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Determining the Metamorphic Temperatures of Rocks in the Raspas Complex using Zirconium -in- Rutile Thermometry to Compare to Computer Models

The Raspas Complex in Ecuador, estimated to be approximately 120+ Ma old, is a metamorphic fossil subduction zone with diverse rock types including eclogites. This study determines the preci…

Determining the Most Effective Ratio of Natural Materials for Water Filtration

Earth and Environmental Sciences

This investigation addresses clean water insufficiency in marginalized communities by exploring the viability of natural materials for water filtration. It was determined whether different r…

Determining Whether the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Non-Receptor Type 2 (PTPN2) Gene Plays a Role in the Development of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that leads to destruction of insulin producing 𝛽-cells. It is unknown what causes the disease and there’s no lasting cure. The protein tyrosine…

DETICKT IT: A Machine Learning -Based Application for Real -Time Tick Identification and Spatiotemporal Disease Risk Assessment

There is an alarming increase in the population of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs), with 475,000 cases reported annually, some of which are fatal (Kugeler et al., 2021). Due to limited…

DETICKT IT: A Machine Learning-Based Application for Real-Time Tick Identification and Spatiotemporal Disease Risk Assessment

Systems Software Third Award

There is an alarming increase in the population of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs), with 475,000 cases reported annually, some of which are fatal. Due to limited training, healthcare pr…

Developing a Cost-Effective Alternative to Treating Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Microbiology Fourth Award

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a poorly understood disease that is characterized by the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. Our current and most researched treatm…

Developing a New Alkaline-Activated Cement Based on Carbonation Process to Reduce CO2 Emissions

Environmental Engineering

Cement production contributes approximately 8% to global CO2 emissions. Researchers are exploring alternatives such as alkaline-activated cement (AACs), that utilize industrial by-products l…

Developing an Oil Spill Remediation System That Utilizes Ferrofluids' Polar-Incongruencies to Bind to Petroleum and Integrate It Into a System Primed for Magnetic Removal vs. Bagasse, Coconut Coir, and Pine Shaving Remediation Systems for Sustainable Energy Regeneration

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Cleaning oil spills is a significant problem, especially in open-water systems. Many current remediation methods are expensive, not entirely effective, or are more detrimental to the environ…

Developing a Novel Holistic, Personalized Dementia Risk Prediction Model via Integration of Machine Learning and Network Systems Biology Approaches

Systems Software

The prevalence of dementia has increased over time as global life expectancy improves and populations age. An individual's risk of developing dementia is influenced by various genetic, lifes…

Developing a Novel Paradigm for the Distributed Storage of Digital Information

Systems Software

In today's data-driven world, where 2.5 quintillion bytes are generated every day, reliably storing and accessing vital information is crucial. However, as technologies evolve, traditional m…

Developing a Novel Wildfire Spread Prediction Model Using Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Time-series Forecasting

Earth and Environmental Sciences

The late 20th and early 21st centuries have been marked by significant global climate change resulting in many environmental disasters. Specifically, the recent increase in both frequency an…

Developing a Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogel Based Controlled Delivery System Using the Alkyl Radical Initiator AIPH as an Antitumor Therapy

Biochemistry

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymers that can serve as a strategy for sustained treatment of tumors by slowly releasing compounds into an area. By adding compounds such as AIPH and the n…

Developing a Python-based Synthetic Aperture Radar Visualization System for Flood Mapping

As we enter an era where natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity globally, the need for advanced disaster response technologies has never been more pressing. Floods, in p…

Developing a Rapidly Dissolving, Biodegradable Microneedle Patch and Standard Curve for Minimally Invasive Filtration Marker Delivery and Point-of-Care Renal Analysis

Translational Medical Science

Around 800 million individuals worldwide are estimated to have chronic kidney disease (CKD), with most cases being undiagnosed. Diagnosing CKD and other renal dysfunctions requires an assess…

Developing a Single-Cell Atlas of the Macaque Placenta and Fetal Brain to Characterize Zika Infection Dynamics in Pregnancy

Biomedical and Health Sciences

I characterized placenta and fetal brain tissues on the cellular level by leveraging single-cell (sc)RNA-seq data from pregnant pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina). My hypothesis was that t…

Developing Filter&Fire and Integrate&Fire Neural Networks to Assess the Role of Dendritic Cable Filtering

Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

The most common biological neuron spiking computational model is the Integrate&Fire (I&F) model. It computes the neuron's potential by summing its inputs and fires spikes accordingly. The Fi…

Developing Optimal Fused Deposition Modeling Surfaces for Cell Growth in Lab-On-A-Chip Applications

Biomedical Engineering

Lab-on-chip (LOC) technology is a developing nanotechnology that has promising applications in cell and tissue engineering. These devices must be hydrophilic, non-toxic, and inexpensive. Cur…

Developing Practical Early Countermeasures to Wildfires: An Explainable AI Approach

Robotics and Intelligent Machines

Smoke develops in the early stages of a wildfire and is vital to early prevention, but a new detection method is needed because smoke tends to be challenging to spot. This study used an imag…

Developing Ultra-Lite ML Models for Crash Detection in Noisy Environments

Embedded Systems

This project focuses on developing a novel machine-learning (ML) solution on edge-devices, operating in high-noise environments, to detect major faults and events (such as crashes). Every ye…

Development and Application of Water Quality Detection Method Based on Smartphone Color Recognition

Earth and Environmental Sciences

With water playing a fundamental and irreplaceable role in everyday life, water quality monitoring is crucial for preserving the aquatic ecosystem and ensuring a sustainable planet for the f…

Development and Characterization of a Bionic Vine: A Novel, Flexible, and Stable Wire-Driven Soft Robot

Engineering Technology: Statics & Dynamics

Today, millions of farmers have to pick fruits by hand. Those farmers put in much effort but get little because of low efficiency and lack of mechanization in picking fruits. Complicated env…

Development and Construction of a TTL Processor

Embedded Systems

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to develop and construct a functional 32-bit processor capable of executing programs generated by a compiler, controlling a color display, and perfor…

Development and Demonstration of a Low-Cost Strip-PET Scanner Prototype

Physics and Astronomy Third Award

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) allows physicians to visualize metabolism in various organs and is widely used in cancer and neurological imaging. The radioactive tracer, usually Fluorode…

Development and in vitro Verification of a Polymersome for Blood-Brain Barrier Transport Through a Novel Machine Learning Model

Translational Medical Science Second Award

Across neurological drug development, researchers struggle with the inability of most drugs to pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), due to the semipermeable membrane’s high selectivit…

Development and In Vitro Verification of a Polymersome for Blood-Brain Barrier Transport Through a Novel Machine Learning Model

Across neurological drug development, researchers struggle with the high selectivity of the blood -brain barrier (BBB), where most drugs are unable to pass from the blood into the brain. As…

Development and Validation of a Novel Breath Analysis and Machine Learning Platform for Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Heart Failure

Translational Medical Science

Currently, 6.2 million adults suffer from heart failure (HF), with 30-40% surviving one-year post-hospitalization and a 30-day readmission rate of 23%. The urgent need for an affordable, spe…

Development of a Accessible pH-Monitoring Wound Dressing for Early Detection of Surgical Site Infections

Biomedical Engineering

Purpose: Surgical site infections cause significant morbidity and even mortality. Increase in wound pH has been correlated with infection and may identify infection before clinical symptoms…

Development of a Biocide-Free Polyurethane-Based Coating for Effective Antifouling in Marine Vessels

Materials Science

One of the maritime industry challenges is marine fouling, an accumulation of bioorganisms such as algae, mussels, and barnacles on marine vessels and ships. Marine fouling increases fuel co…

Development of a Biodegradable Polymer Infused With Delonix regia (Flamboyant) for Wound Care Applications

Translational Medical Science

Biodegradable polymers are often used to seek applications addressing specific needs, such as wound care, due to their compatibility with biological interfaces, are eco-friendly, and safe fo…

Development of a Cathepsin B-Responsive Hydrogel for the Targeted Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapy

Biomedical and Health Sciences Fourth Award

Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT) is a promising form of Immunotherapy, wherein T-Lymphocytes are propagated in the laboratory and re-infused into patients. However, a major limitation to ACT is C…