From the Chancellor
Greetings,
UMLJUR is published by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research University of Massachusetts Lowell
Chancellor
Martin T. Meehan
Provost
Ahmed Adbelal
Vice Provost for Research
People may think “work ready, life ready and world ready” is just UMass Lowell’s slogan. However, I know that when our students graduate – and often well before that – they really are ready for anything. Case in point: this publication. Producing this journal, submitting a paper for the peer-review process and engaging in research – these activities prepare students for the real world. They are immersed in the experiential learning that today’s companies seek. This is the first publication of an undergraduate research journal at UMass Lowell. It is a student-conceived, student-led initiative. This first issue is a small window into all of the impressive research conducted by undergraduates on campus. I congratulate the student editors and leaders who brought this to fruition. I look forward to seeing this journal grow and thrive in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Julie Chen
Founders and Chief Editors Robert DeMatteo Denis Jakuj Daniel Warden
Martin T. Meehan Chancellor
Design Editor Raymond Lam
Technical Editor
From the Vice Provost for Research
Brian Gablaski
Dear Readers,
Type Editor
During the summer of 2011, enterprising UMass Lowell students – the editors of this publication – made it their mission to produce an undergraduate research journal. Through persistence and hard work, they made it happen in one academic year. They are remarkable, and I congratulate them. But they are not alone in their pursuit of excellence. So many of us love working at UMass Lowell – teaching in our classrooms and conducting research in our labs – because the students themselves are eager to learn and are determined in their pursuit of knowledge. This journal reflects that approach. These papers were chosen via a peer-review process that included fellow students as well as faculty. The quality of the work is impressive, not just among undergraduates, but within the entire academic community. And the breadth of the topics reflects the range of scholarship pursued on campus. From design of a hybrid race car to assessment of the impact of Lowell’s mobile food pantry program to determining the effectiveness of a non-toxic alternative to home disinfecting cleaners – UMass Lowell’s student research spans the disciplines and helps improve the world.
Mathew Williams
Chief Editors 2013 Nathan Manalo Ankit Patel Sarah Regan
Please direct address changes and comments, including requests for permission to reprint, to : Office of the Vice Provost for Research University of Massachusetts Lowell One University Avenue www.UML.edu/UMLJUR umljur@uml.edu
As Vice Provost for Research, I applaud all who played a role in making this important contribution to UMass Lowell’s research endeavors. Sincerely,
Julie Chen Vice Provost for Research