of detection. Furthermore, we found that S100β siRNA-1 can be used to effectively silence the S100β genes. This will allow us to use S100β siRNA as a positive control for future research with miR-3705. Further research is required to determine whether miR-3705 effectively suppresses the S100β protein. We plan to continue work with the SK-MEL-25 cells and culture a new cell line called C6.

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  Inhibition of Integrin Binding: Exploring Its Impact on Epidermal Cell Attachment

  Erin R. Johnson '25 and Colleen L. Doçi

  I worked with HaCaT cells, human epidermal cells that are sticky and like to attach to their surroundings in the skin. They have a surface protein called integrin, which interacts directly with collagen to induce cell attachment. I was particularly interested in interrupting this connection between integrin and collagen. I achieved this by using an inhibitory peptide that bound to the active site of integrin. This would allow me to calculate the cell attachment of HaCaT cells while in the presence of collagen. If we were able to target this treatment to tumor cells, we could help to stop them from metastasizing.

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  Bacteriostatic effects of Hydroxyl Radical-Generating Device on Klebsiella and Pseudomonas

  Caroline Le '26, Philips Akinwole, and Nipun Chopra

  Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) serve as one of the most pressing problems in the medical field. On any given day, one in 31 hospital patients has at least one HAIs and even though the average duration of inpatient admissions has decreased, the frequency of HAIs has increased. The most popular treatment for HAIs is antimicrobial medications such as antibiotics, however, bacteria have been documented to develop resistance to several antibiotics. Hydroxyl radical is being explored as an alternative preventative treatment to HAIs as it has microbicidal effects on planktonic bacteria and fungi over short treatment time, but few studies have looked into the effects of hydroxyl radicals on Klebsiella and Pseudomonas, two most commonly found HAIs bacteria. This study aims to 1) observe Strl AIR’s (a hydroxyl radical generator developed by DexTech) effects on Klebsiella and Pseudomonas, 2) determine if the device is bacteriostatic or bactericidal, 3) quantify reduction rate of the bacteria, and 4) analyze the difference in genetic makeup between the control and treatment groups using PCR. The treatment groups were divided into groups and subjected to two variables: distance from the device (1 meter, 2 meters, and 3 meters) and exposure time (24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours). After that, they were removed from Strl AIR, left to continue growing at room temperature, and monitored the number of colonies over time. Results show that, first, the device indeed has bacteriostatic effects on the bacteria and, second, exposure time and distance away from the device affect the regrowth rates of bacterial colonies. For distance, at 24 hours after collecting, percentage reductions in the number of colonies were 1.49 SE ± 4.93, 29.65 SE ± 3.18, and 52.99 SE ± 3.46 respectively for the 24hr 1m, 24hr 2m, and 24hr 3m groups. The numbers peaked at 48 hours after collecting for three groups (25.43 SE ±4.04, 43.93 SE ± 2.9, and 59.54 SE ±3.92) before decreasing slightly at the 60 hours mark (df=2, F=12.51, p0.05). However, more studies need to be conducted to confirm the effects of exposure time on bacterial regrowth rate. These findings suggest that Strl AIR can serve as a potential replacement for antibiotics and other preventative methods as a solution to HAIs; nonetheless, long-term and more in-depth studies need to be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of Strl AIR, especially over longer exposure periods, and factors that may or may not inhibit its efficacy so as to instruct healthcare experts in hospital and medical clinics on where to place the device for maximized sterilization. Moreover, research into Strl AIR’s effects on other types of pathogens like viruses or fungi need to be conducted to further expand our knowledge on artificially generated hydroxyl radicals.

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  A Quantitative Survey of Goldenrods and their Galls in Greencastle, Indiana.

  Chiamaka Ndubuokwu '27, Danielle Sommerman '25, and Rose Keith

  During the spring to summer months, galls—an abnormal growth of plant tissue—are commonly found on goldenrod plants. Some of the most common galls that plague goldenrods are the rosette, ball, and elongated galls caused by different flies and midges. This study set out to quantitatively survey goldenrod galls of those three types in Greencastle, Indiana and their potential fitness effects. The literature currently available focuses heavily on the relationships between ball galls and goldenrods, while the other gall types are understudied. This finding was especially surprising considering that the results of our data analysis suggests that the rosette galls were the most popular— with the difference being significant across sites.

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  Synthesis of Drug-Like Molecules and Investigation of Their Biological Activity

  Duyen Nguyen '25, Sunny Nguyen '26, and Jeffery A. Hansen

  This study examines the products derived from the ring-opening reactions of two novel epoxides—chlorobenzene epoxide and furan epoxide—highlighting their notable biological activity, particularly in the context of potential anticancer agents. One key finding: a synthesized stereoisomer of a hexylamine-derived β-amino alcohol exhibited a remarkably low LC50 value of 6.6 ppm in the Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay, significantly outperforming the other isomer compound’s LC50 value, at 13 ppm. This discovery underscores the critical role of stereochemistry in enhancing bioactivity, as evidenced by the distinct physical and chemical properties of the two hexylamine-derived isomers, including differences in appearance and solubility. Building on these results, a β-amino alcohol was also synthesized with ethylenediamine. We plan to couple this with the fluorescent dye BODIPY to probe its intracellular interactions—particularly in the context of anticancer activity. Meanwhile, the ring-opening of furan epoxide with methanol yielded a methoxy derivative, expanding the chemical diversity of the compounds available for further biological screening. Epoxides, renowned for their high reactivity, offer a gateway to structurally diverse and biologically potent compounds. This study highlights their versatility and lays the groundwork for future exploration into their therapeutic potential, particularly in cancer research.

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  The Impact of Fintech Lending on Small Business Bankruptcies in California (2008-2023)

  Lam Nguyen '25 and Bin Qiu

  This study examines the impact of fintech lending on small business bankruptcies at the county level in California from 2008 to 2023. Using UCC filings and FJC bankruptcy records, we find that increased fintech lending is associated with decreased bankruptcy rates across counties. This suggests that fintech lenders play a crucial role in supporting small businesses by maintaining credit access, even during economic downturns, thereby helping to mitigate the impact of reduced bank lending.

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  “Inward” globalization: A look at ethnic education in Vietnam

  Quan Nguyen '25 and Rebecca Alexander

  Globalizing education, while continuously fueling transformative changes to the Vietnamese education system, is predominantly associated with an ‘outward’ expansion toward economically developed nations, instead of an ‘inward’ assessment of educational diversity and equality. How has Vietnam integrated the unique cultural and historical heritages of its 54 ethnic communities into the national educational goals? Across three decades, the established guiding principles, objectives, and solutions increasingly endorsed both national contribution and cultural preservation of ethnic minority students. However, this emerging philosophy tended to be deficit-focused, mainly using ethnic minority groups’ cultural uniqueness to make mainstream teaching materials more appropriate, implicitly assuming that ethnic minority education should be assimilated into the mainstream socio-economic and cultural mode. This paper reimagines these policies’ reflection of the understanding of (il)literacy, ethnicity, solidarity, and identity development in education, which help facilitate intercultural dialogue through and in education, especially with the dearth of research on multiethnic education in Vietnam.

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  Designing an Attachment Assay for Epidermal Cell-to-Cell Attachment

  Tiala Ortega '26 and Colleen L. Doçi

  Cell adhesion includes various processes and is essential in cell communication and regulation. The mechanical interactions between a cell and its extracellular matrix control the behavior and function of a cell. In this project, we are studying cell attachment in different ways. The epidermal monostrato layer is a vertical and horizontal interaction and is not accounted for in usual assay protocols so I wanted to investigate this by creating an assay including multiple cell layers, a monolayer and an attached layer, to further develop a protocol for optimal cell-to-cell attachment. I hypothesized that the number of cell attachments to the monolayer would increase as time in the incubator during the attachment period increased. This project required significant modification of the protocol, including 1) adding a monolayer of epidermal cells to replicate cellular attachment; 2) discovering optimal cell densities for both the monolayer and the attached layer of cells; 3) finding the optimal time for cell-to-cell attachment, 4) adjusting the labeling step to be able to distinguish between established cells and those being applied in the assay, and 5) altering the quantification protocol to accurately quantify the number attached cells. This protocol represented significant troubleshooting, as the established layer of epidermal cells had less stability than under normal conditions

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  Actin Depolymerization by β-Amino Alcohol in Breast Cancer Cells

  An Pham '25, Jeffery A. Hansen, and Sarah Mordan-McCombs

  As breast cancer is heterogeneous, there is a strong need to diversify current treatment and discover more options for advanced breast cancer. Pyrrolidinyl-substituted β-amino alcohol (pyrrolidine for short) is a drug synthesized from Hansen Lab at DePauw that can kill MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Previously, we have seen MCF-7 struggling to migrate in scratch assay, and maintain proper cell shape in actin fluorescent staining. By combining both tests in one experiment, we attempted to observe how their actin structure changes during migration. In this research, we have narrowed down the mechanism of action of pyrrolidine to be actin depolymerization. This effect disrupts the formation of lamellipodia and stress fibers, which prevents MCF-7 cells from migrating and surviving.

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  Inside Indochina: Vietnam's National Identity through French Historical Blockbusters

  Chi Q. Pham '25

  Cinema has been credited for contributing to the understanding of one's nation. In the case of the former French Indochina, despite being a well studied historical subject, few movies have been made about it, even fewer have taken place within those geographical borders. This paper will uncover the Vietnamese government’s intervention in portraying the Indochina state on Western screens, and what their cinematic vision of the colonial French-Indochina chapter in their history might look like. In 1992, three French blockbusters, Indochine, L’Amant, and Dien Bien Phu, were released and concurrently provided artistic lenses into the former colonial state. This trio have been researched together and separately in terms of visual and cultural analyses, especially in relation to the French colonial legacy and national identity, thanks to their international accolades. Findings from scholars Panivong Nodrinr and Tess Do also point to press materials and records on the on-location productions in Vietnam. Specifically, evidence suggests that the Vietnamese government had offered support as well as imposed supervision and censorship at different levels during pre-production, primary photography and domestic release. In my close inquiry into these movies, censorship impacted each movie uniquely, resulting in different receptions in Vietnam and contrasting portraits of Indochina. Not just a speculation of whether the research subjects are of historical significance to Vietnamese culture, this study poses questions on the current government’s impact of the mediated construction of national identity in the case of factual sceneries and imagined borders.

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  Trends in U.S. Smoking and Cessation: Insights from 2015-2022

  Nhan Phan '26, Thinh Nguyen '26, and Naima Shifa

  Our project focuses on analyzing trends in smoking and cessation rates among U.S. adults between 2015 and 2022, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The goal of the study was to explore how key demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and education impact smoking behaviors and quitting efforts. By employing both descriptive statistics and logistic regression, we identified disparities in smoking prevalence and cessation rates across these demographic groups. The findings suggest that while smoking rates have generally declined, there remain significant differences in outcomes based on socio-demographic variables. This work provides insights that could help shape more targeted public health interventions aimed at reducing smoking rates and addressing health disparities in tobacco use.

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  Reducing Selection Bias in the Training Data of ASL Champ! To Improve the Sign Language Recognition (SLR) System

  Nushla Pradhan '26 and Laine Silverman

  American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that is critical for effective communication within the Deaf community and also to bridge the gap between hearing and Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing individuals. Conventional methods of ASL learning apart from in person classroom instruction provide foundational knowledge but often lack the immersive and interactive elements. People often opt to learn ASL through textbooks and videos due to the limited availability of proficient ASL instructors, lack of other educational resources and limited time. This creates challenges of replicating real-life conversational scenarios and lack of real time feedback. To address these limitations, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising tool for ASL education by offering an immersive learning environment where users can practice ASL, a 3D language in a three dimensional space to enhance their learning as well as retain the language. The motivation behind this study is to explore the efficacy of the VR-based ASL learning platform, ASL Champ! and its potential to revolutionize the way ASL is taught and learned. Additionally, this study will also evaluate its Sign Language Recognition (SLR) system by addressing the research question: "How does reducing the selection bias in the training data of ASL Champ! affect the accuracy of its Sign Language Recognition (SLR) system?"

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  Visual Parsing Algorithms for an Equitable Augmented Reality Learning System

  Pushpita Saha '25, Matthew L. Furber MFA, and Paul W. Bible

  Giving instructions for a character to navigate around a scene provides a simple analog for the planning needed in computer programming. While many children’s navigation games exist, most require the child to use a combination of input devices such as keyboard, mouse, and controllers for play. Children under the age of five may struggle to use a mouse, but they can easily construct the plans needed for such a game. This research explores layout and graph connectivity algorithms to connect tactile game pieces for a navigation game. A web camera identifies the position of action cards and numerical modifiers (card: go forward, modifier: 2 steps) on a table in front of the player. A suitable algorithm must be developed that is 1) robust to uneven placement, 2) can connect action in a sequence, and 3) connect modifiers to the appreciated action. While using tactile game pieces has a number of pedagogical advantages [1], allowing children to construct the navigation plan for controlling an on-screen character using optically recognized pieces eliminates the need for complicated input devices and lowers barriers for younger children. As the child places command cards and numerical modifiers to those commands on the table, their coordinates in space are relayed to the algorithm by a machine vision system. The current set of algorithms in development connects the commands and modifiers into a program representation that is then processed and animated when the young learner wants to run their program. These algorithms will allow for the unorthodox positioning that the children will discover through the course of play but still connect the programs in a way that captures the child’s intent. This is a work in progress report on the visual parsing algorithms of a larger learning system.

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  Metabolic Adaptation of Soil Microbial Communities to Metal Contamination: Assessment of Cadmium Stress

  Nina Shaffer '25, Emma Jacobs '25, and Philips Akinwole

  Anthropogenic contamination of soil with heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd2+) alters the metabolic activities and structure of soil microbial communities and has profound impacts on the soil ecosystem. In this study, we examined the effects of Cd2+ exposure on soil microbial communities by amending soil solutions with different concentrations of Cadmium nitrate tetrahydrate Cd(NO3)2 ● 4H2O (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.5 mM). 150 µL of the Cd2+ amended and control soil solutions were added to BIOLOG 96-well ecoplates and incubated (26 ±1oC) over a 7-day period for metabolic analysis of 31 selected carbon substrates. Average well-color development (AWCD) of the BIOLOG ecoplates showed a significant difference between the metabolic rates of Cd2+ amended soil communities, indicating alterations in the soil microbial community structure. There was a significant decrease in AWCD in the 2.5 mM Cd2+ sample when compared to lower concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM) and the control samples. Furthermore, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the samples showed 73.2% variation along the PC1 separating communities on Cd2+ exposure basis; however, PC2 (9.4% variation) revealed distinct clusters of communities based on the responses of the bacterial communities to Cd2+ stress, with the community in 2.5 mM exposure significantly different to communities exposed to lower concentrations. Control samples exhibited unique metabolic profiles utilizing carbohydrates, α-Cyclodextrin, Glycyl-L Glutamic Acid, and Phenylethylamine while Cd-exposed communities showed differential responses, for instance, communities exposed to lower Cd2+ concentrations disproportionately utilized polymer and D-mannitol. Bacteria amended with 2.5 mM Cd2+ guild utilization included 36.30% carbohydrates compared to the control utilizing 31.21% carbohydrates. The 2.5 mM Cd2+ bacteria also utilized 22.52% polymers compared to 10.94% polymers for control. For all concentrations amines & amides were utilized the least in a range of 4.01% to 6.95%. In conclusion, our findings showed that soil microbial communities pre-exposed to varying Cd2+ stress manifested different metabolic profiles and utilization rates of carbon substrates. Moreover, AWCD data indicated that Cd2+ addition inhibited the metabolic activity of soil microbial communities. This study underscores the need to identify Cd-resistant species that might play significant roles in metal remediation. Therefore, metagenomics analysis is needed to evaluate bacterial species and functional diversity that are selected for in the Cd2+ amended or polluted soils.

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  Phenotypic Variations in T. repens (White Clover) Leaf Pigmentation

  Danielle Sommerman '25, Chiamaka Nbubuokwu '27, and Rose Keith

  There is a known variation in patterning amongst the leaves of variegated plants. The reasons as to why this polymorphism occurs has long been debated by botanists and biologists, but some hypotheses include thermoregulation, ultraviolet protection, and pollinator attraction among others (Kuo et al., 2024). We hypothesized that physical location may play a role in the leaf variegation of Trifolium repens (white clover). Starting mid July of 2024, we collected sample leaflets from multiple local populations from three distinct sites in Greencastle, IN. After collecting, we looked at the frequency of chevron presence as well as the size of the chevrons. We determined that there is a difference between chevron size and frequency between sites.

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  Optimizing Transport Predictive Modeling with Simulation-Based Statistical Inference

  Quyen Tran '27 and Mamunur Rashid

  Simulation-based statistical inference (SBI) leverages computer simulations to help scientists understand and analyze complex data. This project explores how SBI techniques can be used to analyze transportation data. We use modern computational methods, including machine learning models, to improve the accuracy of predictions and decision-making in transportation planning. Our study focuses on applying two SBI methods, Approximate Bayesian Computation - Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Synthetic Likelihood, to create synthetic data for training machine learning models. These models show the potential of SBI to handle uncertain data. It also highlights the practical benefits of SBI in making predictions and decisions for transportation systems.

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  Development and Quantification of an Attachment Assay for Epidermal Cells to Varying Extracellular Matrix Dilutions

  Julian Vargas '26 and Colleen L. Doçi

  The concept of cellular attachment is cells interacting with the extracellular matrices surrounding it. Extracellular matrices are made of various components, and it has been shown that the interactions differ between different classes of extracellular matrices. The basement membrane plays a critical role in the structure and function of the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. It is composed of key extracellular matrix components, which are crucial for structural stability of the skin and for maintaining the integrity of the epidermis. Through components like collagen, laminin, and proteoglycans, the BM facilitates communication between the epidermal cells and the connective tissue. This communication is very relevant and key to cell proliferation, differentiation, and wound healing processes. This project focused on developing and modifying a generalized protocol for a cellular attachment assay using the HaCat epithelial cell line to measure the number of cells that attach to different classes of extracellular matrices. Three classes of extracellular matrices were experimented on: the protein collagen, synthetic polymer poly-D-lysine, and glycoprotein laminin. The goal for the protocol is for it to be able to be a low cost, effective, and easily modifiable model that can be used in research involving the observation of cellular attachment.

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  E-TextBook For Better Learning in Chemistry 120

  Anh Vu '27 and Jeffery A. Hansen

  Organic chemistry is a highly visual subject since organic compounds are 3D objects. For this reason, in order to fully understand the composition, properties, and chemistry of these compounds, it is essential to understand and visualize their 3D structures. Nevertheless, there is a frequent necessity to depict organic substances on 2D surfaces, such as paper, a computer screen, or a whiteboard. As a result, one of the biggest obstacles we will face is learning these molecules in a 2D format while maintaining an accurate understanding of 3D nature. The purpose of this e-textbook is to fully utilize the digital medium by integrating images, videos, games, 3D interactive objects, etc., in order to assist students in comprehending the properties of molecules in both 2D and 3D formats.