CUGR announces 2018–2019 academic year fellowship winners

December 7, 2018 Computing and Information Science, Forestry and the Environment, Marine Sciences, Medicine, Research, Signature and Emerging Areas

The University of Maine’s Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) has announced the recipients of the 2018–2019 Academic Year Research and Creative Activities Fellowships.

The fellowships were developed to enhance and increase undergraduate student involvement in faculty-mentored research. Each fellowship provides a $1,100 award for the student to help cover costs of the project.

Funding for the fellowships is provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research; College of Engineering Crowley Fund; College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture; and the Maine Space Grant Consortium Year 28.

The winners are:

Griffin Archambault, wildlife ecology, “Developing a Novel Approach to Estimate Reproductive Success of Black Bears in Maine,” advised by Alessio Mortelliti;
Brianna Ballard, history, “From Frontier to Battlefield: Changing Medical Roles for Maine Women from the Early Modern Age of Martha Ballard to the Modern Battlefield,” advised by Liam Riordan;
Eliza Bennett, School of Computing and Information Science, “Machine-Learning Art: A Virtual Catalog,” advised by Sofian Audry;
Jonathan Roman Bland, electrical engineering technology, “Augmented Coffee Experience,” advised by Nimesha Ranasinghe;
Gabrielle Bock, chemistry, “Determination of Potential Biopolymer Substitutes for Intaglio Etching Constituents Based on Rheological and Adhesive Properties,” advised by William Gramlich;
Jaycob Bowker, animal and veterinary sciences, “Testing Moose for Active Lyme Disease Infections via PCR-Based Gene Amplification and Sequencing,” advised by Pauline Kamath;
Ryan Bray, chemistry, “Photoswitchable CRAC Channel Inhibitors,” advised by Michael Kienzler;
Robert Brittingham, wildlife ecology, “Filling the Knowledge Gap in Deer Mice and Southern Red-backed Vole Seed Cache Management,” advised by Alessio Mortelliti;
Drew Brooks, microbiology, “The Role of MyD88 in Macrophage Recruitment to C. albicans Infection in Zebrafish Swimbladders,” advised by Robert Wheeler;
Rebeka Bullard, biology, “Charge Transfer between Iodocuprate (I)/Cyanocuprate (I) and Alkyl Pyridinium Ion Pairs,” advised by Howard Patterson;
Bradley Butler, biomedical engineering, “Applying Observational Virtual Reality to Improve Student Learning of Human Musculature,” advised by Nicholas Giudice;
Michael Buyaskas, wildlife ecology, “Assessing the Effectiveness of Bait Versus Lure in Linear Arrays with Multiple Trail Cameras to Detect North American Mammals,” advised by Alessio Mortelliti;
Roger Connolly, biology, “Photophysical and Computational Investigation of [Cu(CN)2]- and Mixed Metal [Cu(CN)2]-/[Ag(CN)2]- Nanocluster Formation in Solution,” advised by Howard Patterson;
Kaleb Cormier, chemical engineering, “Enhancement of Luminescent Lanthanide Complexes by Antennae Effect Through Coordinating Donor Ligands,” advised by Howard Patterson;
Nicholas C. Dieffenbacher-Krall, School of Computing and Information Science, “Morphosis: Artificial Intelligence as Art,” advised by Sofian Audry;
Ian Donnelly, School of Computing and Information Science, “Microscopia: A Museum of Organisms Created with SEM Photogrammetry,” advised by Sofian Audry;
Jonathan Donnelly, new media, “Paleontology VR,” advised by Michael Scott;
Cody Gigac, chemical engineering, “An Investigation into the Photochemical Properties of Cyclized-Azobenzene Photoswitches,” advised by Michael Kienzler;
Dakota Benjamin Gramour, history, “Holocaust Ghettos Project,” advised by Anne Knowles;
Lucy Guarnieri, biology, “The Effects of European Fire Ants on Blacklegged Ticks on Mount Desert Island,” advised by Allison Gardner;
Marta Herzog, psychology, “Central Adiposity as Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline and Poor Sleep Quality in Aging Adults with or without Mild Cognitive Impairment,” advised by Marie Hayes;
Ryan Kelly, kinesiology, “Motion Capture-Virtual Reality Multimodal Tools to Optimize ROTC Training,” advised by Cameron Arndt;
Mark Lambrecht, biomedical engineering, “The Relationship between Breast Tumor Proliferation and the Structural Integrity of a Tumor’s Microenvironment,” advised by Andre Khalil;
Amanda Laverdiere, psychology, “The Relationships Between Income and Education on Cognitive Function,” advised by Rebecca MacAulay;
Sadie Libby, psychology, “Childhood Trauma and Later Resilience — Is There a Cultural Component?”, advised by Shannon McCoy;
Sarah McCallister, microbiology, “Determining the Role of Prophage, Cuke, Gene Expression on Host Mycobacterium Smegmatis Gene Expression,” advised by Sally Molloy;
Robert Millett, new media, “LGBT Resource App (Temp Name),” advised by Jon Ippolito;
Jordan Miner, biomedical engineering, “Imaging Zebrafish with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy using Second-Harmonic Generation to Evaluate Myosin Structure,” advised by Karissa Tilbury;
Jordan Morace, history, “Holocaust Ghettos Project,” advised by Anne Knowles;
Coulter Morrill, kinesiology-exercise science, “The Integration of Virtual Reality into Speech Therapy Practices,” advised by Nicholas Giudice;
Michaela Murray, ecology and environmental sciences, “Sustainability in the Maine Wine Industry,” advised by Mark Haggerty;
Emma Newcomb, marine sciences, “Anthropogenic Effects on Marine Mammal Strandings and Call Reports in the Gulf of Maine from 2010 to 2015,” advised by Kristina Cammen;
Victoria Nicholas, electrical engineering, “Optical Memory in Cyanocuprate(I) 3D Networks. A Synthetic, Experimental, and Computational Investigation,” advised by Howard Patterson;
Sarah Nichols, microbiology, “Investigating the Antiviral Effects of Hemocyanin Derived from Homo americanus,” advised by Melissa Maginnis;
Sadie Novak, chemistry, “Production and Validation of a Fluorescent Ligand Specific to Zebrafish Neutrophils,” advised by Matthew Brichacek;
Ethan Poland, mechanical engineering, “Biomass Enabled Three-dimensional Porous Nanostructures for High-performance Supercapacitors,” advised by Yingchao Yang;
Christian Powell, communication and journalism, “There’s a Meme for That: Understanding the Role of Memes in Daily Communication,” advised by Judith Rosenbaum-Andre;
Liam Reading, art, “Hand Printed Book,” advised by Walter Tisdale;
Olivia Reese, communication and journalism, “Tweets, Trust, and Pixie Dust: Understanding Credibility in the Age of Social Media,” advised by Judith Rosenbaum-Andre;
David Rondeau, biology, “Carboxymethyl Cellulose Based Hydrogels for Anti-Biofouling in Marine Environments,” advised by William Gramlich;
Meghan Royle, biology, “The Effects of Environmental Lighting on Circadian Rhythm Entrainment and Voluntary Alcohol Intake: Possible Role for Melanopsin Signaling?,” advised by Alan Rosenwasser;
Renee Savoie, biology, “Using Categories as a Tool for Novel Learning,” advised by Shawn Ell;
Sarah Seitz, new media, “Data Queen,” advised by Jon Ippolito;
Bradley Smith, mechanical engineering, “Characterizing Root-Anchorage Forces in Selected Weeds and Crops,” advised by Eric Gallandt;
Cassandra Steele, zoology, “Impacts of Invasive Plant Species on Mosquito Larvae Survival,” advised by Allison Gardner;
Tiffany Tanner, history and international affairs, “Trajectory of Balochistan Insurgency,” advised by Asif Nawaz;
Benjamin Thompson, engineering physics, “Nonlinear Heat Conduction Theory,” advised by Aaron Joy;
Ruben Torres, political science, “The Realist Threat to American Power,” advised by Paul Holman;
Micah Valliere, English, “The Tale of Cupid and Psyche: A New English Translation,” advised by Benjamin Friedlander;
Matthew Webber, chemical engineering, “Using Copper(I) and Silver(I) Iodide Salts in the Detection of Aqueous Amino Acids Histidine and Cysteine,” advised by Howard Patterson; and
Thilee Yost, political science, “The Mobilization Efforts of Hmong Americans in St. Paul, MN and Fresno, CA,” advised by Amy Fried.

For more information, visit the CUGR website or email cugr@maine.edu.