2021-2022
RESEARCH RECAP What to Know to Have a Great Spring Semester!
Inside this Issue ♦
mRNA Vaccines: Mr. Leroy Versteeg
♦
Goldwater Scholars
♦
MD Anderson Internship
♦
BURST Alumni
♦
Research Lab Openings
♦
Science in the News
♦
Internship and Scholarship Deadlines
Message from the Editors Welcome to this year’s 2021-2022 Research Recap, brought to you by Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology (BURST). So far, 2022 has been an exciting time for research, as we have seen significant advancements both on campus and off campus. Baylor’s research efforts over the past years have recently culminated in the designation of prestigious R1 status, which will no doubt further grow scientific innovation at our university. Furthermore, this pandemic has called attention to the immense power of research to solve global issues. Whether you are interested in pursuing research or are already highly involved, this publication will be a worthwhile read. This Research Recap features an interview with BCM’s Mr. Leroy Versteeg discussing mRNA vaccines, amongst other fascinating articles. We strive to highlight the importance of research, and encourage interested students to explore the opportunities offered at Baylor and beyond! 1
mRNA Vaccines: An Interview with Mr. Leroy Versteeg mRNA Vaccine Platform The COVID-19 pandemic upended the world of medicine in many ways, as scientists and medical practitioners had to learn to deal with an unprecedented health crisis. A prominent technology used to combat this pandemic was the mRNA vaccine platform. To learn more about this research and the potential future uses of mRNA vaccines, I interviewed Mr. Leroy Versteeg, a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine’s National School of Tropical Medicine (NSTM). Mr. Versteeg started researching mRNA vaccines for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in 2017. NTD’s are often referred to as the diseases of poverty, as they are most prevalent among poor and marginalized communities. According to Mr. Versteeg, this is a major reason that research into finding cures for these diseases is limited. NSTM is filling this gap by researching vaccines to treat diseases such as hookworm, schistosomiasis, and leishmaniasis. Mr. Versteeg’s current project is developing an mRNA vaccine for Chagas disease. This disease is very prevalent in Latin America and, according to the CDC, more than 300,000 people in the United States also suffer from Chagas disease. Even though mRNA vaccines were made popular with the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, Mr. Versteeg underscored the fact that this technology has been developing for over a decade. For example, Moderna started clinical trials using mRNA vaccines years 2
ago against cancer and against infectious diseases like Zika. However, research into this platform rapidly accelerated in 2020 as many companies raised substantial funds to develop these vaccines.
Traditional Vaccines Traditional vaccines use a dead pathogen or a live attenuated/heat inactivated pathogen. This dead or weakened pathogen incites a strong immune response in the host, but the pathogen is not strong enough to survive the immune response and cause major illness. Vaccines can also be developed based on recombinant protein antigens, which use specific purified protein antigens from a pathogen that elicit a strong immune response against the pathogen when given to a human. The mRNA vaccine is different from these types of traditional vaccines as it does not use the pathogen nor protein antigens developed in a lab. Through the mRNA vaccine platform, you essentially give the code to the host’s body cells to make the proteins in vivo, which triggers the immune response. mRNA vaccines offer certain significant advantages over traditional vaccines. First and foremost, mRNA vaccines are much faster to develop than traditional vaccines. Mr. Versteeg stated that “The speed of design is what is cool about the mRNA vaccine platform. In the case of emerging diseases, say a novel type of Ebola outbreak, you could develop a vaccine in a couple of months excluding the clinical trails. We don’t
have any other technology right now that can be developed from scratch so quickly.” Secondly, mRNA vaccines are cheaper to develop, as the design of the vaccine construct can be completed on a computer and then ordered from a company. The price of in vitro transcription is also falling as the technology becomes more widely available. Furthermore, mRNA vaccines are more stable compared to traditional protein vaccines. For example, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can be stored at -70°C, while the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can be stored at a temperature as high as -20°C. This makes transportation of mRNA vaccines to rural areas more feasible than protein vaccines. Additionally, the mRNA vaccine platform offers flexibility in that it is easier to alter the sequence at a few amino acids to make a new construct. With protein vaccines, a new protein must be produced and purified again, which is a more cumbersome process.
Mr. Leroy Versteeg
Future Directions mRNA vaccine technology is constantly evolving and improving. Just a few years ago, the mRNA vaccine platform faced significant hurdles as the mRNA strand needed to be designed to not be rejected by the host cell, while still being resistant to degradation and having an accurate code. Development of these mRNA constructs was made possible by advanced technology such as genetic screening and CRISPR. In the future, Mr. Versteeg believes that mRNA vaccines have the capability to gradually replace traditional vaccines, such as the seasonal flu vaccine. The mRNA vaccine platform is also being expanded for diverse uses, and can be applied for various treatments in the future. For example, a recently launched company called Laronde is making a circular RNA, also called the endless RNA or “eRNA.” When a ribosome attaches to this eRNA, it is able to translate proteins for days to weeks. This continuous translation can potentially be used for therapeutic applications, such as producing insulin in diabetic patients. Students interested in this emerging technology can pursue many avenues to learn more and be involved in this growing field. Interested students can pursue research internships at institutions like NSTM, and learn about the advances in mRNA technology from websites of mRNA vaccine development companies, as well as keeping up with scientific literature on the subject. mRNA vaccines have great potential for treating infectious diseases and in the future for therapeutic treatments, and we will certainly see this technology expand to improve the quality of life of many patients, thanks to the great work of researchers such as Mr. Versteeg.
3
Baylor 2021 Goldwater Scho Alexis Simmons Last year, senior physics and mathematics double major Alexis Simmons was selected as a winner of the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship for her potential in STEM research. Simmons started her research career at MDAnderson Cancer Center’s CPRIT-CURE Summer Undergraduate Program during the summers of 2019 and 2020. During her time in this program, she helped develop a patient specific computer model of the brain that can be used to predict how a patient’s brain will shift or deform during tumor resection. To add to her research experiences, she browsed the URSA website to find on-campus research opportunities and stumbled across a dynamic imaging analysis lab on campus that develops tests to investigate the effects of generational traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. In the Summer of 2021, Simmons ventured into University of Michigan’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in the
4
department of biophysics and researched the differences in hippocampal neural network activity using a computational networking model. As all her projects and internships depict, Simmons’ research interest in studying the mechanisms of biology was enhanced through her math and physics background. Though her internships and experiences are very multidisciplinary, the immersive experiences taught her how to get out of her comfort zone and ask questions to learn more about the field. Through her early involvement in research as an undergraduate, Simmons soon realized her aspirations to attend graduate school in order to pursue a career in research. Simmons had applied to the Goldwater scholarship twice: both sophomore and junior year. She notes that applying her sophomore year provided the groundwork for her junior year application and with more experience and additional advice, she was able to strengthen her application in order to earn the scholarship her junior year. Simmons believes that earning the Goldwater scholarship has made her more confident in her academic goals. She emphasizes that all undergraduate students interested in pursuing research as a career should reach out for mentorship and never be afraid to try new things or ask questions. She reflects on the really great mentors she has had throughout her research endeavors, and emphasizes how resourceful graduate and postdoctoral students can be. When asked to provide her best advice, she urges everyone to put themselves out there and not let fears hold you back from investing in your future.
olars Kate Rojales
In 2021, Kate Rojales was selected from a pool of over 5,000 applicants from 438 academic institutions throughout the United States and was awarded the prestigious Goldwater scholarship. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program awards scholarships to recognize undergraduates of all STEM fields that are pursuing a research career. Rojales is a current Baylor senior majoring in Chemistry with minors in Great Texts and Religion. She is also very involved with the Honors Residential College as the HRC College Council Mentor and Spiritual Life Committee chair. Throughout her undergraduate career, Rojales has had the opportunity to pursue research both at Baylor University and at the University of Georgia. Under the guidance of Dr. Caleb Martin, Ph.D, in his inorganic chemistry lab, Rojales studies boratabenzene transition metal complexes. For her application, however, Rojales wrote about her summer research experience with Dr. Jeffrey Urbauer, Ph.D., at the University of Georgia where she studied G-alpha protein synthesis and purification. This research has a lot of biological importance since G-proteins are responsible for 35% of cellular response. Her extensive experience has given her deeper insight into research culture. “Research is about 70% failure, 25% waiting
for something to fail, 4% thinking it might work, and 1% it actually working,” said Rojales. “There’s a disconnect between what gets published and what science is really like. You’ll only know once you do research.” Rojales attributes her ability to overcome obstacles and persevere through failures to her faith and community. Being at Baylor University has taught her how to not only love God and her neighbor but also to love learning and to trust the process of her research. Her faith has allowed her to orient her life, understand what truly matters to her, and realize that her purpose as a researcher is not dependent on the success of a single successful experiment, but rather based on the love and investment of those who surround her and remind her of the importance of life beyond the vials and fume hoods. The Barry M. Goldwater scholarship is open to sophomores and juniors interested in pursuing careers in STEM. At Baylor University, this involves an extensive selection process to determine which four students will be nominated to compete in the national competition. Rojales recommends that students attend the information meetings and try applying to gain the experience. “I did not get in as a sophomore, but I reapplied as a junior. At that point, I had gone through it before, so I knew how to improve my application,” said Rojales. “Having an extra year helped me understand myself and my research better.” Rojales says that the key to a successful application is for students to earnestly tell their stories. She said that her own application encompassed her life as part of the Honors Residential College. “I talked about faith and reason, living in the HRC, leading Spiritual Life, and getting involved in church. That’s my story — being mentored and wanting to mentor,” Kate said. “Science happens in community, and it is such a gift to teach, mentor others, and do life together against the backdrop of scientific research.”
5
Baylor Honors College: MD Anderson Internship About the Program Over this past summer, Kaitlyn Tremble took part in the Baylor/MD Anderson Research Internship. Kaitlyn is a junior University Scholar with concentrations in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and French, on the pre-PhD track. She participated in this program after learning about the opportunity from Dr. Abel, the clinical professor of Honors Biology who initiated Baylor’s partnership with MD Anderson. To apply for the program, Kaitlyn initially submitted an application to an internal committee at Baylor, and she was one of 10 students chosen to advance to the final application round with MD Anderson. Accepted applicants were placed in research labs based on their research interests, and due to her interests in genetics and molecular biology, Kaitlyn was assigned to the experimental radiation oncology department on a prostate cancer study. During the internship, Kaitlyn was assigned to a project that focused on the family of histone demethylases KDM4 in a type of prostate cancer caused by a CHD1 gene deletion. Kaitlyn’s project specifically aimed to investigate the effects of a CHD1 gene deletion and the epigenetic markers that histone demethylases KDM4 could affect.
Advice to Applicants This, however, was not Kaitlyn’s first 6
experience with research. She had previously participated in a research internship during high school, and she joined a research lab at Baylor in the spring. Regardless, Kaitlyn says that lacking research experience should not discourage potential applicants. “Although it’s helpful to have some experience I wouldn’t worry if you don’t. You’re going to gain a ton of experience because they expect to train you when you come in.” Kaitlyn shared that she thinks prospective applicants will be best prepared for the program by taking courses relating to their particular research interests, which in her case were molecular cell biology and genetics. Furthermore, she highly recommends taking Dr. Abel’s BIO 1125, an introductory course that is centered around research relating to healthcare and biology. Kaitlyn says that success can be
found if the participant demonstrates a strong interest in research and shows responsibility and engagement.
Day in the Life Kaitlyn’s time in the lab was characterized by a 40 hour work week, which she spent attending lab meetings, studying scientific literature relevant to the experiment, preparing for the experiments, and applying laboratory techniques concerning microbiology and molecular cell biology. Kaitlyn summed up the experience by saying that “science is 80% waiting around, 15% failed experiments, and 5% of the time you find something.” Upon reflection, Kaitlyn describes how the experience was rewarding, especially when breakthroughs were found and conclusions were made. This experience helped Kaitlyn understand the processes and efforts behind research, and it helped her discover her passion.
Conclusion During the internship, Kaitlyn explains that one of the biggest challenges she faced was simply keeping up with the expert researchers and gaining background knowledge on the study’s subject. “Researchers go down a very specialized road and they become super knowledgeable in one specific area. But, when you’re not there yet... you have to catch up.” Additionally, she found that the time spent waiting for the experiments to complete was a drawback. Kaitlyn explains that despite these setbacks, her previous biology courses helped establish her foundations for the study, and she also realized how this internship solidified her interests in research, rather than medicine. “Although I was already pretty sure, the MD Anderson opportunity definitely did help me be sure that I have no desire to work in medicine. I do like research.” Kaitlyn expects to “delve deeper into cancer research” down the road.
Interested in Publishing? Scientia is Baylor University’s Undergraduate Research Journal of Science and Technology Visit www.baylorscientia.org for more info! We accept submissions from all STEM disciplines and in the following formats: -Original Research Articles -Review Articles -Abstracts
Visit our website at www.baylorscientia.org for more information!
7
BURST Alumni Testimonials and Events Sean Ngo
MD candidate at McGovern, Baylor’21 Doing research at Baylor was one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding experiences I had during my undergraduate career. I had an awesome time running studies with Dr. Tsang in her Positive Psychology Lab and starting an independent project with her really enhanced my experience with research. It was tough going through so many papers and developing entirely new protocols, but getting to present that work later on made it easily worth it. This experience helped immensely when I got to lead another team working with the Waco Family Medicine Center through Baylor’s CMO Internship. Research really pushes you to grow. All the skills that I gained while conducting undergraduate research have been invaluable to me, even in my first semester at McGovern. Having a background in research from undergrad has allowed me to jump right into clinical research teams and help out with projects and case reports. It’s fun to think back to my first year when I joined BURST and was so easily connected to researchers and upperclassmen who helped me get involved. I got to listen to great lecturers and take part in all sorts of fun activities from RID to URSA Scholars Week. The time I spent hanging out with all of the people in BURST helped to fuel my interest in pursuing science, and I loved sharing that with others during my own time as a BURST officer. I truly can’t recommend enough for students at Baylor to pursue research in some capacity, and BURST provides a great first step.
8
Andrew Munoz
PhD candidate at Johns Hopkins, Baylor’21 I found that my research at Baylor substantially improved my ability to work with different models of experimentation and enhance my scientific writing capabilities. The Vichaya lab specifically utilized mice for experiments regarding chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, and more. Given my interests in biomedical research, being comfortable around mice is pivotal. Additionally, as the Vichaya lab was getting started, I had the opportunity to work on grant writing, which is an essential skill for a scientist’s entire career. Without persuasive reasons to support your research, you certainly will be unable to pursue your interests. Joining BURST was one of my best decisions during my time at Baylor. I felt the organization really helped elevate my exposure to different aspects of research as a whole. Being a Journal Club leader taught me valuable lessons in science communication. Attending various faculty lecture talks and information sessions taught me important lessons about academic research and also opportunities I had no idea were available to me. Finally, being a member of Scientia and helping students publish their research while also interviewing leaders in industry research continued to broaden my views of the world of scientific research.
Research Lab Openings Biology •
Dr. Dwayne Simmons: My research lab focuses on both developing and aging brain function related to hearing and balance, neurodegeneration, and neuro-immune responses. The long-term objective of our research is to investigate the role of mobile calcium buffers in the inner ear, especially during development and aging. Requirements: Interested in talented undergraduate students who can commit to working over at least one session of summer.
Anthropology •
Dr. Austin Reynolds: Research in the Reynolds Lab is centered around the study of human genomic variation to reconstruct human history and to better understand how our various histories contribute to disease risk. We use an interdisciplinary approach that combines expertise from anthropology, population genetics, and bioinformatics. We are currently involved in projects to reconstruct the demographic history of Indigenous American populations using ancient DNA as well as projects to better understand the genetic risk factors for Tuberculosis in southern Africa. Requirements: Students interested in joining the lab should have a strong interest in using computers to analyze genetic data. Possible courses that would prepare students to join the lab include: BIO 2306 (Genetics) or CSI 1440 (Intro to Computer Science II).
Chemistry • •
Dr. Caleb Martin: The Martin Lab conducts research in synthetic boron chemistry. They are looking for one new student this semester. Requirements: Freshman or sophomores who are Chemistry majors. Dr. Touradj Solouki: Our studies are focused on biomedical and environmental research and improving performance characteristics of modern mass spectrometers to address the demanding analytical requirements for comprehensive characterization of complex mixtures in the emerging areas of “x-omics.” Requirements: None.
Psychology and Neuroscience •
Dr. Michael Scullin: We conduct work on sleep physiology, sleep patterns, and cognition. We will be reviewing undergraduate RA applicants on August 27. Requirements: Sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply, and it is recommended that one take intro psych or intro neuro. Additional information, including the application, can be found at: https://sites.baylor.edu/scullin/join-2/
9
Science in the News First Successful Pig to Human Organ Transplant Paves the Way for the Future of Xenoplantation A team of surgeons at N.Y.U. Langone made medical history this past September when they conducted the first successful pig to human kidney transplant. The transplant was conducted on a patient who had been declared brain dead, and whose life was being maintained by means of a ventilator. With the consent of the patient’s family, the surgical team, led by Dr. Robert Montgomery, conducted the first-ever transplantation of a kidney from a pig to a human. The surgeons on this team modified the kidney from the pig prior to transplantation, to reduce the risk of organ rejection. This was done by eliminating a sugar molecule known as “alpha-gala” on the surface of the blood cells of pigs, which has been known to trigger an aggressive immune response known as “Antibody-Mediated Rejection” in humans. After transplantation, the functionality of the kidney was closely monitored for 54 hours, to which the team saw no signs of rejection. The key indicators of kidney function, urine output and creatinine levels, were normal, and lead surgeon Dr. Montgomery stated that “the pig kidney functioned just like a human kidney transplant.” Xenoplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another, and has been a sought after goal of scientists and medical researchers for some time now. There is currently a critical shortage of transplantable organs in the United States and, on average, ten people die daily whilst waiting for organs. Successes such as the one achieved by the team at NYU Langone provide hope that Xenoplantation is a potential solution to bridging the gap between organ supply and demand. REFERENCES Press, The Associated. “In a Major Scientific Advance, a Pig Kidney Is Successfully Transplanted into a Human.” NPR, NPR, 20 Oct. 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/10/20/1047560631/in-a-major-scientific-advance-a-pig-kidney-issuccessfully-transplanted-into-a-h. “Progress in Xenotransplantation Opens Door to New Supply of Critically Needed Organs.” NYU Langone News, 21 Oct. 2021, https://nyulangone.org/news/progress-xenotransplantation-opens-door-new-supply-critically-neededorgans. Hart, Robert. “First Pig Kidney Successfully Tested in a Human-Here’s What That Could Mean for the Future of Organ Transplants.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 20 Oct. 2021, https://www.forbes. com/sites/roberthart/2021/10/20/firstpig-kidney-successfully-tested-in-a-human-heres-what-that-could-mean-for-the-future-of-organ-transplants/?sh=1dafb6e51ca2.
A Simple Discovery Revolutionizes Molecule Construction This year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David MacMillan and Benjamin List for their independent development of a process called asymmetric organocatalysis. Since its discovery in 2000, asymmetric organocatalysis has revolutionized the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and a plethora of materials essential to life as we know it. Before the year 2000, scientists believed there were only 2 types of catalysts: metals and enzymes. Metals can often be destroyed by moisture, be toxic, or have to be mined, while enzymes are complex to make and thus produce large amounts of waste. It was believed that enzymes act as catalysts because they contain hundreds of amino acids, but the winners of the Nobel Prize were able to demonstrate that a single amino acid can act as an excellent catalyst on its own. Asymmetric catalysis builds upon naturally occurring carbon structures, which are cheap, available, and environmentally friendly. Many organic molecules exist in two mirror image variants, a phenomenon known as chirality. The ability of asymmetric catalysis to produce only one of these variants allows it to produce far less waste than other methods. Lyst and MacMillan’s work has opened up an entirely new area of discovery in the world of chemistry, creating a “gold rush” for chemical researchers. It has made countless reactions, especially those associated with drug production, more cost efficient and environmentally ethical. For this reason, Dr. List and Dr. MacMillan were awarded the Nobel Prize on October 6, 2021. REFERENCES CNN, Rob Picheta and Katie Hunt. “Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded for ‘simple’ yet‘Ingenious’ Discovery.” CNN. Accessed November 4, 2021.https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/06/world/nobelprize-chemistry-winner-scn-2021/index.html.Imbler, Sabrina, Marc Santora, and Cora Engelbrecht. “Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awardedto Scientists for Tool That Builds Better Catalysts.”The New York Times, October 6,2021, sec. Science.https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/science/nobel-prize-chemistry.html.NobelPrize.org. “The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021.” Accessed November 4, 2021.https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2021/press-release/.ACS Axial. “The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 Goes to Benjamin List and David W. C.MacMillan,” October 6, 2021.https:// axial.acs.org/2021/10/06/the-nobel-prize-in-chemistry-2021-goes-to-benjamin-list-and-david-w-c-macmillan/.
10
Important Dates BCM Tropical Disease Research Internship Program • •
• •
Where: Baylor College of Medicine - Houston, TX Details: The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (NSTM) is one of the first of its kind devoted to the neglected diseases that disproportionately afflict the bottom billion, the world’s poorest people who live below the World Bank poverty level. The internship, held in Houston, Texas familiarizes undergraduate students with the field of tropical medicine. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: February 15, 2022
Undergraduate Summer Research Internship Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences • • • •
Where: University of Connecticut Details: UConn Health invites applications for a limited number of summer research internships from highly qualified and motivated undergraduate students who have completed at least their sophomore year by the start of the program and have an interest in obtaining a Ph.D. in the biological and biomedical sciences. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: March 1, 2022
Scripps Research Institute, SURF Program • • • •
Where: La Jolla, CA and Jupiter, FL Details: Scripps Research’s ten-week Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) internship program offers students the opportunity to experience cutting-edge research in one of our 220 laboratories while being mentored by our world-renowned faculty. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: February 15, 2022
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Biological Mechanisms at UNC-Chapel Hill • • • •
Where: Chapel Hill, North Carolina Details: The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE-REU) Program in Biological Mechanisms at UNC-Chapel Hill provides talented undergraduate students the opportunity to carry out independent research projects under the guidance of faculty mentors to study a variety of approaches to mechanistic studies. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: February 18, 2022
11
“Training and Experimentation in Computational Biology” REU program • • • •
Where: University of Pittsburgh Details: “Training and Experimentation in Computational Biology” REU program is a 10-week summer program that will provide a challenging and fulfilling graduate-level research experience to undergraduate students. TECBio focuses on computational, quantitative, and systems-level, research over multiple scales. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: February 14, 2022
Summer Institute in Biostatistics and Data Science (SIBS) • • • •
Where: Boston University Details: If you are an undergraduate with an interest in mathematics, statistics, biology, or health sciences and would like to learn how to apply methods to investigate important health issues, come join us for our highly successful Summer Institute in Biostatistics program. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: February 21, 2022
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)- SPUR Program of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)- SPUR Program • •
• •
Where: Los Angeles, California Details: The UCLA Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) offer upper division undergraduate students with outstanding academic potential the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research projects. The programs are designed for students who wish to learn more about the graduate school experience and possibly pursue an academic career in teaching and research. Application Opens: Open Now Deadline: March 31, 2022
Editor-in-Chief Isha Thapar Editorial Board Faith Abraham, Sanjana Ade, Dafne Andrade, Shivani Ayalasomayajula, Kayla Balkcum, Sinchana Basoor, Rahel Burchardt, Tooba Haris, Tiffany Luan, Kymmia Majedi, Julia Mendes, Arvind Muruganantham, Jessica Ngo, Kate Pogue, Sai Sagireddy, Gabriel Sungcad, Bhaararthi Venkata Faculty Advisor Dr. Rizalia Klausmeyer Special Thanks To Mr. Leroy Versteeg, Alexis Simmons, Kate Rojales, Kaitlyn Tremble, Sean Ngo, Andrew Munoz