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Annual Report July 2013 to June 2014
Suzanne Rocheleau, Ph.D. Associate Dean, Pennoni Honors College Director, Office of Undergraduate Research Jaya Mohan, M.A. Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
Th e Offi ce o f U n de rgrad uate Re se arch is a un it of th e Pe n no n i H on o rs Co ll eg e.
Annual Report 2013-14
Table of Contents 3 | Le tte r fro m th e Di recto r 4 | STAR Scho lars STAR Scholars 2012-13 iSTAR Scholars STAR Scholars Summer Showcase Outstanding Mentor of the Year Benefits of Research & DSLPs Assessing the Benefits of the STAR Scholars Program
The mission of the Office of Undergraduate Research is to foster student engagement and experiential learning and enrich the
1 1 | Th e Pe nn o ni Ho n ors Co lle ge In te rn atio n al Trave l A ward
educational experience of undergraduate
1 2 | Re searc h Co n fe re nce s Discipline-Specific Conferences National Collegiate Research Conference National Conference on Undergraduate Research CAA Undergraduate Research Conference CUR Posters on the Hill Presenting Research @ Drexel 2 0 | U nd erre pre se nte d Stud e nts in U nd erg radu ate Re searc h 2 1 | D isco ve r 2 2 | Hi gh Sch oo l Sc ho lars 2 3 | Co lla bo ratio n w ith Facu lty & O the r O ffice s 2 5 | Pre se n tati on s & P ub lic atio ns 2 6 | Un d ergrad u ate Re se arch : L oo kin g Fo rward
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students by promoting research, scholarship, and creative activities through mentoring relationships between faculty and students.
Letter from the Director Welcome to the Office of Undergraduate Research! At Drexel, undergraduates starting as early as freshman year are exploring far away galaxies, creating and using new materials, virtually recreating artifacts and unearthing the secrets of dinosaurs. They are investigating the neurobiology of Costa Rican ant colonies, programming humanoid robots, developing applications for spider silk, and exploring the geopolitics of energy in the Mediterranean. In short, Drexel students are immersing themselves in the exciting and sometimes messy process of creating and sharing new knowledge. And they are doing it all over the world. We believe these endeavors result in a deep understanding that only comes from fully immersing oneself in a discipline and from working with caring faculty mentors who guide them. Students are finding their passion and realistically preparing themselves for careers that could not even be imagined a decade ago – not only in science and engineering, but in disciplines as diverse as the University itself. Ou r missio n i s to faci li ta te the c ol lab or atio n o f fac u lty and stu d ents i n re se arc h , sc ho la rly w or k, or cr ea tive p ro je cts th ro u gh the e xpansi on and de ve lopm ent o f e xi sting pr ogr ams, th e c re ati on of inno vati ve op po rtu nitie s for su ch c ol lab o rati on bo th at and be yo nd th e Univ er sity, and the i nte gra tio n o f a c ul tu r e o f re se arc h into th e ed uc ati ona l e xpe rie nc e p ro vid e d b y the Unive rsi ty. All Drexel students are welcome and encouraged to take advantage of services provided by the Office of Undergraduate Research. We support students in every college and discipline and at every level of their college careers. In addition to the STAR and iSTAR Scholars Programs, we provide grants to enable students to continue their research and to travel all over the world to present their findings at undergraduate research and discipline-specific conferences. We also provide help with writing abstracts and creating posters, finding faculty mentors, and applying to academic conferences. In addition, we assist in the identification and recruitment of promising young students by managing the High School Scholars Program, which enables high-ability high school students to take college courses for credit at no cost. Lastly, we partner with college and faculty administrators to create new opportunities for student discovery and achievement. Please stop by the office and introduce yourself – we look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Suzanne Rocheleau, Ph.D. Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
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Annual Report 2013-14
STAR: Students Tackling Advanced Research Since its inception in 2002, the STAR Scholars Program has provided more than 900 students with the opportunity to participate in early undergraduate research. Each year, the program has grown: from 30 students in the first cohort (2002-2003) to 155 students in 2012-2013. STAR Scholars complete 400 hours of faculty-mentored research, scholarship, or creative work during the summer between freshman and sophomore years. As a capstone to the Program, all STAR Scholars write an abstract, create a research poster, and present their work to the Drexel community, friends, and family at the STAR Scholars Summer Showcase. STAR is a transformative experience. In addition to receiving a stipend and on-campus housing, these students come away from the STAR experience with many other benefits – both personal and professional – that can change the course of their lives.
STAR Scholars 4
2012-13 STAR Scholars In the 2012-13 STAR Scho lars Pro gram… v 66 high-ability stude nts (43% the total cohort) accepted Drexel’s invitation to enroll as STAR Scholars. v 19 1 st ude nts submitte d applicat io ns during the mid-year application process; 89 of these students (57% of the cohort) were offered positions as STAR Scholars during the Winter or Spring Terms. v Five (5 ) stude nts were fully funded through our partnership with the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. v We served students from all Drex el sch ools an d college s offering undergraduate programs.
Co ll eg e Arts & Sciences Engineering Media Arts & Design Business Honors College (Custom Design) iSchool Nursing & Health Professions School of Prof. & Tech. Studies Education Biomedical Engineering To tal
v 10 0 faculty mem bers from 10 ou t o f Dre xel’s 12 scho ols and co lle ges, including the Earle Mack School of Law and the Drexel University College of Medicine, volunteered as STAR Mentors.
In 2012 -20 13, w e also in vited six stu den ts t o participate in the iS TAR (Inte rnational STAR ) S cholars Pr ogram for the fir st time , w hich offers S TAR Scho lars the o pportu nity to imme rse them selve s in a fore ign culture as the y co ndu ct cu tting-ed ge rese arch.
STAR 2 01 2 -1 3 43
STAR 2 01 1 -1 2 40
51
40
16
13
14
13
1
2
2
3
1
6
1
3
3
2
22
15
1 54
1 37
“Throughout [the STAR Scholars Program], the challenges faced, goals set, and accomplishments achieved allowed me to better grasp my potential and succeed in the face of uncertainty.” [Excerpt from an end-of-summer reflection by a 2012-2013 STAR Scholar]
In Summer 2013, we sent: v 4 students to S aarbru cke n, Ge rmany to conduct research at the Leibniz Institute of New Materials v 1 student to Costa Rica to conduct field research with Dr. Sean O’Donnell (BEES) v 1 student to Cret e to conduct research on international politics under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Hnaraki (Culture & Communication) In Summer 2014, we will send: v 8 students to S aarbru cke n, Ge rmany to conduct research at the Institute of New Materials & the University of Saarland v 4 students to Ou lu , Fin lan d to conduct research at the University of Oulu v 1 student to Costa Rica to conduct field research with Dr. Sean O’Donnell (BEES)
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Annual Report 2013-14
Four students traveled to Saarbrucken, Germany to conduct 10 weeks of research at the Leibniz Institute for New Materials at the University of Saarland as part of the first iSTAR Scholars cohort: Aq ui l Jo n es (Mathematics, ’16) M atthe w Lan ge nste in (Mat. Science & Eng., ’16) Al ex and e r M cBri de (Mat. Science & Eng., ’17) Vi cto ri a Sad ow ski (Biomed. Eng., ’16) These four students worked on projects related to nanotechnology and energy storage under the guidance of Dr. Vo lke r P re sse r (INM) and Dr. Je nn if e r Atch iso n (INM). Notably, while in Germany, the students competed in an INM-sponsored poster presentation, and Matthew Langenstein was awarded the prize for best undergraduate poster.
ST AR Pro jec t Title s : “Characterization of Electrospun Carbon Fibers from Polyacrylonitrile” [Aquil Jones] “Core-Shell Composite Ultra-Fine Fiber Materials for Supercapacitor Electrode Applications” [Matthew Langenstein] “Investigating Charge Induced Expansion of Porous Carbon Electrodes in Ionic Liquids” [Alexander McBride] “Electrospun Separators for Application in Supercapacitors” [Victoria Sadowski]
STA R Proj ect T itl e: “If You Can’t Stand the Heat… Comparing Thermotolerances of Two Species of Army Ants”
STA R Proj ect T itl e: “National Sovereignty and Energy GeoEconomics in the South-Eastern Mediterranean”
Re be cca O l sho (International Area Studies, ’16) spent her iSTAR summer in Crete, Greece, studying economics and geopolitics in the southern Mediterranean region under the mentorship of Dr. M aria Hn araki (Culture & Communication). Rebecca spent four weeks in Crete before returning to the States to complete her work, including writing a 104-page paper and participating in the STAR Scholars Summer Showcase at the end of the Summer Term.
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Ab ig ail M ud d (Chemistry, ’16) traveled to Monteverde, Costa Rica, to study the thermotolerances of army ants with Dr. Se an O’ Do nn e ll (BEES) and other members of his lab. Abby studied, explored, and lived in Costa Rica for six weeks before returning to the States to complete her research and participate in the STAR Scholars Summer Showcase at the end of the Summer Term.
2013 STAR Scholars Summer Showcase The STAR Scholars Summer Showcase is an opportunity for STAR Scholars to share with friends, family, and the University community the work they have accomplished during their STAR Summer internship. This event, which includes poster presentations by each of the STAR Scholars, celebrates not only the work done by the students, but also the contribution of the Mentors to the STAR Scholars Program as a whole.
August 29, 2013 10:00am: Morning Poster Session 12:00pm: Buffet Luncheon 1:30pm: Afternoon Poster Session 4:00pm: Recognition Ceremony
President John Fry poses with six STAR Scholars who completed their projects in the Drexel Autonomous Systems Lab under the direction of Dr. Paul Oh. From left to right: Kenneth Chaney, Dr. Paul Oh, President John Fry, Dilichukwu Chima-Nwokoma, Daniel Diazdelcastillo, Joseph Kehoe, Charles Brawner, James Sato
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Annual Report 2013-14
2013 Outstanding STAR Mentor of the Year
Dr. Glen Muschio Digital Media Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Dr. Glen Muschio is an Associate Professor in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design who has inspired students to take the next step in their education through interdisciplinary studies and research. Dr. Muschio served as the only non-engineering STAR Mentor in the Program’s first cohort in Summer 2003; since then, he has mentored a total of 17 STAR Scholars during each summer but one. Under Dr. Muschio’s tutelage, students have created virtual representations of historical sites and artifacts throughout Philadelphia and beyond; they have also had the opportunity to present their research at various conferences and professional meetings, including in one in Vienna, Austria. One of his first STAR Scholars, Jim Malazita, is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Culture & Communication and served as a STAR Mentor himself in Summer 2013. Dr. Muschio, Mr. Malazita, and Mr. Mark Petrovich (another Digital Media graduate student and STAR alumnus) collaborated with the Office of Undergraduate Research staff to publish an article in CUR Quarterly on the STAR Scholars Program and Digital Cultural Heritage.
We thank Dr. Muschio for his service and his suppo rt of under graduate research!
The Outstanding STAR Mentor of the Year Award was established in Summer 2011 to recognize the faculty members’ contribution to our students’ experiences in the STAR Scholars Program. All STAR Scholars have the opportunity to nominate their faculty mentors for this award by submitting a nomination form and writing a nomination letter. Their words are then incorporated into a personalized letter, signed by Provost Mark Greenberg, thanking the Mentors for their service.
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Benefits o f Early Undergraduate Rese arch
Undergraduate Rese arch & Dre xe l Stude nt Learning Priorities
While many institutions incorporate research, scholarship, or creative work into an upper-class student’s curriculum through senior design projects or senior theses, the early start provided through early undergraduate research opportunities brings with it manifold benefits. Early undergraduate research… • • •
•
With the many varied benefits of participating in undergraduate research, this type of experiential learning directly supports many of the Dr exel St udent Lea rning Prioriti es, as outlined by the Provost’s Office:
[Co mmu n icatio n ]
Allows an opportunity for deep enga gement in a discipline Enables individuals to become better students and to discover their p assion
Undergraduate research provides students with the opportunity to hone their communication skills, particularly through presentations and publications. We encourage students to participate actively in presenting their work here on campus, as well as in regional, national, and international settings.
Provides students with the opportunity to le arn a bou t scholar ly work in their discipline and make decisions about their futur e aca de mic and ca reer goa ls Allows students to ga in a founda tion in re se arch skills early on in their academic career
•
Gives students the time and opportunity to p art icipa te in m ore substan tial resea rch p rojects later in their academic career
•
Provides students with the opportunity to p resent work at con fe rences, secure patents, and have work published in journals before graduating
•
Provides students with one-to -one m entor ship by a faculty expert in their field
[Cre ativ e & C ritic al Th in kin g] Research, by nature, is the practice of creative and critical thinking as applied to problems within a discipline; thus, undergraduate research exposes students to and enables them to hone their own skills as creative and critical thinkers.
[In f ormati on Li terac y] Just as research requires undergraduate students to think creatively to solve problems, it also requires that students be critical consumers of information in that pursuit. Undergraduate students who participate in research routinely are called upon to sort through and synthesize information in ways not always required in the classroom.
[Se lf-Di rec ted Le arn in g]
[Pro f essi on al Practi ce]
Faculty-mentored research allows students the opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice in an independent manner. The creative and open-ended work of research allows students to experience self-directed learning and the application of theoretical concepts to actual problems within their discipline. Participating in this type of academic activity early on in a student’s career allows her to realize not only the applicability of these theoretical concepts but also her own agency and ability as a student and researcher.
Many of our students, after participating in undergraduate research, choose to continue on in research throughout their undergraduate careers, onto graduate programs of study, and then oftentimes into a professional research capacity. Having early exposure to research allows these students to experience their chosen profession in practice to better clarify their academic and professional goals.
[Gl ob al Co mpe ten ce ]
Undergraduate research certainly hits the mark on the Drexel Student Learning Priority of research, scholarship, and creative expression, particularly given our commitment to involving students from across the University in the pursuit and creation of knowledge within their discipline. Our goal is to offer these opportunities for students from all colleges and disciplines throughout their academic careers.
With the creation of the international STAR Scholars Program (iSTAR), among other opportunities like international research co-ops, the University is supporting the possibility of research as a way for students to increase their global competence and immerse themselves in foreign cultures while gaining other, myriad benefits of participating in research.
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[Re searc h, Scho larsh ip , an d Cre ativ e Expre ssi on ]
Annual Report 2013-14
Assessing the Benefits of the STAR Scholars Program Over the past year, the Office of Undergraduate Research has worked with Dr. Jennifer Stanford (Biology, CoAS) to assess the impact of early undergraduate research experiences, particularly the STAR Scholars Program, on students. Using the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) tool, we surveyed both students and faculty members to identify the major student outcomes of the STAR Scholars Program. See below for our major findings*.
180 UNDECIDED 160 140 120
PHC (CSDN) CNHP
STAR Scholars by College (per Cohort) 2002-2013
School of Ed COAS BIOMED
100
ISCHOOL GOODWIN
80 60
COE LeBow COMAD
40 20 0 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Increas ed retenti on rat e for students who participated in STAR, which, at 96% retention, is the highest within the University. Learning gains in all areas studied by the URSSA tool, including strong gains in the following areas: • • • • •
Understanding what everyday research work is like Ability to work independently Explaining projects to people outside the discipline Preparing a poster to present research Comfort in discussing concepts related to their field of interest with others
No s t ati st ical di fference in gains reported by students in STEM disciplines versus non-STEM disciplines, which suggests that early undergraduate research benefits students across all disciplines. No s t ati st ical di fference in motivation to participate in research, as reported by students in STEM disciplines versus non-STEM disciplines. These motivations included: • • •
To gain hands-on experience To explore their interest in their field of study To enhance their resume
“(STAR) gave me the self-confidence to know that a PhD was within my abilities, and that I would enjoy doing it, and that I was intellectually independent and capable of much, much more than I had ever dreamed before.” - Excerpt from survey response from a former STAR Scholar
*A manuscript detailing these findings has been submitted to Higher Education for consideration. 10
Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Pennoni Honors College established the PHC International Travel Award, which allows an Honors student to attend an international conference in his or her discipline. Attending such prestigious meetings and conferences allows undergraduate students the opportunity to network with professionals in their field with whom they would not come into contact otherwise.
“Attending such a small international conference gave me the unique opportunity to meet some of the greatest contributors to the field of immunology and witness this convergence of scientific ideas on an international stage.” [Georgianna Sandilos, Biology, ’16]
Ab ou t th e In tern atio n al Co n fe re nce o n Cro ssro ads be twe en In n ate and Ad apti ve Imm un o lo gy: This conference aims to “bring together leading international scientists and experts to address critical areas of Innate and Adaptive Immunity, [which is] something necessary for the development of more efficient scientific exchange and crosspollination between these fields.”
The Pennoni Honors College International Travel Award 2013-2014
In 2013-14, the PHC International Travel Award was presented to:
Georgianna Sandilos Biology, ’16 With this award, Georgianna attended the 5 th In te rn atio nal Co n fe re nce o n Cro ssro ads be twe en I nn ate an d Ad apti ve Imm un ol og y, which was hosted by Aegean Conferences in Corfu, Greece from September 21-26, 2013.
Geo rgian na Sand ilos (Biology, ‘16) began working with Dr. Pet er Katsik is (DUCOM) during the summer after her freshman year, as he acted as her mentor in the STAR Scholars Program. She completed her STAR Scholars research project with Dr. Katsikis’ lab, entitled “Optimization and Standardization of a System for the Dual Retroviral Transduction of CD8+ T Cells.” Given her interests in both scientific research and in working with people, Georgianna is on a pre-med track at Drexel, with the intention of attending medical school to pursue a career in clinical medicine, with involvement in research. Georgianna’s participation in this conference following her STAR research experience “affirmed [her] passion for medicine and research and made [her] extremely motivated and eager for the future.”
“The ability to travel abroad to the conference gave me an entirely different but synergistic opportunity to apply the basic knowledge I had gained through my lab experience and … ask questions directly from the biggest names in the field.” [Georgianna Sandilos, Biology, ’16]
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Annual Report 2013-14
The Office of Undergraduate Research provides financial support to students accepted to present their research at discipline-specific and undergraduate research conferences. Students can apply for up to $500 towards any costs associated with presenting research at any discipline-specific conference. The Office of Undergraduate Research also fully funds students to present their research at a number of undergraduate research conferences each year: • • • •
National Conference on Undergraduate Research National Collegiate Research Conference Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research Conference Council on Undergraduate Research Posters on the Hill
In 20 13-14, the Office of Undergraduate Research… Funded 2 1 stu de n ts to present their work at discipline-specific conferences. Funded 2 stu de n ts to conduct research through faculty-research collaborations or research co-ops.
“[The Society for Biomaterials Meeting] was a great conference to attend as an undergraduate student because of the wide breadth of research that was presented there… It was amazing to see how broad the field of biomaterials is and the diverse array of research options before me.” - Alex Sevit (Biomed. Engr., ’15)
Benefits of P resenting Research
Funded 5 stu de nts to conduct research in Germany through the DAAD Rise Program for Summer 2014.
When students present their research at conferences, they are provided with the opportunity to complete the research cycle: from creation of knowledge to communication of that knowledge. Students who present their work at conferences:
Funded and accompanied 1 1 stud e nts to present their work at the Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research Conference in Towson, MD. Funded and accompanied 1 2 stu de n ts to present their work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Lexington, KY.
• •
Funded 6 stu de n ts to present their work at the National Collegiate Research Conference at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
• • •
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Better their presentation skills Learn the details of communicating research specific to their field Network with other undergraduate students conducting research Network with professionals in their field Are exposed to the vast array of research in their field
Last
First
Graduation Yea r
Co lleg e
M ajo r
M entor
M entor Departm ent
Bailey
Charles
2014
COE
Engineering
Dr. Gregory Fridman
Biomedical Engineering
Bournelis
Ian
2014
COE
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ajmal Yousuff
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
Chheda
Sonam
2014
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Kara Spiller
Biomedical Engineering
D'Arcy
Matthew
2014
COE
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ajmal Yousuff
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
Dudkewitz
Morgan
2015
COAS
Communication
Dr. Ron Bishop
Communication
Eboras
Yanni
2015
CNHP
Health Sciences
Dr. Masaru Teramoto
DUCOM
Green
Charles
2014
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Kara Spiller
Biomedical Engineering
Gutierrez
Claudia
2015
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Melody A. Swartz
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Herens
Allison
2014
COAS
Psychology
Dr. Naomi Goldstein
Psychology
Iacono
Anthony
2014
COE
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ajmal Yousuff
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
Johnson
Siara
2015
COAS/CNHP
Psychology & Behavioral Health Counseling
Dr. Naomi Goldstein
Psychology
Mazur
Matthew
2014
COE
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ajmal Yousuff
Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
Nangarlia
Aakansha
2017
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Irwin Chaiken
DUCOM
Netherton
Kaatrin
2014
COAS
Physics
Dr. Charles Lane
Physics
Panchal
Parth
2014
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Kurtulus Izzetoglu
Biomedical Engineering
Parsons
Matthew
2015
COAS
Physics
Dr. Gregory Downing
NIST
Schneider
Samantha
2016
COE
Environmental Engineering
Dr. Franco Montalto
Architectural, Civil, & Environmental Engineering
Schulte
Michael
2015
PHC
Custom-Designed Major: Corporate Policy & the Environment
Dr. Kevin Egan
Pennoni Honors College
Sedlak
Jason
2104
Biomed
Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Kara Spiller
Biomedical Engineering
Slocum
Courtney
2014
COAS
Physics
Dr. Michelle Dolinski
Physics
Smith
Robyn
2015
COAS
Physics
Dr. Gordon Richards
Physics
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Annual Report 2013-14
Conference
Project Title
International Conference on Plasma Medicine 5 (ICPM5) [Nara, Japan]
Development of a Hand Sanitizer Employing Non-thermal Plasma Activated Mist
11th Annual CubeSat Developers' Workshop [San Luis Obispo, CA]
Deployable Package for Enhanced Power and De-Orbit Capabilities in CubeSat Satellites
Northeastern Bioengineering Conference [Boston, MA]
Malodor Management in High Exuding Chronic Wounds
11th Annual CubeSat Developers' Workshop [San Luis Obispo, CA]
Deployable Package for Enhanced Power and De-Orbit Capabilities in CubeSat Satellites
Joint Journalism & Communication History Conference [New York, NY]
It's a great life! Idaho community newspapers cover the construction of the Minidoka Internment Camp
MASCC/ISOO International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer [Miami, FL]
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Endometrial Cancer Recuperance: MetoAnalysis of Available Data
Northeastern Bioengineering Conference [Boston, MA]
Malodor Management in High Exuding Chronic Wounds
Biomedical Engineering Society annual meeting (2013) [Seattle, WA]
A novel in-vitro model to quantify the dynamic interaction of lymphatic endothelial cells and T-cells
American Psychology-Law Society Annual Meeting 2014 [New Orleans, LA]
Juvenile Defendant Characteristics Associated with Pre-Ajudication Diversion
11th Annual CubeSat Developers' Workshop [San Luis Obispo, CA]
Deployable Package for Enhanced Power and De-Orbit Capabilities in CubeSat Satellites
American Psychology-Law Society Annual Meeting 2014 [New Orleans, LA]
Differences in susceptibility to coercion and stress level during interrogations between justice-involved and community youth
11th Annual CubeSat Developers' Workshop [San Luis Obispo, CA]
Deployable Package for Enhanced Power and De-Orbit Capabilities in CubeSat Satellites
Biomedical Engineering Society annual meeting (2013) [Seattle, WA]
Gold Nanoparticles Peptide Triazole Mediated HIV-1 virolysis
Mid-Atlantic Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics [College Park, MD]
Search for Induced Depletion of 108mAg with CoMeV Biemsstrahlung
Northeastern Bioengineering Conference [Boston, MA]
Feedback Control System to Titrate Oxygen Delivery in Hypoxic Hypoxemia
American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting & Nuclear Technology Expo [Washington, DC]
SIDecSo, a Simple Analytic Software for Neutro Depth Profiling
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014 [Portland, OR]
The Participation of Citizen Scientist in Green Infrastructure Post-Construction Monitoring Efforts in New York City
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law Fall 2013 Symposium [South Royalton, VT]
Panelist Speaker @ Conference
Northeastern Bioengineering Conference [Boston, MA]
Malodor Management in High Exuding Chronic Wounds
Mid-Atlantic Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics [College Park, MD]
The Fabrication of Solid Xenon Crystal Detectors for the Detection of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay
223rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society Washington, DC
Probing Systematic Bias in the Reverberation Mapped Quasar Sample
Mid-Atlantic Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics [College Park, MD]
Probing Systematic Bias in the Reverberation Mapped Quasar Sample
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National Collegiate Research Conference Harvard University Cambridge , MA January 22-25, 2014 The National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC) was established in 2012 to create a forum for undergraduate researchers to come together and share their work. This conference, run by the Harvard College Undergraduate Research Association (HCURA), was established based on the belief “that student researchers have the ability to make meaningful and significant contributions in all fields of study and to the greater body of world research knowledge.” Our students have had the opportunity to participate in this newly developing undergraduate research community since its inception. This year, we were able to support the attendance and participation of six undergraduate students.
Stud e nts acce pte d to pre sen t at NC RC 2 0 1 4: From left to right: • Lorenzo Albala (Biomed. Engr., ’14) • Claudia Gutierrez (Biomed. Engr., ’15) • Chelsea Knittel (Custom Design, ’14) • Aimee Turner (Envi. Sci., ’17) • Alex McBride (Mat. Engr., ’18) • Yujun (Terry) Xie (Mat. Engr., ’14) [not pictured]
“[Attending NCRC 2014] was an interesting experience to spend time with students working on projects completely unrelated to my own, as it got me thinking about new and different areas of research, …. [as well as] students who were working on similar kinds of projects as myself (projects in smart textile research), yet approaching the problem in completely different ways. [Chelsea Knittel, Custom-Designed Major, ‘14]
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Annual Report 2013-14
National Conference on Undergraduate Research University of Ke nt ucky-Lexington Lexington, KY April 3-5, 2014 The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) promotes undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study. The annual conference, hosted by the Council on Undergraduate Research at a different university each year, gives undergraduate scholars in all fields and from all types of institutions of higher learning a forum to share the results of their work through posters, presentations, performances, and works of art. This year, we traveled to University of Kentucky-Lexington with 12 talented undergraduate students from across the University. Nine of these 12 students were former STAR Scholars, and two of these twelve were first-year students at Drexel.
Stud e nts acce pte d to p rese n t at NCU R 2 01 4 : • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Katherine Berman (Bio., ’15) Poonam Bhavsar (Bio., ’16) Oresta Borodevyc (Bio., ’16) Aqsaa Chaudhry (Bio., ’14) Simone Dallaire (Int’l. Busn., Legal Studies, ’14) Sabrina Douglas (Nursing, ’16) Megan Hartz (Psychology, ’14) Jordan Jobs (Info. Systems, ’15) Alexander McBride (Mat. Engr., ’17) Aakansha Nangarlia (Biomed. Engr., ’16)* Rebecca Olsho (Int’l. Area Studies, ’16) Colin Stacy (Mech. Engr., ’14) Aimee Turner (Envi. Sci., ’17)
*This student was not able to attend NCUR 2014.
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Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research Conference Towso n University Towso n, MD April 11-13, 2014
Stud e nts no min ate d to p rese n t at th e 2 01 3 CA A Un de rgrad uate Re se arch Co n fe re nce :
At the Colonial Academic Alliance (CAA) Undergraduate Research Conference, undergraduate
• • • • • • • • • • •
researchers from all disciplines are welcome: from the STEM fields to the humanities, fine arts, and social sciences. Faculty members from participating institutions nominate outstanding undergraduate researchers from their institutions to present their work at each CAA Undergraduate Research Conference. Students have the opportunity to present their work through poster sessions and oral presentations. This year, we had faculty nominate a record number
Anthony Abel (Chem. Engr., ’16) Alex Benjamin (Mech. Engr., ’15) Rishon Benjamin (Chem. Engr., ’15) Gabrielle Housel (Mat. Engr., ’15) Aswathi John (Biomed. Engr., ’15) Weiquan Li (Busn. & Engr. ’16) Trisha Menon (Bio., ’14) Anjli Patel (Chem. Engr., ’15) Zachary Stockmal (Interactive Dig. Media, ’16) Mashaal Syed (Biomed. Engr., ’16) Abhishek Valanju (Info. Tech., ’16)
of students (for a total of 17 nominated), of which we were able to send 11 students to present their work at
Drexel University is set to host the
the CAA Undergraduate Research Conference. Nine
Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research Conference
of these 11 students were former STAR Scholars, and four of these students were presenting work as sophomore students.
in Spring 2015.
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Annual Report 2013-14
Council on Undergraduate Research Posters on the Hill Washington, DC April 28-29, 2014
Michael Koerner (pictured second from the right) poses with his faculty mentor, Dr. Andrew R. Cohen (pictured at the far right), along with two other Pennsylvania students selected for CUR Posters on the Hill and their faculty advisors, and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) in the Capitol Building.
Michael Koerner
Each April, the Council on Undergraduate Research hosts “Posters on the Hill” in Washington, D.C. Approximately 60 students from across the country are selected on a competitive basis, out of a pool of approximately 800 applicants, to present their research to Members of Congress and invited guests at the Rayburn Office Building on Capitol Hill. Students meet with their Congressional and House Representatives, attend field trips, and hear from speakers who are innovators in and supporters of undergraduate research.
Biomedical Engineering, ’17 Michael Koerner (Biomed. Engr., ’17) was selected to present his research at CUR Posters on the Hill in April 2014. Michael presented his research on new ways to bioimage data using tactile feedback, which he began during the summer after his freshman year and then continued during a research co-op under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew R. Cohen in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (College of Engineering). Michael’s research co-op was supported partially through grant funding and through a Steinbright Career & Development Center research co-op fellowship.
This year marks the third year in a row that a Drexel student has been selected to present his or her research at CUR Posters on the Hill; out of these three student representatives, two of them – including this year’s student researcher, Michael Koerner – have been sophomores. Our ability to send early undergraduate students to present their independent research at such prestigious conferences is a testament to the research being conducted here on campus and also to the faculty members who take the time to mentor these bright and motivated students.
Michael’s work has also been accepted for presentation at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology conference in Chicago in August 2014. In addition to being first author on the paper he will present at the IEEE conference, his work with Dr. Cohen on new interfaces for exploring 3-D data has also resulted in a provisional patent application.
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Presenting Research @ Drexel University While many of our undergraduate students travel to regional, domestic, or international conferences to participate in their larger research communities, Drexel University offers a number of opportunities for students to have that exposure here in Philadelphia. Throughout the year, undergraduate students present their original work alongside other researchers at the following venues:
C ongratulations to the 2014 CoA S Res earch Day A wa rd W inners:
February 17 & 18, 2014 In an effort to recognize the depth and breadth of research that occurs at the undergraduate and graduate level, the College of Arts & Sciences hosts an annual CoAS Research Day, at which can present posters or oral presentations of their work. A total of 56 undergr adua te students participated, with 48 students presenting research posters and 8 students giving oral presentations.
[Natural & Physical Sciences]
[Humanities & Social Sciences]
Victoria Baccini (Bio.)
Zachary Cohen (Hist.)
Michael Jewell (Physics)
Cory Czuczman (Psych.)
Spencer Roberts (Envi. Sci.)
Rhae Ana Gamber (Psych.)
Kirsten Vannix (Bio.)
Allison Herens (Psych.)
Drexel University’s institution-wide Research Day routinely brings together researchers of all levels. In Spring 2014, a total of 119 undergr adua te students presented posters in nine areas of inquiry.
April 18, 2014
C ongratulations to the 20 14 Drex el Researc h Da y A wa rd W inners: [Bio/Biomedical] Lorenzo Albala Grant Grothusen Justin Newton [Business Research] Lawrence Lindawan
[Computation & Modeling/Non-Bio] Sharanya Subramony
[Humanities & Social Sciences] Andrea Verghese
[Creative Arts & Design] Nnaemeke Offodile
[Physical Science & Engineering] Stephen Watt
[Education & Outreach]
[Translational & Clinical] Parth Panchal
Nicholas Flynn [Computation & Bio-Modeling]
Michael Koerner
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Annual Report 2013-14
Underrepresented Students in Undergraduate Research Lo u is Sto kes All ian ce for M i no rity P artici patio n Throughout our endeavors to support undergraduate research, we are committed to providing these opportunities to underrepresented students
The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), funded by the National Science Foundation, works to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines. We are proud to partner with LSAMP to bring underrepresented minority students into the STAR Scholars Program and further engage them in research opportunities.
through our work with the Louis
# of LSAMP STAR Scholar s by Year
Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, the Liberty Scholars Program, and the assessment we conduct of our programs. We are committed to
200809
200910
201011
201112
201213
20132014*
6
5
11
10
13
10
*estimated # of LSAMP STAR Scholars based on current 2014 STAR cohort
this goal, because …
…th e re sul ts o f e ngagi ng the se stu de nts in u nde rgr ad ua te re se arc h ar e of ten tra nsfo rma tio nal… We see underrepresented students with little
•
Cl aud ia Gu tie rrez (Biomedical Engineering, ’15)
participated as an LSAMP STAR Scholar in Summer 2011. Since STAR, she has presented at undergraduate research and discipline-specific conferences and has completed six months
previous experience with research who
of research abroad in Switzerland as a Whitaker Fellow.
participate in the STAR Scholars Program
Claudia plans to attend medical school to become a physician
and other undergraduate research
and has hopes to run her own business one day.
opportunities make meaningful contributions to the research agendas of their faculty mentors and setting and achieving goals for themselves that were previously thought to be unattainable. Further, by challenging both themselves and their faculty mentors, they are changing the profile of our university for the better.
•
Jo rdan Jo bs (Information Systems, ’15) participated as
an LSAMP STAR Scholar in Summer 2012. She presented her STAR research on health information and access in lowincome communities at NCUR 2013, completed three months of study and research in Germany as part of the DAAD Rise program, and presented her research on human-computer interfaces at NCUR 2014. •
Elai ne Ru iz (Materials Engineering, ’16) participated as
an LSAMP STAR Scholar in Summer 2012. She continued her research in Dr. Antonios Zavaliangos’ lab as a research co-op in 2012-2013.
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The Discover portal was established in Spring 2010 to facilitate research and scholarly collaboration between faculty and undergraduate students. While faculty members traditionally must cull from their classes for undergraduate research assistants, the Discover portal allows faculty to broaden their applicant pool while allowing students to find faculty with similar research interests whom they may not have met through their courses. In 2013-2014, 98 faculty members created 123 postings for research positions. Each of these postings received an average of 2-3 student applicants. A total of 285 students applied for research positions through the Discover portal. We plan to continue to identify ways to make the Discover portal more user-friendly and more useful to the Drexel Community. [Sam p le Resear ch Project T itle s]
[Newest U p da te]
v Additive Manufacturing (3-D Printing) of Human Scale Hollow Cementitious
Faculty members now have the capability not only to post research positions but also to see what types of positions their colleagues are posting. Faculty members can now toggle between the “Faculty” view (allowing them to post positions) and the “Advisor” view (allowing them to view positions).
Vessels (Civil, Architectural, & Environmental Engineering) v Creating a Literature Review of the Use of Narrative in the Transmittal of Medical Knowledge (English & Philosophy) v Effect of Shale Gas Waste Water on Diatoms in Blacklick Creek, Western PA (Biodiversity, Earth, & Environmental Science) v Eating Disorders & Obesity (Psychology) v Orthopedic Biomechanics Lab Research Assistant (Biomedical Engineering) v iOS App Developer for Drexel App Lab (Electrical & Computer Engineering)
[F uture Init iativ es] In the coming years, we hope to expand the use and reach of the Discover website in the following ways: v Collaborate with Steinbright Career Development Center to cross-post research co-op opportunities on both portals v Export Discover “job widgets” to college and department websites (starting with Office of Undergraduate Research)
21
Annual Report 2013-14
The High School Scholars Program (formerly the Visiting Scholars Program) enables h igh - ach ie vi ng h igh sch o ol stu de nts to take classes at Drexel University, free of tuition, while they are completing high school. These students are eligible to take classes through the College of Arts & Sciences, the LeBow College of Business, and the Goodwin College of Professional and Technical Studies.
Stu de nts Register ed
High School s Rep resent ed
Sum mer 2013
45
16
F all 2013
17
12
W inter 2014
16
6
Sp ring 2014
27
13
T erm
In AY 2013-14, we increased the number of schools participating in the High School Scholars Program, as well as the number of students who participated each term. The flexibility of this program enables us to foster partnerships with a range of educational institutions; in the past, this has included the InsideOut Program at Drexel University and the Science Leadership Academy (below). As we move forward with the program, we hope to engage with more schools in the Philadelphia area to better support our community and recruit high-achieving Philadelphia students to Drexel as undergraduate students.
In 2 0 13 -1 4, th e Hi gh Sch oo l Sc ho lars Pro gram… Enrolled a total of 9 5 Hig h Sc ho ol Sch ol ars in 1 21 D rex el cl asse s. Enrolled 2 5 Hig h Sc ho ol Sch ol ars who participated in the program during more than one term (e.g., took one class during at least two separate terms during the academic year). Accepted High School Scholars in the program representing 2 2 di ffere n t are a hi gh sch o ol s.
Ma jor Pa rtnerships Haddonfield Memorial High School Drexel has a multifaceted relationship with the Haddonfield School District, and one of these facets is our work with them through the High School Scholars Program. Every year, approximately 5-10 Haddonfield high school students apply to and are accepted into the High School Scholars Program.
Science Leadership Academy The Science Leadership Academy, with its mission of inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation, and reflection, sends its high-achieving students to the High School Scholars Program to increase their academic opportunities as students in the School District of Philadelphia.
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) identifies gifted middle school students and, through a partnership with Drexel University, offers such gifted students in the Philadelphia area a one-course scholarship as a High School Scholar.
“Thanks in large part to this program, I have grown leaps and bounds in my ability to write, think critically and take notes, all of which will be extremely helpful to me at the next level of my education.”
- Excerpt from a thank-you letter from a former High School Scholar 22
Collaborating with Faculty & Offices In addition to the work we have conducted with Dr. Glen Muschio (Digital Media, CoMAD) and Dr. Jennifer Stanford (Biology, CoAS) on publications, we have also spent time this year cultivating relationships with other faculty members and offices across the University to combine resources and provide opportunities for students that we would not be able to make available on our own. We would like to thank these units and faculty for their cooperation and support this past year and as we continue to move forward.
Drexel Libraries & Drexel Writing Center The Office of Undergraduate Research organizes a series of workshops to round out the summer experience for our STAR Scholars with the assistance of the Drexel Libraries and the Drexel Writing Center. v Ms. Nancy Bellafante and Ms. Elizabeth Ten Have (Drexel Libraries) have offered their time, information, expertise, and space to create a substantial workshop series to expose students to tools and topics relevant to research and scholarship. Some sample workshop titles have included: o Managing References with Zotero o In Search of a Scholarly Review Article o The Art and Science of Visual Design v Dr. Scott Warnock and Dr. Dan Driscoll (Drexel Writing Center) have given their time and expertise to educate students about the relationship between writing and research, particularly by offering a popular and useful set of workshops for our STAR Scholars on writing abstracts.
Drexel Study Abroad Of fice, Office of International Programs, & College of Engineering The implementation of the iSTAR Scholars Program would not have been possible without the assistance and connections provided by the College of Engineering, as well as the information, resources and assistance provided by the Drexel Study Abroad Office and Office of International Programs. These units’ support will prove invaluable as we move forward to institutionalize and expand this program in the coming years.
23
Annual Report 2013-14
Collaborating with Faculty & Offices Office of Undergraduate Research Advisory Committee In 2013-14, we convened the Office of Undergraduate Research Advisory Committee, which comprises 14 members from across the University. These faculty members and administrators have provided us with valuable on various initiatives and concerns related to undergraduate research here at Drexel. We would like to thank these individuals for their participation and feedback, and we look forward to continuing to work with them. Dr. Sriram Balasubramanian (Biomed)
Dr. V.K. Narayanan (LeBow)
Dr. Jennifer Breaux (Public Health)
Dr. Karen Nulton (CoAS)
Ms. Marie Fazio (CCI)
Dr. William Regli (CCI)
Dr. Adam Fontecchio (CoE)
Dr. Jennifer Stanford (CoAS)
Dr. Warren Hilton (Public Health)
Ms. Elizabeth Ten Have (Libraries)
Dr. Kelly Joyce (CoAS)
Ms. Antoinette Torres (AARD)
Dr. Glen Muschio (CoMAD)
Dr. Antonios Zavaliangos (CoE)
Over the course of the first year of this committee, we have sought out feedback from committee members on the following topics: v STAR Sc ho lars App lic ation P roc ess: With the Advisory Committee’s feedback, we successfully implemented our first online STAR Scholars application this past year. As we move forward, we will continue to request feedback to streamline the process. v STAR Sc ho lars Reco mme n dati on Fo rm : We also were able to implement a more thorough and strategic recommendation process for the STAR Scholars Program this year with the assistance of the Advisory Committee. We are looking to revise this process even further over the next year and will do so with the assistance of the Advisory Committee. v “Re se arch In te n siv e” Co u rs e De sign atio n : We have begun discussions with the Advisory
Committee related to the creation of a “Research Intensive” course designation and certificate program as one possibility for further integrating research into the curriculum. The Advisory Committee will prove invaluable as we continue this conversation.
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Presentations & Publications In an effort to communicate our successes in undergraduate research initiatives and collaborations to a larger audience, the Office of Undergraduate Research has worked on a number of publications and presentations during the 2013-14 academic year.
Publications STAR Sc ho lars and D igi tal C ul tural He ritage We collaborated with Dr. Glen Muschio (Interactive Digital Media, Westphal) and two graduate students from the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design to write a piece on the relationship between the STAR Scholars Program and the Digital Cultural Heritage projects taking place in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The piece discusses the growth of Digital Cultural Heritage as a general area of study and the role the STAR Scholars Program played in the growth of Digital Cultural Heritage here at Drexel by providing a space for intensive and immersive research outside of the STEM disciplines. Rocheleau, S., Muschio, G., Malazita, J., Petrovich, M., and Mohan, J. (2014). STAR Scholars and Digital Cultural Heritage. CUR Quarterly, 34(2), 27-32.
Early U n de rgrad uate Re se arch Expe rie n ces Le ad to Si mil ar Le arni ng G ain s f or A ll Stud e nts We worked closely with Dr. Jennifer Stanford (Biology, COAS) to assess the benefits of the STAR Scholars Program through data collection (survey responses of current and former STAR Scholars) and analysis. Through this data analysis, we obtained quantitative proof of student outcomes of participation in early undergraduate research across the disciplines, including increased retention and learning gains in a number of different areas (as defined by the survey tool used in our data collection). Stanford, J., Mohan, J., and Rocheleau, S. (2014). Early Undergraduate Research Experiences Lead to Similar Learning Gains for All Students. Submitted for publication in Higher Education.
Presentation O ne U n ive rsi ty: Le ve ragi ng In stitu tio nal P artn e rshi ps to I ncre ase U nd e rgradu ate Re searc h We have been accepted to give a workshop presentation on the institutional partnerships that have contributed to our undergraduate research initiatives here at Drexel University at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) 2014 Conference entitled, “Creating the Citizens of Tomorrow: Undergraduate Research for All.” This presentation will take place in late June 2014.
25
Annual Report 2013-14
Undergraduate Research: Looking Forward As we move into the 2014-2015 academic year, the Office of Undergraduate Research will… v Host the Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research
Conference in March 2015, which will bring students and provosts from 10 universities to campus to present and share undergraduate research. v Implement a new partnership with the Biology department for the STAR
Scholars P rogram in which STAR Scholars will be partnered with graduate students under funding provided by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant obtained by Biology faculty members. We will be able to accept an extra five STAR Scholars per year for three years, while the Biology department will be able to provide their graduate students with valuable mentoring experience. v Continue to expand the iSTAR Scholars Program to potentially include locations in Ireland and Los Angeles for students in the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Media Arts & Design and to explore further opportunities for students in other disciplines. v Identif y ways to further support faculty-student research
co llaborations through increased research grants for students conducting research with faculty and by encouraging students to pursue opportunities through REUs and research coops here on campus. v Continue to explore the “research intensive” course designation to further conversations about integrating research into the curriculum and identifying how Drexel faculty and curricula already achieve this.
26
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Th e Offi ce o f U n de rgrad uate Re se arch is a un it of th e Pe nn o ni Ho n ors Co lle ge .