Mount St. Mary’s University faculty dedicate themselves to academic excellence in scholarship and teaching, and they integrate the latest developments of their disciplines into classroom instruction. Our students follow suit by presenting their work at the annual SPARC Festival, which celebrates Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research and Creativity.
At SPARC, we celebrate our excellence in the liberal arts by showcasing the scholarly and creative projects of our academic community who comprise the College of Liberal Arts, the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Science, Mathematics & Technology, and the University Honors Program. Our senior honors project presentations reflect our students’ year-long studies of work closely mentored by outstanding faculty on topics of shared interest. These projects serve both as capstone experiences in students’ majors and as springboards to graduate school or a profession. SPARC also features an astonishing array of academic prowess through lightning talks, student debates, poster sessions, concerts, and creative writings.
Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
Co-chair, SPARC Festival
Solomon Tesfu, Ph.D.
Co-chair, SPARC Festival
Sean Lewis, Ph.D.
Director, Honors Program
Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
Co-chair, SPARC Festival
Solomon Tesfu, Ph.D.
Co-chair, SPARC Festival
Sean Lewis, Ph.D.
Director, Honors Program
As a student, you have the opportunity to present your work through a variety of formats, and chances are you've been preparing something exciting for months! Take a look at these options to see which one works best with your course of study.
An Honors Presentation is the final capstone presentation of an honors thesis, as per the requirements of the University Honors Program. If you're presenting your honors thesis, chances are you've already worked through many months of research and the SPARC Festival is when your findings are presented to the university and greater community.
A Lightning Talk is where you give a brief presentation to hit on the main points of an idea and express what matters most. Don't plan to read a speech or essay in its entirety. Be selective, condensing your talk to its essentials.
When you submitted your proposal, you indicated your preferences for a one-hour time slot. About a week prior to the festival, you will be notified of your presentation time (15-minute window in that hour). Please arrive 5 minutes prior to your presentation time.
PowerPoint slides or other computer files can be projected on a laptop computer that will be set up prior to your presentation. PowerPoint is not required. Bring your computer and bring the file with you on a flash drive or email it to yourself.
Each presenter has 15 minutes, including time for questions & answers. Plan to speak no longer than 10 minutes. Please honor your time constraints in order to facilitate the presentations that precede or follow yours.
The most successful lightning talks show evidence of preparation, organization, enthusiasm and confidence. Avoid speaking too rapidly or too quietly. Remember to relax and breathe. For best results, practice your talk and ask a friend to time you.
A poster is a way to presents the result of your project visually, demonstrating your goals, methods and conclusions. Your poster should be self-explanatory, leaving you free to answer questions on the finer details of the project. Poster sessions are scheduled for two-hour blocks.
Poster sessions last two hours and take place in Patriot Hall. You'll need to arrive 15 minutes early to set up.
Design your poster so that it can be tacked onto a 4 foot by 4-foot corkboard. Pushpins will be available. You may use PowerPoint to design a 4 x 4 poster that can be printed in the Center for Instructional Technology and tacked onto the mounting board or design a series of slides (letter-sized or smaller) that can be individually printed and tacked onto the mounting board. You may supplement your poster with a laptop presentation, though access to electric outlets will be limited. If you include audio, keep the volume to a reasonable level.
Present sufficient evidence to support your conclusions, and use illustrations, plots, small tables, or other visually-appealing content over text. If your project was initially in narrative form, then select representative excerpts. Limit yourself to four or five pages of text in a large font legible from a four-foot distance.
Provide background on your goals, methods, and conclusions. What is the underlying question, why is it important, what is the timeline, who were the participants, what activities went into the research, what conclusion did you reach? Share enough information to allow observers to respond with informed questions.
Sequence items on your poster in an intuitive way that allows observers to readily understand your project. Use left-to-right, top-to-bottom organization and include letters or arrows if necessary. Feature major points, leaving other findings for informal conversations with SPARC attendees. Provide clear labels for each section of your presentation. Use color to enhance comprehension.
Choose a descriptive, catchy title. Include the names of the presenters.
Simplicity is key. Don't try to cover too much material. Say a lot about a little rather than a little about a lot. Rehearse a brief summary of your project. Before you make your poster, create a list of the visuals you would include if you were describing your project with only the visuals. Write the text after you have created the list of visuals.
For examples of poster sessions from previous SPARC festivals, visit our Facebook page.
A Panel Presentation involves a small group of presenters (three to six) who talk about various angles on a specific theme. Panels are scheduled for 60-75 minutes and panelists usually speak for roughly 10 minutes each. If you have a panel idea, talk with one of your professors!
A Performance Presentation is where you will present a discussion of the process by which a performance of music, theater or performance art is prepared and then perform it. This 20-minute presentation session is followed by a Q&A session with attendants.
Assistant Professor
Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business
Presentation Title: Job Reallocation and the Decline of the US Labor Share
Presenting: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:30 p.m. in Laughlin Auditorium
Biography: Byunghee Choi is an assistant professor in the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business at Mount St. Mary’s University. He holds a Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University and studied Operations Research and Applied Economics. At the Mount, Dr. Choi’s work explores the intersection of business, economics and technology, focusing on data-driven approaches to understand human behavior and address interesting problems in business and economics. In his research, he applies quantitative methods grounded in theoretical frameworks to examine economic systems and organizational structures. His primary interests include labor markets, firm dynamics and organizational behavior, particularly as it relates to workforce communication. As the 2026 SPARC Honored Faculty, he is pleased to share his latest research findings with the Mount community.
Gibson Postdoctoral Fellow
Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia
Presentation Title: The Alliance That Won the American Revolution
France’s Forgotten Role in America’s Independence
Presenting: Thursday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Knott Auditorium
Biography: Dr. Iris de Rode is a historian of the American Revolution specializing in the Franco-American alliance. Her research began with the discovery of more than 6,000 previously unknown manuscripts from the papers of François-Jean de Chastellux, a French general who served alongside George Washington during the Revolutionary War. These documents have shed new light on the crucial role France played in securing American independence.
Dr. de Rode earned her Ph.D. from Université Paris 8 and is the author of François-Jean de Chastellux (1734–1788), un soldat-philosophe dans le monde atlantique à l’époque des Lumières (2022), which received the Prix Guizot from the Académie française in 2023. Her research has been featured in the documentary series The American Revolution by Ken Burns, as well as in numerous public lectures and international media. She is currently a Gibson Postdoctoral Fellow at the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia and is working on a new trade book on the Franco-American alliance, forthcoming in 2028.
Please contact the individual presenter if you would like the Zoom link to the presentation.
6 p.m. | Andrew Starvaggi
A Molecular Embrace: Using Artificial Binders to Suppress ALKBH3-ASCC Repair Complex Formation at Foci of Pre-mRNA Alkylation in the Spliceosome as a Mechanism to Combat Chemotherapeutic Resistance
Major: Biochemistry, Chemistry | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
6:30 p.m. | John Kaiser
Investigating the ASCC2 and Diubiquitin Binding Site Using NMR
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
7 p.m. | Shaun Alvarado
Using a thermal shift assay with UV-Vis to determine binding capabilities between binders and polynucleotide hairpin targets.
Major: Biochemistry, Biology | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
7:30 p.m. | Aliza Aslam
Small Molecule Application on Huntington's Disease via Synthesis and In Vitro Transcription Inhibition
Major: Biology | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
8 p.m. | Jishnu Patel
Synthesis of Acridine Melamine Conjugates to Inhibit the Transcription of the Nucleotide Repeat Sequence Associated with Huntington’s Disease
Major: Biology | Mentor: Krueger, Ph.D.
8:30 p.m. | Alexandra Sexton
Understanding How K63 Polyubiquitin Chains Bind to ASCC2 Via a CUE Domain in Response to Alkylation Damage
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
6 p.m. | Ryan Kelly
A Heutagogic Synthesis of Media and Content: The Portrayal of Advanced Leadership Theory in The Bear
Majors: Business: Management and Fine Arts: Music | Mentor: Christina Green, Ph.D.
6:30 p.m. | Abaigeal Smith
How Managers and Leaders Can Uphold D.E.I.A Principles to Respect the Dignity and Worth of a Diverse Workforce of Today While Societal and Political Environments are in Turmoil
Major: Buisness with concentration in Management and Sports Management | Mentor: Christina Green, Ph.D.
7 p.m. | Kevin Ryan
Why is Music So Effective in Brand Advertising?
Major: Marketing, Analytics | Mentor: Christina Green, Ph.D.
7:30 p.m. | Chiara Mazza
The Value of Cross-Cultural Teams
Major: Business | Mentor: Nancy Kimble
8 p.m. | Joseph Jacobs
Stock Price Prediction in the S&P 500 Technology Sector Using Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory Networks and Sentiment Analysis
Major: Accounting | Mentor: Jonathan McCurdy, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m. | Michael Cunningham
Math Meets the Trail: Applying Graph Theory and Python to the Perfect Hike
Majors: Mathematics and Education | Mentor: Brian Heinold, Ph.D.
9 a.m. | Blake Hatcher
SAST WebApp Creation
Majors: Computer Science and Cybersecurity | Mentor: Heinold, Ph.D.
9:30 a.m. | Tegan Markle
Functional Contributions of Retractor Muscles to Proboscis Timing in Bloodworms (Glycera)
Major: Biology | Mentor: Kari Taylor-Burt, Ph.D.
10 a.m. | Nicole Wilson
Joint Imbalances within Female Athletes as Possible Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Re-Injury
Major: Health Science: Pre Physical Therapy | Mentor: Kari Taylor-Burt, Ph.D.
10:30 a.m. | Abigail Asfaw
The Role of SPEC on Cell Migration
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
11 a.m. | Nismel Nforna
The Role of SPEC Protein Expression in Inducing Cell Apoptosis: A Comparison of Wild-Type and Mutant SPEC Cells
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m. | Anna Fencl
Navigating the Digital Age: The Influence of Social Media on Adolescents’ Political Views and Engagement
Major: Secondary Education: Social Studies | Mentor: Timothy Fritz, Ph.D.
9 a.m. | Emma Robinson
The Impact of Propaganda in War: American and Nazi Propaganda During World War II
Major: History and Italian | Mentor: Timothy Fritz, Ph.D.
9:30 a.m. | Ashley Taylor
Scandal, Silence, and the Crown How Princess Margaret and Princess Diana Reshaped the Modern British Monarchy
Major: History | Mentor: Jamie Gianoutsos, Ph.D.
10 a.m. | Julia Mozingo
How Native Americans are Perceived Over Time: Stereotypes, Outsiders, and Resilience
Majors: History and Political Science | Mentor: Jamie Gianoutsos, Ph.D.
10:30 a.m. | Peter Scheffer
From a War Decided to a Memory Divided: Confederate Personage in the Ranks and Forts of the United States Army
Major: History | Mentor: David Cohill
11 a.m. | Alize Michaud
Monuments and Memory: The Role Presentism Has Played on the Memorialization of Christopher Columbus Through the Lens of Monuments and Public Celebrations Throughout Time
Major: History | Mentor: Gregory Murry, Ph.D.
12:30 p.m. | Samuel Leppo
Evaluating the Impact of Instructor-Led Recitation Sessions on Student Performance in General Chemistry
Major: Biochemistry, Biology | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
1 p.m. | Jack Freemont
Synthesis of Specific Transcription Inhibitor Targeting Huntington's Disease Sequence
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
1:30 p.m. | James Buttarazzi
Structural and functional analysis of the ASCC2 CUE Domain’s Specificity for K63-Linked Ubiquitin in DNA Alkylation Damage Repair
Major: Biology | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
2 p.m. | Rediet Abebe
The Structural Interaction and Importance of ASCC2 Binding with Ubiquitin Chains in Understanding Its Overall Effect
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
2:30 p.m. | Veronica Marchak
Substituent Resonance Effects on Pyrylium Synthesis
Major: Biology | Mentor: Isaac Mills, Ph.D.
3 p.m. | Sophia Servagno
Pyrylium Tuning via Functionalization of Electronegative Attachments for Wastewater Purification Applications
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Isaac Mills, Ph.D.
3:30 p.m. | Emily Hatcher
Analyzing the effects and benefits of Occupational Therapy in Children with Autism
Major: Health Science Pre-OT | Mentor: Prof. de la Cruz, Ph.D.
12:30 p.m. | Devin Owen
Narrative Medicine: Rupi Kaur and Healing Beyond Clinical Contexts
Major: English | Mentor: Sarah Scott, Ph.D.
1 p.m. | John Hemling
Could AI be Creative?
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Tyler Nutter, Ph.D.
1:30 p.m. | Anna Hsia
The Cost of Wellness: Social Media, Mental Health, and the Gamification of Health
Major: Communication | Mentor: Benjamin Firgens, Ph.D.
2 p.m. | Anthony Silvestri
Catholicism and US Immigration Policy
Major: Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) | Mentor: Barrett Turner, Ph.D.
2:30 p.m. | Nolan Williams
On the Interpretation of Constitutional Law
Major: Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) | Mentor: Barrett Turner, Ph.D.
3 p.m. | Sarah King
How Gender Shapes Interpretation: A Comparative Look at “Hills Like White Elephants,” “Bloodchild,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Major: English, Secondary Education | Mentor: Michelle Ohanian, Ph.D.
3:30 p.m. | Daniel Capka
Cities Shaped by Sports: How the expansion and departure of professional sports teams can shape the culture of a city
Major: Sport Management | Mentor: Sheldon Shealer
6 p.m. | Rebecca Weir
Shaping Odor Perception: The Impact of Operant Conditioning in Training Olfactory Discrimination in Rats
Major: Health Science: Pre Occupational Therapy | Mentor: Jon Slezak, Ph.D.
6:30 p.m. | William Hoffmann
Client Perceptions of Therapy Effectiveness and Real Relationship in Teletherapy, In-Person Therapy, and Hybrid Therapy
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Jon Slezak, Ph.D.
7:30 p.m. | Rida Saifullah
Quantifying PLP1 Immunoreactivity
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Kauzlarich, Ph.D.
8 p.m. | Clover Satchell
Oligodendrocyte Count Variations in Pre-Frontal Cortex Layers
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Kauzlarich, Ph.D.
6 p.m. | Natalie Wujick
The Math Behind the Mount: An Architectural Glimpse into the University's Connection to Christendom - The Immaculate Conception Chapel
Major: Mathematics and Secondary Education | Mentor: Jonelle Hook, Ph.D.
6:30 p.m. | Faith Scarpati
Ethics and Security in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
Major: Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Foreign Language | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
7 p.m. | Camron Wiles
Mitigation of Memory Vulnerabilities, Necessary Shift to Memory Safe Programming Languages
Majors: Computer Science and Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
7:30 p.m. | Jane Pilkerton
Nihilistic Violent Extremism: A More Devastating Form of Terrorism
Major: Criminal Justice | Mentor: Joe Vince
8 p.m. | Cen’sare Hill
Empathy, Equity and Stress: The Relationship between Equity and Emotional Intelligence and Stress’s Impact on Equity
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Peter Kearns, Ph.D.
6 p.m. | Trishelle Leal Uribe
Beyond the Checkered Flag: Analyzing the Key Drivers of Formula 1 Attendance
Majors: Computer Science and Data Science | Mentor: Daniel Salinas Duron, Ph.D.
6:30 p.m. | Brenda Garcia
lgorithmic Injustice: AI Bias in the U.S. Criminal Justice System and Its Impact on Latinx Communities
Major: Criminal Justice | Mentor: Virginia McGovern, Ph.D.
7 p.m. | Alijandra Wallace
Representation in Counseling within Higher-Education
Major: Sociology, Human Services | Mentor: Jack Trammell, Ph.D.
7:30 p.m. | Mary Gutshall
Inhibitory Power of Garlic on Bacteria Commonly Associated With Food Poisoning
Major: Biology | Mentor: Garth Patterson, Ph.D., and Michael Turner, Ph.D.
8 p.m. | Sofia Aguilar
Investigating the Incorporation of Trace Metals Within Harmful Algal Bloom Species M. aeruginosa and A. variabilis Undergoing Conditions Mimicking Climate Change
Major: Environmental Science, Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
6-6:15 p.m. | Saad Syed, Ryan Pitzer, Ben Nie
Computational Design of a Novel Allosteric Inhibitor for BACE1 protein
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
6:20-6:35 p.m. | Tierney McCarroll
Computational Screening for the Development of an RNA G-Quadruplex Ligand Library in Repeat Expansion Diseases
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
6:40-6:55 p.m. | David Mishra
Effectiveness of Vitamin C and Vitamin E on Parkinson's Disease Based on Movement of C. elegans
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Kaitlyn Stepler, Ph.D.
9-9:15 a.m. | Anavaleria Martinez
Chronic Stress Model in Rats
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Amie Severino, Ph.D.
9:20-9:35 a.m. | Samuel Leppo
Beyond the Photo-Op: Resisting Service Voyeurism in the Age of Social Media
Major: Conflict, Peace, and Social Justice | Mentor: Lucia Mendez Cabello
9:40-9:55 a.m. | Evan Sgarlata
Creating a More Consistent Undergraduate Caffeine Extraction Lab Data Analysis Experience
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
10-10:15 a.m. | Gina Del Giorno
Enhancing Scientific Writing Through Structured Reflection and Peer Mentorship in Organic Chemistry Labs
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
10:20-10:35 a.m. | Olivia Adams, Tamiya Parker
The Journey: Developing a HeLa Cell Model for Huntington's Disease
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
10:40-10:55 a.m. | Anika Donato
Testing the Role of Retractor Muscles in Hydrostatic Proboscis Movement in Glycera dibranchiata
Major: Biology | Mentor: Kari Taylor-Burt, Ph.D.
11-11:15 a.m. | Joshua Wadja
Understanding How RNA Repair Complexes are Recruited To Damage Sites
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D.
9-9:15 a.m. | Jessica Asare
Departmental Resource App
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
9:20-9:35 a.m. | Hayden McKee
Building an Inventory Management System
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
9:40-9:55 a.m. | Jacob Rigatuso
CSV Graph Visualizer
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
10-10:15 a.m. | Henry Hintermister
Designing a Bible Study Attendance Logger Application
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
10:20-10:35 a.m. | Faith Scarpati
C5 Security Alert Notification Application
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
10:40-10:55 a.m. | Blake Hatcher
Hybril: Application Security Platform
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
11-11:15 a.m. | Camron Wiles
Streamlining chemistry lab notes with an online notebook editor
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
11:20-11:35 a.m. | Trishelle Leal
Creating Context-Aware Incident Enrichment, Watchlisting, and Automated Response Recommendations
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
11:40-11:55 a.m. | Kylah Green
Music Department Inventory Management Application
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
12:40-12:55 p.m. | John Mills
The Necessity of Internal Freedom and How Downplaying it Affected Western Political-Economic Theory of the 20th Century
Major: Economics | Mentor: John Larrivee, Ph.D.
1-1:15 p.m. | Rudolf Brian Rotter
Marx and Engle's vs socialism based on ideals
Major: Economics | Mentor: John Larrivee, Ph.D.
1:20-1:35 p.m. | Aiden Day
Teaching political science
Major: Political Science | Mentor: William T. Christiansen, Ph.D.
1:40-1:55 p.m. | Gabrielle Stine
Aspiring STEM: Analyzing the Motivational, Academic, and Parental Factors that Influence Student Decisions to Pursue STEM Careers
Major: Economics | Mentor: Solomon Tesfu, Ph.D.
2-2:15 p.m. | Abaigeal Smith, Gunner Lanquist, Matthew Shannon, Daniel Capka
Cobbs Creek Case Study-Dr. Samantha Roberts Case Study Competition
Major: Business | Mentor: Corinne Farneti, Ph.D.
2:20-2:35 p.m. | Ryan Kelly
Wagner, Sibelius, De Meij, and Shore: Examining Representationalism in Music
Major: Fine Arts - Music | Mentor: Mark Carlson, D.M.A.
2:40-2:55 p.m. | Trevor Stout
A Council for Reunion
Major: Theology | Mentor: Paige Hochschild, Ph.D.
3-3:15 p.m. | Lawrence Annulis
Evolution of Accounting Practices from 1450-1850
Major: Accounting | Mentor: Sarah Scott, Ph.D.
3:20-3:35 p.m. | Anthony Silvestri
The Passage of Time and the Existence of God
Major: Philosophy | Mentor: Barrett Turner, Ph.D.
12:40-12:55 p.m. | Kevin Goodman
Tree Growth Tracker
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
1-1:15 p.m. | Connor Ryan
DOMJudge The way to judge coding competitions
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
1:20-1:35 p.m. | Alyssa Balest
Frame by Frame: Designing a Mount Bowling Application
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
1:40-1:55 p.m. | Mohammad Taha Shah
Talib Al-Ilm (Student of Knowledge) Digital Library
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
2-2:15 p.m. | John Hemling
Faculty Certificate Tracker
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Scott Weiss
2:20-2:25 p.m. | Kristy Ann Cam
Visualizing Mathematics Through Interactive Technology
Major: Computer Science | Mentor: Ruth Lamprecht, Ph.D.
2:40-2:55 p.m. | Kristy Ann Cam
Digital Forensics and Incident Response in Cybersecurity Investigations
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
3-3:15 p.m. | Kevin Goodman
Cybersecurity Capstone: The Accidental Kill Switches of Cyber Warfare
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
3:20-3:35 p.m. | Brady Mills
The Algorithmic Adversary: Understanding AI-Driven Cyber Threats
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
3:40-3:55 p.m. | Connor Ryan
Continuous Auditing and Cyber Risk
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Eyiakimeh Enuameh, Christabel Sewor
Genotyping the Orange Fur Mutation: Using PCR to Analyze X-linked Inheritance in Domestic Cats
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Aaron Ocampo, Jessica Castillo
Paws, PCR, and Pigmentation: Investigating Orange Coat Colors in Cats
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Clover Satchell, Dominic Bell
Investigating the Link Between Sex and Orange Fur in Cats via PCR Genotyping
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Dave Solages, and Claire Ross
Assessing genotype producing orange coat color in domestic cats using PCR
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Kady Campos, Alejandra Velasquez
Detecting the Genetic Foundation of Domestic Orange Cats through PCR Analysis
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Phoenyx Tran, Jennifer Chavez-Izaguirre
Investigating the Genetic Bases of Genotypes in Domestic Cats
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Natalie Artola, Sara Brennan
The Secret of Orange Cats: Exploring the Relationship between X-Linked Traits and Phenotypes
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Jasmin Trentler, Vincent Desautels
Seeing Orange: A Molecular Deep Dive into Feline Pigmentation.
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Vance Nguyen, James Moore
Paws and Effect: An analysis behind orange pigmentation in cats
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Arabella Canby, Thalia Flores
PCR Genotyping on Orange Coat Color in Sorbet and Bella
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Paige Husted, Amy King
Assessing the Malignant Potential of PC-3 Cancer Cells
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Shaun Alvarado, David Mishra
The proliferative and metastatic potential of the MDA-231 cell line
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Rediet Abebe, Alexandra Sexton
T47D
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Piper Springer-Chalmers, Courtney Dickens
The study of the characteristics and proliferation of the HCT-116 cancer cell line through a series of cell culture experiments and comparison to differing cell lines.
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Samuel Leppo, Anavaleria Martinez
Investigating the Properties of MDA-MB-435 Malignant Melanoma
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Kimberly Santos, Roselyn Centeno
Whiskers, Swabs, and Science: Cracking the Cat Color Code
Major: Health Sciences | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Aaron Ocampo, Jessica Castillo
Exposing Immune Evasion: The Role of MARCH8 in HIV-1 Macrophages
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Sameera Ashfaq, McKayla Lee, Nyema Gillespie
Genotyping FIV and FcaPV in Domestic Cats
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Veronica Marchak, Andrew Starvaggi, James Buttarazzi
Examination of the Proliferative Qualities of MCF10A in Relation to Aggressive Tumorigenic Cell Lines
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Mckaya Lee, Kimberly Dayato
Swab & Smiles: Exploring the Link Between Oral Health and Respiratory Viruses
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Zahida Salarzai, Sadeeqa Salarzai
Lights, Camera, Degradation: Visualizing MARCH-8’s Antiviral Action
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Jon Paul, Marschall Anna, Yerofeyev Ange Nganou
Listening to Your Gut: Revealing the Connection Between the GI Microbiome, Stress, and Immune Health
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Carmen del Aguila, Martin Allison Lutz
Genomic characterization of two Arthrobacter-Infecting Bacteriophages: Strawberrylem and Kabloowy
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Allyson Perez, Mejia Fatoumata, Karime Diop
From Soil to Sequence: Mapping the Genetic Blueprint of Kabloowy and StrawberryLem to Explore Phage Diversity
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Annabelle Haught, Keira Speikes and Jordyn Dodson-Jenson
Kabloowy and StrawberryLem: Small Scale. Big Breakthroughs.
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Gretchen Levandusky, Alyssa Pongracz, Ava Broadbent
Phages that infect arthrobacter globiformis
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Lenora Nkangwen, Wesleigh Ferguson
StrawberryLem and Kabloowy: A Genomic Tale of Two Phages
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Chase Rosenfeld, Dimi Kalathas, Agbor Akoarrey
Phage
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Rachel Akinnawonu
Tiny Protein, Big Changes: Investigating SPEC in Cancer Cells
Major: Biology | Mentor: William Mills, Ph.D.
Amelia Monaghan
Investigating Vitamin C & E as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Kaitlyn Stepler, Ph.D.
Natalie Artola
C.elegans as a Model for Huntington's Disease: A1 Effect on Lifespan and Protein Aggregates
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Tristian Wilson, Brayan Godinez
Phages: The Transcendence of Eruidition
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Aditya Shukla
Comparative Genomic and Physiological Characterization of Thermotolerance in E. coli Bacteriophages
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Christian Narbut, Christon Harris
Back to the Phages, Medicine of the Future: Exploring 3 phages that infect Arthrobacter globiformis
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Izabella Castro, Koda Hall
From Soil Samples to Phage Therapy: A Genomic Investigation
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Ronaldinho D'Aguilar, Ja'Nya Tate
Phage the Day; Investigating Bacteriophages NikkiHotWheels, Kabloowy, StrawberryLem
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Connor Hamlin, Jack Nitzling
Fast, Lytic, and Temperate: A Bioinformatic Chase Through Three Phage Genomes
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Julia Rubin, Riyann Dosso
Plaque to the Future: Characterization of Arthrobacter globiformis phages NikkiHotwheels, StrawberryLem, and Kabloowy
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Isabella Schline, Brooklyn Smith
Soil to Sequence, Analysis of three bacteriophages.
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Laila Amaya, Yanderi Ramirez-Hernandez, Amya Young, Ashley Nischan
Bacteria’s Worst Nightmare: How Viruses Can be Used to Combat Bacteria
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Lia Festa
Comparative Analysis of Bacteriophage Susceptibility and Resistance Evolution in Escherichia coli K-12 and ATCC Strains
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Olivia Stann
Predicting efficacy: genome annotation and bacterial resistance testing as preliminary indicators for phage treatments against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Major: Biology | Mentor: Eric Sakowski, Ph.D.
Joelle Hamel, Lily Young
Using Transcription Inhibitors to Target Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion in Huntington’s Disease
Major: Biochemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
Thalia Flores, Jasmin Trentler
Evaluating the Effect of Autophagy Stimulation on HIV-1 Env Expression Using Coomassie Staining and Western Blot Analysis
Major: Biology | Mentor: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Emily Hatcher
Analyzing the effects and benefits of Occupational Therapy in Children with Autism
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Summer De La Cruz, Ph.D.
Janet Tesfamariam, Oumou Barry, Brady Fleck, Kojo Owusu-Ansah
The Effects of Copper Concentrations on Bean Plants
Major: Environmental Science | Mentor: Abby Kula, Ph.D.
Jason Prudencio-Morales, Ines B. Ventura
Evaluating a Potential Huntington's Disease Treatment by Targeting Toxic RNA Formation
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
Gwenith Reaver, Emely Arias Sorto, Josselyn Barillas, Nehma Senga
Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Environmental Stimuli in Rodents Using a Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) Paradigm
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Jon Slezak, Ph.D.
Leilani Horan, Heaven Smith, Nyodie Guerard, Rosalia Marks
A Cheesy Affair: Evaluating the Combined Impact of Socialization and Food in Conditioned Place Preference in Rats
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Jon Slezak, Ph.D.
Naomi Yacyshen, Hailey Berger, Aleksander Easterday
Snacks and Social Life: Examining Conditioned Place Preference and Social Effects in Rats
Major: Psychology | Mentor: Jon Slezak, Ph.D.
Natalie Artola, Ryan Wagner, and Sharon Lazaro Ceron
The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on C.elegans
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Piper Springer-Chalmers, Amber Benson
Synthesis of compounds through dynamic covalent chemistry to produce potential therapeutics for Huntingtons Disease
Major: Chemistry | Mentor: Sarah Krueger, Ph.D.
Phil Harper, Caitlyn Cappella, Amber Bullard
Caffeine Influence on Neuronal Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Victoria Dauerer, Suleima Ayala, Theodora Kanellopoulou
Memory and stress response of curcumin treated C. Elegan worms.
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Kai Reece, Anna Serrano, Viola Best, and Erin Greathouse
Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on C. elegan worms
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Summer Rathell, Ange Nganou, James McCormick, Melissa Vasquez
Effects of Ashwaganda in C-elegans Relative to Neuron Size
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Joshua Black, Janet Tesfamariam, Sabian Bla
“Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Neuronal Morphology and Behavior in C. elegans”
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Nyema Gillespie, Morissa Hall, Kaitlynn Lowman
The Effects of Vitamin D on Neuronal Function in C. Elegans
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Aleksander Easterday, Tim Sutterman, Logan Bucy
Effects of CBD in C. elegans
Major: Neuroscience | Mentor: Angy Kallarackal, Ph.D.
Emely Silva, Pineda Nismel Nforna, Abigail Asfaw
Characterization of Proliferation, Mitotic Activity, and Tumorigenic Potential in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells
Major: Biology | Mentor: Dana Ward, Ph.D.
Derek Olmedo
Digital Rights Management in Video Games: Security Benefits, Denuvo Anti-Tamper, and Unintended Risks?
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Rashely Rodrigo, Aiden Day
Correlates of Human Development
Major: Political Science | Mentor: William T Christiansen, Ph.D.
Jessica Asare
The Role of Large Language Models in Cybersecurity Operations: Enhancing Detection While Managing AI Risk
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Jonathan Mejia
Hidden in Plain Sight: How Vendor Dependencies Drive Cyber Breaches
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Aidan Quirin
Cloud vs. On-Prem Security
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Joseph Agar
Artifical Intelligence in Cybersecurity
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Eryka Gavua
The Security Risks of Browser Extensions and Add-ons
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Anna Dang
Bonaventure’s Itinerarium through Iconography
Major: Theology | Mentor: Barrett Turner, Ph.D.
Greg Quire
Attack Surface Expansion in Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Environments
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Michael Kloos
Secure Boot Architectures: Preventing Malware in Embedded Systems
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Christopher Nield
Code Blue: When Cybersecurity Becomes a Life or Death Priority
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Seth Merson
Vulnerability Discloser
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Faith Scarpati
Securing Critical Infrastructure in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Governance and Cybersecurity Strategies
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Payten De Weese
Zero Trust In Enterprise Networks
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Blake Hatcher
Emergence of large language models (LLMs) in Security Operations Centers (SOCs)
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Kylah Green
Zero Trust Architecture
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Camron Wiles
Necessary Shift to Memory Safe Programming Languages
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Aubrix Bromley
Cybersecurity in Smart Homes: When Convenience Becomes a Vulnerability
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Rajah Hampton
Business, Legal, and Societal Perspective
Major: Cybersecurity | Mentor: Margaret Leary, Ph.D.
Kenny McGoldrick, Hoyt Sayler, Daniel McCarthy
Marginal Points: A Calculus-Based Model of Offensive Value in Football
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Gabrielle Stine, Natalie Wujick
Fibers or Fibonacci, or can it be both?
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Katherine Robertson, Caliann Dietz
From Equations to Images: The Role of Mathematics in Modern Photography
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
John Hinton, Kalina Chang
Visualizing and Analyzing 4-Dimensional Objects
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Michael Cunningham Daniel McCarthy
The Fundamentals of Trailing
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Sean Blough, Evan Barnhart
Moneyball Redux: R stands for “Runners”
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Haille Otto, Tierney McCarroll
Optimizing Scholarship Allocation to Maximize MAAC Championship Success in Women’s Outdoor Track and Field
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Matthew Gerhart, Ph.D.
Trishelle Leal
Optimizing Tire Strategy for a Formula 1 Race
Major: Mathematics | Mentor: Brian Heinold, Ph.D.
Presenters: Love Sechrest, Luis Vera, Daniel Salinas Duron, Jordan Loveridge
Special SPARC Faculty Panel: What will an AI society need from college graduates?
History | Moderator: Benjamin Firgens, Ph.D.
Presenters: Summer Snead, MikaElka Jean Philippe, Qamara Clark, Alijandra M. Wallace, and Aiden D. Day
Parker Dailey Fellowship Panel Discussion
History | Moderator: Timothy Fritz, Ph.D.
Presenters: Seth Eckert, Natalie Artola, Mia (Amelia) Monaghan, Kaitlyn Gonzalez
Irish Identity & Public History: A Dublin Study Abroad Panel
History | Moderator: Jamie Gianoutsos, Ph.D.
Presenters: Jack Dudley, Abigail (Abby) Dacombe, Ellie Stout Stacey May
Gothic to Modern: The Evolution of the Detective Genre
English | Moderator: Jack Dudley, Ph.D.
Presenters: Korri Brown, Estefania Tapia
When HIV Meets HPV: A Dangerous Partnership in Cervical Cancer Progression
Biology | Moderator: Geraldine Vilmen, Ph.D.
Presenters: Jack Dudley, Abigail (Abby) Dacombe, Ellie Stout, Baylee Johnson, Marisa Lippincott, Ryan Kelly
Slowing Down as a Joy Machine
English | Moderator: Jack Dudley, Ph.D.
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth Holtry, M.F.A.
Faculty Advisor: Mark Carlson, DMA
Galt MacDermot, James Rado, Gerome Ragni – Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (1966)
Andrew Spielman & Nick Ramer, Student Directors
Selections from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein – Carousel (1945) & Samuel French – Dear Jack, Dear Louise (2020)
Anthony Brooks, Director / Francesca Benner, Musical Director