2017 Berea College Research Symposium
The 17th annual Berea Undergraduate Research Symposium (BURS), held this fall the same weekend as the Berea College
Trustees (of which Rocky Tuan is a member) visit campus. This has been organized by the science programs in the past but
participation is open to all members of the college community. In recent years we have structured the
symposium with both talks and poster presentations as well as a plenary session.
The program for Fall 2017 will be held on Friday, October 20th. The 2017 BURS will start in the afternoon with student oral presentations, continue with student poster presentations, and end with a plenary talk by Dr. Rocky Tuan, Berea College Alumnus and Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract -
Skeletal disorders, including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, present a significant disease burden for the general population, and are specifically associated with space flight, such as accelerated bone loss. We have recently developed a 3D microphysiological system (MPS), utilizing adult stem cells, biomimetic materials, and 3D printing technologies, that mimics osteochondral tissues. The microfluidically perfused MPS bioreactor can accommodate both stem cell-engineered tissues and primary osteochondral tissues, and is amenable to high-throughput screening and testing of potential therapeutics for bone and cartilage health. The MPS is particularly suitable as an on-board experimental model to study the accelerated skeletal pathologies observed during space flight, as well as a high utility system applicable for predictive toxicology and drug development for skeletal tissues, both on the ground and in space.
We will start at 2:30 PM with two simultaneous oral presentation sessions (15 minutes each) in rooms 101 and 106 of the Science Building. The sessions are grouped by theme as much as possible. The poster session starts at 3:00 and is held in the lobby of the science building with posters from various fields (previous posters from chemistry, biology, physics, psychology, sociology, education, African American Studies, economics, industrial arts, computer science, physical education & health, and mathematics). All students who pursued substantial research projects over the previous year are encouraged to present their research.
We have been hosting the BURS since 2001 and have records of participants going back to 2007 online (see links to the left).
Students and faculty interested in attending or participating in the 2017 BURS should either contact Jay Baltisberger or Anes Kovacevic of the chemistry program. Alternatively a student may elect to register online via the link on the Chemistry department web server.
Lakshiya Indreswaran
Combinatorial games have the property that there are exponentially large number of possible outcomes. Therefore, the players cannot reasonably investigate all outcomes when searching for the the best overall winning strategy at a particular point in the gameplay. We examined a simplified version of a partizan game called “A Little Bit of Aggression” in which the playing board consists of a ring of territories. The goal is to place armies first and then to attack in such a way as to win. A successful attack neutralizes an opponent’s territories, and a player can only do that if the sum of the armies in neighbor territories exceed that of the opponent. Winning consists of holding on to as many territories as possible at the end of attacking. We created a system that uses a point mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of specific moves in order to decide the optimal given a specific layout of the gameboard. Our proof of concept system is able to make reasonably good moves in response to a human player. Our plans are to extend the point evaluation system to machine learning in order to optimize for the best possible outcome for the game.
Registration for the 103rd Kentucky Academy of Sciences Meeting should follow this link KAS Registration
The program for Fall 2017 will be held on Friday, October 20th. The 2017 BURS will start in the afternoon with student oral presentations, continue with student poster presentations, and end with a plenary talk by Dr. Rocky Tuan, Berea College Alumnus and Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Application of 3D Microtissue Chip Technology to Study Composite Skeletal Tissue Physiology: Microgravity-Induced Pathologies and Drug Screening
We will start at 2:30 PM with two simultaneous oral presentation sessions (15 minutes each) in rooms 101 and 106 of the Science Building. The sessions are grouped by theme as much as possible. The poster session starts at 3:00 and is held in the lobby of the science building with posters from various fields (previous posters from chemistry, biology, physics, psychology, sociology, education, African American Studies, economics, industrial arts, computer science, physical education & health, and mathematics). All students who pursued substantial research projects over the previous year are encouraged to present their research.
We have been hosting the BURS since 2001 and have records of participants going back to 2007 online (see links to the left).
Students and faculty interested in attending or participating in the 2017 BURS should either contact Jay Baltisberger or Anes Kovacevic of the chemistry program. Alternatively a student may elect to register online via the link on the Chemistry department web server.
Optimal Strategy for Partisan Combinatorial Games: The case of a Little Bit of Aggression
Lakshiya Indreswaran
Mentor: Mario Nakazawa
Performed at Berea College
Registration for the 103rd Kentucky Academy of Sciences Meeting should follow this link KAS Registration
The following students have registered to do presentations for 2017
Oral Presentations
# | Name | Title | Major |
1 | Chi Peng | Biology of the Cercaria of Leuceruthrus micropteri (Trematoda: Azygiidae) Recovered from the Snail, Pleurocera semicarin abstract | biology |
2 | Jazmin Escamilla | Hepatitis C virus entry inhibitor Aryloxazole modulates Autophagy abstract | biology |
3 | Hannah Elliot, Muntathar Alshimary, Rebecca Klem, Jeremy Wilde | Factors Affecting the Diversity of Stream Salamanders in Two Watershed Systems in Central Kentucky abstract | biology |
4 | Emma Reasoner | Pinniped Husbandry, Training, and Conservation at the Indianapolis Zoo abstract | biology |
5 | Claire Thelen | Immunoglobulin Y Levels in Spectacled and Steller’s Eider Sea Ducks As Indicators of Disease and Population Decline abstract | biology |
6 | Hannah Carter | Influence of reclaimed surface mine landscape on bees and plant-pollinator networks in southeastern Kentucky abstract | biology |
7 | Sunaina Sherchan | Antioxidant Treatment for Closed Globe Ocular Blast Trauma abstract | biology |
8 | Seth Reasoner | Characterization of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Early Stage Chikungunya Virus Infection abstract | chemistry |
9 | Issac Domenech | Identification of Selective DDR1 Kinase Inhibitors Using Structure Activity Relationship abstract | chemistry |
10 | Marco Santos, Halima Ibrahim | INVESTIGATING A ROLE FOR LOXL2 IN TGF-1 MEDIATED TUBULAR EPITHELIAL MESENCHYMAL TRASITION IN KIDNEY FIBROSIS abstract | chemistry |
11 | Emma Batson, Gracie Casciola | Appalachian Nature Education Study abstract | child and family studies |
12 | Logan Paisley | A Summer at Summit: Applied skills in the world of Civil Engineering abstract | other |
13 | Annie He, Samantha Sise, Alicia Crocker, and Bianca Godden | A Study of George White through Flight and Light abstract | other |
14 | Bhavesh Ramkorun | Imaging of the Spinal Cord in Pediatric Patients abstract | physics |
15 | Talha Rehman | Designing Computer Based Interface Between X-Ray Generator, and Stages For Coded Aperture Coherent Scatter Spectral Imaging (CACSSI) abstract | physics |
16 | Khawla Nasser Al Deen | Mashrou3 Insan (the Human Project): A Participatory Action Research Project on Displaced Youth's Mental Health and Well-Being abstract | psychology |
Poster Presentations
# | Name | Title | Major |
1 | Favour Akabogu | Triops Cancriformis: A Potential Non-mammalian Animal Model for Studying the Mechanisms of Kidney Ultrafiltration. abstract | biology |
2 | Amber Follin | Identifying genetic modifiers in a Drosophila model of Inclusion Body Myopathy abstract | biology |
3 | James Bryson McCarthey | THE IMPACT OF LYSINE ACETYLAYION ON GLYXOALASE II ACTIVITY abstract | biology |
4 | Marah Zeidan | Improving Long Term Outcomes in Retinoblastoma survivors. abstract | biology |
5 | Allison Harper | Measurement of Influenza Severity in Tennessee Hospitalized Patients, 2016-2017 abstract | biology |
6 | Matalynn Shealy | A Gastroparesis Study on the Reinstitution of Oral Nutrition from J-tube Placements abstract | biology |
7 | Sydney Short | Hybrid ECMO Using Double Lumen Cannula Ensures Adequate Heart/Brain Oxygen Supply abstract | biology |
8 | Sara Garner, Tomas Flores, Shay Steele | Measurement of Chemical Shift Tensors and J-Coupling in Sodium/Lead Mixed Pyrophosphate Glasses abstract | chemistry |
9 | Sarah Tabor, Michael James | Synthesizing Cleavable Acetal Antibody Drug Conjugates abstract | chemistry |
10 | Isaac Mendoza, Luis Guzman Salazar | Synthesis of Cleavable Acetal Antibody Drug Conjugate abstract | chemistry |
11 | Kateryna Nabukhotna | Integrin β-1 Promotes KRAS-Mutated Lung Cancer Viability via FAK Activation abstract | chemistry |
12 | Clara Reasoner | GC-MS Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Metastatic and Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells abstract | chemistry |
13 | Luis Gonzalez Anguiar | Selective C–O bond reductions in carbohydrate derivatives using boron based reagents abstract | chemistry |
14 | Amber Earlywine | Targeting Proteolytic Activity Using Protease Inhibitors as Natural Therapeutics for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) abstract | chemistry |
15 | Mario Chavarria, Cheyenne Haynes | N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes abstract | chemistry |
16 | Beau Schweitzer | Synthesis of Poly(4-hydroxystyrene) by Living Anionic Polymerization for Block Copolymer Lithography abstract | chemistry |
17 | Aubree Zimmer | Determination of actinomycin Y1 aryl amine reactivity in the production of Y5 abstract | chemistry |
18 | Dusty Cole, Vincent Davis, Michael Moorer | DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB-BASED SIMULATION abstract | computer science |
19 | Lakshiya Indreswaran | Optimal Strategy for Partisan Combinatorial Games: The case of a Little Bit of Aggression abstract | computer science |
20 | Miguel Valdes | The POGIL Approach Used in NonStem Disciplines abstract | education |
21 | Sara Ullom, Cherokee Griffiths, Rebecca O'Connor | Analyzing Trade Books and Other Print Media for Classroom Use abstract | education |
22 | Alexandra Yuhas, Aric Parker, Gyanu Karki, Samriddha KC | Combinatorial Game Theory: A Game of Aggression abstract | mathematics |
23 | Anna Joines | Marginal fracture of amalgam restorations and amalgam’s resistance to low frequency biaxial fatigue abstract | other |
24 | Lauren S. Heller | Advancing a stem cell-based therapy for epidermolysis bullosa simplex through the utilization of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to knockout the mutant K14 gene abstract | other |
25 | Daniela Olivera Velarde | Data analysis of JPARC run to test Current-Mode Detector for Use in NOPTREX Time Reversal Experiment abstract | physics |
26 | Dustin Watts | Distinguishing Important Differences between the Sample Forms of LiGaCr4O8 abstract | physics |
27 | Kemo Jammeh, Mo Thi | Variable Star Astronomy: Observing The Pattern of Change in Select Variable Stars abstract | physics |
28 | Dzhoana Ivanova | Modeling the mid Infrared emission from NGC 595 abstract | physics |
29 | Alicia Bedolla, Evelyne Rivera, Joey Barger, Jasmine Roman | Betta fish (Betta splendens) spontaneously use the combination of numerosity and surface area during discrimination learning abstract | psychology |
30 | Jennifer Bentz, Jessica Cox, Bethany Howard, and Aldrin Vinton | Psychology and Social Class: Examining Our History, Beliefs, and Outcomes abstract | psychology |
31 | Constantine Botimer, Chance Davis, Jedidiah Radosevich, Chris True | Biomass Stove Design Project: Automated Fuel Feeder System abstract | technology & industrial arts |