Daniel F. '65 & Ann H. Sullivan Endowment for Student/Faculty Research

My research this summer, which investigated the effects of thyroid hormone and stress hormone on the development of the thymus gland in Xenopus laevis tadpoles, provided me with an experience unlike any other.

This summer, I had the opportunity to learn how to identify and analyze brain wave activity in different regions of the brain using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology. More specifically, I observed brain activity changes in human participants using the cyclic sigh breathing technique while undergoing physical stress. A cold pressor test, a procedure that involves participant’s placing their arm in a bucket of ice-water of 1 degrees Celsius, was used to induce physical stress. I devised the methodology of the experiment with aid from my mentor, Dr. Onyper.

This summer research project explored the design and development of a 3D-printed clinostat, a rotating device used to mimic the effects of microgravity on biological samples. In microgravity, cells behave differently: they grow, divide, and organize in ways that aren't typically observed under Earth’s gravitational pull. Clinostats offer a way to simulate these conditions by constantly rotating cells, disrupting the unidirection of gravity and creating a near-weightless environment for experimentation.

During my fellowship, I focused on finding ways to optimize air sampling techniques. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include a diverse group of chemicals that easily evaporate into the air and can have various origins. Exposure to VOCs has been linked to serious health effects, making it a significant public health concern. This fellowship worked to advance the already used methods of evacuated canister sampling and low-cost sensors (LCS).

Throughout my summer fellowship, I spent my time in the Metamorphosis Lab researching Xenopus laevis tadpoles and how their immune system remodels during natural metamorphosis. Our research focused on the thymus gland as it is responsible for the development of T-cells, which protect the body against pathogens. The changes in microanatomy of the thymus were determined using multiple laboratory techniques.

This Research Fellowship project investigates how the European Union has reshaped its approach to international climate finance over the past decade. It begins by tracing key policy shifts and situating them within broader internal and external pressures from UN processes to economic and geopolitical developments. It then maps the EU’s major climate finance instruments by analyzing their stated goals, operational features, and priorities.

This research project explored electromagnetic induction, a topic that is often challenging for students. The primary goal was to create a hands-on learning experience to connect fundamental physics principles with the real-world applications of electricity and renewable energy. The project provided an opportunity to conduct a full research cycle, from initial concept and design to fabrication, data analysis, and final presentation.

This summer, Emma explored literature on nationalism and its political uses within democratic societies. More specifically, it examines the patriarchal underpinnings of liberal nationalism. While nationalism is often associated exclusively with authoritarian regimes, it also plays a significant role in democracies, where it can be leveraged by political leaders to achieve specific goals.

This summer I was granted the opportunity to work in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) lab under the supervision of Dr. Adam E. Fox, where I began phase one of a multi-phase experiment investigating the effects of experience and maturation on impulsive choice behavior. The experiment looks at delay discounting specifically, with a task that involves repeated choices between smaller, sooner and larger, later rewards.

I created a series of educational modules and data repositories for college-level statistics classes that use real-world sports data from figure skating, pickleball, soccer, and other sports to teach important statistical concepts, including ANOVA, Confidence Intervals, Data Manipulation, Log Transformation, and more. To adapt this approach for younger students, I also developed high school-level worksheets and lesson plans inspired by the New York Times' "What's Going on in This Graph?" series.

Though I originally sought out to write a series of fiction pieces utilizing dark humor, what transpired over the course of the fellowship was a rigorous lesson on adaptability, flexibility, and revision. The bulk of my project consisted of a set of autobiographical non-fiction works that, while featuring occasional dark humor, focused more so on the theme of loss during childhood than trying to perfectly emulate a specific genre.

Insulin resistance (IR) has traditionally been studied in the context of metabolic disorders, most notably type 2 diabetes, but growing evidence suggests that IR also plays a crucial role in cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. My research explores this emerging intersection between metabolic health and brain function by developing a fast acting IR rat model using a high fructose diet.

I spent the summer exploring the forests along the Oswegatchie, Grasse, and Raquette Rivers within St. Lawrence County. Working with Dr. Erika Barthelmess, we investigated the combined use of audio recorders and camera traps in evaluating the biodiversity along these corridors. We experimented with acoustic recording methods and explored how to manage the large datasets produced by passive biodiversity monitoring.

My St. Lawrence University Summer Fellowship project focused on finding an economic valuation for the difference in learning between passive and active online follow-up interventions. I wanted to look at and compare different kinds of follow-up interventions for workplace trainings. I intended to put on a 30 person training and test the effectiveness of having them complete some follow-up learning at 4, 7, and 10 days before being tested 14 days after the initial training. 

Mandelbrot escape velocity relates to the rate at which points move to infinity given input into a specific equation. Visually, this has previously been represented 2-dimensionally. My project explores different methods of visual representation, including 3-dimensional prints and colorful animations. This project is an extension to my spring independent research: "3-D Printing Mandelbrot Escape Velocity" and is being continued into this fall, as an Honors Senior Year Experience.

Throughout my fellowship, I spent my summer immersed in the world of video game storytelling. With the guidance of my faculty mentor, English professor Paul Graham, I've been researching how game creators construct compelling narratives and build unique new realms by blending elements like art, music, dialogue, and more. 

During my fellowship I took advantage of the opportunity to dive deeply into the ethics of care, a subject that since I first read about it, had held great significance to me, both academically and on a personal level. By doing this, I was able to engage with many philosophical concepts, authors, and articles that I would have probably never been introduced to within a traditional classroom setting. One of the most valuable aspects that I took from this experience was learning how to structure and be in charge of my own research project.

This summer I was granted a fellowship to work under the supervision of Dr. Adam E. Fox in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) lab. The focus of the project was possible time perception abnormalities in females with comorbid ADHD and PTSD. Both disorders have a substantial societal cost, their combined financial burden can be estimated at $355 billion in the United States in 2018 (Schein et al., 2022; Davis et al., 2022). Research has shown that patients with ADHD are at a greater risk of developing PTSD later in life (Wendt et al., 2023).

During the St. Lawrence Summer Fellowship, Cooper A. focused on addressing the challenges faced by sound editors and designers due to the lack of standardized organization in large audio databases. The project involved curating a dataset of over 77,000 audio files, totaling 151 hours, from various sound editors, including his father’s work. Using machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch, the project developed deep learning models and audio spectrogram transformers to categorize different sound effects.

The United States is widely considered to be one of the most powerful countries in the world. The Fragile States Index (FSI), published by the Fund for Peace (FFP), measures countries on 12 different metrics to determine the likelihood that the state will collapse. One would expect the US to be one of the least fragile states in the world, yet it does not even make the top 20. The US ranks 41st on the FSI in between Poland and Barbados. Things look even worse when looking at individual metrics.

My summer research looked at the connections between technology and a student’s sense of belongingness in public elementary education. Through a combination of school visits, literature reviews, and reflection on the purposes of early education, I was able to begin developing a framework to think seriously about how schools should use technology with young children.  

Social and political progress in the 21st century has been closely tied to the successes and failures of mass mobilizations that effectively utilized the internet during the 2010s yet faced increasing control over traffic online in the aftermath of global uprisings. Several nation-states, threatened by country-wide movements and the 2013 NSA revelations, directed their efforts towards implementing new policies and regulations to control the local Internet. This set a precedent for many others to adopt new methods and metrics of control.

Social and political progress in the 21st century has been closely tied to the successes and failures of mass mobilizations that effectively utilized the internet during the 2010s yet faced increasing control over traffic online in the aftermath of global uprisings. Several nation-states, threatened by country-wide movements and the 2013 NSA revelations, directed their efforts towards implementing new policies and regulations to control the local Internet. This set a precedent for many others to adopt new methods and metrics of control.

This summer I explored and researched the relief printing technique of woodcuts through experimentation under the mentorship of Professor Melissa Schulenberg, a renowned master Mokuhanga printer and one of my Senior Honors Project academic advisors. This opportunity allowed me to focus on the development, brainstorming, and artistic process of essential pieces for my Senior Project.