Sixty-five West Virginia University students representing the Morgantown and Beckley campuses will participate in Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol from 8 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25, in Charleston.
Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol provides students the opportunity to present their original scholarly works during a poster session and to talk with legislators about their findings. More than 115 student researchers from eight institutions will present in the areas of creative arts, education, health sciences, humanities, STEM and social and behavioral sciences.
This year, students were mentored by faculty from the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, College of Applied Human Sciences, College of Creative Arts, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and School of Public Health.
In addition to WVU, other institutions participating include: Concord University, Marshall University, Shepherd University, University of Charleston, West Virginia State University, West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Below is a list of WVU student participants, along with their institutional campus, town of residence, research disciplinary focus, research poster title and research mentors:
West Virginia University (32 Presenters)
Aidan Aird, Irwin, PA, “Exploring the Link Between Plant Diversity and Aggregate Stability”, (Agriculture), West Virginia University, Ember Morrissey, Research Mentor
Lydia Richmond, Jumping Branch, WV, “Isolation of Fractions in Black Soldier Fly Frass containing Nutraceutical Properties”, (Agriculture), West Virginia University, Eugene Felton, Research Mentor
Cloe Ratliff, Morgantown, WV, “Absolute Quantification of Amino Acids in Female and Male Ocular Tissues”, (Biochemistry), West Virginia University, Jianhai Du, Research Mentor
Paige Anderson, Morgantown, WV, “Investigating Molecular Origin of Kinesin-Related Retinal Ciliopathies Using SingleMolecule Techniques”, (Biochemistry), West Virginia University, Rong Liu, Research Mentor
Madison Metrick, McAdoo, PA , “Knockdown of the Hox Gene Post2b Maintains Allometry in the Flatworm Species Schmidtea Mediterranea”, (Biology), West Virginia University, Christopher Arnold, Research Mentor
Jillian Vance, Morgantown, WV, “Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria of the Bioenergy Crop Miscanthus x giganteus”, (Biology), West Virginia University, Ember Morrissey, Research Mentor
Molly Krupa, Munhall, PA, “Designing 3D Microfluidic Cell Culture Devices for Advanced MRI Diagnostics of Breast Cancer”, (Biomedical), West Virginia University, Trieu Nguyen, Research Mentor
Mikeah-Anthony Smith, Frederick, MD, “Age Influences Unhealthy Days During Cancer Treatment”, (Biomedical), West Virginia University, Julie Hicks Patrick, Research Mentor
Kendrick Fish, Wellsburg, WV, “Synthesizing and Investigating Two-Coordinate First Row Transition Metal Complexes with Tailored Ligands”, (Chemistry), West Virginia University, Brian Doinlar, Research Mentor
Rahat Arefy, and Grady King, Morgantown, WV, “Monte Carlo Simulation of Affordable Care Act’s Impact on Lung Cancer Mortality”, (Community Health), West Virginia University, Srinivas Palanki, Research Mentor
Eliana Bender, Morgantown, WV, “Access to Dental Health Care in Rural West Virginia”, (Community Health), West Virginia University, Julie Patrick, Research Mentor
Spencer Perkins, Shepherdstown, WV, “ConfliBERT: Conflict Based Language Models and Military Exercise Data”, (Computer Science), West Virginia University, Vito D'Orazio, Research Mentor
Denzil Hawkinberry, Bridgeport, WV, “Recovery from acid rain differs between tree species in Tucker County, West Virginia”, (Ecology), Edward Brzostek, Research Mentor
Beverly Van Helsing, Morgantown, WV “Strengthened Plant-Microbial Interactions Facilitate Post-Fire Recovery in an Eastern US Temperate Forest”, (Ecology), West Virginia University, Justin Mathias, Research Mentor
John Winter, Ealka, WV, “Low-cost autonomous drone landing”, (Engineering), West Virginia University, Guilherme Pereira, Research Mentor
Aidan Ghee, Morgantown, WV, “Sorption-based separation of same-sized gas molecules using Carbon Molecular Sieves (CMS) membranes”, (Engineering), West Virginia University, Oishi Sanyal, Research Mentor
Rebecca Ozbolt, Morgantown, WV, “Microbial Interactions Shape Soil Carbon Stabilization in West Virginia Forests”, (Environmental Studies), West Virginia University, Ember Morrissey, Research Mentor
Bane Clements-Smart, Kenai, AK, “Understanding How West Virginia Residents Confront Dilemma of Staying or Leaving the State Through Photoart”, (Geography), West Virginia University, Maria Perez, Research Mentor
Kelsey Clodfelter, Hershey, PA and Claire Davis, Morgantown, WV, “Artful Algorithms: Breaking the Maya Code with AI”, (History), West Virginia University, Megan Leight, Research Mentor
Mayley Guitard, Titusville, FL, “Acoustic Analysis of Bottlenose Dolphins in the Galápagos Archipelago”, (Mathematics), Marjorie Darrah, Research Mentor
Nam T. Khun, Morgantown, WV, “Optimizing FoKL-GPy with JAX: Enabling High-Performance Gaussian Process for Machine Learning”, (Mathematics), West Virginia University, David Mebane, Research Mentor
Ronalie Abeyratne, Morgantown, WV, “Post-Stroke Neuroinflammation is Elevated in Mice with a Conditional Endothelial Cell Deletion of Tissue-Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase”, (Neuroscience), West Virginia University, Candice Brown, Research Mentor
Yaqeen Abodhair, Morgantown, WV, Zain Alkatrib, Morgantown, WV and Lindsey Morais, Morgantown, WV, "Investigating Stress Dysregulation in Neurodevelopmental and Neuropsychiatric Conditions Using the Cntnap2 Mouse Model", West Virginia University, Morgan Bridi, Research Mentor
Caden Ginther, Carlisle, PA, “Advanced Graph-Based Machine Learning for Rapid Optoelectronic Property Prediction in Dielectric Materials”, (Physics), West Virginia University, Subhasish Mandal
Connor Sauers, Virginia Beach, VA, “Electrical Properties of Semiconducting Films for Infrared Detector Applications”, (Physics), West Virginia University, Alan Bristow, Research Mentor
Lindsey Lancaster, Morgantown, WV, “The Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Rural vs Urban Effects on Mental Health”, (Psychology), West Virginia University, Julie Hicks Patrick, Research Mentor
Alanna Leber, Seven Fields, PA, “Is There a Gap Between Symptom Improvement and Daily Functioning in Adults with Bipolar II?”, (Psychology), West Virginia University, Bridget Bailey, Research Mentor
Isabella Haynes, Parkersburg, WV, “Associations Between Pet Ownership, Psychological Health, and Loneliness in Undergraduate College Students”, (Psychology), West Virginia University, Brad Phillips, Research Mentor
Imalay Ruiz, Morgantown, WV, “More Anxiously Attached Teens, Particularly Boys, Report Higher Levels of Social Media Addiction”, (Psychology), West Virginia University, Amy Gentzler, Research Mentor
Ana Jimenez-Tadlock, Charleston, WV and Eleanor Capuder, Fairmont, WV, “Influences of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Rurality and Age on Cognitive Decline”, (Psychology), West Virginia University, Julie Hicks Patrick, Research Mentor
John Evans, Morgantown, WV, “In the Public Eye: Focus Group Insights on Policing and Safety in Morgantown”, (Sociology and Social Work), West Virginia University, Megan Gandy, James Nolan, Research Mentors
Cheyenne Torres, Warrington, PA, “Children's Toys and the Idea of a Women”, (Women's Studies), West Virginia University, Kasi Jackson, Research Mentor
WVU Tech Participants (14 presenters)
Marianna Oyola, Beckley, WV and Nevaeh Wooding, White Sulphur Springs, WV, “Detection of tetM and tetB, two antibiotic resistance genes, in Fatbergs from Beckley, WV", (Biology), West Virginia Institute of Technology, Aida Jimenez-Esquilin, Research Mentor
Amanda Flint, Mount Hope, WV, and Adam Burge, Hinton, WV, “Impedance method to analyze terrestrial samples using EIS Spectroscopy”, (Chemistry), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Tarek Farhat, Research Mentor
Andrea Lewis, Oak Hill, OH and James Eskew, Scott Depot, WV, “Motorized Fishing Reel By Andrea Lewis and James Eskew”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Wyatt Harmon, Hot Springs, VA and Kristian Cheek, Beckley, WV, “Baseball/Softball Pitch Back Machine”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Adam Tilley, Glen Fork, WV and Reese Liptok, Chesapeake, WV, “Skid-Mounted Modular Substation”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Jacob Wheeler, Charleston, WV, “Development of Perovskite Particles in Chemical Looping Oxygen Uncoupling to Innovate Carbon Capture Processes”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Nathan Galinsky, Research Mentor
Jay Wilkerson, Beckley, West Virginia, “Interactive Tic-Tac-Toe Robot Demonstration Project”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Austin Webb, Cool Ridge, WV, Lukas Summers, Charleston, West Virginia, Kyle Holliday, Rupert, WV, "Wireless Positioning System for Accurate Localized Tracking Using Low-Cost IoT Hardware", (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Charan Litchfield, Research Mentor
Ryland Luikart, Shady Spring, WV and Dennis Reed, Crawley, WV, “Designing the Ground Cleaner”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Andrew Wright, Charleston, West Virginia, and Nathan Wheeler, Charleston, West Virginia, “Electromagnetic Induction Heater for Lined Pipe Flange Process”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Giulia Colombo, Beckley, WV, and Josiah Baker, Ranson, WV, “Design and Fabrication of Portable Knee Mechanical Motion Capture Device”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Ethan Vance, Lewisburg, WV, Kyle Holliday, Rupert, WV, and Nicholas Da Silva, Beckley, WV, “Collaborative Analysis of Optimal EV Charging Station Sites in West Virginia Using CYME Software”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Kenan Hatipoglu, Research Mentor
Philip Rothoff, Beckley, WV and Robert Akerman, Beckley, WV, “ALL-IN-ONE Highly Adjustable Golf Putter”, (Engineering), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Winnie Fu, Research Mentor
Taylor Keith, Victor, WV and Tessa Barnette, Beckley, WV, “Exploring Aphantasia, Emotional Intelligence, Inner Dialogue, and Academic Focus”, (Psychology), West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Jemma Cook, Research Mentor