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College of Science and Mathematics 2022-2023 Projects

Click here to return to the main project listings page.  Questions: Email our@kennesaw.edu.

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    • Modern directed-energy laser-systems are powerful enough to send intense light from the Earth’s surface to in-orbit satellites.  Some of these are U.S. defense satellites carrying state-of-the-art imaging sensors.  If hit with unfriendly laser radiation, these sensors can be temporarily blinded or even permanently damaged.  The electronics in these state-of-the-art sensors are increasingly made of semiconductor components on the nanometer length scale; for example, of wires a thousand times thinner than a human hair.  Such devices do not obey the laws of standard electronics but are instead governed by the equations of quantum Physics.  These equations are difficult to solve for real systems and typically require computer simulations to find solutions and make predictions.

      This research project is theoretical and computational, so you won’t be working in a traditional science lab.  Instead, you will be trained in computer numerical modeling methods for laser-light propagation and light-interactions with matter.  This will involve an introduction to some of the Physics equations that must be solved, namely the Maxwell equations (which describe the traveling of light) or laser-material interaction equations.  The student will also code, or assist in coding, a basic simulation to solve the equations. Each time an equation is introduced, we will discuss how one tells a computer how to solve them.  We will analyze the solutions for physical insight and predictions of behavior.  The goal for each student will be to learn the methods above and apply them by running specific simulations of intense laser-light traveling through a 1D nanostructure known as a nanowire (or quantum wire).  In the simulation, the laser light will interact with the nanowire in a disruptive way, allowing us to see how a similar imaging satellite component would behave if similarly struck.

      While this research project is open to any major, it is particularly well suited to students with a strong interest in Physics, Math, Electrical Engineering, or Physical Chemistry.  Familiarity with Calculus and/or Computer Programming (any language) is also ideal.  Since the research is theory and computation, it can be done anywhere you have a computer and internet access.  Hours are very flexible.

    • At the end of the project, students should be able to:

      • Define the terminology associated with laser field propagation and excitation of solids
      • Explain the rationale for choosing particular numerical methods for solving physics equations
      • Understand the underlying motivation for the research and its impact on national security
      • Describe ethical research practices and apply those practices to the research project
      • Create their own simulation from the provided software and explain what they are testing for
      • Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
      • Work effectively as part of a team
      • Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster or oral presentation)
      • Articulate how their research helps prepare them for graduate school and/or a career
      • Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do differently in another research context
      • Develop self-confidence, problem solving skills, and persistence.

    • Students will typically meet with Dr. Gulley weekly to learn and/or discuss:

      • The Physics of light propagation
      • The proper setting up and use of a computer server account
      • The ethics of scientific research
      • Introduction to scientific computer programming in optical physics
      • Techniques of data analysis including graphing and spectral methods
      • Discussion of research related stumbling blocks
      • Analysis of research data

      Students will also meet once a month with Dr. Gulley’s lab group to discuss common research projects and data analysis.

      Outside of meetings at KSU, students may work from anywhere with internet access.  Most of this work will be doing:

      • Required readings (from textbooks and from articles in scientific journals)
      • Computer programming of simulations (computer servers at KSU can be accessed remotely)
      • Performing and monitoring simulations on KSU computer servers
      • Data analysis from simulations
      • Preparing reports and presentations of research findings

      Students may use their own computers or laptops for this research if they wish.  If they do not have a reliable machine capable of research calculations, they can use any computer lab at KSU and are encouraged to use Dr. Gulley’s computer research lab in Room MS 111, on the Kennesaw Campus.

    • Hybrid
    • Dr. Jeremy R. Gulley, jgulley@kennesaw.edu 

    • Phosphorus is one of the six essential elements for life, playing a key role in our nucleic acids (DNA, RNA), cell membranes (phospholipid bilayers), and coenzymes (e.g., ATP). Discovering the mechanisms by which phosphorus is released from minerals and characterizing the subsequent reactivity is crucial to understanding the origin of life on Earth and the potential for life to exist elsewhere in our universe. In this project, students will monitor the chemistry of phosphorus-containing minerals with water and small organic molecules to determine what abiotic or non-biological reactions occur. (Note: Many analytic tools will be used in this project and are named below. Students are not expected to know them beforehand. We’ll teach you!)

      First, students will learn to synthesize metal phosphite and schreibersite samples. Following synthesis, metal phosphite samples will be analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and NMR or nuclear magnetic resonance to confirm their structure. (NMR is essentially the same instrument as MRI or medical resonance imaging.) Polished schreibersite samples will be analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with electron backscattering to determine the surface structure and the distribution of phosphorus atoms. Following characterization, students will learn to perform reactions between these phosphorus-bearing minerals, water, and prebiotic molecules such as methanol, propanol and glycerol. Schreibersite samples will be examined in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber before and after being bombarded with electrons that mimic the solar wind. Extremely low pressures and temperatures will be used to approximate the conditions of comets (less than 10-9 torr and -150oC). The relative abundance of small phosphorus molecules produced in these reactions (e.g., PH3, PO, HPO2, etc.) will be determined using infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, metal phosphite samples will be reacted at modest temperatures (60oC) and atmospheric pressure, approximating the conditions in tidal pools on the early Earth. The formation and relative abundances of organic molecules containing phosphorus, especially phosphonates and organophosphates, will be identified using NMR. 

      The proposed experiments will address the research question, “What products can be formed when phosphorus-bearing minerals reacted abiotically with prebiotic molecules in comets or on the early Earth?” The information obtained during this project will help astronomers and mission scientists evaluate the feasibility of using phosphorus molecules as potential biomarkers in extraterrestrial environments by identifying which molecules form abiotically or in the absence of life.

    • By the end of this research experience students should be able to:

      • Describe the importance, opportunities, and challenges associated with the role of phosphorus-containing minerals in the origin of life
      • Summarize the current knowledge of phosphorus chemistry on the early Earth or in extraterrestrial environments
      • Explain the benefits and limitations of the experimental methods being used in this project
      • Locate and distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary sources
      • Use reference management software such as RefWorks
      • Read, comprehend, and summarize scientific journal articles
      • Describe and apply ethical research practices
      • Collect, organize, and perform a basic analysis of experimental data
      • Work effectively as part of a team
      • Communicate their research to an audience through a poster, oral presentation, or written research paper
      • Identify transferrable skills that they can use in future work experiences

    • In the first two months of the year, students will learn to: identify and use safe practices while working in a chemical laboratory; maintain an electronic laboratory notebook; perform a literature review using chemical databases; read, comprehend, and summarize scientific journal articles; and explain the rationale for their research project within the Abbott-Lyon Lab.

      Beginning in the third month, students will learn to prepare phosphorus-bearing mineral samples (i.e., schreibersite and metal phosphites) and to operate the instrumentation used in the laboratory, including the ultrahigh vacuum system, which includes an infrared spectrometer and a mass spectrometer, or NMR.

      By the fifth month in the lab, students should be able to start collecting and analyzing experimental data using NMR, infrared spectroscopy, and/or mass spectrometry. Additionally, students will start creating either a scientific poster or research paper on the project during the third month, which they will submit in the fourth month of their experience.

      Students who continue with the project beyond the first year will learn to perform more complicated experiments and to work independently.

    • The laboratory work will be done face-to-face. Meetings and data analysis can be done through virtual meetings, although face-to-face is preferred. There will be some virtual meetings with our off-campus collaborators.

    • Dr. Heather Abbott-Lyon, habbott@kennesaw.edu 

     

    • DNA is the genetic material responsible for life. The coordination of four base pairs that make up DNA, commonly referred to as A, T, G, and C, define how a cell survives, grows, and functions. For a cell to understand the DNA “code,” it must first turn DNA into RNA. RNA is responsible for the production of molecular machines known as proteins and also plays a vital role in many other cellular processes. But how does a cell decide which stretches of DNA to turn into RNA? Simplistically, the regions of DNA that get turned into RNA are called genes, and all genes have particular DNA sequences surrounding them that provide cellular signals to promote gene expression. Humans have over 30,000 genes, and each human genome consists of over 3 billion base pairs. These extreme numbers underscore the importance of regulating which genes are on and which are off. 

      In our laboratory, we discover the preferred DNA-binding sequence of proteins. The work specific to this project will revolve around the RNA polymerase enzyme, which is the molecular machine that produces RNA. To make RNA, this protein must first bind to DNA. The goal of this project will be to determine the preferred DNA binding sequence for this molecular machine, which will greatly increase our understanding of how genes are recognized in prokaryotes. Importantly, the incoming student will learn many biochemical and bioinformatic techniques widely used throughout scientific laboratories and develop critical thinking and experimental design skills that will help them succeed in future scientific endeavors. 

    • Students will be trained and received practice in the following areas:

      1. E. coli protein expression and purification
      2. DNA-protein binding assays: electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA), restriction endonuclease protection assay (REPA), bio-layer interferometry, restriction endonuclease protection selection and amplification (REPSA)
      3. Bioinformatics: DNA sequencing, DNA alignments, genome browser, motif occurrence, gene ontology
      4. DNA biology: PCR, DNA cloning
      5. RNA biology: in vitro transcription assays, quantitative PCR

    • Each week the student will learn, prepare and perform experiments under the guidance of their mentor. Before each experiment, the mentor and student will go over, in-depth, how the experiment works, the predicted outcome (hypothesis), and how this experiment will help evolve the current scientific literature. Additionally, the student will keep a detailed laboratory notebook that will be updated each day the student comes into the lab. 

    • Face to face

    • Dr. John Barrows, jbarro51@kennesaw.edu 

    • Peptides are comprised of amino acids; however, they have few amino acids (2-50) comparing to proteins. Peptide can be used as a medicine (such as Insulin, a peptide hormone, is used to treat diabetics) for various diseases including antimicrobial, cardiovascular, oncology, metabolic, pain and respiratory. Globally, 88 peptide drugs are approved, and 170 peptides are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Peptide therapeutics has many benefits over small-molecule medications, as they are highly selective, well-tolerated, have less adverse effects and undergo quicker clinical development and FDA approval period, despite challenges associated to short half-lives, rapid clearance, cost, and intravenous administration.

      The long-term goal of our project is to design potent peptides targeting acetylcholinesterase associated to Alzheimer, main protease of SARS-CoV-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) related to lung cancer. State-of-art computational tools will be employed to screen, design and optimize the in-silico performance of the peptide. Based on the molecular simulation result, the best peptides will be synthesized using N-Fmoc protected amino acids and Rink amide resin. All peptides will be synthesized on a Liberty Blue microwave peptide synthesizer (CEM). The purity of each peptide will be evaluated by Agilent 1290 ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with LTQ XL mass spectrometer. Moreover, protein inhibitor assay will be performed to validate the lead peptides experimentally. The expected outcome of this project to identify potent peptides to treat dementia, infectious and cancer diseases and advance our knowledge of how these peptides can be further improved.

    • This research training will help students to gain experiences on performing interdisciplinary research, collecting, and analyzing computational and experimental data, interpreting, and presenting results, presenting in conference, writing, and publishing manuscripts. These diverse research experiences in computational chemistry, peptide synthesis and characterization by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and protein binding assay will help students to pursue their graduate study on biomedical science or secure position in pharmaceutical/biochemical industry.

    • Student will do various tasks in the different phase of the projects, including:

      • Reading and reviewing scientific articles.
      • Performing computer aided peptide design.
      • Synthesizing and characterizing peptides.
      • Acquiring and interpreting mass spectrometry data.
      • Conducting protein binding assay experiment and analyzing data.
      • Drafting poster, presentation, and manuscript.
    • Face-to-face

    • Dr. Mohammad Halim, mhalim1@kennesaw.edu

     

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    • A major difficulty in the rotational spectroscopy research is the vacuum system. The frequency band of molecular rotational motion lies in the microwave region with a wavelength of 1 – 10 cm. A pair of big reflectors is needed to withhold the microwave beam pulse in the Fabry-Pérot cavity. To achieve 1,000 – 10,000 reflections before the signals die off in a high-Q resonator down to 3 GHz, the two mirrors should have ~0.5 m diameters and need to be ~1 m apart to form a near confocal cavity resonator, which needs an even larger vacuum chamber to accommodate it. Since the O.D. of flanges is ~ 40% larger than the I.D., the vacuum system will be too big to pass the single open door for most KSU research labs. In view of this, I propose to build a semi-confocal Fabry-Pérot cavity resonator which uses a flat disk reflector to take the place of one spherically curved mirror. This design not only enable us to use a half-sized vacuum chamber to accommodate the cavity but also allow us to use the flange itself as a mirror to further lower down the cost. The gold plating or coating will be used to improve the reflection and corrosion resistance of the flange-mirror. MATLAB and SolidWork will be used for calculations and 3D graphic design of the entire system. This is an interdisciplinary research project which integrates the powers of science and engineering technology.

    • At the end of this proposed research, students should be able to:

      • Explain how their research activities contribute to the research project.
      • Learn and understand the terminology associated with the research topics.
      • Develop necessary data analysis skills.
      • Use quantitative method to evaluate data collections and/or experimental results.
      • Search and track useful information from journal articles and their citations.
      • Develop the work ethics as a team member in a small research group.
      • Acquire knowledge and skills that are necessary for STEM research, e.g., MATLAB, SolidWork, etc.
      • Improve time-management, self-control, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 
      • Group meeting with faculty member and senior research students for guidance/direction.
      • Teamwork with sophomore ME major students and EE major junior students.
      • Literature search and information analysis.
      • Vacuum system design.
      • Accurate linear motion control with linear actuator or linear station.
      • Learn SolidWork and MATLAB.
    • This project will be delivered in a hybrid mode of face-to-face and online work. A face-to-face group meeting will be held for faculty and students to share their work and opinions. Group members can work individually or collaboratively to collect information. The data analysis could be done online at home using academic software, e.g., SoildWork, MATLAB, etc. All faculty and students can access those academic resources for free through KSU network. 

    • Dr. Lu Kang, Lkang1@kennesaw.edu

    • Bacterial pathogens often express proteins that aid in their ability to resist host defenses. The IVY family of proteins had previously been suggested to be an immune suppressive protein, but more recent data suggests that it has an older role in the maintenance and repair of bacterial cell walls. Comparison of IVY protein sequences from the cystic fibrosis pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to putative IVY sequences from other pathogens and other members of the Pseudomonas genus suggests a pattern of conservation that is inconsistent with typical phylogenetic inheritance. The FYSP student(s) will use bioinformatics and an examination of the function of purified mutant proteins and/or knockout mutant phenotypes to test if IVY protein sequences have been shared between pathogens through a process known as horizontal gene transfer. The hypothesis is that IVY’s are an old class of proteins, but that one particular gene has taken on a new role and is being shared among distantly related pathogens to make them more infective. As part of this project the FYSP students will become familiar with biochemical, biophysical, and bioinformatics approaches that will strengthen their bio-STEM degree training.

    • The students will learn how to apply bioinformatics tools and strategies to propose testable hypotheses to explain this pattern of protein sequence relationships. In addition to enhancing their computer skills, the students will work at the bench and in the lab to introduce mutants into protein genes that test specific motifs and sequences. They will obtain training and proficiency in biochemical methods such as plasmid DNA manipulation, protein expression, PCR etc. If substantial progress is made, then in vivo knockout mutants may also be obtained and compared to existing knockouts already present in the Leeper lab. These skills will establish these students as competent biochemistry researchers and complements related skills obtained in senior level coursework.

    • The students will read papers that address bioinformatics methods and will grow and harvest bacteria. During the initial project phases students will engage in computer-based work to analyze protein sequences and propose hypothesis that can be tested in bacteria and expressed proteins. Later weeks of the project will transition to heterologous expression and mutagenesis of IVY proteins as well as the culturing and testing of knockouts strains for resistance to osmotic shock and antibiotic treatment. 

    • Majority face-to-face

    • Thomas C. Leeper, tleeper@kennesaw.edu

     

    • Our laboratory studies regulatory proteins in the extreme thermophilic organism Thermus thermophilus HB8. See prior publications for examples (Research Portfolio, below). One facet of this research is the expression and purification of these proteins, primarily in a mesothermic organism (e.g., E. coli). Goal is to optimize the expression and purification of one or more of these proteins for the next step in their study, identification of preferred DNA-binding sequences by the iterative selection method REPSA. 

      • Basic microbiological techniques (e.g., sterile techniques, clone evaluation, small and mid-scale culturing).
      • Bacterial extract preparation (e.g., disruption by freeze-thaw and/or sonication, clarification by centrifugation, back-extraction of pellets, etc.).
      • Protein purification methods (e.g., heat-treatment/centrifugation, immobilized-metal affinity chromatography, centrifugal concentrators).
      • Protein quantitation and characterization (e.g., UV/vis spectroscopy, Bradford assays, native PAGE, SDS-PAGE, fluorimetry).
      • Data analysis (e.g., MS Excel, GraphPad Prism) and presentation (MS PowerPoint).
      • Scientific method (e.g., observations, hypothesis generation, experiment development, data analysis, repetition and error, results and conclusions).
    • Face-to-face
      • Engage in bench research at least 3 h/week.
      • Maintain written records of progress.
      • Participate in weekly discussions of research. 

    • Michael Van Dyke, mvandyk2@kennesaw.edu

    • In this project, we will study arithmetic progressions a, a+d, a+2d, … (a linear object) inside the set of perfect squares 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, … (a quadratic object). We will characterize such progressions and count their number. If time permits, we will also explore other variants and related questions.

      • Learn some number theory and general mathematical techniques.
      • Develop problem-solving skills.
      • Learn to typeset mathematical papers or slides with LaTeX.
      • Present at a local conference or publish result in an undergraduate journal.
      • Read and learn relevant materials.
      • Work on assigned problem(s) or task(s).
      • Report and discuss progress with mentor.
      • Type up progress and results for presentation or publication.
    • Hybrid

    • Tsz Ho Chan, tchan4@kennesaw.edu

     

    • In this project, the student will first do online research about Benford's phenomenon, and then about human height growth. Any other natural processes can be chosen for research as well. Then the data will be compared to those of basic algebraic functions, and the closest one will be chosen for a further comparison. All the data related to the previously mentioned functions can be found in the article First Digit Probability and Benford's Law. As the result, a conclusion about the nature of a particular process will be made in terms of the probability of its first digits.

    • Upon completing this project, students will be able to:

      • Use online resources for collecting data.
      • Organize collected data using an Excel file.
      • Perform data analysis using graphing software.
      • The student will do online research and prepare a report to the advisor every week or every other week.
      • The student will meet with the advisor every week to discuss what was done and future plans.
    • The student will do online research and prepare a report to the advisor every week or every other week. Thus, it will be hybrid.
    • Irina Pashchenko, ipashche@kennesaw.edu

    • Machine learning (ML) has become a very active area in the last decade and has demonstrated great power and potential through successful applications in various fields. In this project, we will explore the feasibility to develop ML models in Minecraft instead of the real world. As one of the most popular and successful sandbox video games around the world, Minecraft provides players an almost unlimited ability to create a virtual world. We will leverage this feature to create a virtual environment that is similar to the real world, and develop ML models to control the Minecraft character to complete various missions in this environment. The student researcher will be responsible for (1) data collection by numerical simulations, (2) data aggregation, and (3) ML model development. 

      This project will lead to an alternative approach to study the ML problems with limited accessibility of datasets due to various reasons (e.g. cost or regulation). Data generated in a virtual environment similar to the real world will be used to overcome the lack of valid datasets. By participating in the project, the student researcher will understand the mathematical principles of ML, learn fundamental mathematical modeling techniques, and develop hands-on data analytic and programming skills needed for data science industry. This experience will be a good reference for students’ career planning. 

      • Develop hands-on Python programming skills on data analytics and machine learning.
      • Develop the ability to implement mathematical formula/flowchart/pseudo code with Python.
      • Develop the independent study ability leveraging various resources, e.g. KSU library, online databases, online tutorials, etc.
      • Develop skills on public presentation and technical writing.
      • An oral or poster presentation based on the project outcomes will be given by the first-year student researcher. 
      • Attend weekly project meetings and give 10-minute presentations on the progress made in the previous week.
      • Complete the tasks assigned in weekly project meetings, e.g. literature search, reference review, data processing and analysis, model implementation with Python, etc.
      • Write weekly progress reports and prepare presentation slides for the upcoming weekly project meeting.
      • The students are encouraged to attend appropriate scholarly activities, e.g. Applied Mathematics in Industry Seminar, Analysis and Applied Math Seminar, KSU R Day, etc. 
    • Hybrid
    • Min Wang, mwang23@kennesaw.edu

    • E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among youth in the US. In 2018, more than 3.6 million US youth, including 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students, use e-cigarettes. Among many control policies, health education campaigns play an important role. In this project, we will conduct a mathematical study to analyze the transition dynamics of E-cigarette use from youth to young adults with an educational effect. A compartmental model for smoking behavior transmission will be built for the dynamical system analysis. National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be used to estimate the parameters in this model. 

    • At the end of the project, students should be able to: 

      • Define the terminology associated with research and theory in their field.
      • Describe past research studies in their field of study.
      • Develop a hypothesis.
      • Understand the compartmental modeling structure.
      • Problem-solving.
      • Time management.
      • Conduct basic ordinary differential equation simulation analysis through Python or R.
      • Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study.
      • Articulate what it means to be a scholar in their academic field.
      • Describe appropriate professional conduct (e.g., at conferences, when interacting with professionals in the field).

    • Three stages for this project:
      Stage 1: Data collection and literature study (2 months).
      Stage 2: Hypothesis development, build model, result analysis, and hypothesis validation (4 – 5 months).
      Stage 3: Summarize result (develop a professional meeting style poster and complete the technical report) (1 month) .

      The student will perform different duties according to the project's progress. Weekly duties include, but are not limited to:

      • Collecting and analyzing data from CDC.
      • Conducting literature reviews.
      • Conducting ordinary differential equations (ODE) and compartmental modeling skills learning. 4. ODE solver learning (Python or R), parameter estimation learning.
      • Conducting research and discussion.
      • Preparing project progress reports and bi-weekly presentations.
      • Organizing notes and files.
      • Attending project discussion meetings.
      • Preparing poster presentations and undergraduate research talks.
    • A mix of face-to-face and online.
    • Pengcheng Xiao, pxiao4@kennesaw.edu

    • The primary objective of this project is to investigate how the novel environments created by urbanization affect the individual, population, and community ecology of mammals. Urbanization and urban sprawl affect wildlife through many mechanisms, including habitat fragmentation, chemical pollution, light pollution, and interactions with human-associated animals. This project investigates how species in the two most diverse groups of mammals—rodents and bats—adapt to human- dominated landscapes. The environmental factors under investigation, urbanization and land use change, are of global relevance to human coexistence with wildlife. The findings of this project will enable us to better understand and predict how intensive land use change affects biodiversity, which in turn informs conservation and land management decision making. 

      Small mammals such as mice, rats, and voles are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. As consumers of seeds and vegetation they exert enormous influence over plant communities. They are also an important prey item for numerous predators and thus present a risk for bioaccumulation of toxins to higher trophic levels. Some rodents can also serve as vectors of important human and animal diseases. Because many small mammal species persist in human-dominated habitats, understanding their ecology can shed light on how basic ecological themes such as fragmentation, succession, competition, and adaptation are affected by rapid landscape change. Their interactions with other species, large numbers, and relatively short generation times make small mammals are useful and cost- effective indicators of ecosystem function and ecological integrity. 

      Bats also inhabit human-dominated landscapes but interact with them in vastly different ways than terrestrial rodents. Unlike rodents, bats can move long distances quickly by flying and perceive habitat structure acoustically rather than by vision or smell. Most North American bats consume insects, and in so doing can exert significant pressure on invertebrate populations. Bats’ use of human-dominated landscape is affected not only by movement ecology but also by their need to roost during the day: many species of bats are known to utilize buildings and other artificial structures as roost sites. 

      Changes in mammalian biodiversity and behavior brought on by land use change and development can impact ecosystem function and human health. By better understanding these responses, development and land management agencies can guide policies in such as a way as to better balance wildlife conservation and human interests. Science-based conservation will be increasingly important as the human urbanization footprint and urban population continues to grow. 

    • Content-based outcomes:

      Students will gain a better understanding of the native mammals of Georgia and their ecology, field methods for studying mammals, and the effects of urbanization on wildlife. 

      Skill-based outcomes:

      Students will learn how to manage data in spreadsheets, analyze data using R and other open source tools, and interpret data from biological investigations. Each student will have the opportunity to present their work (as a poster or platform presentation) to an audience. Work on this project will contribute to development of at least one manuscript for a peer-reviewed journal, on which students will have the opportunity to serve as co-authors. 

      Disciplinary/professional socialization outcomes:

      Students will be involved in every step of the process of developing, executing, analyzing, and reporting on a field study. This entails critical evaluation of the experimental design and data analysis and consideration of alternatives. Students will be involved in logistics of the project such as site selection, obtaining permission from landowners, and permitting, so that they gain an appreciation of the ethical and legal implications of ecological field work. Finally, through presentation at local or national conferences, students will gain exposure to other scientists and receive feedback on their work. 

      Self-identity/improvement outcomes:

      One of the most important lessons I try to teach students is that persistence pays off. Science often consists of long periods of tedious, repetitive work with frequent setbacks and frustrations. Making it through that process requires a lot of discipline and flexibility. Because this project will involve a variety of tasks ranging from field sampling to data analysis to writing, students will have ample opportunities to practice cultivating a scientific mindset. 

    • The weekly workload varies depending on what kind of field work is scheduled. Work on this project takes 3 forms: small mammal trapping, bat sampling, and computer-based work. 

      • Small mammal trapping weeks are the most time-consuming and labor-intensive. Traps are set in the evening and checked in the morning for 2 to 3 consecutive nights (scheduled around everyone’s availability). After trapping is complete, traps must be washed and stored for the next session.
      • Bats are sampled using automated detectors that record bats’ ultrasonic echolocation calls. These calls are often identifiable to species, much as birds can usually be identified by their songs. Detectors are deployed for 2-3 weeks at a time, after which they are brought back to lab so their data can be downloaded, and batteries recharged. Deployments are staggered so that only a few sites are visited per day, and to maximize the amount of time that each detector is out in the field.
      • Computer-based work can include searching literature, entering data, analyzing data, and writing up results. This work has no set schedule, and can be completed by students remotely. 
    • Project work will be a mix of face-to-face and online. Face-to-face work will take place in the field (locations throughout metro Atlanta and north Georgia, including Cobb County) and in the lab. 
    • Nicholas Green, ngreen62@kennesaw.edu

    • In this study, we are investigating different aspects of the longleaf pine ecosystem. The Longleaf pine is a species of pine-tree that gets its name by having the longest leaves of Pines in the eastern US. Although this pine species used to cover about 90 million acres across the Southern US, this ecosystem has been reduced to less than 3% of its original range. Because it is home to more than 30 endangered and threatened species, as well as the value of the pine trees, the restoration of this ecosystem has become a strong priority. 

      The longleaf pine ecosystem relies on frequent fires to subsist and its range has been reduced in part because of fire suppression, but clearing the forests for construction, development, agriculture, and faster growing species for lumber have also played a role. 

      In this study one of the things we are interested in is looking at the soil and the community of microorganisms that lives in the soil. Therefore, one of the studies that is taking place within my lab is looking at the community of bacteria that live in the soil. Another study is looking at the community of fungi in the soil. New students that join my lab will help towards the characterization of the soil microbiome of the longleaf pine. As part of this characterization students will learn to collect soil samples and extract DNA from soil such that we may analyze the DNA and get an idea of the community of organisms that lives in the soil through the analysis of the DNA they left behind. Some students will work with small roots collected from the soil, stain them, and observe them under the microscope in order to distinguish the types of fungi that are associated to these root tips. Fungi that associate with plant roots are known as mycorrhizae and they are an important part of the ecosystem and of the interaction between plants, fungi, and soil. We think that that by characterizing the soil microbiome (getting to know the community of organisms in the soil) we might be able to help inform the restoration of this ecosystem.

    • Together with other students in my lab, outcomes from their participation will include:

      • Define terminology associated to the long leaf pine and soil microbiome.
      • Describe the longleaf pine ecosystem.
      • Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific research process.
      • Develop communication skills.
      • Demonstrate the ability to research background information on a specific topic.
      • (Depending on project preference) Effectively use modern techniques to extract DNA.
      • (Depending on project preference) Demonstrate an ability to use the microscope.
      • (Depending on project preference) apply different staining techniques to identify mycorrhizae.
      • (Depending on project preference) identify and quantify mycorrhizal colonization of root tips.
      • Develop team skills.
      • Collect data for a research project.
      • Synthesize findings.
      • Prepare an abstract.
      • Help prepare a presentation of a poster or talk for a professional meeting.
      • Present research to an audience.

    • Student weekly duties will change as students become more familiar with the different lab techniques and research methods. Student weekly duties will include:

      • Preparing a schedule of potential times available to participate in lab work.
      • Participating in weekly or biweekly lab meetings.
      • Lab safety training. One of the first activities will be to participate in lab safety training. This will be a requirement that will take place at the beginning of the research.
      • Gain proficiency with lab techniques. Including but not limited to the extraction of DNA from soil, learning to identify the types of mycorrhizae under the microscope, learning and applying staining to root tips.
      • Literature searches.
      • Become proficient with citation management system (such as Refworks or Mendeley).
      • Potential field trips to the Longleaf pine ecosystem area (Wildlife Management Area).
      • Potential soil sample collection in the field.

    • Some meetings will be virtual, via Teams, but the majority of the work and meetings will be face-to-face, in the lab, in conference rooms, and in the field. 

    • Paula Jackson, pjackson@kennesaw.edu

    • Georgia is a hotspot for freshwater fish diversity in the United States, yet we know almost nothing about the parasites infecting these species. With my research program, I seek to survey and describe the parasitic diseases of freshwater fish in the state. I am requesting two undergraduate students to assist in this research.

      KSU has 188 jars containing almost 1000 ethanol-preserved freshwater fish collected around the state between 1999 and 2016; 115 species of fish are represented in this collection! Students will learn how to dissect these fish using a stereo microscope and collect and identify their parasites using a compound microscope. They will collect data on the host and parasites on paper datasheets and then will input the data into a shared datasheet on OneDrive at the end of the week. I will use these data to publish surveys on parasitic diseases of these fish species and study the distribution of diseases across Georgia watersheds.

      Students will also use these data to work on an independent research project. Under my guidance, students will formulate their own research questions, analyze data to answer these questions, and present their results. We will have weekly meetings where I will teach students how to organize and analyze the data they collected using a common statistical program. I will also teach students how to create a poster sharing their results, and they will present this poster at KSU’s Symposium of Student Scholars in April 2023. In addition, students will be able to be coauthors on all manuscripts arising from the research due to their integral role in data collection. Lastly, students who enjoy this research will be able to continue working in my lab in the 2023-2024 academic year and beyond, where there will be opportunities to work on parasitic diseases of other vertebrates (including mammals and reptiles) and write and publish papers as a first author.

      No prior lab, research, or fish experience is required, just an eagerness to learn! These positions require handling and dissecting dead fish and collecting their parasites, so please keep that in mind.

    • By participating in this research project, students will learn how to:

      • Use natural history specimens in scientific research.
      • Conduct fish dissections and learn about fish anatomy.
      • Use a microscope.
      • Diagnose parasitic diseases in fish.
      • Identify different types of parasites.
      • Develop an independent research project.
      • Formulate research objectives and a plan to achieve those objectives.
      • Collect, organize, and analyze data in the statistical program R
      • Make informative and aesthetically pleasing graphs.
      • Work collaboratively with others and communicate effectively.
      • Manage their time in the lab.
      • Think critically and creatively to solve problems.

    • Students will be responsible for working in the lab for five or ten hours per week. After initial training and as the students become more efficient and independent during fish dissections and parasite collections, we will aim for this breakdown of their hours:

      If you work 5 hours in the lab per week:

      Dissecting fish specimens and collecting parasites — 3 hours.

      Transcribing written data into online datasheets and cleaning dissecting equipment and microscopes — 0.5 hours.

      Meeting in a group to learn how to organize and analyze data — 1 hour.

      One-on-one meeting with me to go over expectations, set benchmarks and goals, discuss progress, troubleshoot as necessary, and celebrate wins — 0.5 hours.

      If you work 10 hours in the lab per week:

      Dissecting fish specimens and collecting parasites — 7 hours.

      Transcribing written data into online datasheets and cleaning dissecting equipment and microscopes — 1.5 hours.

      Meeting in a group to learn how to organize and analyze data — 1 hour.

      One-on-one meeting with me to go over expectations, set benchmarks and goals, discuss progress, troubleshoot as necessary, and celebrate wins — 0.5 hours.

    • Face-to-face, in the lab.
    • Dr. Whitney Preisser, wpreisse@kennesaw.edu

    • Chromatin states regulate transcriptional access to DNA, and are mediated by modifications, like methylation, that can be added or removed by histone modifying enzymes. Recent work has shown that histone methylation can be maintained through cell divisions and acts as a type of transcriptional “memory.” In the Carpenter lab, we use the super cool nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, to study how these cellular memories are inherited between generations. As a postdoc, I discovered a novel mechanism by which maternally deposited histone modifying enzymes antagonize one another to balance inherited histone methylation - a balance that when tipped leads to ectopic expression of germline genes in somatic tissues and severe consequences for development expressed throughout entire somatic tissues of a C. elegans. The histone modifying enzymes that I study in C. elegans are highly conserved in vertebrates so students who join my lab will be trained in classical and cutting-edge techniques as they investigate broad principles of epigenetic inheritance that instruct healthy development and are associated with human disease. 

    • While working in the Carpenter Lab students will gain extensive training in: 

      • Manipulating and perform experiments using the microscopic nematode, C. elegans.
      • Working with a team to think critically and problem solve scientific questions.
      • Communicating research findings to various audiences.
      • Analyzing and performing large genomic experiments including and ChIPseq and RNAseq.
      • Complex genetic and developmental biology concepts.

    • Each week students will be expected to perform experiments using C. elegans. These experiments range from scoring a wide variety of developmental defects, knocking down genes by feeding worms RNAi bacteria, and performing genetic crosses to build new worm strains. Students will maintain their own worm strains, participate in lab meetings, attend virtual ATL Area Worm and Chromatin meetings (once a month). Students will also be expected to participate and day-to-day lab jobs to learn how to make reagents and organize a lab.

    • Students will perform research experiments face-to-face in the lab. In addition to face-to-face research experiences, additional online bioinformatics projects may also be available.
    • Brandon Carpenter, bcarpe18@kennesaw.edu

    • Bacteria grow in communities and use a system called quorum-sensing  (QS) to talk to each other and to act in unison on their collective gene pool. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, signal molecules or autoinducers activate the expression of three main cell density-dependent DNA regulatory systems.  These systems, las, rhl and pqs, are hierarchal in such that las is the first to act which in turns affects rhl which finally acts upon pqs. These genes are involved in specific behaviors, many associated with the ability to cause disease. There are many different signals produced by P. aeruginosa and QS regulates at least 6% of the genome.

      Our lab investigates the leucine-responsive regulatory protein, Lrp.  Utilizing a chromosomal gene knockout mutant, we have characterized altered phenotypes in swarming motility, biofilm-formation, siderophore-production  and nutrient utilization.  All of these systems are known to be regulated by quorum-sensing.  When lrp is absent, autoinducer is increased while cell-density remains the same or it is even reduced.    We will examine gene expression changes using quantitative PCR in the major QS pathways (rhl, las, and pqs) in the wild-type vs. mutant during the above assays. We may be able to the correlate genotype with phenotype and assign Lrp a previously uncharacterized role in the QS regulatory network.

    • The student(s) will join a microcommunity in my lab with other novice and advanced scientific proteges, all of whom will be mentored by myself, a tenured faculty member and a graduate student in the MSIB degree program.  The student will have hands on experience in routing lab maintenance and experimental staging.  The student will share in co-authoring protocols and experimental design, setting the stage for future data analysis and research preparation.  The student will also receive social support in the culture of research and professional science as a career choice.  This includes selection of appropriate primary literature, protocol acquisition and implementation, data analysis and presentations.  Student must present a research at the KSU Scholars Symposium as the presenting author either Fall or Spring.

    • This project will support a research project by 1 – 2 undergraduate  students with support from MSIB graduate student, Kendra Fick.  The students will dedicate 6-9 hours in lab a week.  Weekly duties will vary according to the needs of the lab and the advancement of the student.  Some weekly duties may include; media and culture preparation, cell culturing and sterilization of disposable supplies, basic molecular procedures (DNA extractions and PCR).

    • This work will be face to face in the research lab, Science Laboratory 3045.
    • Melanie Griffin, mgriff40@kennesaw.edu

    • The Hudson lab at Kennesaw State University is broadly interested in: (1) understanding how cells in the body become neurons; and (2) how neurons connect to one another to make neural circuits and how those circuits control an animal's behavior. To do this, we primarily use a nematode model (Caenorhabditis elegans) help us answer these questions. Nematode worms have many advantages for studying the nervous system. First, they have an invariant cell lineage, which means that whenever a cell divides, we know exactly what its daughter cells are going to be. Second, they're see-through, which means that we can actually see neuronal cell bodies and axon bundles without having to dissect the animals. Third, we can use fluorescent reporter genes to label individual cells in the worm's brain. Finally, we can use genetics to change the underlying genes required for nervous system development and function. By creating mutations that change the fate of a neuron or the shape of an axon, we can figure out which genes are required for making the nervous system and how that affects behavior. Is this relevant to humans and human neurological disorders? Oh yes! The genes required for shaping the worm's nervous system are the same genes required to shape the human nervous system. As such, we can look at the worm version of a human disease gene and understand what the consequences are for mutating that particular gene and how it affects nervous system development and function. We have two main projects on-going in the lab. The first one is to examine a class of proteins called transcription factors to figure out how they affect whether a cell becomes a neuron or something else. Second, we are examining how sensory neural circuits connect together, and whether defects in nervous system connectivity lead to behavioral defects.

    • A first-year student joining the lab would work with a master's student and contribute to one or more of the projects described above. Having learned how to handle worms, they'd use those worm-picking skills and basic genetics to build worm strains, examining those strains using a fluorescence microscope, then imaging those strains and looking for nervous system defects. As an adjunct to this, they would learn additional transferrable skills including polymerase chain reaction assays, automated image analysis coding and strain freezing. Students will maintain a lab notebook and be trained in how to archive data on cloud-based servers and other back-up devices. They will present their data in weekly lab meetings, and also at the end of the academic year at the KSU Student Research Symposium. If schedules permit, they will also be invited to attend weekly research seminars in the College of Science and Mathematics, and monthly Worm Club (12 noon, third Monday of the month at Emory University), where they can see research presentations from other worm-based labs in the Atlanta metro area including labs at Emory University, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State. Students making exceptional progress will be encouraged to present their data at the regional Society for Developmental Biology meeting.

    • In addition to the research approach described above, a first-year student would be expected to contribute to lab maintenance by making growth media, cleaning lab glassware and maintaining instruments.

    • Face to face
    • Dr. Martin Hudson, mhudso28@kennesaw.edu 

    • The process of muscle formation requires the careful coordinated expression of a number of genes both unknown and unknown during embryonic development. We use the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model organism to study the formation and patterning of muscle in the developing embryo.   Key to this process is akirin, a nuclear protein that is essential for expression of a variety of muscle patterning genes.  We have a small number (i.e., 35) known or predicted gene loci that are likely candidate interactions with Akirin during Drosophila muscle development.  This project will involve creating novel genetic lines and collection of embryos from these genetic lines for analysis of their muscles. This project will use both classical and molecular genetic techniques to uncover new genes that interact with akirin during muscle patterning.  This project will also involve high-resolution confocal microscopy to describe the phenotypes of uncovered genes.

    • Students will use a wide variety of classical insect breeding and genetic techniques, techniques in labeling and imaging the muscles of insect embryos, and microscopic techniques for data analysis.

    • The student will be responsible for insect care and breeding maintenance, assisting with general lab duties, and planning experiments.  Weekly meetings with the PI will be essential to student success.

    • Face to face
    • Dr. Scott Nowak, snowak@kennesaw.edu 







 

 

 

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